But as tensions grew between Zimbabwe and the UK government over the president's land reform programme and allegations of human rights abuses, Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth in 2003. Surrounded by a 100 horsemen of the imperial bodyguard, jogging under heavy lions mane helmets, it took more than an hour to drive the two miles through crowd clapping a rhythmic welcome and drums thumping. Nope, Five fact-checks about the war in Ukraine, Interlingua: The 'new' language you might be able to speak without even studying it, Meet the British activist campaigning for tenants: 'They should be treated like human beings'. This was to be Elizabeth IIs first state trip to East Africa since she assumed the throne when her father King George VI died while Elizabeth was on a visit to Kenya in 1952 (Time Magazine, 1965). It was a close - and sometimes complicated - relationship between the British monarchy and post-colonial Africa. In 1961, Queen Elizabeth visited several countries around the world, but perhaps what was most notable was her very first trip to Ghana, a country in West Africa. In 1965 however, international travel was not as easy as it is today, so for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, their trip to Ethiopia was a huge occasion. The case for restitution has been fought ever since, as the article details. The queen's ties to the country began at least in 1965 when a young Elizabeth accompanied her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh made an eight-day visit to the country. The Associated Press, Emperor Greets Queen Elizabeth and Philip as They Begin Ethiopia Visit, Feb. 2, 1965 The British Museum, Empress Menen of Ethiopia , visited Sept. 19, 2022 Getty Images . It seemed as though the whole of Addis Ababa had turned out to welcome their distinguished guest. State banquetLater the Queen was guest of honour at a state banquet in the old palace, where in the gardens the Emperor keeps his pet lions. The streets had been lined with trees, and he had an entire wing added to his Jubilee Palace in order to house Elizabeth IIs 31 person entourage. My dad served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia between 1963 and 1965. Accordingly, the emperor went in person to Addis Ababa airport to greet the queen on her arrival, together with a military honour guard drawn from all branches of the armed forces. Oct. 4, 2002 The Queen begins her Golden Jubilee visit to Canada in Iqaluit. This is part of APs effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Although it is not the only time Ethiopia issued stamps depicting a monarch with equal real estate space on the image, the 2nd time being the state visit of the Emperor of Iran on June 3rd, 1968, it is the first and also the one that has been issued with such great care and attention to detail. He had come to Ethiopia with the English army from Sudan, when England was helping Ethiopia against Italy. Raphaeli, Nimrod. Addis Ababa, February 1The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh came here tonight to a leonine welcome at the start of a weeks state visit to Ethiopia. Her visit to Sudan included an afternoon of camel racing and a trip to the construction site of the Roseires Dam on the Blue Nile, which was completed the following year. Eisenstaedts photos were taken in Haile Selassies old palace which is the Addis Ababa University today. And when, finally, the just God called the tyrant aggressor to account, soldiers of many lands marching . Haile Selassie with his wife greeting guests, Ethiopia 1955,reads the photos caption. Ethiopians have contributed to the millions of tributes that flooded social media for the late monarch, who died aged 96 on Thursday. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. QUEEN Elizabeth and prince Charles both bow to the KING of KINGS selassie I the first, a Facebook caption read. Those guests did not include the queen, who assumed the throne in 1952, and made her first official visit to Ethiopia in 1965, according to Associated Press reports at the time. All rights reserved. Queen Elizabeth II accepts a doll for Princess Anne from 7-year-old Pamela Springmann during a visit at Children's Hospital. The line to Westminster Hall to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II has reopened after British authorities halted the queue for more than seven hours Friday due to a surge in numbers . Elizabeth's inaugural visit to Canada occurred in 1951; she was still a princess at the time with the . Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip bowing before Emperor Haile Selassie and his wife, Empress Menen Asfew. What is remarkable for Ethiopia was in 1965 international travel was not as easy as it is today, so for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, their trip to Ethiopia was a huge occasion. Princess Elizabeth made a broadcast from the gardens of Government House in Cape Town, South Africa on her 21st birthday, dedicating her life to the service of the Commonwealth. She was on an official six-day visit to South Africa, which saw the best rainy season in 10 years, winning her the nickname Motlalepula, which means "to come with rain". See details. Ethiopia: A Wing on the Palace. Time Magazine, February 12, 1965. The route was lined with cheering crowds. In the evening, a sumptuous banquet was held in the queens honour at the Menelik Palace, with over a thousand guests attending. In February 2022, the Queen . These include a photo that many internet users claim showsthe Prince and his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, bowing beforeEthiopian Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen Asfaw. Her son, Charles, was born in 1948, and would have been 7 years old at the time the photo of two adults was captured. Elizabeth II, in full Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, officially Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, (born April 21, 1926, London, Englanddied September 8, 2022, Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland), queen of the United Kingdom of Great . What do we know about the Ukrainian soldier accused of wearing an 'Islamic State badge'? Dedicated to telling stories about Ethiopian politics, culture and history. She is the most widely traveled head of state in history. THE FACTS: As the world watched the state funeral for Britains queen of 70 years on Monday, an old photo falsely captioned as showing Elizabeth was circulating anew on social media. Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie has arrived in Portsmouth on the cruiser the Gambia. Empress Menen died seven years later in 1962, before the queen's first official visit to Ethiopia.. Solomon Yirgaw, a guide at the Addis Ababa University Museum, told AFP Fact Check that Haile Selassie moved into his "new official residence in 1963 shortly after his wife died". These dates match the captions on the photos from the Buckingham Palace archives. In 1965 however, international travel was not as easy as it is today, so for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, their trip to Ethiopia was a huge occasion. Queen Elizabeth II dances with Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president and a figurehead of the decolonisation movement during her visit in 1961, just four years after Ghana's independence. British Heritage Travel is published by Irish Studio, Ireland's largest magazine publishing company. It is the successful vision of Mitchell Cotts, and that companys 10,000 British shareholders. The Queen Mother inspected a Guard of Honour drawn from the various units of the Southern Rhodesian . During this visit, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled B.C.'s new, updated Coat of Arms. Her visits played an integral role in strengthening Britains relationships with countries across the world. A post shared by The Royal Watcher (@the_royal_watcher). The dinner that night consisted of lamb and watt, Ethiopias national meat and lentil stew dish, tedj (honey wine), and Tatinger champagne (Time Magazine, 1965). Users can access and consult this website and use the share features available for personal, private, and non-commercial purposes. On February 2, 1965, Queen Elizabeth became the first British monarch to visit Ethiopia. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip's first visit to India was in 1961, where the royal couple was greeted by both heads of the Indian state. We personally cherish mixed emotions concerning those years. Elizabeth II undertook a number of state and official visits over her 70-year reign (1952 to 2022), as well as trips throughout the Commonwealth, making her the most widely travelled head of state in history.She did not require a British passport for travelling overseas, as all British passports were issued in her name. File photo: Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Piarco International Airport for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on November 26, 2009. Mr Mugabe was stripped of his knighthood in 2008. Is this blonde woman with Putin a paid extra for photo-ops? ), Various shots Queen in Eritrea where crowds dance in street and brass bands play. Apart from Prince Philip and the Queen, with Haile Selassie in uniform on her left, I recognize two people in this picture. "Ethiopia Essay Haile Selassie with his wife greeting guests, Ethiopia, 1955," the original caption read. This article posted just a few months ago, explains the history behind the visit. "Everywhere I have travelled in these lovely lands of South Africa my parents, my sister and I have been taken to the heart of their people and made to feel that we are just as much at home here as if we had lived among them all our lives," she said. The