Queen Elizabeth II turns 88

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27100517

Queen Elizabeth II turns 88

New portrait commissioned for the Monarch's birthday was unveiled today

The Queen's 88th birthday has been marked across the UK with traditional gun salutes.

A 41-gun royal salute was fired in Green Park in London and a 62 gun-salute from the Tower of London.

In Scotland, gunners from 105th Regiment Royal Artillery have fired two 21-gun royal salutes at Edinburgh and Stirling Castles.

The monarch is spending the day privately at Windsor Castle.

Tradition followed

The Queen was born on 21 April 1926 at the home of her mother's parents in Mayfair.

However, her birthday is also celebrated officially each year in June at the Trooping the Colour service - which this year will take place on 14 June.

The gun salute at Green Park was carried out by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery using 13-pounder World War One guns drawn by 71 horses.

Before the King's Troop arrived, the Band of the Honourable Artillery Company and Royal Yeomanry played celebratory music.

The 62-shot salute at the Tower of London was completed by the Honourable Artillery Company.

It included 21 shots for the Queen's birthday, 20 because it is a royal palace, and 21 to follow a tradition in which ships would fire their guns before entering the City of London to show they were not threatening.

Gunners from 105th Regiment Royal Artillery fired two 21-gun royal salutes in Scotland; while in Wales, the salute was fired at Cardiff City Hall.

The salute in Northern Ireland was carried out at Hillsborough Castle in County Down.

Happy Birthday to the Queen.

Here's some interesting milestones that she's getting close to passing...

Queen Elizabeth II marked her Diamond Jubilee (sixty years on the throne) on 6 February 2012, at the age of 85 years, 291 days.

Should she still be reigning on—

- 10 September 2015 (at age 89 years, 142 days), she would surpass Queen-Empress Victoria as the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning female monarch in world history.

- 6 February 2022 (at age 95 years, 291 days), she would celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne.

- 27 May 2024 (at age 98 years, 36 days), she would surpass King Louis XIV of France as the longest reigning monarch of a major country in European history.

- 17 October 2034 (at age 108 years, 179 days), she could surpass King Sobhuza II as the longest reigning monarch in world history, depending on whether and when the reign of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej had ended.

Close to passing Victoria in just over a year. Pretty remarkable.

Also, if she lives as long as her mother (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) who died aged 101, then Prince Charles would be 77 years old when he comes to the throne as King Charles III. Interesting to observe that he'd only become King at an age that Dutch Monarchs usually abdicate at.

Thoughts?

[karter]

congrats to her i guess

[Inseriousity.]

I hope she beats the Queen Victoria record but I'll be surprised if she manages to get to 108!

[Shar]

I thought she was older than that

[GommeInc]

The photographer who took those photos is amazing. The technique and how he takes them relies on him shoving a camera about a foot in front of the subject's face. It's strange not much is being made of her birthday...

[Absently]

I thought she was older than that

me too tbh, she's looking fab tho!

[Evanora]

OLD COW

[Shar]

me too tbh, she's looking fab tho!

If we were as rich as her at that age, we would be too!

[LiquidLuck.]

That King Sobuhza whatever guy became king when he was 4 because his dad died while dancing... and the new king, his son has 15 wives..... omg!

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If we were as rich as her at that age, we would be too!

Quite the opposite, Caroline of Monaco looks twice her age. She spends her summers in her yacht, so her skin looks so damaged making her look so much older than she actually is..

[Shar]

Not quite elegant as the Queen