Queen Elizabeth II - 50 Years - St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 49° 10.928 W 002° 06.723
30U E 564709 N 5448082
This 14.25 metre high needle was erected to celebrate the Golden anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II.
Waymark Code: WMM66K
Location: Jersey
Date Posted: 07/28/2014
Views: 4
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926) is the constitutional monarch of sixteen realms of the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations. She is also Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
Upon her accession on 6 February 1952, Elizabeth became Head of the Commonwealth and queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon. Her coronation the following year was the first to be televised.
She is the longest-lived and, after her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria, the second longest-reigning British monarch.
link
Queen Elizabeth and Jersey
Strictly speaking although Elizabeth is the constitutional monarch of Jersey her official title in that role is the Duke of Normandy.
The island of Jersey is a self-governing parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy, with its own financial, legal and judicial systems, and the power of self-determination. It is part of the ancient Duchy of Normandy, and is ruled by the Duke of Normandy — a title held by the reigning Monarch of the United Kingdom, though unrelated to those duties as king or queen of the UK.
The needle stands on the edge of the marina, in front of modern apartments built as part of a regeneration project. It was designed by Richard Perry to complement the design of the surrounding buildings.
It is formed by a column of polished slate rings. The base has a diameter of 1.5 metres and each layer is slightly narrower than the previous so that it rises to a point. The uppermost portion of the sculpture is topped by a bronze point.
It is known as The Golden Jubilee Needle and was officially unveiled by HRH The Prince of Wales on the 22nd June 2004.
There is a stone standing in the wall behind the sculpture with the following inscription.
THE GOLDEN JUBILEE
NEEDLE
UNVEILED BY H.R.H.
THE PRINCE OF WALES
ON 22 JUNE
2004