Marking an amazing 60 years, the queen and Prince Philip returned to the English estate of Broadlands, where they spent their honeymoon, in order to pose for a set of commemorative photographs. Two days before their anniversary, Prince Charles hosted a special family celebration dinner at his home Clarence House, and the day before their anniversary, there was a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. Once again, 10 couples attended who shared the exact same wedding day and five choristers sang who had also been in the choir at the royal wedding back in 1947. Prince William gave a reading, and Dame Judi Dench read the poem Diamond Wedding, which had been written especially for the occasion by Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.
The celebrations were all held before the queen and Prince Philip's actual anniversary because on the day itself, the couple, who never take overseas vacations, went on a little mini break. They returned to Malta, where they had spent carefree time as newlyweds.
