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Jeremy Selwyn / AFP - Getty Images
A picture shows place mats which were presented to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II when she sat in on a Cabinet meeting inside 10 Downing Street in central London Tuesday.
Updated at 12:25 p.m. ET: Queen Elizabeth II sat in on a U.K. Cabinet meeting for the first time in her reign Tuesday, after an invitation from ministers wanting to present her with a gift celebrating her 60 years on the throne, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said.
Wearing a royal blue dress and diamond brooch, the queen was met at her car by Prime Minister David Cameron outside his official residence, 10 Downing Street.
She met with members of the Cabinet in a side room and then took a seat between Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague to observe the weekly meeting.
PhotoBlog: Queen breaks with centuries-old tradition and sits in on UK Cabinet meeting
While she was there, the Cabinet presented the queen with 60 place mats in honor of her six decades on the throne, the palace said.
An historic first as Queen Elizabeth attends a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street as part of her diamond jubilee celebrations. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
“We think the last time the monarch attended the Cabinet was in 1781 during the American War of Independence,” Cameron said at the start of the meeting, according to video footage.
Diamond Jubilee celebrations: Queen 'touched' by 'happy atmosphere'
The queen, whose duties are mostly ceremonial, spoke twice during the meeting, Downing Street told NBCNews.com.
Born third in line to the throne, she never expected to ascend to it, but a twist of fate led to her becoming Queen Elizabeth II at a young age. Now the woman who once famously said she would have enjoyed a quiet life in the country is celebrating a six-decade reign. NBC's Meredith Vieira reports and speaks with Charles Anson, the queen's former press secretary.
Once to encourage ministers not to make her annual queen’s speech -- when she reads the government's plans for the year -- too long and then again to wish everyone a “happy Christmas.”
Slice of Antarctica named after her
Since she assumed the throne in 1952, the queen has sat through the terms of 12 prime ministers.
Also on Tuesday, the U.K. announced that the southern part of the British Antarctic Territory had been named Queen Elizabeth Land in honor of her 60 years on the throne.
The area in Antarctica is almost twice the size of the U.K., according to the government.
“The British Antarctic Territory is a unique and important member of the network of 14 U.K. Overseas Territories,” Hague said on the U.K. Foreign Office website. “To be able to recognize the U.K.’s commitment to Antarctica with a permanent association with Her Majesty is a great honor.”
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Her Majesty celebrates 60 years on the throne.
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- Gift fit for a queen? UK monarch gets 60 place mats
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Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating 60 years on the throne. Watch archival footage from her childhood and ascension to the throne to the present day.
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News I couldn't live without.
I needed a laugh, ty.
I hope they were not "made in China"!
If I'm not mistaken, I think I saw those same placemats on the Pottery Barn website at 60% off. And free shipping!
Tacky.
I think that she should step down and let Charles take his turn on the throne.I agree with Auzziegirl that the gift is tacky.
Nice a class gesture that was obviously custom dame...perfect for her entertaining. English Placemats are nothing like the ones you see in the US. They are mounted on wood, cork-backed and collectable.
I am sure they wanted something personal and since she is quite wealthy it was not about the cost but about the remembrance of her service. But even mass produced ones can easily cost $25-30 each.
Why does the modern country of Great Britain pride itself on being subjugated to an in-bred line of feeble-brained sociopaths?
Yet you call yourself 'SIr' a title given only by the monarch. ;).
Its called unity history and well there is no subjugation to the modern monarchy they are there at the pleasure of the people.
F her and the entire Royal Family. Inbred Psychopaths.
This is the first time a Monarch has attended cabinet since 1781 during the US war for independence. That's fascinating since the US military has been waging a war in London's North Kensington using surveillance technology as a weapon for almost 12 years 24/7/365 since February 2001 in my direct experience to take over from the democratic rule of law and its Constitutional Monarchy to establish a military tyranny. I kid you not.
Not knowing this bit of information I sent updates to the Prime Minister yesterday and today by fax about this Operation Sandwich (not to be confused with the Earl of Sandwich) from Firebase Trick-a-Lot (not to be confused with Camelot) informing him with supporting evidence about this military operation where the principle US Marine has claimed to have established a "beachhead" and is "embedded" adding that he has a "war room." He declared yesterday that I was his "prisoner," but he's been doing that for years. There are a large number of screaming females who claim that they are an "army."
Now I see the real reason for the Queen attending a British cabinet meeting. The revolution has moved to UK soil and her sovereignty is at stake which I've been saying for many years having recognised that the sovereignty of the UK has shifted to the US courtesy of the US Marines. You will be hearing and seeing more about this on the news.
um, what?
lol, weirdest comment ever.
... from Dollar Tree
wonder what diana would think?
Tut tut, the real story is at the bottom - thousands of square miles of Antarctica being named after Elizabeth. British imperialism is alive and kicking in the 21st century.
Like every Christmas gift u hate its gonna get traded in for something better...
The gift ranks right down there with Obama's CD gift of his pixie dust speaches. He must think that protocol is a new synthetic fuel.
How very British.
Why is this even news.....They are not even real leaders.We dont care about a bunch of self centered entitled people in the uk.If UK citizens want to continue to support they lavish lifestyle it is on them.They are suckers.If the queen was in the USA she wouldnt even qualify for a job at McDonalds.