The Queen celebrated her 94th birthday this week, with 21 April being one of the Monarch’s two birthdays.
Her official birthday (a public celebration) is held on the second Saturday of June, but the Queen tends to spend her April birthday privately with close family members, and marks the day with a gun salute.
This year however, the Queen joined many people across the globe who are celebrating birthdays in isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic. And as you’d expect, she’s been forced to do things differently.
For the first time in 68 years, the Queen did not mark the big day with a traditional royal gun salute due to it not being appropriate. And seeing as she was isolated to her home with her husband Prince Philip and tended to a skeleton team of just eight members of staff, it looks like it may have been a smaller celebration than usual in terms of people.
This has not stopped her family from celebrating, with multiple members of the royal family paying tribute to her on Instagram.
Prince William and Kate Middleton were among those to pay tribute to the Queen, something that made Prince Harry and Megan Markle's decision not to post a tribute all the more obvious.
There is a valid reason behind the Sussex family's silence however, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle currently on a break from social media.
Announcing their stepping away from Instagram, Harry and Meghan posted to their 11.3 million followers: 'What’s most important right now is the health and wellbeing of everyone across the globe and finding solutions for the many issues that have presented themselves as a result of this pandemic. As we all find the part we are to play in this global shift and changing of habits, we are focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute. While you may not see us here, the work continues.'
Their statement continued: 'Thank you to this community - for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You’ve been great! Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another.'
Despite not posting a public tribute, we're sure the family of three got in touch with the Queen on her big day and celebrated privately.
Happy birthday Queen Elizabeth!
