2699, 3391 UNITED KINGDOM - Elizabeth II

2699 Queen Elizabeth II addresses politicians and
members of the House of Lords during the
State Opening of Parliament in Westminster.

Posted on 21.08.2016, 25.01.2020
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926) is, and has been since her accession in 1952, Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and Head of the Commonwealth. She is also Queen of 12 countries that have become independent since her accession: Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

3391 Queen Elizabeth II travelling in Queen Victoria's 1842 ivory-mounted
phaeton drawn by two Windsor Grey horses. The driver is dressed in full state
postillion livery.

Elizabeth was born in London to the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and was the elder of their two daughters. She was educated privately at home. Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936. She began to undertake public duties during the WWII, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In 1947, she married Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with whom she has four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.

She is the world's oldest reigning monarch as well as Britain's longest-lived. In 2015, she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, to become the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant and female head of state in world history. Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and severe press criticism of the royal family, but support for the monarchy remains high, as does her personal popularity.

The monarchy of the UK is a constitutional monarchy, so the monarch takes little direct part in government. Legislative power is exercised by the Queen-in-Parliament, by and with the advice and consent of Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The State Opening of Parliament marks the beginning of a session of the Parliament and includes a speech from the throne known as the Queen's Speech.

The State Opening of Parliament takes place in the House of Lords chamber, usually in May or June, in front of both Houses of Parliament. The monarch, wearing the Imperial State Crown, reads a speech that has been prepared by his or her government outlining its plans for that year. Queen Elizabeth II has opened every session of Parliament since her accession, except in 1959 and 1963 when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward respectively.

About the stamps
On the postcard 2699
The stamp is part of the definitive series about which I wrote here.

On the postcard 3391

The first stamp is part of the series of forever stamps Military Working Dogs, designed by Greg Breeding and issued on August 1, 2019. Brave and loyal military working dogs are essential members of America's armed forces. Courageous canines have aided U.S. soldiers in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. In 2019 the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base just outside of San Antonio, Texas, trains American military working dogs and their handlers.
• German shepherd
• Labrador retriever - It's on the postcard 3391
• Dutch shepherd - It's on the postcard 3408
• Belgian Malinois

The second stamp, depicting grapes, is part of the series of definitives stamps, Fruits, about which I wrote here.

The last stamp is part of the forever stamps series The 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad, designed by Greg Breeding and issued on May 10, 2019. Building the transcontinental railroad during the 1860s was one of the great achievements of the era. The completion was marked by the Golden Spike Ceremony, held on May 10, 1869, when rail lines built by the Central Pacific from the west and the Union Pacific from the east were joined at Promontory Summit in Utah (I wrote about that here). Reminiscent of traditional 19th century oil painting techniques, the three distinct designs of the stamps evoke the spirit of the era. Two separate stamps feature the Jupiter and the No. 119 locomotives that powered the trains carrying the officers and guests of the two train companies to the Golden Spike Ceremony. Centered between them, a third stamp portrays the famous golden spike that was a prominent part of the ceremony. 
• Jupiter locomotive - It's on the postcard 3391
• Golden spike - It's on the postcard 3427
• No. 119 locomotive

References
Elizabeth II - Wikipedia
State Opening of Parliament - Wikipedia

Sender 2699: Akvile (postcrossing) GB-572216
Sent from London (England / United Kingdom), on 10.08.2014
Sender 3391: Denise 
Sent from Jericho (New York / United States), on 11.01.2020
Photo: Pawel Libera