Kenya: Where Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II of England gets off plane, greeted by (from R to L) Sir Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, Anthony Eden and Frederick James Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton and Lord President of the Council on Feb. 8, 1952, as she returns from Kenya. Princess Elizabeth heard the news of her father’s death while staying at Treetops, a Game Lodge, in Kenya.
BOSTON — Kenya is a special place for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, whose reign reached 60 years today.
Six decades ago on Feb. 6, 1952, then-Princess Elizabeth was at the Treetops hotel near Mount Kenya when she heard that her father, King George VI had died, according to BBC. He died in his sleep at age 56, reported the NYT.
Treetops has been a favorite safari camp ever since but is right now under renovation.
The anniversary of the Queen's Accession Day is usually commemorated quietly since it also marks the anniversary of the death of King George VI, but this year is special as Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee.
More from GlobalPost: Queen Elizabeth II: Celebrating 60 years of hats (PHOTOS)
The Queen renewed her vows to continue to serve the British people today, which marks only the beginning of an year-long celebration.
The video below explains more about the Diamond Jubilee:
