<![CDATA[Princess Anne was in Washington DC on 6 November to open the exhibit honouring the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, the foundation of America's Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
The event took place in the Great Hall at The Library of
Congress. It was here The Princess Royal cut the ribbon for its
exhibition Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor.
The ceremony took place 75 years after Magna Carta was entrusted to
the Library of Congress for safekeeping as Britain entered World
War Two. It was on display at the Library until the United States
entered the war. The document was then sent to Fort Knox in
Kentucky for safekeeping.
In 1946, Magna Carta returned to England.
“The integrity of the rule of law has been very difficult to
maintain,” remarked Princess Anne. “This remarkable exhibit is
really very important and timely as we take for granted our freedom
and liberty.”
Anne and all members of the British delegation wore red poppies,
commemorating the more than ten million people who died in World
War One.
British Ambassador to the United States, Sir Peter Westmacott, made
mention that “Sir Winston Churchill, himself half American,
described both Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence as
‘title deeds of liberty’.”
Only four original 1215 copies of the Magna Carta still exist. Two
are in the British Library, and the third is in England’s Salisbury
Cathedral.
The Lincoln copy will continue on display until 19 January 2015
when it will be returned to the Lincoln Cathedral and a new
custom-made vault.
Princess Anne noted that is: “an opportunity to learn a great deal
more and to celebrate the real values of the freedoms and
independence that rule of law can give us all.”
To learn more about Magna Carta, one may read: History Rewind: Magna Carta is
sealed on Royal Central.
Featured Photo Credit: photo credit: anselor via photopin cc
Photo Credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images]]>
A document that called a king to order.