The world’s oldest-serving royal, the longest-serving British royal, and now the longest lived British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II turned 90 on Thursday, receiving the greetings of thousands of British citizens as well as wishes from all over the world. Artillery companies will fire gun salutes from Hyde Park and the Tower of London, while the bells of Westminster Abbey will ring out in celebration. Buckingham Palace released three photographs of the royal family taken for the occasion by renowned American portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz. The queen was captured with Willow, Vulcan, Candy and Holly on the steps at the rear of the East Terrace and East Garden as they wandered the private grounds of Windsor Castle in England.
Advertisement
The Queen is also joined by the two youngest of her eight grandchildren – the Earl and Countess of Wessex’s children – James, Viscount Severn, eight, and Lady Louise Windsor.
Born on April 21, 1926, the Queen shows no signs of retiring, let alone abdicating.
In more unusual celebrations, scientists at the University of Nottingham used an ion beam to inscribe the words “Happy 90th Birthday Your Majesty” on a strand of hair from the Queen’s favoured dog breed Corgis. She is our Queen and we could not be more proud of her”, Cameron said.
Later the Queen will light a beacon, the first of about 1000 across Britain and worldwide to mark the occasion.
“She hasn’t put a foot wrong”, said Loughrey, dressed in red, white and blue, before launching into a rendition of the national anthem.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Elizabeth’s grandson Prince William spoke about the legacy the queen has built leading up to her milestone birthday. Off to the right is her 3-year-old sister Isla.
An Ipsos MORI poll found 70 per cent want her to remain on the throne compared to 21 per cent who think she should abdicate or retire.
Crowds lined the streets in Windsor as the monarch took part in a walkabout after royal gun salutes were fired from each of the UK’s capital cities.
Advertisement
She has met 12 United States presidents, from Herbert Hoover (after he had left office) to Barack Obama -more than a quarter of all the USA presidents since Independence.
