Nation gathers to wish monarch a happy 90th birthday
LONDON: Organisers of the official street party today to mark Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday have released a commemorative album of pop songs by “the greatest British artists of all time”, including George Michael, Queen, Elton John, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles.
The street party is part of a threeday celebration of the Queen’s birthday, marked by an official photograph of her with Prince Philip. He turned 95 on Friday. The 42 tracks on the double album, which is selling for £10 ($20.20), span six decades but about twothirds are from the 1960s and 70s.
The album opens with Queen’s 1975 version of the national anthem, God Save the Queen, and ends with Cliff Richard’s Congratulations, a British entry in the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest.
About 10,000 people are sched- uled to join the street party in the Mall near Buckingham Palace.
Most of the tickets were allocated to 600 charities and other groups the Queen supports, but about 2000 tickets were sold for £150 each through a public ballot.
Marks and Spencer is providing a hamper for each guest, containing a can of Pimm’s aperitif, smoked salmon, chicken roulade, potato salad, sandwiches, cheese, apple juice, a pork pie, butterfly cakes and a “posh” raspberry dessert.
Cakes modelled on hats worn by the Queen are among Marks and Spencer’s spin-off products to mark the birthday.
Grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry will attend the street party, and a third grandson, Peter Phillips, is the main organiser.
Smaller events have been organised across the country.