CELEBRATING ELIZABETH II ON HER DIAMOND JUBILEE - 60 YEARS REIGNING ON THE BRITISH THRONE............

Capping off four days of Royal Pageantry in Great Britain celebrating the only Queen of England three generations of the people of Britannia, the Commonwealth, and the World, have known; Her Royal Highness Elizabeth II, of the House of Windsor marks the culmination of the official Diamond Jubilee 60th Anniversary of her reign.  At age 86, the woman who dedicated her life as a young princess at age 21, to serve the citizens of the realm with fullness of her life and loyalty, has done that for six decades during the service of twelve British Prime Ministers, and six Archbishops of Canterbury, through years of sorrow as well as triumph, resiliently fulfilling her faithful sense of duty to her subjects unflinchingly. Americans have a nixed opinion and regard for the British Royal Family and the Monarchy, given our history, but many of us are also fascinated with them.  From a young age myself seeing her in newspapers, magazines, and on television, I have had an appreciation for her steady presence and abiding constancy as she carries out her public duties.  As a college student thirty five years ago I remember watching and audio recording as I did of most significant news events at that time, coverage of her Silver Jubilee.  The past four days have been scheduled with events from a Day at the Horse Races, one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite past-times; to a Flotilla of more than a thousand boats led by the Royal Barge on the River Thames; a Lighting Ceremony following a superstar Musical Concert which included among other performers, Sir Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Sir Paul McCartney, on the Mall in London; to a Royal Procession to and from St. Paul's Cathedral, where a Service of Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving was held this morning, culminating with an appearance on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace, by Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, Prince William, Duchess Catherine, and Prince Harry; with Prince Phillip, the Queen's husband of almost sixty five years absent due to being hospitalized two days ago; and a televised speech by the Queen.  Only the second British Monarch to reach the milestone of 60 years on the Throne, her great, great, grandmother being the other and who reigned for 64 years; if Elizabeth II has the longetivity of her own mother, who lived to be 101 years old, she may readily eclipse and set a new record for length of  service as Queen or King of England............Fr.  Troy