The Queen at 90: mother and son

The Queen and the Prince of Wales in an official photo for her 90th birthday

(photo Nick Knight/ Clarence House Twitter)

In a year filled with portraits, this is one for the history books. The Queen and her heir, the Prince of Wales, in an image to mark her 90th birthday.  The photo, taken by Nick Knight, crowns a year of events for a special birthday, marked with family and celebrated across the world. Millions have taken part in festivities to mark the 90th birthday of Elizabeth II and we have many images from those events. But this photo has all the air of majesty and all the weight of history on it. The Queen, with her rock solid throne, and the prince who has stood at her side throughout her reign preparing to one day continue her work. Mother and son, monarch and heir. Charles, with the Queen at 90.

A new portrait of The Queen, at 90

The Queen unveils a new portrait of herself at a reception for Co-Operation Ireland in London

(photo ITN still via Co-Operation Ireland Twitter)

The Queen has unveiled a new portait of herself, marking her 90th birthday. This painting, by Northern Irish artist Colin Davidson, was revealed for the first time at a reception in London for Co-operation Ireland attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on November 8th.

The Queen and her newest knight

The Queen with Sir Rod and Lady Stewart just hours after he received his knighthood at Buckingham Palace

(photo The Royal Family Twitter)

The Queen attended an evening of celebrations linked to her 90th birthday tonight but while the event was billed as all about arts, it w as a knight in polka dot tie who got everyone talking. Elizabeth II was all smiles as she bumped into Sir Roderick Stewart just hours after he'd been knighted at Buckingham Palace by the Duke of Cambridge. 

Royals on the Vanity Fair best dressed list for 2016

The Queen is given a special citation in the Vanity Fair Best Dressed List 2016

(photo BBC still)

When it comes to style, the list everyone wants to be seen on is the one produced by Vanity Fair every year. And in 2016, two queens of royal elegance have been mentioned in the line up. Maxima of the Netherlands makes it on to the list while Elizabeth II, in the year she marks her 90th birthday, is given a special citation. Fashion rules.

The Queen and cake

The Queen received hundreds of homemade cakes for her 90th birthday celebrations this year

(photo BBC TV still)

News that the Queen has been dishing up birthday cakes sent for her 90th to her dinner guests with their coffee should come as no surprise. As Lady Elizabeth Anson, the cousin who made the revelation said, the Queen does like to make good use of everything - no waste in the House of Windsor. But given that some of the best royal photos around have involved Elizabeth II cutting a cake, why would anyone miss a chance to see the Queen slicing the sponge? To celebrate her birthday thriftiness, here are six special moments when the Queen cut cakes.

A royal tweet treat

A birthday like no other - and it all ended with a tweet

(photo BBC TV still)

There are millions of messages sent on Twitter every day but not many are signed Elizabeth R. That regal name was placed in a most modern manner at the end of a message of thanks from the Queen in a tweet sent by Elizabeth II herself. And it immediately won a place in the history books, a digital document to add to the pantheon of parchment and paper that has been signed by monarchs in centuries past. This is the queen of tweets.

What the Windsor Women Wore: the Patron's Lunch

The Duchess of Cambridge at the Patron's Lunch on the Mall, June 12th 2016

Just about everyone else was wearing ponchos or rain coats but as the Queen's official birthday celebrations came to an end, the women of the House of Windsor made like it was summer and went all bright and beautiful on us. There were all kinds of sunny outfits on show as the party weekend finished - here's a look back at what the Windsor women wore to the Patron's Lunch.

The Order of the Garter

The Order of the Garter procession in 1948 when Elizabeth and Philip installed as Lady and Knight Companion 

Tradition has its way and unfolds as it will. The annual Order of the Garter service took place in Windsor on June 13th, just hours after the Queen had overseen the final national celebrations for her official 90th birthday. Elizabeth II was there to lead this event which traces its origins back to the 14th century. Britain's longest reigning monarch, its oldest ever ruler, took no time to rest before ensuring that the traditions of her kingdom were upheld.

What the Windsor Women Wore: Trooping the Colour

The Queen in green at Trooping the Colour 2016

In case you missed it, the Queen wore green to Trooping the Colour this year. Her bright, well let's face it, very bright coat and hat is definitely the style statement of the whole birthday weekend, if not of the royal year so far. Unmissable and eye catching, it is the most memorable moment from the wardrobe used by the women of Windsor over the course of three days of celebrations for the Queen's official 90th birthday. Here's a look back at what they wore for this weekend to remember, starting with Trooping the Colour.

