Queen Elizabeth II a 'symbol of stability,' Canada's high commissioner to the U.K. says

As Queen Elizabeth II marked the start of her Platinum Jubilee festivities on Thursday, Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom used the opportunity to praise Her Majesty for bringing 70 years of stability to her role as monarch.

Ralph Goodale spoke to Chief News Anchor and Senior Editor of CTV National News Lisa LaFlamme outside of Canada House on Trafalgar Square in central London, calling the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee a "marvellous day."

"It celebrates and commemorates 70 absolutely remarkable years, unmatched in the annals of history, and she has gone through a period in those seven decades that embody great change, great turmoil around the world, including right now with the war in Ukraine and so forth, but she's been an absolute rock," Goodale said.

"She's a symbol of stability, of strength, of dignity, of the best values. She is just a wonderful person."

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Thousands of people gathered to see the Queen as she stepped out onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Thursday to mark a days-long celebration commemorating her record seven decades on the throne, making her Britain and the Commonwealth's longest-reigning monarch.

Goodale, who has met the Queen both virtually and face-to-face, said she focuses on the person she is talking to and immediately puts you at ease.

"That curiosity about people is genuine, and it's riddled with a lot of great humour, as well. She uses humour extremely well," he said.

But she is also someone who can be "stern" at times, Goodale said, recalling a conversation he had with her in which the Queen wished to express her views on global politics and authoritarianism around the world.

However, her Jubilee comes as support for the monarchy in Canada wanes.

A survey from the Angus Reid Institute in April found that while 63 per cent of Canadians view the Queen favourably, half say the Royal Family is no longer relevant to them personally, while 26 per cent feel it is becoming less relevant.

As part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, thousands of beacons were lit throughout the U.K. and Commonwealth capitals, including Ottawa.

Although the festivities will last four days, Buckingham Palace announced late Thursday that the Queen would not attend a Thanksgiving church service Friday after experiencing "some discomfort."

With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press

CTV National News has coverage of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations from the U.K. in its evening newscast. There is also continued coverage from the four-day event at CTVNews.ca