Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
Obverse and reverse: United Kingdom version
Presented by	The monarch of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the United Kingdom The monarch of Canada via the lieutenant governors of Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan

The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal is a special medal. It was created to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II becoming Queen in 1952.

This medal was given to people in the United Kingdom who worked in public service. This included people in the Armed Forces, emergency services, and prison services. In Canada, six of the country's ten provinces made their own medals. This was the first time Canadian provinces had done this for a royal event.

In Canada, the medals went to amazing volunteers, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and emergency services. Other people who made a positive difference in society also received them. Some provinces focused on those who helped during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also honored those who worked for reconciliation with First Nations and Inuit people. Protecting the environment was another important area.

The Queen's Caribbean countries also had a medal program. For example, emergency service members who helped during hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic received medals. Members of the defense and police forces were also honored.

United Kingdom's Platinum Jubilee Medal

What the Medal Looks Like

The medal is made of nickel silver. On the front, it shows a picture of Queen Elizabeth II. The back shows parts of the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom.

The ribbon has silver edges, which stand for the Queen's Silver Jubilee. It also has blue from her Golden Jubilee medal ribbon. The red color comes from her Diamond Jubilee ribbon.

Who Received the Medal in the UK

Many people received this medal for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. They included:

• Members of the Armed Forces who had served for five full years by February 6, 2022.
• Volunteer and former regular members of the Armed Forces Reserves who had earned five Certificates of Efficiency.
• Adult volunteers in uniformed cadet forces. They needed 1,826 days of membership and five years of effective training.
• Frontline emergency services workers. This included paid staff, retained staff, and volunteers. They needed five full years of service by February 6, 2022.
• Prison services staff who worked for the public. They needed five full years of service by February 6, 2022.
• Members of the Royal Household who had served for one year.
• Anyone still living who had received the Victoria Cross or George Cross.

Canada's Platinum Jubilee Medals

The Canadian government decided not to create a national medal for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. This was unusual, as Canada had issued medals for royal jubilees since Queen Victoria's in 1897. Many Canadians and politicians wanted a medal.

Because of this, six Canadian provinces decided to create their own Platinum Jubilee medals. These provinces were Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

On November 3, 2022, the Governor General approved these provincial medals. This meant they were officially recognized in the Canadian system of honors.

How the Canadian Medals Looked

Depictions of the medals

The medals from the different provinces looked quite similar. Each medal showed the shield from that province's coat of arms. They also featured the province's official flower. For example, Alberta's medal had the wild rose.

All the provincial medals were silver and 32mm wide. The front showed the same picture of the Queen used on the Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. The back displayed the Queen's royal cypher (her special symbol) with the years of her reign: 1952 and 2022.

The provincial shield was in the middle of the back. The official flower of the province was on both sides of the shield. At the bottom, the medals had the Latin motto VIVAT REGINA, which means "long live the Queen!"

The ribbon for these medals used a new mix of blue, red, and white. These colors are also found in the ribbons of earlier Queen Elizabeth II medals.

Alberta's Medal Program

Alberta created its Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Recognition Act on February 22, 2022. This law allowed for a medal to be given to 7,000 Albertans. These were people who had made important contributions to society.

To get the medal, a person had to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident with a strong connection to Alberta. They also had to have made a big difference to Canada, Alberta, or a local community. Finally, they had to be alive on February 6, 2022.

Manitoba's Medal Program

On April 28, 2022, Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon and Premier Heather Stefanson announced Manitoba's medal. The medal's design was shown on June 2, 2022.

A total of 1,000 medals were given out in Manitoba. The people receiving them had to live in Manitoba or have a link to the province. They also needed to have helped Canada, Manitoba, or a local community. They had to be alive on February 6, 2022.

New Brunswick's Medal Program

New Brunswick awarded 3,000 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals. One-third of these medals went to people who had done great work during the COVID-19 pandemic response in the province. The program started on June 2, 2022.

To be nominated, people had to live in New Brunswick or have a strong link to it. They also had to be alive on February 6, 2022. They needed to have made a big difference to New Brunswick or a local area.

Special attention was given to those who:

• Helped with the COVID-19 pandemic response for a long time.
• Contributed to efforts for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
• Helped with diversity and inclusion goals.
• Volunteered locally.
• Served in the Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or other emergency services.
• Made a positive impact on protecting the environment.

Nova Scotia's Medal Program

On March 30, 2022, Lieutenant Governor Arthur J LeBlanc announced Nova Scotia's medal. Five thousand medals were given out across the province until February 5, 2023. The Queen approved the medal's design on June 2.

The first 70 recipients were announced on June 2. The first award ceremony happened in Halifax on August 4.

To get the medal, a person had to live in Nova Scotia or have a strong connection to it. They also had to have made a big difference to Canada, Nova Scotia, or a local community. They had to be alive on February 6, 2022.

Prince Edward Island's Medal Program

Prince Edward Island gave out 584 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals. The program ran until February 5, 2023.

People who received medals had to live in Prince Edward Island or have a strong link to it. They also had to have made a big difference to the province, a region, or a community. They had to be alive on February 6, 2022.

Medals were given to those who had made the province a better place. This included people who:

• Volunteered locally.
• Helped with reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples.
• Helped with diversity and inclusion goals, including promoting the Acadian and Francophone community.
• Served in the Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or emergency services.
• Made a positive impact on protecting the environment.

Saskatchewan's Medal Program

On March 30, 2022, Lieutenant Governor Russell Mirasty announced Saskatchewan's medal. It honored important contributions and achievements in Saskatchewan. Seven thousand medals were given out.

The first award ceremony took place in Regina on August 30. During this event, Lieutenant Governor Mirasty presented medals to 70 people from Saskatchewan.

The people who received medals had to live in Saskatchewan or have a link to it. They also had to have made a difference to Canada, Saskatchewan, or a local community. They had to be alive on February 6, 2022.

Caribbean Medals

The Queen's Caribbean countries also had a medal program for the Platinum Jubilee.

The front of the Caribbean medal showed the same picture of the Queen as the British medal. It also had the words "PLATINUM JUBILEE HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II" around the edge. The ribbon was similar to the British version, with silver edges, blue, and red colors.

Antigua and Barbuda

On April 25, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar visited Antigua and Barbuda. They presented Platinum Jubilee medals to three people. These medals recognized their service to national security.

Belize

In Belize, medals were given to frontline workers. This included those who helped during Hurricanes Eta and Iota. More recently, medals went to those who served during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jamaica

In Jamaica, Platinum Jubilee medals were given to members of the Jamaica Defence Force, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Department of Correctional Services, the Jamaica Fire Brigade, and the Emergency Medical Services.

On July 29, 2022, Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen presented medals during a parade. A total of 1,056 members of the Jamaica Defence Force received the medal. This included one woman. The medal was for service members who had completed 18 years of service by February 6, 2022.

How Medals Are Ranked

Different countries have different ways of ranking their medals and honors. This is called the "order of precedence." Here are some examples:

Country	Preceding	Following
Australia Order of precedence	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal
Canada Order of precedence	Alberta Centennial Medal	Last in precedence

Images for kids

• 

  Dr Shela Hirani receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Saskatchewan), January 19, 2023

See also

• Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
• Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
• Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
• Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
• List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign
• List of jubilees of British monarchs