UK Royals Mark Queen Elizabeth II's 100th Birthday

London -- The British royal family is commemorating the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's birth on April 21 with a series of official events, tributes and exhibitions that highlight her enduring legacy as the nation's longest-serving monarch.

Born at 2:40 a.m. on April 21, 1926, in a Mayfair home by caesarean section, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor ascended to the throne in 1952 following her father King George VI's death. She reigned for 70 years until her passing on September 8, 2022, at age 96, guiding the United Kingdom through wars, social upheavals and global changes. Known affectionately as Lilibet to family, she pledged on her 21st birthday in 1947 to devote her life to service, a commitment she upheld through jubilees, crises and ceremonial moments that connected her to the public.

The centenary program begins with King Charles III, Queen Camilla and senior royals visiting the British Museum to view the final model of a planned national memorial in St. James's Park, near Buckingham Palace. Accompanied by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Lord Robin Janvrin, the Queen's former private secretary, they will meet the artists and watch a film on the monument's...