Royal family shares photo of the Queen being given a bouquet of flowers by a Fijian princess in 1963

When the Queen met a Fijian princess! Royal Family shares throwback snap from Her Majesty’s 1963 South Pacific tour as 70-day photo countdown to her Platinum Jubilee continues

  • Royal Family is sharing historic photos of the Queen on Instagram every day 
  • The images are being shared as the Firm counts down to Platinum Jubilee in June
  • It started countdown 70 days before the event to mirror Queen’s 70-year reign
  • Today’s photo, from 1963, shows her Majesty receive a bouquet during Fiji visit

The royal family has shared another historic image of the Queen as part of its countdown to the Platinum Jubilee weekend in June. 

A black and white photo of her Majesty receiving a bouquet of flowers from Fijian Princess Adi Kaunilotuma during a royal tour to Fiji in 1963 marks the latest in the series of photos.

Each of the 70 photos represent a year of the monarch’s seven-decade reign. 

The caption for the image, which has garnered more than 50,000 likes, says: ‘The Queen receives a bouquet of flowers from Fijian Princess, Adi Kaunilotuma, during a visit to the country.’

The royal family shared an image of the Queen receiving a bouquet of flowers in Fiji in 1963 as part of a 70-photo countdown in the run-up to the Platinum Jubilee weekend

A further picture from the trip in February 1963 shows the Queen and her husband Prince Philip waving to crowds as they ride in an open top Land Rover

A further picture from the trip in February 1963 shows the Queen and her husband Prince Philip waving to crowds as they ride in an open top Land Rover

Different perspective: another image from the tour shows the same moment of the Queen being gifted the flowers by Adi Kaunilotuma, from a different angle

Different perspective: another image from the tour shows the same moment of the Queen being gifted the flowers by Adi Kaunilotuma, from a different angle

Explaining the countdown, it continues: ‘Over the next 70 days, as we countdown to the #PlatinumJubilee Celebration Weekend, we’ll be sharing an image a day of The Queen – each representing a year of Her Majesty’s 70-year long reign.’ 

Speaking more generally about the year the snap was taken, it adds: ‘In 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas.’ 

Royal fans were quick to post positive comments on the image. Many shared love heart emojis, while others commented on the Queen’s outfit. 

The initiative, which kicked off towards the end of March, started aptly with a photo depicting the Queen’s coronation at Westminster Abbey, in 1953.  

1963: This image shows Fijian children taking English lessons in the cooler ocean waters before the Queen arrives in the country for her visit

1963: This image shows Fijian children taking English lessons in the cooler ocean waters before the Queen arrives in the country for her visit

Well wishers took to Instagram to share positive comments on today's photo shared by the royal family, with many posting love heart emojis

Well wishers took to Instagram to share positive comments on today’s photo shared by the royal family, with many posting love heart emojis

In the black and white image, Her Majesty can be seen seated on the Coronation Chair, wearing the St. Edward Crown and carrying the Sovereign’s Sceptre and Rod. 

Other photos in the countdown include a 1961 snap of the royal and her husband Prince Philip meeting President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

An earlier snap, dating back to 1959, shows the Queen pictured with one of her red boxes, which contains the official documents and papers she receives daily from her private secretaries.   

An earlier photo shared as part of the countdown to the Platinum Jubilee is this snap of the Queen and Prince Philip meeting John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961

An earlier photo shared as part of the countdown to the Platinum Jubilee is this snap of the Queen and Prince Philip meeting John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961

Meanwhile, this 1959 snap shows the youthful monarch getting stuck into some of the official papers she is given daily by her private secretaries

Meanwhile, this 1959 snap shows the youthful monarch getting stuck into some of the official papers she is given daily by her private secretaries

The Queen, who ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, is the first British royal to reach the historic milestone.

The achievement will be marked with a four-day bank holiday weekend, from 2nd -5th June, which will include public events and community activities. 

Currently, it is unclear to what extent the Queen will be able to take part in public celebrations, due to mobility issues which have curtailed her public appearances in recent weeks, and reports that she’s relying on a wheelchair. 

Advertisement