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The Queen's birthday plans and traditional gun salutes are canceled for the first time in her 68-year reign

Apr 18, 2020, 19:56 IST
Insider
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, on the day she became Britain's longest reigning monarch. Andrew Milligan/Pool via AP
  • Due to the coronavirus outbreak, Queen Elizabeth II requested to forgo her traditional birthday celebrations for the first time in her 68-year reign.
  • The monarch turns 94 on April 21.
  • There won't be ceremonial gun salutes, which are traditionally sounded to commemorate the Queen's birthday.
  • The Queen's birthday parade, which is known as the Trooping the Colour and was set to happen in June, was canceled in late March.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
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Queen Elizabeth II turns 94 on April 21.

Traditionally, gun salutes are sounded at the Tower of London and at the city's Hyde Park to mark the Queen's birthday. However, the Queen has requested — in what's believed to be the first time her 68-year reign — to forgo the ceremonial gun salutes.

The Queen has asked to hold on the ritual in fears of it coming across as inappropriate considering the coronavirus crisis, a Buckingham Palace official told the BBC.

Buckingham Palace previously canceled the Trooping the Colour parade, the Queen's birthday celebration that was scheduled for June.

Queen Elizabeth II went viral for her neon-green outfit at Trooping the Colour in 2016. Zak Hussein - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

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The Queen has been a voice of reason about the pandemic, offering messages of hope in two rare speeches

In the UK, more than 14,500 people have died due to the coronavirus as of the time of writing. British Prime Minister had been diagnosed with COVID-19, and after being treated in the ICU, has recovered. Prince Charles also tested positive for COVID-19 and has made a full recovery.

Queen Elizabeth II gave a rare, previously unscheduled national address on April 5, where she thanked essential workers and urged people to continue staying home in the name of protecting others.

"I hope in the years to come, everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge, and those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any," the Queen said in her early April speech.

Less than a week after her historic address, the monarch addressed the UK with a message in light of Easter Sunday.

She again urged people to commemorate Easter but to continue practicing social distancing guidelines.

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"This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart, we keep others safe. But Easter isn't cancelled; indeed, we need Easter as much as ever," the Queen said in a recording of her most recent public address.

The Queen and Prince Philip have been isolating at Windsor Castle

As a result of the pandemic, the Queen and 98-year-old husband Prince Philip left Buckingham Palace to isolate at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace announced in mid-March.

The Queen recorded her initial coronavirus address at Windsor Castle — the largest occupied castle in the world and a property that has been in the royal family for more than 900 years.

Buckingham Palace also previously canceled a number of events she was set to attend and host throughout the spring.

Representatives for Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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