WHEREAS, the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II is being celebrated in the Commonwealth of Nations to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952; and,

WHEREAS, Queen Elizabeth II is now the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-serving female head of state; and,

WHEREAS, there is a long tradition of celebrating Royal Jubilee weddings and coronations with the lighting of beacons, and beacon chains are now a symbol of unity across towns, borders, countries, and continents and often the central point of focus for any outdoor gathering or celebration; and,

WHEREAS, in honor of the unique occasion of the Platinum Jubilee, beacons will be lit throughout the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, the UK Overseas Territories, and the Capital Cities of the Commonwealth of Nations; and,

WHEREAS, on Thursday, June 2, at 9:00pm concluding with the lighting of colonial cressets at 9:30pm – the local hour prescribed by Buckingham Palace for the global lighting of “beacons” as the first event in an historic weekend of pageantry honoring Queen Elizabeth II; and,

WHEREAS, the ceremony in Colonial Williamsburg, one of the few in North America registered with the British Crown, will take place in the Wren Yard of the Historic Campus of William & Mary and include the CW Fife & Drum Corps, a band of over 40 bagpipes from multiple states which will be one of the largest gatherings of bagpipes outside of the United Kingdom celebrating the Platinum Jubilee; and,

WHEREAS, Queen Elizabeth II has ancient family ties to Virginia being the direct descendent of the Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses, Augustine Warner, Jr., and Mildred Reade through her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the “Queen Mother;” and,    

WHEREAS, Great Britain and the Commonwealth of Virginia share unique historic ties, particularly in the historic areas of Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg, and the College of William & Mary; and,

WHEREAS, Queen Elizabeth II has visited the Commonwealth of Virginia on numerous occasions to celebrate these historic ties and it is fitting for Virginia to honor and celebrate the historic date of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize June 2, 2022 as a DAY OF CELEBRATION OF THE PLATINUM JUBILEE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.