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London's Big Ben to be renamed Elizabeth Tower in Queen's honor

Posted on 06-27 at 05:20:54 CST

LONDON (BNO NEWS) -- The famous clock tower in central London, which is known to most as Big Ben, will be renamed Elizabeth Tower in honor of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, officials said on Tuesday. A date for when the renaming will take place was not immediately announced.

While widely referred to as Big Ben, the tower's official name is currently the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster. But Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood called on the House of Commons Commission to consider a motion to change the official name to Elizabeth Tower in "recognition of Her Majesty's 60 years of unbroken public service on behalf of her country."

The motion received the support of more than half of MPs, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrats Leader Nick Clegg and Labour Party leader Ed Miliband. "The scale of celebration about to be witnessed [..] reflects the appreciation and reverence she has earned following an extraordinary life of constant and tireless service to the nation," Ellwood said.

The House of Commons Commission announced on Tuesday it will support the motion, but a date for the official renaming was not immediately announced. "The Commission welcomed the proposal to rename the Clock Tower Elizabeth Tower in recognition of HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and would arrange for this decision to be implemented in an appropriate manner in due course," it said in a statement.

Queen Elizabeth is only the second monarch to have reigned over England and the United Kingdom for 60 years. Queen Victoria held the throne for 63 years and 216 days, and the King's Tower - located in the palace's southwest end - was later named Victoria Tower in her honor.

"It therefore seems entirely appropriate for Parliament to pay tribute to her Majesty with a similar honor, and in symmetry, to that bestowed upon Queen Victoria, by dedicating part of the iconic Parliamentary estate in the name of her Majesty," Ellwood said on his website earlier this month.

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