Queen was in Ethiopia from February 1-8, 1965. She was welcomed by tribal dancers and a 21-gun salute. The Emperor was welcomed at Portsmouth on behalf of the Queen by the Duke of Gloucester, before boarding a special train to London. Ordinarily, in modern times, the Royal Family spends a huge amount of time travelling around the world visiting dignitaries and building relationships. I dont recall your dads name but then it was a long time ago and Im in my seventies now with hazy memories. The state funeral of Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, was attended by a significant number of dignitaries from across the world, with priority given to those from the Commonwealth of Nations.They attended a service at Westminster Abbey on 19 September 2022. Photographer: Terry Fincher/Hulton Archive. It is also where she passed away on . This was to be the last such occasion at the Menelik Palace; subsequently, banquets for state visitors were hosted in the more peaceful setting ofthe Jubilee Palace. The stamp therefore also becomes a symbol of gratitude towards Great Britain for helping in getting his country back, a country that he is nothing without and sees himself an embodiment of the same. Elizabeth II in Ethiopia When: February 1-8 1965 Though it occurred little more than 50 years ago, the Queen's visit to Ethiopia was an excursion into an era that has now faded from view. Hello Jolifanta (a nom de plume, I guess? The emperor took refuge in the United Kingdom between 1936 and 1941 following the Italian occupation of his homeland and was restored to the throne in 1941 after British and Commonwealth troops defeated the Italians. The same claim was also shared on Facebook here, here and here, on Twitter here, and on the official Facebook page of Kenyan journalist and radio host, Tongola Mate. Awrabest, Alexander..Im Scottish! Queen Elizabeth and Sudan's President El Tigani El-Mahi on the state drive from Khartoum Airport, also in 1965. The Queen and President Olusegun Obasanjo are seen here at the official opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Abuja. In 2008, Prince William and Prince Harry took part in the Enduro Africa 08 Charity Motorcycle Ride from Durban to Port Elizabeth in aid of UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and Sentebale. Todays horsemen looked as if they had galloped out of the last century, but their welcome belonged to this happier age. Published May 17-18, 1991. We werewarnedabout this photo onour @observers Twitter account. In her 70 years on the throne, the Queen traveled widely and visited many countries, reportedly as many as 100 countries. There is also another inconsistency: Ethiopias Empress Menen, who is visible in the photo, died in February 1962, three years before the British monarchs first official visit to the East African nation. From 1936 to 1941, separated from Our people, exiled in a strange land while We laboured to muster sympathy and support for Ethiopia's cause, We were received by the British people with a warmth which nourished and strengthened Our will. On writing, not writing, and modern feedback (traffic stats), mw2008 "pearls of wisdom" audience economics. In August 1872, in the aftermath of Britain's inglorious Abyssinian campaign, Queen Victoria, together with the British . Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. They are the only people they have ever bowed to as a royal couple (sic), reads the text withinthe screenshot. This is not the first time that the image has been circulating online. Queen Elizabeth II became queen on February 6, 1952, and was crowned on June 2, 1953. Bibliography: If this were true, it would go against the usual protocol, which dictates that Queen Elizabeth II is bowed to by those who greet her and not the other way around. Duration: 3:29 Queen Elizabeth II opens fourth session of Welsh Assembly: 2011 BBC Wales Today Staff and wire reports. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip with Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.Getty. Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate recalls Queen Elizabeth IIs Ethiopia visit, Ambassador Massinga should be given the respect any ambassad, [] Oromia region, for example, where the Ethiopian Hu, Michael W. Thomass Popular Ethiopian cinema: Love and other genres, Synod slams Abiy Ahmed who casts tension in the church as an internal matter, A film record of the Queen and Dukes visit to Ethiopia, Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), USDA pleased with Ethiopian Govt for its willingness to approve GMOs, Fired for expressing my political views: A pilots testimony, An open letter by Dr. Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher, Ethiopia-Eritrea border restrictions tighten, Deadly Violence Hits Hawassa as Protesters Call for Sidama State, Seare Mekonnen Named Ethiopian Militarys Chief of Staff, Please Do Not Take Her by Afework Yohannes. