page_title: Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
section_title: Barbados
hierarchical_section_title: Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II / Commonwealth realms / Barbados
caption_attribution_description: English: (National Heroes' Square, Broad Street), Bridgetown, Barbados. In the background: a branch of the Royal Bank of Canada and the (west-wing) of the Parliament of Barbados.
context_page_description: The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only Diamond Jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for the 60th anniversary of the 1837 accession of Queen Victoria.
  Following the tradition of the Queen's Silver and Golden Jubilees, commemorative events were held throughout the Commonwealth of Nations.
  The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh toured the United Kingdom and other members of the Royal Family toured the rest of the Commonwealth as the monarch's representatives. The jubilee celebrations marked the beginning of the withdrawal of the Duke of Edinburgh from public life and a more prominent role for the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry in commonwealth affairs.
  Numerous events and tributes were held over the year and throughout the Commonwealth, culminating in a jubilee pageant held in London. The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust was set up as a charitable foundation with a mission to leave a lasting legacy across the Commonwealth. Other projects included the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood and the issuing of commemorative medals.
context_section_description: To mark Elizabeth II's 60 years as Barbados' monarch—as Queen of the United Kingdom between 1952 and 1966 and as Queen of Barbados thereafter—the country hosted the Queen's youngest son and his wife, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, between 23 and 24 February 2012. The tour began with the Earl and Countess arriving, aboard RFA Fort Rosalie, at the Deep Water Harbour of Bridgetown, where Barbadian military personnel were given inspection. To a joint sitting of the Parliament of Barbados, the Earl read a written message from the Queen, in which the monarch stated she has taken note of the level of development Barbados had achieved during its 45 years of independence and called the country a model small state for others around the world. Parliamentary officials responded with thanks to the Queen for her service to the country and Barbadians and invited her to the island to celebrate the 375th anniversary of the establishment of the Barbadian parliament in 2014. The visiting royal couple opened an exhibit at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, and an official state dinner and reception was held at Government House in the evening.
  The following day, the Countess visited the Albert C. Graham Children's Development Centre at Ladymeade Gardens, while the Earl presented eight Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Awards to Barbadian youth at a dedication ceremony. Directly following, the couple travelled together to a ceremony to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee, where a plaque was unveiled at the Kensington Oval cricket stadium. Other events included the Earl and Countess lunching with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart at his residence, Ilaro Court, and touring several areas of Bridgetown that were added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 2011.
  As in other Commonwealth realms, a set of commemorative Diamond Jubilee stamps were released by the Barbados Postal Service. An ecumenical thanksgiving service was held at the St. Mary's Anglican Church in Bridgetown on 3 June and a beacon lighting at the Garrison Savannah the following day, where an official Trooping of the Colour was performed by the Barbados Defence Force and military tattoo performed by the Royal Barbados Police Force.  Members of the Barbados Boys Scout Association with high honours were chosen to aid in the actual beacon lighting.
caption: The Parliament of Barbados, where the Earl of Wessex read to a joint sitting of the legislature a message from Elizabeth II, Queen of Barbados, on 23 February 2012, to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee
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