Every week, we chart The Queen’s historic reign through a photo. And this week, we arrive at a truly momentous time in her rule as she oversaw an event almost two hundred years in the making.
Scottish Parliament, CC BY 2.0 via Wiki Commons
On July 1st 1999, Elizabeth II opened the Scottish Parliament, the first time such an act had taken place since 1707.
On May 6th 1999, people in Scotland had gone to the polls to elect their own parliament which met for the first time on May 12th 1999. The official opening saw the hand over of full law-making powers.
The Queen was accompanied for much of her time at the parliament by the newly elected First Minister of Scotland, Donald Dewar who sits on her right in the photo.
In her speech to the Parliament, The Queen acknowledged the importance of the moment, saying ”It is a moment rare in the life of any nation when we step across the threshold of a new constitutional age.”
Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra.
Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024.
June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station.
June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.
