Most iconic moments of the last 20 years revealed – from the King’s coronation to the late Queen’s helicopter parachute
BRITAIN’S most iconic moments of the last 20 years have been revealed – with the coronation of the King and the Queen’s Jubilee leading the way.
Four memorable Royal occasions cracked the top five, with the lifting of Covid restrictions also featuring.
Prince William and Kate Middleton getting married and the “Queen” parachuting into the London 2012 opening ceremony placed at four and five respectively, according to a poll of 2,000 adults.
As well as the 2011 royal wedding, Harry and Meghan’s 2018 nuptials also got a mention at the number 15 spot.
The births of Prince George in 2013, Princess Charlotte in 2015, and Prince Louis in 2018 also got a shout out at number 16 on the list.
However, the coronation of King Charles topped the list of memorable moments for most Brits, according to the research conducted via OnePoll.
As well as her apparent parachuting stunt at the London Olympics opening ceremony, 2012 also marked the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which ranked second in the public’s memorable moments.
As did her Platinum Jubilee, which occurred in 2022, marking 70 years of service just months before her passing.
And it wasn’t just royal moments that the British public reflected on fondly.
As well as the lifting of Covid restrictions, moments of sporting excellence completed the top 10 for Brits.
The Lionesses winning the Euros, Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victories, and Leicester City’s Premier League win all appeared in the most iconic moments.
Mo Farah’s two-time Olympic domination also featured in the top 10.
When it comes to music, Susan Boyle proved the most memorable, with her 2009 Britain’s Got Talent audition ranking at number 12.
Other key music milestones include Elton John’s last UK performance at Glastonbury in 2023, and Liverpool hosting Eurovision.
Motorola UK commissioned the research to mark the 20-year anniversary of its razr smartphone, and the launch of the razr 50 ultra.
“Looking back on the last two decades, it’s remarkable to see just how many iconic moments have happened that have shaped culture,” said Miles Norman, UK&I general manager at the smartphone company.
“From spectacular royal events to gripping sporting moments, each occasion has brought us joy.
Top 20 British moments of the last 20 years
- The Coronation of the King
- Queen’s Diamond and Platinum Jubilee (2012/2022)
- COVID-19 restrictions being lifted
- Prince William and Kate Middleton getting married
- The ‘Queen’ parachuting into the London 2012 Opening Ceremony
- Lionesses winning the Euros
- Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victories (2013/2016)
- Mo Farah’s double gold in the 5000m and 10,000m at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics
- ‘Super Saturday’ at London 2012
- Leicester City’s Premier League win
- England’s Cricket World Cup win
- Susan Boyle’s audition on Britain’s Got Talent
- England football team’s campaign to nearly winning the Euro’s (2021) and World Cup (2018)
- England beating Germany in the Euro’s
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle getting married
- The births of Royal children (Prince George (2013), Princess Charlotte (2015), and Prince Louis (2018))
- Elton John’s last UK performance at Glastonbury
- The conclusion of the Harry Potter film franchise (Deathly Hallows)
- Eurovision being hosted in Liverpool
- Sherlock Holmes starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman starting in 2010
“So much has changed since 2004, especially in the realm of technology.”
He added that majority of Brits are shocked at how fast the last 20 years has gone but pointed out: “If you look at all that’s changed, you realise just how far we’ve come.”
The survey went on to find that 84% agree they can’t believe how quickly the last two decades have gone – and 75% are amazed by how much has changed since 2004.
Over the course of the next 20 years, 33% of Brits would love to see England finally ending all those years of hurt by winning a Euros or World Cup title.
Whereas 18% love the idea of more British films going on to have global success and acclaim.
Behind the scenes context on the Queen’s parachute drop
As London prepared to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, iconic British figures such as James Bond, Mr Bean, and the Queen herself featured in the opening ceremony.
A skit saw Daniel Craig as 007 enter Buckingham Palace to retrieve the Queen for the occasion.
While the Queen herself was filmed walking down a hallway with the fictional spy, a camera editing tricked the audience into thinking she was escorted to the arena via helicopter.
An actor who was dressed as the Queen was then shown jumping from the aircraft.
The “Queen” was fitted with a Union Jack parachute for the daring stunt.
Viewed by 900 million people worldwide, the parachute jump proved to be a hit with the British public, including the Royal family who were unaware of the Queen’s involvement.
When thinking about their personal iconic moments since 2004, welcoming a new member to the family and going on a dream holiday capped off their favourite years in this period.
And others look back fondly on the year when they met their current partner and wedding day – as more than one in 10 capture beloved memories on their smartphones every day.
“One of the biggest changes in the past two decades has been how we capture and relive our favourite memories,” said Miles Norman.
“The rise of smartphones in this period has had a massive impact on the way we document personal milestones and national events.
“The average Brit has over 1,000 cherished memories sorted on their devices.”