Enlarge image
Boris Johnson at the Queen (07/24/2019): "Extremely reassuring"
Photo:
Victoria Jones/Getty Images
The Queen will soon be celebrating her 70th anniversary.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took this as an opportunity to praise the Queen in the highest tones.
No head of state before her has served the UK as well as Queen Elizabeth II, the Tory politician said in Parliament in London.
“No monarch deserves the attribute of greatness more than they do, by virtue of dedication, commitment and achievement.
And to me she's already Elizabeth the Great,” Johnson said.
The prime minister said his weekly audiences with the queen were always "extremely reassuring" as the monarch understood the importance of what was happening.
Elizabeth has been King George VI since the death of her father.
1952 Queen – longer than any monarch before her.
At the beginning of June, the platinum anniversary will be celebrated over four days with several major events in London.
14 prime ministers, one queen
"In her 25,677 days as Queen, Her Majesty has taken on more than 21,000 official appointments in well over 100 countries," Johnson said.
You put around 4,000 laws into force, organized 112 state visits and experienced 14 British prime ministers – “so far”.
"It's not so much what she did as how she did it," said the prime minister.
Among other things, this includes »getting the best out of people, inspiring them«.
Opposition leader Keir Starmer also congratulated the Queen.
"We celebrate her not just for being our Queen, but for being a Queen to all her subjects," said the Labor leader.
The jubilee celebrations begin on June 2 with the Trooping the Color parade in the heart of London and are expected to last for several days.
The Queen's birthday is also celebrated.
As of April 21, Elizabeth II is 96 years old.
Recently she has been struggling with health problems, so it is unclear how many events she will attend.
A palace spokesman said in early May the Queen would be present at a number of events.
"Her Majesty is looking forward to the weekend and will be attending the celebrations, but her presence will not be confirmed until just before the appointment, or even on the day itself."
ptz/dpa