Britain's Princess Anne speaks at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. on November 6, 2014. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
A 10-week exhibition, "Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor," opened on November 6 at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. The exhibition features a copy of the Magna Carta from England's Lincoln Cathedral, one of only four surviving copies of the original 1215 document.
During the opening ceremony, Britain's Princess Royal made a short speech, saying:
Nearly 800 years ago, Magna Carta gave us our first concept of a society governed by the rule of law — a major step. We can remind ourselves of how difficult that has been to maintain, that integrity of the rule of law.
I think anniversaries are an opportunity to look forward to what will be happening in maybe 100, 200 years. Will we still be celebrating Magna Carta as it reaches those milestones and its relevance in that time and ensuring that the rule of law remains a valued concept in the future? It is imperative for us to instill these values, this understanding in the next generation.