Thread by @BiIndia

#QueenElizabethII’s special connection with India

#QueenElizabeth

businessinsider.in/thelife/person…

By @Bhaktimakwana18

Britain's longest-reigning monarch #QueenElizabethII died on Thursday at England’s Balmoral at the age of 96.

The Queen ruled Britain for 70 years following her father King George VI’s sudden death in 1953.

#QueenElizabeth

The late #QueenElizabethII has visited India three times – in 1961, 1983 and 1997, each time accompanied by her husband and Duke of Edinburgh, the late Prince Philip. Her first visit came nearly 15 years after India's independence.

#QueenElizabeth

First visit in 1961

Her first visit was in 1961 with her husband where they toured Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra. She paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in New Delhi.

#QueenElizabeth

Second India visit in 1983

India’s President Giani Zail Singh invited the royal couple and hosted them in the prestigious Rashtrapati Bhavan. During her visit, the Queen honoured Mother Teresa for her contribution to society with an Order of Merit.

#QueenElizabeth

Last visit to India in 1997

On her third visit to commemorate India’s 50th Independence Day, #QueenElizabeth spoke about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. “It is no secret that there have been difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example,” she said.

During her third visit, she also visited the sets of actor #KamalHaasan𓃵's film Marudhanayagam at MGR film city in Chennai where she spent almost 20 minutes.

#QueenElizabeth

In a tweet #PMModi paid tribute to #QueenElizabeth, he recalled his memorable meetings during his visits to Britain in 2015 and 2018. “During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture,” he said.