Queen Elizabeth II, family mark 90th birthday with parade
London: Princess Charlotte proved to be the star attraction at Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday celebrations in London on Saturday.
The one-year-old baby Royal made her first public appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony in her mother Kate’s arms.
Her father Prince William and brother Prince George were by her side as part of the annual tradition where the monarch makes an appearance to view the Royal Air Force (RAF) fly past in her honour.
Both baby royals, third and fourth in line to the British throne, were dressed in pale colours, with George wearing white while Princess Charlotte wore a pale pink dress.
Earlier, Kate and William joined the Queen and the Royal Family for the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony.
The traditional parade was this year celebrating the monarch’s 90th birthday.
They travelled from Buckingham Palace to the Horse Guards in horse-drawn carriages.
There, the Royal family watched the parades as the Queen inspected her soldiers. Salutes were fired across the UK.
In the afternoon, the royal barge Gloriana led a flotilla of about 50 boats in a pageant down the River Thames, carrying figures including five-time Olympic gold rower Sir Steve Redgrave.
Visible in her vibrant ensemble, the Queen smiled and waved to crowds as she was driven with the Duke of Edinburgh in an open-top carriage up the flag-lined Mall.
In her younger years, the Queen would ride side-saddle on horseback to greet the public.
Her choice of colour for Saturday’s outfit triggered a social media storm, with Twitter users celebrating the monarch’s fashion sensibilities with “neon at 90”.
The Queen’s real birthday is on April 21, but official celebrations always take place on June 10, and often for a whole weekend. (Agencies)
