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Queen Elizabeth Releases a Rare Personal Statement & Signs It ‘Elizabeth R’

Queen Elizabeth is sending an important message to Antigua and Barbuda in honor of a very special milestone.

On Monday, the 95-year-old monarch shared a statement to Sir Rodney Williams, governor-general of the country, on the 40th anniversary of its independence.

The message, which was posted on Instagram, read, “It gives me great pleasure to send my congratulations to the government and the people of Antigua and Barbuda as you celebrate the 40th anniversary of independence. I extend my warm good wishes for your continued happiness and prosperity on this significant occasion, and in the future.” She simply signed the post, “Elizabeth R.”

In addition to the statement, the post also included two throwback images of Her Majesty. Per the caption, the first features the queen meeting with children in Antigua during her Silver Jubilee tour of the Caribbean in 1977, while the second shows the monarch with Sir Rodney during a reception ahead of the Governor General's lunch at Buckingham Palace in 2016.

Naturally, fans and followers filled the comments section of the post with praises for Elizabeth’s kind words. One user wrote, “That’s extremely lovely of your majesty,” while a second added, “Such a lady, always! And in the very best sense of the word! Nice to see her still doing a few lighter royal duties. Total respect for Her Majesty.”

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