The Queen’s 90th Birthday let the Celebrations Begin

Today The Queen will become the country’s first nonagenarian sovereign celebrating her actual birthday (the Queen’s official birthday is to follow). Events to celebrate the occasion will be taking place in April, May and June, some of which are free though some of which are by invitation only and include The Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 10th June. The Service also marks the Duke of Edinburgh’s 95th birthday, as well as the start of Her Majesty’s official birthday weekend.

Here at The-Boomers we look back at some memorable moments during the Queen’s life and reign:

During the course of 1951, The Queen’s father King George VI health was not good, a young Elizabeth frequently stood in for him at public events. It was acknowledged that a draft accession declaration travelled with Elizabeth when later in the year Elizabeth toured Canada and the USA where she visited President Harry S. Truman.

The sad death of the King George came the next year, Elizabeth and Philip where enroute to a tour of Australia and New Zealand via Kenya. On 6 February 1952, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, after a night spent at Treetops Hotel, when the bad news arrived.

Philip broke the news to the new Queen. the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom. She and the Duke of Edinburgh moved into Buckingham Palace.

The Queen had one sibling, her sister Princess Margaret, here the Queen and Princess Margaret pose for a picture with their Grandmother.

Elizabeth in Auxiliary Territorial Service uniform, April 1945

In 1953, the Queen and her husband embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles by land, sea and air. She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations. During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her.Throughout her reign, the Queen has made hundreds of state visits to other countries and tours of the Commonwealth; she is the most widely traveled head of state.

Silver Jubilee
In 1977, Elizabeth marked the Silver Jubilee of her accession. Street parties and events took place throughout the Commonwealth, many coinciding with her associated national and Commonwealth tours.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip with their children, Charles, Prince of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. Here, the family (before the arrival of Prince Edward) are at Balmoral.

Just counting the British Prime Ministers (not Commonwealth leaders) the Queen is presently at number 12. Our Prime Ministers of course come and go but our Queen is a permanent, reassuring fixture in our lives.
Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Anthony-Eden
Harold Macmillan
Alec Douglas
Harold Wilson
Edward Heath
Harold Wilson
James Callaghan
Margaret Thatcher
John Major
Tony Blair
Gordon Brown
David Cameron

The Queen took President Ronald Reagan horse riding in Windsor Great Park.

The Queen shares a love of horses with her late mother, here pictured at during the eventful 1981 Trooping the Colour ceremony , six shots were fired at the Queen from close range as she rode down The Mall on her horse, Burmese. The Queen didn’t flinch; carrying on her duties Police later discovered that the shots were blanks.

The Queen’s reputation for hard work is world renowned, working tirelessly for Britain and the Commonwealth her stamina and commitment to duty have remained undiminished. Alongside her duties the Queen is patron of over 600 organisations and charities.

The Queen visiting Birmingham in July 2012 as part of her Diamond Jubilee tour.

Main photo credit: By Joel Rouse/ Ministry of Defence
Information source includes Wikipedia