The curse of the Queen’s jubilees – How Her Majesty’s biggest celebrations have been marred by scandal and tragedy

AFTER 70 years on the throne, it is no shock the Queen has needed to endure royal controversy.

But it surely appears Britain's longest reigning monarch has confronted greater than her fair proportion - together with her most necessary milestones marred by scandal and tragedy.

The Queen's jubilee celebrations over the last 70 years have been marred by scandal and tragedy
The Queen's jubilee celebrations during the last 70 years have been marred by scandal and tragedyCredit score: Getty

Every of her jubilee celebrations ought to have been occasions to recollect - however her Silver, Ruby, Golden and Diamond years have gone down in historical past for all of the incorrect causes.

From royal divorces to a fort fireplace, the monarch has discovered herself overshadowed by heartache, impropriety and disgrace since her accession in February 1952.

And 7 many years later it seems as if Her Majesty may very well be gearing up for her worst yr but.

Because the 95-year-old prepares to mark her Platinum Jubilee, we have a look again on the curse.

1977 - Silver

The Queen's Silver Jubilee address
The Queen's Silver Jubilee deal withCredit score: Rex

Princess Margaret and Captain Peter Townsend in 1952
Princess Margaret and Captain Peter Townsend in 1952Credit score: Getty

Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong Jones after the announcement of their engagement
Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong Jones after the announcement of their engagementCredit score: AP1960

Because the Queen was gearing as much as have a good time 25 years of reign, her sister Margaret and then-husband Antony Armstrong Jones introduced their separation in 1976.

The cut up - the primary senior royal divorce since Henry VIII within the 1500s - hung over the monarch within the yr that adopted earlier than they formally divorced in 1978.

She had already handled Margaret's affair with married Royal Air Power officer Captain Peter Townsend, and a quick engagement, earlier than she introduced she would wed photographer Antony.

Rumours relating to Margaret's shut friendship with a person 17 years her junior then swirled after photographs of them frolicking in swimsuits have been plastered throughout the tabloids.

The princess was snapped holidaying with toyboy Roddy Llewellyn on the Caribbean island of Mustique.

He later issued a press release concerning the footage, saying: "I a lot remorse any embarrassment triggered to Her Majesty the Queen and the royal household, for whom I want to categorical the best respect, admiration and loyalty."

1992 - Ruby

The Queen looking pensive after making her 'Annus Horribilis' speech
The Queen wanting pensive after making her 'Annus Horribilis' speechCredit score: Getty

Hours after the major fire started at Windsor Castle in 1992
Hours after the key fireplace began at Windsor Fort in 1992Credit score: AP

The monarch holds her hand to her face as a fireman escorts her around the grounds of the fire-damaged Windsor Castle
The monarch holds her hand to her face as a fireman escorts her across the grounds of the fire-damaged Windsor Fort

Prince Charles and Princess Diana during their last official trip together in the Republic of Korea
Prince Charles and Princess Diana throughout their final official journey collectively within the Republic of KoreaCredit score: Getty

Fifteen years and a number of other different royal scandals later, the Queen marked her fortieth anniversary on the throne by enduring an "Annus Horribilis" - or horrible yr.

In her Ruby Jubilee speech, she mentioned: "1992 isn't a yr on which I shall look again with undiluted pleasure.

"Within the phrases of considered one of my extra sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an 'Annus Horribilis'."

Her marked phrases referred to the collapse of three of her kids's marriages and different goings-on within the family.

Prince Andrew was on the centre of a scandal that rocked the royals when his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson was snapped in a compromising place together with her monetary advisor in St Tropez.

The pair cut up after footage of Texan millionaire John Bryan kissing Fergie's toes have been revealed, earlier than asserting the top of their marriage 4 years later.

In the identical troublesome yr, the Queen's solely daughter Princess Anne additionally divorced her hubby of almost 20 years, Captain Mark Phillips, after a three-year separation.

She then grew to become the primary baby of a British monarch to remarry later that yr after tying the knot with Timothy Laurence.

Whereas tackling the tribulations of her kids's love lives, the Queen confronted heartache of her personal when Windsor Fort went up in flames.

The 12-hour blaze triggered an estimated £36.5million price of harm after sparking in her non-public chapel.

The monarch made her "Annus Horribilis" speech in November, however extra anguish lay forward because the third and closing royal cut up of the doomed yr got here in December.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles separated after a messy marriage shrouded by claims of affairs.

The Princess of Wales additionally launched a blistering tell-all biography - Diana: Her True Story - marking the primary time a senior royal had revealed secrets and techniques from behind the Palace doorways and exposing Charles' affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.

2002 - Golden

Her Majesty giving a speech at Guildhall as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations
Her Majesty giving a speech at Guildhall as a part of her Golden Jubilee celebrationsCredit score: AFP

The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and the Queen
The Queen Mom, Princess Margaret and the QueenCredit score: Getty

Her Majesty and Prince Philip leave Westminster Abbey following the Queen Mother's funeral
Her Majesty and Prince Philip depart Westminster Abbey following the Queen Mom's funeralCredit score: AFP

Few British monarchs have achieved reigns of fifty years, so the Queen's Golden Jubilee yr ought to have been further particular.

