Her Majesty's 68th Accession Day

Sixty-eight years ago today Her Majesty ascended the Throne of of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and simultaneously became Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Ceylon, and of her other Territories, and Head of the Commonwealth.

Over the years, as a result of decolonisation and constitutional and political changes, the number of Commonwealth Realms has varied. Today she is Queen of 16 nations, (in alphabetical order) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom. The Commonwealth, of which she is Head, consists of the Commonwealth Realms and 38 other States, most of which are former British Imperial territory.

I vaguely remember the day. My Mum and my Gran were both Englishwomen, born and bred in Hampshire. Their having lived through the War under HM King George VI, it was a very sad day in our house. Little did I know, as a lad not quite five years old, that 68 years later she would still be reigning.

As a boy, I took an 'oath of allegiance' on a Bible in the privacy of my room. Many years later, shortly after I arrived in Canada, I joined the Royal Canadian Legion. Members of the Legion take an oath to 'our Sovereign' (and to sell Remembrance Poppies!). A while later, I discovered the Oaths of Allegiance Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. O-1), which states, 

2 (1) Every person who, either of his own accord or in compliance with any lawful requirement made of the person, or in obedience to the directions of any Act or law in force in Canada, except the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Citizenship Act, desires to take an oath of allegiance shall have administered and take the oath in the following form, and no other:

Realising that the oath I had taken, whilst binding, was not the Statutory Oath, on 19 October 2007, probably 50 years after I had taken that oath on my Bible as a lad, I went before a Commissioner of Oaths and swore the Statutory Oath of Allegiance,

I, Jovan Weismiller, do solemnly swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors according to law, forever. So help me God.

It was one of the proudest moments of my life, ranking with my wedding, the births of my children, and they day I was received into the Church!

God Save the Queen, the National Anthem of the UK and the Royal Anthem of Canada, a number of other Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown dependencies.

God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen!

O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall:
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix:
God save us all.

Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen!

The first verse, translated into French for use in Canada. 

Dieu protège la reine
De sa main souveraine!
Vive la reine!
Qu'un règne glorieux
Long et victorieux,
Rende son peuple heureux.
Vive la reine!

And now, Dear Readers, the Loyal Toast!

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Queen!

Long may she reign! Vive la reine !