Crowds celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday

The Queen lights the first of more than 900 beacons

being lit across the UK and overseas

Queen Elizabeth greeted thousands of well-wishers from across Britain and beyond as she celebrated her 90th birthday, demonstrating the world's oldest monarch's intent to keep doing the job she has performed for more than six decades.

Usually the Queen's birthday passes with little ceremony but to mark Thursday's milestone a beaming Elizabeth, attired in a light green outfit, mingled with crowds during a lengthy walkabout near her Windsor Castle home, west of London.

In a rare move in recent years, she then drove through Windsor in an open-topped car with Prince Philip, her husband of 68 years, by her side.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip greet crowds in Windsor

 

Many were there to show her their affection and how much they appreciate all her years of service and to wish her a happy birthday.

Later the Queen lit a beacon, the first of about 1,000 across Britain and worldwide to mark the occasion.

There were also artillery gun salutes in London and other British cities, while the Houses of Parliament were to be illuminated in red, white and blue.

 

Soldiers fire a 62 gun salute against a backdrop

of London's Tower Bridge

"I send my best wishes to those who are celebrating their 90th birthday … on this shared occasion, I send my warm congratulations to you," said a post on the queen's Twitter account.

Close aides say Elizabeth, who has been on the throne for 64 years and is by far the oldest monarch in British history, was far more interested in events to mark her 90th birthday than she had been about overtaking her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria last September as Britain's longest-reigning sovereign.

Born on April 21, 1926, Elizabeth shows no signs of retiring let alone abdicating.

A poll last week found 70 per cent wanted her to stay queen compared to 21 per cent who thought she should abdicate or retire.