And whereas it was celebrated joyously internationally, the monarch was dealt a double dose of heartache when her sister and mom died inside weeks of each other.

Margaret, 71, suffered a stroke and handed away in her sleep on February 9, and the Queen Mom died seven weeks in a while March 30 aged 101.

The Queen mentioned after the tragedy: "Over time I've met many individuals who've had to deal with household loss, generally in probably the most tragic of circumstances.

"So I depend myself lucky that my mom was blessed with a protracted and completely happy life.

"She had an infectious zest for residing, and this remained together with her till the very finish. I do know too that her religion was at all times an excellent power to her."

Each deaths adopted the Queen's son Charles being thrust into the highlight when he ordered his youngest baby Harry to attend rehab.

The younger prince, simply 17 on the time, had allegedly been smoking hashish and boozing closely on the time so his father packed him off to a detox clinic for a day.

An announcement from the Palace confirmed Harry had agreed to go to Featherstone Lodge in London to "study concerning the attainable penalties" of drug-taking.

2012 - Diamond

The front page of The Sun showing a nude Prince Harry at a party in Las Vegas
The entrance web page of The Solar exhibiting a nude Prince Harry at a celebration in Las VegasCredit score: Information Group Newspapers Ltd

Harry enjoys a drink as he attends a Jubilee Block Party in Belize in 2012
Harry enjoys a drink as he attends a Jubilee Block Celebration in Belize in 2012Credit score: Getty Pictures - Getty

The Queen waves after giving a speech marking her Diamond Jubilee
The Queen waves after giving a speech marking her Diamond JubileeCredit score: AFP

Harry additional humiliated his household when he partied bare at a bash in Las Vegas.

The prince, then 27, was snapped starkers throughout a recreation of strip billiards in his lodge suite.

An nameless fellow partygoer instructed The Solar completely on the time: "Nobody requested for our telephones or something about us after we arrived on the occasion.

"It was apparent individuals have been taking footage."

The Queen by no means commented instantly on the images, however she was dragged into the drama when Harry admitted he had "let himself and his household down".

Later that yr in additional royal photographic chaos, Nearer Journal revealed a photograph of William's spouse Kate Middleton sunbathing topless on its cowl.

The couple had been staying in a personal vacation house within the south of France.

The shiny magazine's homeowners, and its editor, have been every ordered to pay the Duchess of Cambridge £41,000 in damages.

Kensington Palace mentioned on the time: "This incident was a severe breach of privateness, and Their Royal Highnesses felt it important to pursue all authorized cures.

"They wished to make the purpose strongly that this sort of unjustified intrusion mustn't occur."

When the Diamond Jubilee celebrations ultimately came about, the Queen and Philip spent 4 hours within the pouring rain through the River Pageant.

The duke ended up getting so chilly he caught a chill and suffered a suspected bladder an infection, forcing him to overlook the later celebratory live performance at Buckingham Palace.

Her Majesty then needed to benefit from the music solo - although joined by 12,000 members of the general public - whereas the prince remained in hospital below statement.

2022 - Platinum

Prince Andrew has been stripped of his royal and military titles
Prince Andrew has been stripped of his royal and army titlesCredit score: AP

Buckingham Palace confirms Andrew's military titles have been taken from him
Buckingham Palace confirms Andrew's army titles have been taken from himCredit score: Buckingham Palace

Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell
Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine MaxwellCredit score: AFP

After one other tumultuous few years, the Queen endured but extra shock surrounding the Agency in 2021, with Meghan and Harry formally quitting the Royal Household and Prince Andrew's intercourse assault claims coming to gentle.

However specialists worry the subsequent 12 months may very well be even worse for the monarch.

Not solely is it the primary full yr she faces with out her beloved husband Prince Philip, who died in April aged 99, however Andrew, extensively thought of her "favorite" son, additionally faces a civil lawsuit over claims by Virginia Giuffre that he sexually abused her when she was an adolescent.

A choose this week dominated the duke will sensationally face a courtroom battle along with his rape accuser - and the Queen stripped him of his royal and army titles simply hours later.

Andrew can not use his 'His Royal Highness' title - and will face his US case as a "non-public citizen", that means he cannot disguise behind royal privileges. 

To make issues worse, grandson Harry is ready to launch an explosive autobiography detailing "classes discovered" and the "reality" about Megxit.

It should additional spotlight the divide among the many household, which was intensified by final yr's bombshell chat with Oprah Winfrey and a number of other different tell-all interviews.

All in all, it appears Her Majesty's phrases in 1992 on the fortieth anniversary of her Accession could come again to hang-out her 30 years on, as one other Annus Horribilis may very well be in retailer.

Talking to The Solar On-line, royal skilled Phil Dampier mentioned Andrew's authorized woes will grasp over the Queen, with the case "casting a shadow" over her upcoming celebrations.

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