QUEEN Elizabeth celebrates her 90th birthday today - a milestone that will be marked both privately with family and publicly by the nation.
Tributes will be paid to the monarch, born on April 21 1926 - who has become the country's first nonagenarian sovereign.
Well-wishers are expected to sing Happy Birthday to the Queen when she goes on a walkabout close to her Windsor Castle home later to acknowledge the good wishes of the public.
And in the evening the night sky over her Berkshire home will be lit up by a beacon, started by the Queen, the first in a chain of more than 1,000 that will spread across the country and the globe.
The Prince of Wales is understood to be making a speech in tribute to his mother at the night-time event.
David Cameron will lead the nation in honouring the monarch's life when MPs debate a "humble address" to mark the Queen's birthday, proposed by the Prime Minister.
The milestone birthday has been marked by the release of an historic photograph of the Queen surrounded by her five great-grandchildren - including Prince George and Princess Charlotte - and her two youngest grandchildren.
The image is one of three taken by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz who has also captured the Queen informally with her only daughter the Princess Royal.
Queen Elizabeth II is pictured with her daughter, The Princess Royal Photo: © 2016 Annie Leibovitz / PA Wire
The Queen with four of her dogs Willow (corgi), Vulcan (dorgie), Candy (dorgie) and Holly (corgi). Photo:© 2016 Annie Leibovitz / PA Wire
One unusual tribute will see the Houses of Parliament lit up red, white and blue in honour of the Queen's milestone.
During her 64-year reign the monarch has been served by 12 prime ministers from Sir Winston Churchill to David Cameron.
It was never expected that she would be Queen when she was born on April 21 1926 in a town house in London's Mayfair, the first child of the Duke of York, later King George VI.
Her destiny was changed with the abdication of her uncle, Edward VIII, for the woman he loved - American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
Famously the Queen dedicated her life to her future role as monarch on her 21st birthday - vowing to serve the Commonwealth: ''I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.''
Can you remember when the Queen visited Taunton?
Share your memories and photos with us by emailing newsdesk@countygazette.co.uk
Tweeting us, Penny Roberts said: "Was at Taunton Cider when she visited Taunton the first Member of the royal family to do so back in the 80's."
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