Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 96th birthday

The UK is in high spirits today as they celebrate the 96th birthday of their monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

According to US Weekly, the Queen travelled from Windsor Castle to her Sandringham Estate ahead of her birthday to spend her birthday there “privately”.

Speaking to The Mirror, a source close to the Queen revealed that her decision to spend her birthday at her Country Estate is somewhat of a tribute to her late husband, Prince Philip who took his last breath at Sandringham Estate a year ago at the age of 99.

The source said the Queen wished to celebrate her special day near her husband and in an environment that meant the world to the both of them.

“The Queen decided very recently that on her birthday she wanted to be as close as possible to her late husband and in an environment that was very close to both of their hearts.

“Sandringham holds so many special memories for the Queen and Prince Philip as well as the rest of the royal family,” said the source.

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The Mirror also reported that Queen Elizabeth II will be joined by close royal family members in Sandringham today to celebrate her birthday with her.

Hours ahead of her birthday, the official royal family Instagram page shared a photograph of the monarch shared by The Royal Windsor Horse Show, posing with two of her white fell ponies who she has named Bybeck Katie, and Bybeck Nightingale.

“Taken last month on the grounds of Windsor Castle, the photo is the fourth in a series of photos released by the Royal Windsor Horse Show, following images that celebrated the Golden Jubilee, the Platinum Jubilee and Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday,” said the caption of the post.

Queen Elizabeth was born on 12 April 1926 at her maternal grandfather’s house in Mayfair, London.

She was baptized in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 29 May by the Anglican Archbishop of York, and named Elizabeth after her mother, Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother, and Mary after her paternal grandmother.

The monarch took her position on the throne when she was just 25-years-old, after her father sadly passed away in 1952.