Buckingham Palace Announces Unique Competition To Honor Queen Elizabeth

Britain's beloved monarch, Queen Elizabeth, has led a storied life as a royal. After ascending the throne at age 25 due to her father's death in 1952, Elizabeth has become a figure through generations — and is the longest-reigning British monarch, according to The History Press. Elizabeth, born in 1926, even outlived her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021.

Following a tradition in England, Queen Elizabeth has celebrated her various milestone jubilees: Silver in 1977, Golden in 2002, Diamond in 2012, Sapphire in 2017. Now, she is approaching her Platinum Jubilee on February 6, celebrating 70 years on the throne, according to Sky News. It's a pivotal milestone, as she is the first British monarch to reach that status, so celebrations will span until June.

Because of this groundbreaking achievement, Buckingham Palace has announced a unique way for the public to pay tribute to their queen — an elaborate baking competition. Although it might seem a bit extra to some, as the event's co-chair Nicholas Coleridge explained to Vanity Fair, the homage is well-deserved. "It is a remarkable achievement and the Queen continues to have a remarkable reign," Coleridge noted. So how does baking factor into the queen's impressive legacy? Honestly, the idea is perfectly sweet.

In honor of Queen Elizabeth's upcoming Platinum Jubilee festivities, celebrating 70 years on the throne in 2022, Buckingham Palace unveiled a special, and well, unique contest for the general public to pay tribute. Starting January 10, British residents aged 8 and up can participate in a "Platinum Pudding Competition," submitting their unique pudding recipes, with the winning dessert named in the queen's honor. British department store Fortnum & Mason — which organized the event — encouraged participants to consider four key elements when submitting their recipe: it tastes good, is easy to replicate at home, has a special story, and looks decadent enough for the queen to eat.

The competition closes on February 4 and from there, the entries will go through various judging stages before it reaches the final competition. Participating judges include stars of "Great British Bake Off" and "Masterchef," as well as Buckingham Palace's head chef. Five finalists will prepare their recipes in person, and the winner's recipe will get gifted to the queen. Additionally, Fortnum & Mason will "encourage people to make the recipe at home to enjoy with family, friends, and their local community," and its stores "hope" to sell a "fresh product" or "a packaged item to buy online." Making matters even better, the winner will have their name on the packaging, and all sale proceeds will go to charity.

The finalist competition commences in March, so curious spectators won't have to wait long to see the winning creation. Happy baking!