FACTS AND FIGURES

Changes in the numbers of anniversary messages sent out by the Anniversaries Office reflect changes in society over the last 90 years.

The figures show that people are living longer. In 1952 less than 3,000 congratulatory messages were sent out. But in 2005, the total number of 100th birthday messages alone was 6,914, with 24,304 messages for diamond weddings.

This reflects the fact that people are healthier, due to higher living standards. More and more people are reaching ages which in previous decades were very rare. In 2005, 576 people received messages for 105th birthdays and above. In 1952, only 255 people received 100th birthday greetings.

The end of World War Two is clearly reflected in the message statistics. In 2005 nearly 6,000 more diamond wedding messages were sent out than in 2004. This is a result of the end of the war 60 years previously, which resulted in a large number of marriages as soldiers returned from abroad.

The longest period of marriage for which The Queen has sent a congratulatory message is 80 years - an oak wedding anniversary. In 2005 The Queen sent a message to the world's longest married couple, Percy and Florence Arrowsmith of Hereford, whose wedding took place in 1925.

The message statistics also show some interesting links to particular times of the year, particularly Bank Holidays. Sixty years ago, Easter and Spring Bank Holidays were popular times to get married.

This means that nowadays the Anniversaries Office gets very busy around Bank Holiday times, making sure that couples celebrating their diamond weddings receive their congratulatory card on time.