93rd birth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II

EAlexandra Mary was born on April 21, 1926, in Mayfair, London, to Prince Albert, the Duke of York (later to become King George VI), and Lady Elizabeth Bowles-Lyon. She was named after her mother Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), her paternal great-grandmother (Queen Alexandra), and her paternal grandmother, Queen Mary. The eldest child of the royal couple was educated at home by tutors who taught her French,

mathematics, history, and geography. She also took dancing, singing, and art lessons. On November 20, 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The news that her father had died on February 6, 1952, and that she was queen reached then Princess Elizabeth in Kenya where she was on a Commonwealth tour with the Duke of Edinburgh. She was then 25, a young mother with two children — Charles and Anne — when she acceded to the throne. To accord a respectable amount of time to mourn the loss of her father, King George VI, her coronation took place a year after, on June 2, 1953, at Westminster Abbey, the site of all coronations since 1066. Elizabeth II was the sixth queen to be crowned at the historic abbey. She marked the 67th anniversary of her accession to the throne early this year.

Queen Elizabeth II who turns 93 today is known to actually celebrate her birthday twice a year — on the day of her birth, which is April 21, and in June, which is marked by the “Trooping the Color” ceremony. Although the longest serving monarch traditionally celebrates her special day in private, sources have it that this year would be an exception because the queen’s birthday coincides with Easter Sunday. Every year on Easter Sunday, the queen usually joins the rest of her family for services at Windsor Castle. There the British monarch receives a bouquet of flowers from local children who also attended the church service. Her Majesty’s birthday is also traditionally marked by gun salutes in central London.

Queen Elizabeth II remains the living symbol of national unity of her country. Despite her stateliness, she is known to favor simplicity in court life. She has a strong sense of duty and diligence that, apart from effectively dispatching her traditional royal and ceremonial duties, she is well-known to take a serious and informed interest in global and societal issues, trends, and realities, especially those related to government and business.

We greet Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, on the occasion of her 93rd birth anniversary. We wish her and her Royal Family continuing good health and happiness, and enduring peace and prosperity for her country and her people.