On November 20, 1947, the then–Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten in front of 2,000 guests at Westminster Abbey. 70 years, four children, eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and a whole empire later, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip will, in the next few weeks, commemorate their platinum anniversary. They are the first British royal couple ever to reach the seven-decade mark.
Now, that certainly seems like a great reason to throw a big blowout—gowns, tiaras, dancing in the street! But it seems that the Queen and her husband have a more low-key idea in mind.
In October, Buckingham Palace confirmed that they would hold no formal public celebrations like they did for with their silver, golden, and diamond anniversaries. But they said nothing about private ones—and now multiple reports say that they’ll host a small dinner party at Windsor Castle for just close friends and family.
Why no lavish affair? Some are suggesting it’s because of all the close confidantes they’ve lost over the past year, notably the Queen’s cousin Margaret Rhodes and Prince Philip’s cousin Countess Mountbatten. Doing a bigger thing would just make them sad, reminding them of all the “missing faces,” reports say.
But don’t fret, dear reader—the Queen and Philip, it seems, will still have a grand old time. It’s believed that Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte will all be there, as well as Prince Charles, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, and Prince Andrew.
Plus, Windsor Castle is the Queen’s favorite “party place.” No, really, that’s what the BBC called it in 2016. They aren’t wrong—it has a cellar filled with more than 18,000 bottles of wine. And if you can’t have a good time with 18,000 bottles of wine, well, that’s on you.
So, come November 20, raise a wine-filled glass to Queen Elizabeth II and her steadfast husband, Prince Philip. God save the Queen, and the man she calls “my strength and stay.”
