Amid the extended lockdown in the United Kingdom due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 94th birthday in the comfort of her own home. Senior members of the British Royal Family, however, took their greetings to social media to mark the British Monarch's special day.
Earlier in March, the Buckingham Palace either cancelled or postponed most of the royals' engagements and events in line with the government's advice to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus. These events, reportedly, included the annual Trooping the Colour, which celebrates the official birthday of the Queen.
According to Today, aside from the traditional celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday, other traditions, like the gun salute and flying of flags, were also cancelled to continue to observe the social distancing guidelines.
In her 68 years of reign, this served as the first time that the Queen celebrated her birthday without any ceremony or tradition. It was said that she deemed it "inappropriate" due to the current crisis that the country has been facing.
Despite the absence of the traditional celebrations to mark her day, members of the British Royal Family greeted Queen Elizabeth II from their respective homes through the use of today's technology. In their respective social media accounts, they posted photos and videos of the British Monarch, alongside their messages and greetings for the matriarch of the family.
As per The Armenian Reporter, the Buckingham Palace's official social media accounts are the first ones to release a post to greet the Queen. The post featured a black and white video showing some of Queen Elizabeth II's "throwback" photos. Some of them even included her sister, Princess Margaret.
The message included, reportedly, thanked all the people who shared their greetings. In the end, the Buckingham Palace greeted the individuals who were celebrating their birthdays, as well, amid the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom. "We send you many happy returns," the post concluded.
The Clarence House, which is the official social media account of Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, also released a post featuring a photo of Queen Elizabeth II with the young Prince Charles. The message included was a mere greeting for the Queen, wishing her a "very happy" birthday.
Prince William and Kate Middleton's official account, The Kensington Royal, also released a post on Instagram and Twitter to greet the British Monarch. The post included a candid photo of the Duke and Duchess, alongside Queen Elizabeth II.