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on a State Visit to Ethiopia on this day in 1965, where they were hosted by Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, where they saw some waterfalls, watched tribal elders perform a ceremony from the dias, visited a church, drove through large crowds in open topped cars, and attended two glittering State Banquets hosted by the Emperor (wearing the Order of the Garter . The article discusses "The Looting of Maqdala" in 1867 by the British. AFP has not obtained any rights from the authors or copyright owners of this third party content and shall incur no liability in this regard. Queen Elizabeth II's role in foreign affairs may appear to be a contradiction in terms. The visit by Elizabeth II would legitimize Selassies regime and assert his position as one of the great world monarchs. This was to be Elizabeth II's first state trip to East Africa since she assumed . A film record of the Queen and Dukes visit to Ethiopia. A reliable, diverse and insightful voice on Ethiopia. According to the same itinerary, the queens only state visit in 1955 when Eisenstaedt took his pictures for LIFE was to Norway. Change). Your email address will not be published. Issued on: 13/04/2021 - 19:15Modified: 14/04/2021 - 14:49. The balding man on the Emperors left is John Russell, the Ambassador to Ethiopia, and the man in glasses on the left of the photograph is Ian Reeman who was Information Officer at the British Embassy and largely responsible for the local organisation of the Royal visit. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Time Magazine. In her 67 years on the throne, the queen has only ever bowed once, and it was not in Ethiopia before Haile Selassie and the empress, despite the claims made in the posts that as far as is known Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip (sic) have never bowed before anyone else. His reign is unique on the African continent as he represents the only monarchy in Africa with an indigenous head of state (Raphaeli, 422). Her son, Charles, was born in 1948, and would have been 7 years old at the time the photo of two adults was captured. The Queen has invested Emperor Haile Selassie with the honorary rank of field-marshal in the British Army. Sign up to British Heritage Travel's daily newsletter here. The Nizam of Hyderabad had gifted the famous Cartier tiara and a diamond necklace of her choice for the Queen's wedding in 1947. A rare picture of the late Prince Philip and the Queen of England bowing before the Lion of Judah Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen. This article posted just a few months ago, explains the history behind the visit. Did this really happen? The stamp features two equal sized portraits, one of Elizbeth II looking right on the left side wearing a tiara and the blue ribbon of the Order of the Garter. The photo does not feature Elizabeth or Charles. On her last trip to the continent, in 2007, Britain's longest-reigning monarch was met by one of Africa's longest-serving presidents, Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. Ghana is a former British colony that gained its . Various shots Queen, Duke and Emperor watching tribal elders perform ceremony from dias. Read about our approach to external linking. It is a film made by my father-in-law, a Greek expatriate who lived in Addis by that time. A search in the Buckingham Palace online archives revealed a few photos of the queens firstofficial visit to Ethiopia, including this picture showing the emperor and the British monarch viewingthe waterfalls of Lake Tana. His visit is part of a world tour, his first since his triumphant return to Ethiopia in 1941. Those guests did not include the queen, who assumed the throne in 1952, and made her first official visit to Ethiopia in 1965, according to Associated Press reports at the time. Queen Elizabeth II first visited Melbourne in 1954 at the age of 27. Although her small kingdom was threatened by grave . Elizabeth II was the sovereign of more than one independent state and represented both Canada and the United Kingdom on state visits, though the former on just two occasions. ", "The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on a State Visit to Ethiopia where they were hosted by Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, where they saw some waterfalls, watched tribal elders perform a ceremony from the dias, visited a church, drove through large crowds in open-topped cars, and attended two glittering State Banquets hosted by the Emperor (wearing the Order of the Garter), at which the Queen wore Queen Alexandras Kokoshnik Tiara and the Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara with the Order of Solomon.". In 2010, Queen Elizabeth spoke to the United Nations and placed a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial. Her