Queen celebrates birthday

The Queen is celebrating her 81st birthday privately at Windsor Castle.

She is expected to spend the evening enjoying a quiet dinner at the Berkshire royal residence, in contrast to the high-profile public celebrations staged last year to mark her 80th.

A busy schedule is planned for the Queen in the coming year as she is set for a six-day state visit of America next month.

In November, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh reach their diamond wedding anniversary, celebrating 60 years of marriage.

Uganda is also expected to be visited by the royal couple as the country hosts the Commonwealth summit.

Last year, the Queen had a much more hectic birthday beginning with a walkabout to meet well-wishers at Windsor, before having a black-tie dinner at Kew Palace with the rest of the Royal Family.

This year she returns to marking the day in private as is traditionally the case.

Some of London's mayors are delivering a birthday card from the capital to the gates of Windsor despite calls for low-key commemorations.

Dennis Delderfield, editor of the City of London and Docklands Times which organised the event, said: "The Palace say the Queen doesn't want a fuss made.

"Well, hard luck. She's done such a fantastic job. We want to say 'happy birthday' and 'thank you' for all that you have done for us."

On the Queen's birthday, union flags are flown above Government buildings from 8am until sunset and royal gun salutes are fired in her honour.

She has two birthdays - her actual one today on April 21 and her official one in June, which is celebrated with the Trooping the Colour parade.

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