Queen Elizabeth II to Open 2012 Olympics

Queen Elizabeth II will open both the 2012 olympics and the Paralympics this summer, signaling that both events will be celebrated as great state occasions ,something the British are famous for.
The monarch and her husband, prince philip will perform the ceremonial role at the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium when the Olympic games begin in london on July 27, and for the Paralympic Games that start Aug. 29 .
The queen follows in the footsteps of her father, the late King George VI, who opened the 1948London Olympics, and her great-grandfather, King Edward VII, who opened the 1908 London Olympics.
The decision to open both ceremonies caps a very busy year for the queen, whose this year marks her 60 years on the throne.