ALLAN WILLETT, the Lord Lieutenant of Kent, looks back over 2002 - a year in which the county helped play a major role in helping to celebrate the second Elizabethan era:

I COUNT myself as very fortunate that my first 12 months as Lord Lieutenant included the Golden Jubilee, a period of exultant rejoicing for our county and country probably unparalleled in peacetime.

Amid all the celebrations street parties, community get-togethers, Cathedral services it can be easy to overlook what the Jubilee stands for and what it represents. We are now in what is accepted as the second Elizabethan Age and the beacon that has set the period alight is the reign of our great Queen.

In February 1952 when she became Queen, our nation was troubled, weary and financially weakened from war, bewildered by loss of empire. Dedicating her life to the service of our nation, the young Queen immediately demonstrated an inner calm, a sure faith in God, unflinching determination and an unwavering standard attributes that have never deserted her.

During this turbulent period of change, The Queen has never hesitated. Tireless, steadfast and always reliable, she has been trusted by Prime Ministers, world leaders, Archbishops, Kings and Presidents. So above all else, 2002 has been a celebration of the personal triumph of our Queen.

And our county has excelled itself with a great outpouring of affection and gratitude. It was as though every house, every village, every town and city,was saying Thank You Your Majesty.

For me as Lord Lieutenant, one of the highlights was that golden day when The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited Kent and Medway on Maundy Thursday, an event steeped in tradition, but made accessible to all by The Queen's personality and charm.

Again it was the people who spoke during the Golden Jubilee tour of Britain. But most of all, they spoke with heart and voice during that magic Jubilee weekend in June, when the bond between The Queen and her people was so dramatically illustrated by the events the length and breadth of our county.

Bunting and beacons, fun and frolics, the spirit of Kent's Jubilee was captured in photographs in this paper. They showed that when it comes to celebrating the monarchy our people do so with pride, loyalty and respect and no Queen could ask for more.