Queen Elizabeth

The oldest and longest-serving head of state in the world marked the occasion by retreating to her Sandringham country estate in eastern England for a short ...

The queen's health and the succession apart, the royals have rarely been out of the headlines due to a succession of scandals. The queen is head of state of Britain and 14 other Commonwealth countries around the world. From there, the couple accused the royal family of racism, while Harry claimed his father Charles and brother William were "trapped" within the system of the British monarchy. Her grandson Prince William and his wife Kate called her "an inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world." No official engagements have been planned, although royal officials released a photograph of the horse-loving head of state with two of her fell ponies. But the queen -- the oldest and longest-serving head of state in the world -- marked the occasion with little fanfare, retreating to her Sandringham country estate in eastern England for a short break.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 96th birthday on Thursday, in the same year that marks her 70 years on the throne.

"An inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world, it's particularly special to be celebrating in this #PlatinumJubilee year." reads the tweet. William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, sent the Queen a birthday message on social media.

1926: Royal birth | Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor is born at 2:40 am on April 21, 1926 in Mayfair, central London. She is the first child of the Duke and ...

Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 96th birthday at her Sandringham estate on Thursday as gun salutes rang out across London and Windsor and military bands ...

Elizabeth has largely avoided the public spotlight after spending a night in hospital in October for an unspecified ailment and being ordered to rest. Elizabeth became the queen of Britain and more than a dozen other realms including Canada, Australia and New Zealand on the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, while she was in Kenya on an international tour. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is visiting India, wished the queen a happy birthday and paid a "heartfelt tribute" to her "70 years of dedicated and faultless service to our country and the Commonwealth" in a video message.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles and Camilla also shared meaningful pictures to celebrate the Queen. By Stephanie Petit April 21, ...

Prince William and Kate Middleton's accounts celebrated the Queen's status as both grandmother and great-grandmother. "Happy Birthday Your Majesty!" they captioned the post. The then-Princess Elizabeth, with cute curls on top of her head, sweetly smiles for the camera while resting her head on both hands.

The royal family shared a sweet photo of Queen Elizabeth II as a 2-year-old to mark her milestone birthday.

🎊🎈," they captioned the post. When her father died in 1952, she became Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 25. Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, also paid tribute to the monarch on their Instagram page, calling her an "inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world."

"Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 96th birthday today!" the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrote in the caption."An inspiration to so many across the ...

We love love love Our Gracious Queen," alongside the newly-released birthday photos of Her Majesty. Her sister, Princess Beatrice replied to the post, saying "Happy Birthday Our Most Beloved Queen Elizabeth II. We love you so much" An inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world, it’s particularly special to be celebrating in this #PlatinumJubilee year."

Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 96th birthday at her Sandringham estate Thursday with a "private break" during her Platinum Jubilee year.

“Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 96th birthday today!” the message read. Following the sad death of her father in 1952, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II aged just 25, and this year is celebrating 70 years on the throne – a first in British history.” But the Queen is currently staying at her Sandringham estate.

It's clear that Queen Elizabeth's late husband, Prince Philip, was near and dear to her heart on her 96th birthday.

Included in many of them? Throughout the day, members of the royal family wished their matriarch a happy birthday, sharing photographs of the queen throughout her life. Then there was her symbolic choice in outfit.

To mark Queen Elizabeth's 96th birthday, here are some of the most memorable pictures of the monarch.

Then, there are some that just capture the central tenets of who she is, whether it’s a picture with one of her many corgis or one where she flashes her signature megawatt smile. To mark her 96th birthday, Vogue selected 31 of the most memorable photos of Queen Elizabeth that have ever been taken. That sentiment is perhaps why she is such a beloved figure: she currently holds a 75 percent approval rating, according to YouGov, who also notes her as the most well-known public figure in the world.