Royal family marks Queen’s 94th birthday with release of unseen childhood footage

Her Majesty the Queen celebrated her 94th birthday on Tuesday and, while the usual celebrations had to be called off due to the Covid-19 outbreak, several members of the royal family marked the occasion by sharing sweet images and footage from throughout the monarch’s life.

Leading the charge was the official British royal family account which shared some previously unseen footage from the Royal Collection Trust on Instagram and Twitter, showing Queen Elizabeth II as a child.

The minute-long video clip shows the then-Princess Elizabeth as a child playing with her younger sister Princess Margaret, as well as footage of her dancing, riding horses and gardening with the late Queen Mother.

“Happy Birthday, Your Majesty!” the post shared by the royal family read. “Thank you for your messages today, on The Queen’s 94th birthday. In this private footage from the @royalcollectiontrust, we see The Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) playing with her family, including her younger sister Princess Margaret.”

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The post continued: “Head of the Commonwealth, Head of the Armed Forces, Head of State in 16 countries and the longest reigning Monarch in British History. Wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Happy birthday, Your Majesty! To those of you also celebrating your birthdays today at home, with or without your loved ones – we send you many happy returns.”

Several of the Queen’s children and grandchildren also paid tribute to the family matriarch, with Prince Charles and Camilla writing on social media: “Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very Happy 94th Birthday.”

Princess Eugenie said: “Wishing a very Happy 94th Birthday to Her Majesty. ⁣May today bring joy in a time when families can’t be together celebrating with one another.” While a post on the Kensington Palace account read: “Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 94th birthday today!”

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It has also been widely reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with their 11-month-old son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, spoke to Her Majesty via video call on Tuesday from their new home in Los Angeles.

Many people also sent the monarch heir best wishes on the occasion of her birthday, with one person writing: “Happy Birthday your Majesty, enjoy your birthday in Windsor Castle.
You are one amazing Queen and I salute you for empowering all women with your radiance and vigour.”

Another said: “Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth. Wishing you all the best from Melbourne, Australia. I named my youngest daughter Elizabeth, now 7 years, after you! My first daughter is named Charlotte, although she was born a little before your great granddaughter.”

While another wrote: “Happy Birthday to Her Majesty the Queen! Long live Queen Elizabeth II.”

Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the Queen was forced to call off her usual birthday celebration Trooping the Colour, which takes place in June. It was also reported that the monarch decided to call off the usual celebratory gun salute that takes place on her birthday each year, due to the current environment.