British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, on the cover of the Times. (file photo)

    BEIJING, April 21 (Xinhuanet) -- April 21 is the actual birthdate for the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth, though her official birthday falls on June 17 which is marked with such big events -- the Trooping the Colour parade, a Service of Thanksgiving.

    Celebrations for today are by no means low-key. Besides a giant Royal Standard flag being raised over Windsor Castle, today's events include a 41-gun royal salute in London's Hyde Park at noon and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London about an hour later, all very splendid.

    A royal walkabout at Windsor is planned in the afternoon, followed by a family dinner at Kew Palace in southwest London. At the dinner hosted by the Prince of Wales, 26 members of her extended family will gather to wish her a Happy birthday.

    At some point in between, the Prince of Wales, 57, son and heir of the Queen, will be paying his tributes on radio and TV.

    Earlier this week, the Queen hosted a special lunch at Buckingham Palace where she was joined by 99 other octogenarians born on the same day as her in 1926. 

    In toasting her guests, she said, "I doubt whether any of us would say the last 80 years have been plain sailing, but we can give thanks for our health and happiness ...."

    It's been a week of tributes in Britain. Tony Blair, the 10th prime minister of her reign, said that "like each of my predecessors, I am profoundly grateful for her wise counsel."

    The Queen has been on the throne for 54 years. Some wonder if she is considering  retiring.

¡¡  "This process of winding down has already begun and can continue comfortably," wrote 93 years-old journalist William Deedes in The Telegraph. But "she is a tough woman, this Queen, who will not readily surrender duties for which she was prepared from childhood." Enditem

    (Agencies)