New Delhi: It is the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Google is commemorating the event with a special doodle on its homepages in the countries of the Commonwealth realm.
The doodle features a blue silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II (looking to the right), dressed in her royal finery. The Queen's long flowing blue robe is has diamond patterns and a golden border. The two Os of the Google logo are also in a diamond shape. The diamonds signify the diamond jubilee. The E of the Google logo is perched atop the Queen's crown.
Two of Queen Elizabeth II's favourite breed of dogs, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, also find a place of prominence in the doodle. Ahead of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the demand for Pembroke Welsh Corgi pups witnessed a surge in Britain.
The blue tone of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Google symbolises royally as blue is usually associated with the ruling classes.
Queen Elizabeth II is marking 60 years on the throne on June 2, 2011. The queen was a vibrant young woman of 25 on June 2, 1953 when she became the head of state of a faltering post-war nation.
Today at 86 she remains strong of heart and stout of spirit, refusing to let age slow her pace or dim her smile, which if anything has grown more welcoming over the years.
Winston Churchill was prime minister when she became queen, and David Cameron, who wasn't even born then, is Britain's leader now. Elizabeth herself has no political role. But her royal mystique, the centuries of history she embodies and her own discreet charisma help define the very idea of Britain for the world.
Elizabeth has weathered shaky times with her children, whose marriages have tended to break apart, and her popularity suffered after the 1997 death of Princess Diana, with some finding her response to the tragedy to be cold and out of touch with public sentiment.
The late princess was an international superstar. And the queen was seen by some as overseeing the royal push to cast her adrift after the breakup of her troubled union with Prince Charles, the heir to the throne. But all evidence suggests the queen's connection to her subjects has recovered from those blows.
There was overwhelming support for Elizabeth at the last great celebration that focused on her role — the Golden Jubilee bash that in 2002 marked her 50 years on the throne.
The event is remembered not just for the concerts and the parties but for the spectacle of an estimated one million people gathered in front of Buckingham Palace to wave to the queen and say: "Well done."
Her staying power is impressive. Elizabeth is the oldest person to reign over Britain, and only Queen Victoria, who took the throne at an earlier age, had a longer reign.
The queen, and the royal family, have benefited in the last few years by the newfound maturity of Prince William, who married the former Kate Middleton in a spectacular ceremony last year, and Prince Harry, who has put his partying days largely in the past as he focuses on a military career.
The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, are also coping with his heart disease, which surfaced over the Christmas holidays when he required emergency treatment to clear a blocked artery.
The 91-year-old has cut back slightly on his public appearances and some of his charity work, but is expected to be at the queen's side for the Jubilee events.
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