Platinum Jubilee medal design revealed ahead of Queen's 70-year reign celebrations
The armed forces, emergency services and others who have served the nation will be recognised with a Platinum Jubilee medal to mark the Queen's 70-year reign.
The medal, designed by Timothy Noad from the College Of Arms, is made of nickel silver and features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of the Queen with the Latin inscription "Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina Fid Def" - Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen, defender of the faith.
On the reverse is the heraldic image of the royal crest and the years of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee - 1952-2022.
It will be given to George and Victoria Cross recipients and serving members of the armed forces and frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services, to thank them for their public service.
This week Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries was given a tour of the workshop in Birmingham where the medals are being made.
After trying her hand at stamping a few medals, Ms Dorries said: "I think everybody who is going to be awarded one of these can feel very privileged and honoured.
"We've been through such a lot as a nation, it has been a really torrid time everyone has been through over the past 20 months.
"I think looking forward, 2022 is going to be a year when everyone can put that behind us and we can celebrate the Commonwealth Games, Festival UK, the Queen's Jubilee, and the extended bank holiday weekend to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee."
Phil McDermott, chief executive of the Worcestershire Medal Service, the firm producing around 400,000 Platinum Jubilee medals, said the order was a welcome boost following the COVID crisis.
He said: "It means a lot of job security for people.
"We're actually creating jobs as well, which is a terrific story having come through the pandemic."
Explaining how he designed the distinctive ribbon for the medal, he said: "It combines some of the previous medals, so the design is a nod to the Coronation medal - same layers, slightly different structure - and then I put silver stripes on the edge to mark the Silver Jubilee.
"The centre stripe is the blue from the Golden Jubilee ribbon, and the red is from the Diamond Jubilee."
Medals have been awarded to mark royal jubilees since the Victorian period when the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's reign was commemorated in 1887 with a medal.
Medals were also issued to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Golden Jubilee in 2002, and Silver Jubilee in 1977.
