Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh pose for photographs in the grounds of Broadlands, southern England earlier this year in this photo made available Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. Broadlands is the home of the Duke's uncle, Earl Mountbatten, where the couple spent part of their honeymoon, in November 1947. Buckingham Palace released official photographs Sunday to mark the diamond wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip. Elizabeth, who has reigned since the death of her father King George VI in 1952, is the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding anniversary. She was 21-year-old Princess Elizabeth when she married young naval officer Lt. Philip Mountbatten, 26, at Westminster Abbey on Nov. 20, 1947.  (Photo source: China Daily) Photo Gallery>>>

    LONDON, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh were due to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary at the Westminster Abbey in London Monday.

    There will be a special service of thanksgiving as the Queen becomes the first monarch to mark a diamond wedding.

    Some 2,000 people will make up the congregation which will include some couples who married on the same day 60 years ago. Prince William is to give readings at the service.

    The Queen, now 81, and the Duke, now 86, tied the knot on Nov. 20 in 1947, two years after World War II ended.

    Monday's service will also be attended by some of the Duke's distant German relatives.

    They were not invited to the wedding in 1947 because of the strong anti-German feeling in the wake of the war.

    The service is part of the celebrations for the royal couple. On Sunday night, Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, hosted a party for his parents at Clarence House, which was attended by over 20 close members of the royal family.

    On Tuesday, the day of their wedding anniversary, the Queen and the Duke will travel to Malta, where they had their honeymoon.

[1] [2] [3] [4]