The special hidden meaning behind the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee walking stick

The Queen and her walking stick with Prince Louis
(Image credit: Getty)

There’s a special hidden meaning behind the Queen’s Jubilee walking stick you might have missed.

The Queen’s new walking stick has a special hidden meaning that most people might not know about.

Her Majesty swapped her usual staghorn walking stick for a lighter wooden piece that featured a marble handle and it’s believed the walking aid was gifted to her from the army.

Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating 70 years on the throne and only made brief appearances over the four-day weekend of celebrations due to her mobility issues.

Queen Elizabeth with Prince George

(Image credit: Getty)

But one thing helping to keep the Queen on her feet was a brand new walking stick.

The Queen who was first pictured using a walking aid again back in October 2021 during an outing with Princess Anne. And since then she has used it on several occasions, and even rode a buggy to the Chelsea Flower Show.

But it’s understood her new walking stick, which is made of a lighter wood with a marble handle, and it is believed to be a gift from the Army for the Jubilee.

According to the BBC, The walking stick gifted to the Queen by the British Army to mark the Platinum Jubilee was handcrafted in Cumbria. Traditional stick maker Dennis Wall, from Ulverston, said his creation had a handle of local Herdwick ram’s horn on a shank made from mottled hazel. He was “immensely proud” to see it being held on the balcony.

He said, “I was immensely proud, and when the camera panned round and I saw how many tens and tens of thousands of people were around and down the mall it brought the enormity of it home to me. And then when I saw Charles the next day addressing the nation, he already had one of my sticks, so that’s both the Queen and the future king.”

The monarch was seen with it when she appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour, at the start of the four-day celebrations and though the sticks are remarkably different to look at, there is one vital similarity between the two.

Both sticks are the same height, helping Her Majesty walk safely with ease.

The Queen debuted the new accessory as she stood on the royal balcony alongside her cousin Prince Edward, Duke of Kent ahead of the Trooping the Colour.

General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, chief of the general staff, had presented the Queen with the gift as a symbol of the Army’s support. The wood is thought of as a protective talisman in English mythology and is traditionally known in Ireland as the “Tree of Knowledge”, the Ministry of Defence added.

In the past, the Queen has paid tribute to her late husband Prince Philip by using his dark wood stick with marble detailing.

the Queen pictured out with her walking stick

(Image credit: Getty)

If you missed any of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations you can watch The Queen’s Birthday Parade in full below…

The Queen was pictured using her usual stag horn stick once more as she chatted to Prince George for the Jubilee finale.

It comes after reports the Queen is using a wheelchair ‘much of the time’ and it’s understood she had a wheelchair friendly lift installed at Balmoral.

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Selina Maycock
Senior Family Writer

Selina is a Senior Family Writer for GoodtoKnow and has more than 16 years years of experience. She specialises in royal family news, including the latest activities of Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet. She also covers the latest government, health and charity advice for families. Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism, and gained her NCTJ and NCE qualifications. During her career, she’s also written for Woman, Woman's Own, Woman&Home, and Woman's Weekly as well as Heat magazine, Bang Showbiz - and the Scunthorpe Telegraph. When she's not covering family news, you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories (including award-winning scarecrows!)