Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are celebrating their 70th Anniversary on November 20. They got married on that date in 1947 at Westminister Abbey. That means the couple is reaching their platinum wedding anniversary which is rare for most couples. They are the first monarchs in England to reach that milestone anniversary. Elizabeth II, who was named after her mother, was already married when she became the Queen of England 65 years ago.

There will be no public event to mark the milestone anniversary, but the couple is hosting a small private dinner party for their immediate family and close friends at Windsor Castle.

At exactly 1 p.m. on the official anniversary, the bells at Westminster Abbey will toll for all to hear.

The anniversary

The anniversary is a milestone for the 91-year-old Queen and her 96-year-old husband who has been by her side since they said, "I do" when Queen Elizabeth was 21 years old and Philip was 26 years old. Their marriage brought joy to the country two years after World War II ended which Philip has served in.

Earlier this month, photographer Matt Hollyoak took new photographs of the couple in the White Drawing Room at their home in Windsor Castle. Buckingham Palace released the photos showing how the royal married couple looks today.

Queen Elizabeth looks elegant wearing a cream day dress that was made by her favorite British designer, Angela Kelly.

The dress is the same one she wore 10 years ago at a service that marked the couple’s 60th wedding anniversary. She doesn't mind wearing things of the past. The photos show her wearing a brooch on her left shoulder that was given to her by Prince Philip in 1966. It is a gold, ruby and diamond scarab brooch that was designed especially for her by Andrew Grima.

About Queen Elizabeth

Two years ago, the Queen of England became the longest-reigning monarch in British history of Britain. It marked 65 years of her being on the throne. She has seen 13 different British prime ministers come and go starting with Sir Winston Churchill in the 1950s.

About Prince Philip

Prince Philip has been by his wife's side since their wedding in 1947.

Formally known as the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip retired from official duties last August, but he occasionally goes along with his wife to public events. For instance, he went with her last week to London to the Remembrance Sunday commemorations for those who died in the war.

It was the first time in the Queen's long reign that she did not lay the royal family’s wreath on the cenotaph. It was too difficult for her to stand for the 30-minute service. Instead, she sat beside Prince Philip on the balcony while their son Prince Charles laid the official wreath in his mother's place.
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