Flag-waving throngs crowded into the spacious Mall in front of the palace to honor the longest reigning monarch in British history.
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The parade starts at the Queen’s official residence, Buckingham Palace, along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, near to Downing Street, and back again.
The flotilla will include the royal barge Gloriana, the historic launch Havengore and a group of Dunkirk little ships.
Even Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country has frosty relations with Britain, sent a message of congratulations to the queen.
The Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were the first members of the family to leave, riding in the Barouche carriage.
William, Kate and Harry later joined 1,800 guests at London’s Guildhall for an after-service reception where the Lord Mayor of London Jeffrey Mountevans paid tribute to the Queen’s “unfailing service” to the nation.
Prime Minister David Cameron and wife Samantha showed their support as well as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who sang the National Anthem.
Then on Saturday Elizabeth will attend the traditional Trooping the Colour parade of soldiers in ceremonial uniforms in central London followed by a fly-past of Royal Air Force aircraft over Buckingham Palace.
The hats have been worn in the British army since the 1830s. The Queen is wearing an Angela Kelly yellow coatdress and matching hat at the service.
On her shoulder the head of state wore the Brigade of Guards brooch.
More than 1,400 officers are on parade, as well as 200 horses.
As a member of the Household Cavalry band he played trombone while on horseback dressed in his gold coat.
Among the audience of thousands watching the spectacle was Second World War veteran Fergus Anckorn, 97, whose story was the focus of the Richard Jones’ magic trick which earned him the Britain’s Got Talent title.
Here we tell you everything you need to know about the Trooping the Colour and what it means. Among them were naturalist David Attenborough, who read from the works of 90-year-old Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond, and Hilda Price, a woman born on the same day as the queen.
Since 1748, it also marks the official birthday of the monarch.
The five Household Regiments – Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards take their turn each year.
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The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, joined the Trooping the Colour parade, traveling by vintage carriage.
