This post covers the key events in the 1990s which I included in my presentation on the 70 years of HM The Queen's reign to the Sunniside History Society earlier this month.
1990
Poll Tax comes into operation
National Garden Festival in Gateshead is opened by Princess Anne
Agriculture Minister John Gummer publicly feeds a hamburger to his five-year-old daughter to counter rumours about the spread of BSE and its transmission to humans
Iraq invades Kuwait
Dramatic resignation of Geoffrey Howe precipitates the fall of Margaret Thatcher. John Major becomes PM
Channel Tunnel workers break through to meet up 40m below the seabed
1991
Gulf War sees alliance led by USA ending Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
Government announces poll tax to be scrapped, to be replaced by council tax
1992
Duke and Duchess of York separate
General election results in reduced majority but nevertheless surprise victory for the Conservatives
Neil Kinnock resigns as Labour Leader, replaced by John Smith
UK
crashes out of ERM
The separation of the Prince and Princess of Wales is announced
The marriage of Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence takes place
Windsor
Castle fire
1993
1994
Police start digging up 25 Cromwell St, Gloucester. Human remains are found and Fred and Rosemary West are charged with murder
Channel Tunnel officially opened by the Queen and President Mitterand
Labour Leader John Smith dies and is replaced by Tony Blair
Sunday trading laws are reformed, allowing larger shops to open for 6 hours
The National Lottery launched
1995
The Queen urges Charles and Diana to get a divorce
John Major, faced with a divided party, resigns as Conservative Leader and restands, winning comfortably. The move fails to unite the party
1996
1997
Labour, led by Tony Blair, win a landslide majority in the general election
John Major is replaced as Conservative leader by William Hague
IRA declares a ceasefire
Duke of York opens Stadium of Light
Diana Princess of Wales dies in a road accident in Paris
Scotland and Wales vote for devolution in separate referenda
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary
The Royal Yacht Britannia is decommissioned after 44 years in service
1998
The Good Friday Agreement between the UK and Irish governments and the main political parties in Northern Ireland is signed.
A car bomb explodes in the Northern Irish market town of Omagh, County Tyrone, killing 29 people – the worst terrorist atrocity in the history of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. It has been planted by the Real Irish Republican Army
1999
David Copeland appears in court charged with the recent bombings in London
First elections to the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales are held
The marriage of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones takes place
Official
opening of Millennium Dome by the Queen on New Years eve
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