The King will make a major speech on April 21, to commemorate the life and legacy of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 100th birthday
The King is to lead commemorations for what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday on April 21 by delivering a rousing address to the nation, celebrating her life and legacy.
The monarch will also, alongside Queen Camilla, host a special reception at Buckingham Palace, for dozens of representatives from organisations and charities with a deep connection to our late queen.
Charles has spent months handpicking the guest list from hundreds of patronages that Queen Elizabeth had throughout her life. Royal insiders have revealed that Charles’ personally penned emotional tribute will celebrate his beloved late mother’s achievements and her dedication to duty.
The King’s speech will also include a heartfelt video montage special moments from her life, expected to include footage of Elizabeth’s service During World War II in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, royal tours and engagements around the country and her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
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Elizabeth II became Britain’s longest-serving monarch on September 9, 2015, surpassing the record of 63 years, seven months, and two days, of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.
In 2022, the country celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking Elizabeth’s 70-year milestone on the throne. She passed away peacefully at her Balmoral home in Scotland on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96.
The King and Queen Camilla, who are currently residing at their Birkhall home in Scotland on the Balmoral estate, will return to London on April 21, when the sovereign’s speech will be broadcast to the nation and the Commonwealth. Charles, 77, is expected to convey what an inspiration his mother was not only to himself personally, but to the rest of the royal family.
Senior members of the royal family are also expected to accompany the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace for the special reception. The Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as the Princess Royal and Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are also hoping to attend.
In 1947, on her 21st birthday, a young Princess Elizabeth pledged in a broadcast from Cape Town to the Commonwealth to devote her life, whether it be short or long, to the service of her people.
In his first address to the nation as monarch following his mother’s passing, King Charles III said: “That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life.”
A royal source said: “The 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II birth will not only be a poignant moment of reflection for His Majesty, it will be a cause for celebration of an incredible life well lived and a life dedicated to duty and to her country.
“It is both the King and Queen’s sincere wish that the commemorations honour the late Queen’s profound devotion to service and celebrate how much she was respected and admired around the world.”
As well as the King leading commemorations on the day, a range of engagements will also be held around the period to reflect both her 70-year reign and Elizabeth II’s cultural legacy.
A national monument in St James’s Park in London has already been announced, with further details of final preparations expected soon, alongside other national memorial projects, cultural exhibitions, heritage openings and commemorative initiatives.
Key features of the winning design for the permanent national monument include a statue of the Queen in a new civic space called Queen Elizabeth II Place at Marlborough Gate, a new Prince Philip Gate on the other side of the park on Birdcage Walk with a statue of Philip, as well as a “family of gardens”, meandering paths and a new translucent, glass unity bridge.
After The Mirror exclusively revealed plans for the monument, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it would provide “everyone with a place to honour the late Queen and connect with the shared history we cherish”.
The memorial bridge is inspired by the tiara Queen Elizabeth wore on her wedding day to the late Prince Philip in 1947. The tiara, known as the Queen Mary Fringe diamond tiara, famously broke just hours before she was due to walk down the aisle.
The new crossing, located a stone’s throw away from the bronze statues on the Mall, will replace the park’s existing Blue Bridge and will serve as a fitting reminder of the late Queen’s achievements during her 70-year reign.
A landmark exhibition called ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’, announced this week, will welcome thousands of visitors to the King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace until October 2026.
The specially curated exhibition will put on show for the first time the largest collection of the Queen’s outfits and personal belongings.
A new commemorative garden is also opening in London’s Regent’s Park to honour her life and the Royal Mint will issue special £5 coins marking the centenary.
A royal source said: “The tone will not be somber, but rather a celebration and a chance for people across our four nations and the Commonwealth to come together and reflect on an amazing life and legacy of our late Queen.”