The Queen at 90: a picnic in the rain

The Queen addresses the crowds in the Mall who had turned out to celebrate her 90th birthday

It was the finale of a party that began in April and which has had many highlights already. In the year the Queen turns 90 there have been plenty of celebrations but the one on the Mall on June 12th 2016 perhaps summed everything up. Tens of thousands of people joined her for a picnic. It rained but they partied anyway. Elizabeth II has made a habit of keeping calm and carrying on. On this special day, she was no different.

Trooping the Colour 2016

The Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after Trooping the Colour 2016

Every big birthday needs a big balcony appearance and in the year the Queen turns 90, we finally got the Buckingham Palace moment we'd been waiting for. Elizabeth II stepped out onto the balcony of her London home in front of crowds numbering tens of thousands and put the seal on birthday celebrations that will go down in history.

The Queen at 90: the Liebovitz Album

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in a portrait by Annie Liebovitz

As the weekend of celebrations for her official 90th birthday got under way, the Queen added a very modern touch to proceedings. She has posed for another portrait by Annie Liebovitz and the picture, of the longest reigning monarch in British history with the longest serving consort, is striking, simple and unforgettable.

A royal turnout to celebrate the Queen at 90

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral

June 10th 2016, London

It was a very special occasion. The National Service of Thanksgiving for the 90th birthday of the Queen and the 95th birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh took place today with dozens of members of the House of Windsor at the ceremony, the start of three days of celebrations for the Queen's official 90th birthday. They joined politicians, celebrities and hundreds of guests at the ceremony at St Paul's - a special day for a special event with the promise of much more to come. 

The Queen in Vanity Fair

The Queen on the front of Vanity Fair

The month of May started with great excitement over the appearance of the Duchess of Cambridge on the front of Vogue but she may just have been trumped by her granny in law. For as the month comes to an end, a new portrait of Elizabeth II has appeared on the front of Vanity Fair magazine. And it's rather majestic.

The Women of Windsor

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrive at Windsor for her 90th birthday pageant

There have been a lot of birthday celebrations this year as the Queen turns 90 and there are many more to come, but the pageant that took place in Windsor on May 15th has got be among the royal favourites. For this party was centred around two of the bedrocks in the life of Elizabeth II - her love for her family and her love of horses. The men of the House of Windsor wore its uniform for this special evening but it was the ladies of the royal dynasty who dominated celebrations. As the Queen marked her 90th birthday in the town from which her line takes its name, it was the women of Windsor who made this celebration so special.

The Queen at 90: birthday beacons

After a day in which millions joined in her birthday celebrations, the Queen ended the public festivities with an ancient royal tradition. She lit a beacon which led to blazes burning across the country to mark her special day. The bonfires illuminate the night sky as the day that Elizabeth II turned ninety comes to an end.

The Queen lights her birthday beacon on the day she became the first British monarch to turn 90
(photo British Monarchy Instagram)

The Queen at 90: Elizabeth of Windsor

The Queen has been cheered by thousands of people in Windsor as she marks her 90th birthday. Elizabeth II is the first British monarch to reach this milestone and she was surrounded by wellwishers as she made her first public appearance on this special day.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in Windsor on April 21st 2016

The Queen at 90: Elizabeth II by Annie Liebovitz

When you're 90, you need at least one official portrait and Elizabeth II, the first British monarch to reach this landmark, has decided on three. They are all by renowned photographer, Annie Liebovitz, and they give a 21st century feel to the biggest birthday this ancient institution has known in years.

The Queen in one of the portraits released for her 90th birthday

The first is very forward looking. The Queen is photographed with her five great grandchildren and two youngest grandchildren.

The Queen is 90

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is 90 today. She was born on April 26th 1926 in Bruton Street, London and now, entering her tenth decade, she is the longest reigning monarch in British history. Happy Birthday, Your Majesty.

Queen Elizabeth II is 90 today

There is a special page with ten pictures from the life of the Queen at 90 here and a special page about the big birthday here.

The Queen at 90: a life in pictures

One lifetime, ten special images. As the Queen turns 90, here are the photos that tell the story of a girl born to be a princess who ended up being the longest reigning monarch in British history. And what a story it is. On this historic day, here is the Queen's life in pictures.