The celebrations

Today the United Kingdom remembers Elizabeth II 100 years after her birth

The longest-serving sovereign in British history had recently celebrated 70 years on the throne

by Nicol Degli Innocenti

21 April 2026

A Buckingham Palace la festa per i 100 anni della Regina Elisabetta II

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

LONDON - The United Kingdom today celebrates the centenary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on 21 April 1926 in London. The longest-serving sovereign in British history, who had recently celebrated 70 years on the throne, passed away in Scotland in September 2022 at the age of 96, without reaching the 100-year mark surpassed by her mother.

The centenary of the sovereign who spanned a century of history will be commemorated with a series of events. King Charles III in a video message that will be broadcast from Buckingham Palace will recall the total dedication to the country and the Crown and the sense of duty that his mother showed throughout her life, pledging to continue to follow her example.

The King and Queen Camilla will also tonight hold a big reception at Buckingham Palace that is not intended to be a solemn or sad occasion but rather a joyous 'celebration of an incredible life'. Among the guests, in addition to the notables of the Kingdom, will be representatives of the organisations and charities that the Queen has supported throughout her life.

A Buckingham Palace la festa per i 100 anni della Regina Elisabetta II

A new charity

The Government has donated £40 million to establish a new charity in honour of the Queen, which will be inaugurated today to mark her centenary. The Queen Elizabeth Trust, whose patron will be King Charles, will be dedicated to creating community spaces - both halls and parks and gardens - that can be shared 'to promote friendship, solidarity and a sense of belonging among people of all ages and walks of life'. Throughout her long life, in fact, Elizabeth II repeatedly expressed her conviction that 'everyone is our neighbour'.

Today King Charles and Camilla will visit the British Museum to see the design of a National Memorial for Elizabeth II, entrusted to the architect Sir Norman Foster, to be erected in St James Park, opposite Buckingham Palace. The design includes numerous statues and a bridge inspired by the tiara worn by the then princess on her wedding day to Prince Philip in 1947. Princess Anne, the Queen's second daughter, will instead inaugurate the Queen Elizabeth II Garden dedicated to her in Regent's Park, a 'quiet space' open to all.

Coins dedicated to the Queen

To celebrate the centenary of Elizabeth II's birth, the Royal Mint, or Royal Mint, has minted a series of limited edition £5 coins in metal, silver and gold. The BBC instead made a new documentary 'Queen Elizabeth II: her story, our century', which chronicles her life with the participation of celebrities who knew and liked her, including actress Helen Mirren and former US president Barack Obama.

To mark the centenary, Buckingham Palace has also asked historian Anna Keay to write a new authorised biography of Elizabeth II, giving the English writer access to the Queen's archives and granting her interviews with all members of the family and the royal household. "I will do everything I can to do justice to her life and work," Keay said.

Re Carlo III rende omaggio alla regina Elisabetta II nel giorno del suo centenario

The Style of Elizabeth II

Yesterday evening King Charles and Camilla visited the Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style exhibition at the King's Gallery in Buckingham Palace, which pays tribute to her her very personal and inimitable style is a collection of over 200 of her dresses, from the lace she wore for her christening to her wedding dress, from the sumptuous coronation gown to the numerous evening gowns for social occasions and trips abroad, and the coloured daytime suits with the inevitable hat and handbag.

For almost a century, for millions of British people (and others) Elizabeth II embodied the sense of duty and traditional values and represented continuity in a rapidly changing world. Four years after her death she remains deeply loved and cherished by her subjects: according to the latest YouGov poll, she still garners 81% approval, confirming her as the most popular person in the royal family past or present.