British queen's birthday, platinum jubilee marked in Turkish capital

The 96th birthday and platinum jubilee (70th year in throne) of Queen Elizabeth II was celebrated in Türkiye on Thursday in a reception held at the British Embassy.

Among the attendees were Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister and Director for EU Affairs Faruk Kaymakci, British Minister for Exports Mike Freer, British Ambassador to Ankara Dominick Chilcott, and many other invites.

"Türkiye and the UK contribute to peace, stability, and prosperity, not just in Europe but beyond," said Kaymakci, adding that the countries' collaboration in the defense industry was remarkable.

"We wish the Queen a long and healthy life," he said and added that the tree she planted in the courtyard of the embassy in 2008 would always remind Türkiye of her energy, dynamism, and determination.

Noting that Ankara and London set a trade volume goal of $20 billion, the Turkish official said a total of 3,200 British companies have invested in Türkiye.

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, some 2.5 million British tourists arrived in Turkish cities, and this figure has reached 400,000 this year, according to Kaymakci.

Ambassador Chilcott said Queen Elizabeth's reign was longer than that of any other leader in the history of Britain and that her service was second to none.

The envoy went on to note that the monarch has so far visited over 100 countries and hosted 112 visits, including three from Turkish administrations, and worked with 14 British premiers among whom were Winston Churchill.

After the speeches, the Hacettepe University State Conservatory and a British military band performed a concert.

LONG AND DISTINGUISHED REIGN

Born on April 21, 1926, Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne upon the death of her father, King George VI, on Feb. 6, 1952.

In 2015, she became the longest-serving British monarch ever, breaking the record of Queen Victoria, who sat on the throne for 63 years and seven months.

Elizabeth is the first-ever British monarch to see the platinum jubilee, which means 70 years on the throne.

She is also the only female royal family member to have entered the armed forces.

Elizabeth II is the world's best-traveled head of state, having visited more than 110 countries but she never used a passport as she does not have one. She is also the only person in the UK who is allowed behind the wheel of a car without a driver's license.

Her first official visit was to then-West Germany in 1965, which was the first visit to Germany by a British royal since before the outbreak of World War I.

Elizabeth has twice visited Türkiye: Once in 1971, making stops in the capital Ankara plus Izmir, Istanbul, and the historical Ephesus and Canakkale, followed decades later by a briefer visit in 2008, which also included the northwestern city of Bursa.