Friday, June 1, 2012

The Queen’s Jubilee and the Florida connection

From Florida-


More than 450 years ago, England’s first Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne. In her half-century reign, playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson left their indelible mark on English language and culture; and explorers like Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Drake and John Smith brought Britain to the shores of the New World, including Florida.

This year, as Queen Elizabeth II celebrates the 60th year of her accession, those twin spirits of culture and exploration are alive and well. The 1.25 million British visitors who visit Florida each year are enthralled by the fairy castles of Disney and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. They explore the high seas from cruise liners out of the port of Miami, and are inspired by those 20th and 21st century descendents of Drake and Raleigh: astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center who set foot on the moon.

While America has not been part of Britain for more than 250 years, the United States has nevertheless been a significant part of Her Majesty’s reign. She has made six State Visits to the United States and hosted four State visits and receptions to the United Kingdom during her 60-year reign. Her first State visit to the United States was in 1957, where she was received by President Dwight Eisenhower and spoke at the United Nations in New York.



More here-


http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/31/2826404/the-queens-jubilee-and-the-florida.html

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