Events unveiled to mark 100 years since the birth of Queen Elizabeth II
The King and Queen will mark the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II with those born in the same year.
The Royal Family have set out some of the ways they will celebrate the life of the late Queen, who would have become 100 years old this year, having been born on 21 April 1926.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have invited other centenarians to Buckingham Palace so they can receive their centenary birthday cards from the monarch in person.
They will mark the moment in the Marble Hall of Buckingham Palace alongside other members of the Royal Family and guests from a range of Her late Majesty’s patronages, which include Cancer Research UK, British Red Cross Society, Jockey Club, Royal Kennel Club and the Army Benevolent Fund.
A day before the late Queen’s birthday, her son and daughter-in-law will attend a new exhibition at The King’s Gallery in London, which is the largest display of Elizabeth II’s fashion ever mounted.
The Royal Collection Trust has put together items of her clothing from her christening robe to the outfit she chose for her last ever balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace in 2022.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will also see the wedding dress that the then Princess Elizabeth wore in November 1947 at Westminster Abbey when she married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark.
In total, there are 300 items on display, many for the first time.
Plans are still underway for a permanent memorial to Britain’s longest-serving monarch.
It will be built in St James Park, right next to The Mall and opposite Buckingham Palace, which was the late Queen’s official office and residence for the entire 70 years of her reign.
On April 20, the Prime Minister will join King Charles and Queen Camilla at the British Museum as they are shown the final design for the national memorial.
It will include a replacement bridge across the St James’ Park lake inspired by Elizabeth's wedding tiara in 1947 and a new gate to remember her devoted husband and consort, Prince Philip.
There will also be a statue or other ‘figurative sculpture’ which will be positioned right next to The Mall.
Designed by a team led by the architect, Lord Norman Foster, the Queen Elizabeth Memorial will be the nation’s enduring tribute to Queen Elizabeth, whose reign began in 1952 and ended in 2022.
One of the late Queen’s former Private Secretaries, Lord Robin Janvrin, has chaired the committee which chose the final design and will unveil it to the King.
Lord Janvrin previously spoke to the Talking Royals podcast about the project, which involved choosing a design from a range of submissions which best reflected her contribution to the nation over seven decades.
The late Queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne, will also officially open the Queen Elizabeth II Garden, a new two‑acre space in Regent’s Park.
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