Majesty visited Melbourne on numerous occasions during her sixteen trips to Australia, most recently in 2011. But a banner strung across the road proclaims Long live the friendship between Great Britain and Ethiopia. And behind her palace are roads named after three British generals - Wavell, Wingate, and Cunningham - who helped to liberate Ethiopia from the Italians. But what is it that they wanted to show off? At just 25 years old, she stepped into her royal role . Family history and world history converge. Princess Anne joined the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were hosted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdul Halim of Kedah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Sultanah Bahiyah on a State Visit to Malaysia on this day in 1972, the third stop of a massive Tour of Southeast Asia, which began in Thailand, and was followed by visits to Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, the Seychelles, and Mauritius. such as Haile Selassie of Ethiopia (1954), King Faisal of Iraq (1956 . As memories recall other things of note, Ill email again if you wish but until then . Here's a look at Queen Elizabeth II's previous visits to the Bluegrass State, which aside from her stop here in 2007, include trips in 1984, 1986, 1989 and 1991. Horsemen cantered among the crowd with even longer lions manes stuck to their hair. A stern Queen, overcome by grief, who oversaw 63 years as the Monar Everything you need to know about the "Queen of Heart's" life. 1:00. During their trip, the monarch and her consort took a tour of India's most-loved monuments, including the Taj Mahal. Asfaw died in 1962, three years before the queens first visit to Ethiopia, eliminating the chance that a photograph of the two of them together could have been taken in the East African country. All photos and videos are analyzed and verified by our team. The plane is carrying England's Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip; 5/20/91. But I did find a wee clue about it that dovetails with another issue discussed on this blogLOOT, or the repatriation of cultural objects to their homelands/peoples. She did not require a British passport for travelling overseas, as all British passports were issued in her name.[2]. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Then their majesties flew to Eritrea, where my father received them with full diplomatic honours at the Yohannes IVairport in Asmara. 0:00. Newsday's photographers share file photos from the last visit by Queen Elizabeth II to Trinidad and Tobago in 2009. However, unlike Elizabeth II, who is the head of state for a constitutional monarchy, Selassie is the embodiment of the state and government. At the dinner, Selassie held a welcoming speech in which he profoundly expressed his gratitude towards Great Britain for the assistance 25 years earlier in getting his kingdom back while under occupation by Mussulinis Italy (1936- 1941). There is little doubt that the Queen, who added to todays brightness by wearing a buttercup yellow coat and petal hat, will wipe out the somewhat frosty memory most Ethiopians have of the British monarchy. Many of the soldiers at the airport wore the British Africa Star. Nevertheless, the UK government regarded him as a major stabilising force in an increasingly turbulent region. Selassie I, Haile. HM The Queen and Emperor Haile Selassie looking at the view of the Tississat Falls at Lake Tana, Ethiopia, 7 Feb 1965 (sic), reads the caption onthe image. Little footage exists of the queen bowing to others, though AP footage shows she bowed her head as Princess Dianas funeral procession passed by in 1997. March 30, 2002 Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, dies in her sleep at the Royal Lodge at Windsor at the age of 101. During the week the accent will be mainly on the countrys ancient glories, with a night spent camping above the old capital of Gondar. in 1947, shortly before her marriage to Philip Mountbatten, when she accompanied her parents - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth - on a visit to South Africa. Our embassy was what was then (but probably not now) outside Addis Ababa beneath the mountain called Entoto. . The importance of the speech should not be understated and the expression of gratitude is highly visible in the airmail stamps that were issued on the same day on February 1st, 1965. On February 1st, 1965 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip embarked on a two week journey to Africa on official state visits to Ethiopia and Sudan. Just days before, the servants at the palace in Asmara had been in a frenzy, with everyone from the butler in his snowwhite tailcoat to the chambermaids making sure that every last speck of dust was removed from the furniture, rugs and carpets. The Queen was in Ethiopia from February 18, 1965. It is certainly fair to say that all the stops were pulled out for the Royal visit, as swaths of people came to try and catch a glimpse of the Queen. Oct. 6 . Selassies preparations ahead of the visit were relentless. 