The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have led the tributes for the Queen on her 96th birthday with a touching message to mark the occasion.
Prince William and Kate Middleton took to their official Instagram page to wish Her Majesty a happy birthday alongside some family snaps. The first image captured the Queen alongside William and Kate as they toured the Chelsea Flower Show. The second photo featured the Queen and her late husband Prince Phillip sitting with their seven great-grandchildren.
“Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 96th birthday today!” the caption read.
“An inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world, it’s particularly special to be celebrating in this #PlatinumJubilee year.”
Prince Charles and Camilla joined the Cambridges in celebrating the milestone occasion, wishing Her Majesty “a particularly special 96th birthday today”.
Buckingham Palace also released a celebratory portrait to honor the Queen’s birthday to the royal family’s official Instagram page on Thursday, April 21, celebrating not only her special day but also the upcoming Platinum Jubilee.
The portrait features a lively looking Queen, dressed in an understated green trench dress as she holds the reigns of two stunning white ponies within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The post acknowledged the Queen’s love of horses and her dedicated annual attendance at the Royal Windsor Horse Show since 1943.
“Ahead of The Queen’s 96th Birthday tomorrow, @royalwindsorhorseshow have released a new photograph of Her Majesty with two of her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale,” the post read.
As detailed in the caption, the portrait was taken last month and is “the fourth in a series of photos released by the Royal Windsor Horse Show, following images that celebrated the Golden Jubilee, the Platinum Jubilee and Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday”.
As part of the royal birthday celebrations, the Queen travelled to her Norfolk estate by helicopter, where she was joined by family and close friends.
Her Majesty is believed to be spending her birthday at Wood Farm, a place that has strong ties to her late husband Prince Phillip, as reported by the BBC.