Queen Victoria replaced him. Salisbury remained prime minister for the remainder of Victoria's reign. On 23 September 1896, Victoria surpassed her grandfather George III as the longest-reigning monarch in British history. The Queen requested that any special celebrations be delayed until 1897, to coincide with her Diamond Jubilee, which was made a festival of the British Empire at the suggestion of the Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamberlain. The prime ministers of all the self-governing Dominions were invited to London for the festivities. One reason for including the prime ministers of the Dominions and excluding foreign heads of state was to avoid having to
Diamond Jubilee State Coach private initiative with some help from the Australian government in form of a $250,000 (£138,000) grant. The coach weighs 2.75 tons and is and . Like the Australian State Coach, the Diamond Jubilee State Coach has electric windows, heating and hydraulic stabilisers. Diamond Jubilee State Coach The Diamond Jubilee State Coach (initially known as the State Coach Britannia) is an enclosed, six-horse-drawn carriage that was made to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday, but completion was delayed for nearly 8 years. Eventually, it became a commemoration for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The coach was used for the first time at