The fifth decade of The Queen’s reign led into a new century and the third millennium. These ten years, as The Queen entered her seventies, saw little reduction in her duties, or in the workload of The Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen continued to exercise her constitutional role as Head of State – for example, by opening Parliament each session, holding audiences with the Prime Minister and other ministers, and receiving ambassadors.

The decade saw constitutional history made in the United Kingdom when The Queen opened new devolved constitutional bodies for Scotland and Wales. In May 1999 The Queen opened the National Assembly for Wales at Cardiff, welcoming it as “a bridge into the future”.

In July of the same year, The Queen opened the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, in a day of ceremony and celebration marking, in her own words, “the threshold of a new constitutional age”.

As the world grew smaller through new communications technologies, The Queen paid State Visits to places never previously thought possible, including the former countries of the Eastern Bloc – Hungary (1993), Russia (1994), Poland (1996) and the Czech Republic (1996).

History was also made in the reciprocal State Visits of The Queen and President Nelson Mandela of South Africa in 1995 and 1996.

The launch of the British Monarchy web site in 1997 has allowed an even larger global audience to learn more about the role and work of The Queen and the Royal Family.

The decade had its share of sadness, including the fire which caused significant damage at Windsor Castle. The tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales, caused widespread public mourning in 1997. The Queen broadcast to the nation on the eve of the Princess’s funeral, paying tribute to her life and work.

There were also happier times. The restoration of Windsor Castle was testimony to the flourishing of modern craftsmanship. The Queen led the nation in celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, the arrival of the new Millennium, the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, and the Golden Wedding anniversary of herself and Prince Philip.  

Read The Queen’s State Banquet speech during her historic visit to Russia, 1994 (pdf, 100kB)
Read The Queen’s speech on her Golden Wedding Anniversary (pdf, 100kB)
Read The Queen’s speech at the opening of the Welsh Assembly, 1999 (English and Welsh versions) (pdf, 108kB)
Read The Queen’s speech at the opening of the new Scottish Parliament, 1999 (pdf, 92kB)
Read The Queen’s Christmas broadcast in 2000 (pdf, 88kB)
Read The Queen’s message sent to New York following the events of September 11th 2001 (pdf, 84kB)