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50 years ago today - HM Queen Elizabeth II officially opens New Covent Garden Market

50 years ago today - HM Queen Elizabeth II officially opens New Covent Garden Market

25 Jun, 2025

Today (June 26th 2025) marks 50 years since Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a plaque to commemorate her official opening of New Covent Garden Market.

The official opening came over six months after the Market had opened its doors - on November 11th 1974 - and there was a huge crowd in attendance as The Queen and her husband Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, took a tour of the new facilities and met a large cross-section of the people who worked here at the time. To follow are a few photos of that historic and happy day, when Her Majesty hailed the Market as one of London's great institutions and recognised the "legendary character and humour" of its community.

"It was a sad day when the Market had to move from his former home," said Her Majesty, "but the Market provides a vital service to the community and in order to continue to do so it must have the best possible facilities."

Half a century further on, the wish of our dearly departed Queen - that tenants of the Market would adapt to their new environment and continue to serve the population for many years to come - has been granted.

Long live New Covent Garden Market!

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by 
Tommy Leighton
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