Stonehenge Lights Up As A ‘Billboard’ For Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee
Image via English Heritage
Stonehenge’s original meaning may remain largely a mystery, but the 5,000-year-old monument has found a new purpose in 2022—albeit one tinged with criticism.
To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, which made her the first British Monarch to celebrate one, the English Heritage charity lit up eight pillars to project a visual timeline of the Queen’s 70-year reign.
We've brought two British icons together to mark the #PlatinumJubilee! 👑
— English Heritage (@EnglishHeritage) May 30, 2022
We’ve projected eight portraits of Queen Elizabeth II onto Stonehenge. Each picture is from a different decade of The Queen’s reign. pic.twitter.com/bnJZeONKXe
The first seven honor all seven decades, while the eighth column auspiciously envisions the next decade.
English Heritage, which cares for over 400 historical sites including the Stone Circle, says the illuminated display pays homage to “two British icons.” It joins a string of brands and organizations who have created tribute pieces for the royal’s Platinum Jubilee, which include an Elizabeth II McLaren supercar, a Barbie doll in Her Royal Likeness, a dazzling tiara by Bulgari, and even a Twitter hashtag that comes with a corgi in a crown.
Screenshot via The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Considering the perceived religious significance of Stonehenge for pagans, the act of converting the prehistoric landmark into a so-called “billboard” has understandably fallen flat with many on social media.
“It’s Stonehenge, a place of ancient pagan celebrations, a place of tranquility to observe the solstice,” laments one Twitter user. “We really have lost our way.”
Another shares: “I wouldn’t think it was possible for a country to do colonialism to itself, yet here we are.”
Meanwhile, others are disillusioned by the way the setup looks. “They made Stonehenge look like a collection of commemorative pound shop lighters,” writes one person.
Needless to say, this wasn’t what the pilgrims had imagined Stonehenge to end up revering those millenniums ago.
[via The Cut and UPI, cover image via English Heritage]
