Huge street party will celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday

Some 10,000 people will be treated to a classic British hamper lunch as they sit down to mark the monarch’s milestone, as well as her lifelong patronage of more than 600 charities and national organisations, Buckingham Palace have announced. 

The others are a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s on Friday June 10 and the traditional Queen’s Birthday Parade at Horse Guards on Saturday June 11.

Her actual birthday is April 21.

Intriguingly Buckingham Palace are keen to push the Queen’s 90th birthday next year as a focus of national celebration rather than when she becomes the country’s longest-serving monarch on September 9.

On that day she will overtake her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who reigned for 23,226 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes.

But it is an extraordinary milestone the present Queen is reluctant to commemorate, feeling that it somehow lacks dignity to be seen celebrating surpassing her famous relative.

Instead she will mark the day with modest engagement in Scotland, where she will be holidaying at the time.

‘It’s just her way of looking at things,’ said a senior royal source.

‘She believes September should be very much business as usual but is happy that people want to mark her official birthday in her landmark 90th year.’

The Patron’s Lunch event in June, which is being organised by her grandson, Peter Phillips, will more than make up for it, however, and is designed to celebrate the Queen’s charitable patronages and ‘the unrelenting support and service our monarch has given to the community over her 63 year reign’.

‘The Queen’s commitment to this service is a cause for national and Commonwealth celebration,’ the organisers said.

The not-for-profit event, which is being supported by a range of sponsors including Marks & Spencer, Boots and Pimm’s maker Diageo, will see thousands of charity workers sit down to lunch a tables positioned along the full-length of a flag bedecked The Mall.

Entertainment will be laid on, as well as screens positioned in nearby Royal Parks enabling those who are able to join in soak up the atmosphere.

Peter Phillips, whose company SEL devised the event, said: ‘Staging this street party on The Mall will be a fantastic way to celebrate and honour a lifetime of service from Her Majesty The Queen and a brilliant showcase of all things British. It is the first time ever that something like this has been hosted on The Mall and there is no better reason for doing it.’ He added: ‘We have had phenomenal support from our partners who will be involved in helping us create a unique and memorable event celebrating the very best of our British community spirit.’

It is hoped the event will inspire communities around the world to hold their own street parties on the day. Mr Phillips added: ‘As well as the main event on The Mall, we are also aiming to inspire as many people as we can to host street parties of their own for the direct benefit of their community.

‘I hope that people in Britain and across the Commonwealth dust off their picnic tables and join us in celebrating this very special occasion.’

The charities involved will represent 17 different sectors of the Queen’s work including children and young people, the elderly, the armed services, environment and agriculture.

Among them are The Scouts, whose spokesman and Chief Scout Bear Grylls, said: ‘As Chief Scout I would like to say a huge thanks to the Queen. Let’s make her proud.’

Details of how the 10,000 lucky ticket holders will be chosen is to be announced at a later date.

(dailymail.co.uk)