Surrounded by several generations of her family and cheered on by hundreds of well-wishers, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her official birthday on Sunday. The 81-year-old monarch, whose real birthday is on April 21, was clearly delighted by the festivities as she joined her husband, children and grandchildren for the pomp and pageantry.
The parade began as she travelled with the Duke of Edinburgh in a carriage dating from 1842 along the Mall from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall. She was followed by the Prince of Wales, Princess Anne and the Duke of Kent on horseback. Brightly dressed in lime green, the royal matriarch took the salute as 1,100 troops from the Household Division carried out the annual Trooping the Colour - intended to show the British Army at its ceremonial best.
While her husband Prince Philip wore a towering bearskin hat, grandson Prince William was also kitted out in full military regalia - arriving in a carriage with his step-mother, the Duchess of Cornwall. The family finally gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a spectacular fly-past by the aerobatic team the Red Arrows. It was a bit much for some of the younger members of the royal clan, though, as Lady Helen Taylor's children Eloise and Columbus blocked their ears to all the noise.
This year there were some new additions to the royal gathering on the balcony, including two sisters. They were 11-year-old Lady Amelia Windsor, who is 25th in line to the throne, and the younger daughter of George Earl of St Andrews, and her elder sister Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor, 14, 24th in line to the throne.
The event was also an opportunity for the ladies to demonstrate their love of hats. Princess Beatrice and Eugenie opted for contrasting cream and black creations respectively with a flourish of feathers, while Armani ambassador Lady Helen chose a chic Thirties style 'doll' hat.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
