Queen marks 83rd birthday

The Associated Press

LONDON—The Queen is 83 today.
Buckingham Palace said she will mark her birthday at Windsor Castle, but won’t have the day off work.
The Queen’s office said the monarch has nothing special planned or any public engagements scheduled. But she probably will go through the stack of official papers she receives as head of state.
She has long done that every day of the year, except Christmas.
The King’s Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery will fire a royal salute at noon in Green Park in central London to mark the occasion.
The Queen’s birthday is celebrated twice a year—once privately, on her actual birthday, and again with an official national celebration in June.
Marked by a parade and a military ceremony known as Trooping the Colour, the celebration this year falls on June 13.
Since the 18th century, British monarchs have been publicly celebrating their birthdays in June—no matter when they actually were born—in hope of good weather for public events.
On Saturday, the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, became the longest-serving consort in British history, surpassing the 57 years and 70 days that Queen Charlotte was the consort of King George III.
As consort, Prince Philip does not have a constitutional role, but he supports his wife and accompanies the Queen to public engagements and on foreign tours.
They have been married for more than 60 years.