2023 BBC. One of the children given the day off. Podcast: Who was Queen Elizabeth II to Africa? AFP and its logo are registered trademarks. Crowds greeted the Queen during her . John Edwards he was teaching physics at the university as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Revive memories of HRH Queen Elizabeth's visits to the county. Queen Elizabeth II visited more than 20 African countries during her reign, which saw the British Empire come to an end and independence sweep the continent. By running a reverse image search, AFP Fact Check traced the original photo to a series by German-born American photographer and photojournalist Alfred Eisenstaedt. 4 (1967): 422-434. From 1936 to 1941, separated from Our people, exiled in a strange land while We laboured to muster sympathy and support for Ethiopias cause, We were received by the British people with a warmth which nourished and strengthened Our will. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Screenshot from the "Ethiopian Essay" collection by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt from 1955. The only other monarch in the world to hold this British rank is the King of Nepal. Posts circulating on social media claim it showsthe British royals from behind, bowing to Emperor Haile Selassie, who ruled Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. . When Julie Andrews sang for King George VI. The two monarchs are thus facing each other. Shutterstock is an official photo agent for the magazine. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Queen Elizabeth II made a historic visit to Russia in 1994, becoming the first ruling British monarch to set foot on Russian soil. Even if the Bill of Rights of 1688, then the successive political reforms to increase the power of the bourgeoisie, greatly limited the royal power, the English monarchy is the still living expression of the power of British imperialism at the global level. Examples of posts sharing the photo and making the claim can be . Behind their respective portraits we find the equal sized flags of Great Britain an Ethiopia and above the portraits the shields of Haile Selassie I and Elizabeth II are displayed, again of equal size and detail. Copyright AFP 2017-2023. Over the years, he became increasingly anti-British and anti-European. Hi its great to see a picture of my uncle Ian (Reeman) with the Queen. The claim is false, as the photo was taken in 1955, ten years before the queen and duke made their first royal visit to Ethiopia. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300. The capitals schoolchildren had been given the day off, and all government agencies and other public bodies were closed. These visits were no doubt flatter for countries like Ethiopia and those countries were obviously proud of the wonderful welcome they had provided for the Queen of England. For Haile Selassie, the stamp becomes a symbol of legitimization of his regime and a re-assertion of his space in the world as Emperor of Ethiopia. From her historic visit to Jamaica in 1966 to her Silver Jubilee celebrations in the Bahamas, photos of Queen Elizabeth's visits to Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize through the years shows she bowed her head as Princess Dianas funeral procession passed by in 1997. . A banner welcomes Queen Elizabeth ll during a visit to Townsville Primary School on 10 October 1989 as part of the royal couple's three-day official visit to Singapore. I will make sure my dad sees this. South Florida celebrated a regal day of white gloves, red carpets and blue blood Friday as Queen Elizabeth II - surrounded by a royal retinue and hounded by a media mob . View theroyalwatchers profile on Facebook, View the_royal_watchers profile on Instagram, View saadandayeshas profile on Pinterest, The Princess of Wales Dazzled the South African State visit to the UK, Royal Family at North Sea Flood Relief Concert, 1953, Duchess of Kents Diamond and Pearl Suite. See terms and apply now. Upon liberation, Haile Selassie was restored as Emperor over the country. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are pictured with Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, during a state visit in 1965. The Observers - The France 24 Observers is both a website and a TV show focusing on international news through the lens of amateur images. This was the first of two visits Queen Elizabeth made to Nigeria, in 1956, when it was still a British colony. As she drove the two miles to the Jubilee Palace she passed two huge gilded aluminium lions erected in her honour. 1951: Her inaugural visit to Canada was made while she was still Princess Elizabeth.