LONDON – The British royal family came together on April 21 to commemorate what would have been the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch who died in September 2022 at age 96 .
King Charles III led the tributes with a personal video message recorded at Balmoral Castle, addressing his “darling Mama” directly. “Her near-century was one of remarkable change and yet, through each passing decade, through every transformation, she remained constant, steadfast and wholly devoted to the people she served,” the King said .
He added that “much about the times we now live in I suspect may have troubled her deeply,” though he expressed hope from her belief “that goodness will always prevail” .
Earlier in the day, the King and Queen Camilla visited the British Museum to view the final design recommendations for a permanent national memorial in St James’s Park. The memorial will feature a 9.84ft bronze statue of the Queen in her Garter robes, inspired by Pietro Annigoni’s 1955 painting .
Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, joined the King at a Buckingham Palace reception honoring the late Queen’s charitable patronages. Guests included representatives from Cancer Research UK, the British Red Cross, and centenarians sharing the Queen’s birth date . Catherine wore a set of pearl jewelry that once belonged to Queen Elizabeth, including Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings .
The commemorations also saw the launch of the Queen Elizabeth Trust with a £40 million government endowment and a Digital Memorial inviting public memories at queenelizabeth.com .
