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 (also called the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal) is a special award created in 2022. It was made to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II becoming Queen in 1952. A "Platinum Jubilee" means 70 years on the throne!

This medal was given to many 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 provinces created their own versions of the medal. This was the first time Canadian provinces had made their own medals 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 especially focused on those who helped during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also recognized efforts towards reconciliation with First Nations and Inuit people, and protecting the environment.

Countries in the Caribbean that also have the Queen as their head of state also gave out these medals. For example, emergency service members who helped during hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic received them. Members of the defence and police forces were also honored.

United Kingdom Medal

Medal Design

The medal is made of a metal called nickel silver. On the front, called the obverse, it shows a picture of Queen Elizabeth II. This picture was designed by Ian Rank-Broadley.

The back of the medal, called the reverse, shows parts of the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. This is the official symbol of the British royal family. The ribbon of the medal has silver edges, which represent the Queen's Silver Jubilee (25 years). It also has blue from her Golden Jubilee (50 years) ribbon and red from her Diamond Jubilee (60 years) ribbon.

Who Received the Medal

Many people in the United Kingdom received this medal for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Here are some of the main groups:

• 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 cadet forces who had served for a certain number of days and training years.
• Frontline emergency services personnel who had worked for five full years by February 6, 2022. This included paid staff, retained staff, and volunteers who dealt with emergencies.
• Prison services staff who worked for the public and often faced difficult situations. They also needed to have completed five full years of service by February 6, 2022.
• Members of the Royal Household (people who work for the Royal Family) with one year of service.
• Anyone still living who had received the Victoria Cross or George Cross. These are very high awards for bravery.

Members of the Royal Family were also eligible to receive the medal.

Canadian Medals

The Canadian government decided not to create a national medal for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. This was a first in Canadian history, as medals had been given for royal jubilees since Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Many people, including the Royal Canadian Legion and the Monarchist League of Canada, were not happy with this decision.

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.

The Governor General of Canada officially approved these provincial medals on November 3, 2022. This meant they were recognized in the official list of Canadian awards.

Medal Design in Canada

Depictions of the medals from different Canadian provinces

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

All the provincial medals were silver and 32mm wide. The front of each medal showed the same picture of the Queen that was used for the Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. The back showed the Queen's royal cypher (her special symbol) with the years 1952 and 2022. Below this, the provincial shield of arms was in the middle, surrounded by the province's official flower. At the very bottom, the medals had the Latin motto VIVAT REGINA, which means "long live the Queen!"

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

Alberta's Medal

Alberta created a law on March 24, 2022, to make a medal for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. About 7,000 Albertans who had made important contributions to society received this medal.

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

Manitoba's Medal

On April 28, 2022, the Lieutenant Governor and Premier announced Manitoba's Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal. The design was shown on June 2, 2022.

A total of 1,000 medals were given out across Manitoba during the Jubilee year. To receive a medal, a person had to live in Manitoba or have a strong connection to the province. They also needed to have contributed to Canada, Manitoba, or a specific community. Like Alberta, they had to be alive on February 6, 2022.

New Brunswick's Medal

New Brunswick awarded 3,000 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals. One-third of these medals were specifically for people who had done amazing work during the province's COVID-19 pandemic response. The program started on June 2, 2022.

People nominated for the medal had to live in New Brunswick or have a strong connection to the province. They also had to be alive on February 6, 2022, and have made a significant contribution to New Brunswick or a community. The medal especially recognized those who:

• Helped a lot with New Brunswick's COVID-19 response.
• Contributed to efforts for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
• Helped with diversity and inclusion goals.
• Provided volunteer service 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

On March 30, 2022, the Lieutenant Governor announced the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal for Nova Scotia. 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 that day, and the first award ceremony happened on August 4.

To be eligible, a person needed to live in Nova Scotia or have a strong connection to the province. They also had to have made a significant contribution to Canada, Nova Scotia, or a specific community. They also had to be alive on February 6, 2022.

Prince Edward Island's Medal

In Prince Edward Island, 584 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals were given to Islanders. The program ran until February 5, 2023.

To receive a medal, people had to live in the province or have a strong connection to Prince Edward Island. They also needed to have made a significant contribution to the province, a region, community, or a specific field. They had to be alive on February 6, 2022. The medals recognized those who had worked to make the province better, including:

• Providing volunteer service locally.
• Helping with reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples.
• Contributing to diversity and inclusion goals, including promoting the Acadian and Francophone community.
• Serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and/or emergency services.
• Making a positive impact on protecting the environment.

Saskatchewan's Medal

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

On March 30, 2022, the Lieutenant Governor announced the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Saskatchewan). This medal honored important contributions and achievements across Saskatchewan. Seven thousand medals were awarded throughout the province. The first award ceremony took place on August 30, where 70 Saskatchewanians received their medals.

The three main rules for receiving the medal were:

• Be a resident of Saskatchewan or have a strong connection to the province.
• Have made a contribution to Canada, Saskatchewan, or a specific region or community.
• Be alive on February 6, 2022.

Caribbean Medals

Several Caribbean countries that recognize the Queen as their head of state also created a medal program for the Platinum Jubilee.

The front of the Caribbean medal showed the same picture of the Queen as the British medal. Around the picture were the words "PLATINUM JUBILEE HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II". The ribbon was similar to the British version, with silver edges, blue from the Golden Jubilee ribbon, and red from the Diamond Jubilee ribbon.

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 at Government House. These medals recognized their service to national security.

Belize

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

Jamaica

In Jamaica, Platinum Jubilee medals were awarded 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 jubilee medals during a parade. A total of 1056 members of the Jamaica Defence Force received the medal. This included service members who had completed 18 years of service by February 6, 2022.

Medal Order of Importance

The "order of precedence" shows how different medals and awards rank in importance. Here's how the Platinum Jubilee Medal fit in for some countries:

Country	Comes Before	Comes After
Australia Order of precedence	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	King Charles III Coronation Medal
Canada Order of precedence	Alberta Centennial Medal	Last in precedence
New Zealand	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	King Charles III Coronation Medal
United Kingdom Order of precedence	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

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