Nation ready to mark the Queen's official 90th birthday

There is a packed schedule of events for the nonagenarian monarch as the royals gather for the birthday festivities.

A traditional service of thanksgiving, the annual birthday parade and a mass street party for 10,000 people will all celebrate the milestone birthday of Britain’s longest reigning sovereign.

An extension of pub opening hours on Friday and Saturday evening has also been arranged to help foster a party atmosphere.

On Friday June 10 the Windsors will be out in force for a televised service at St Paul’s Cathedral in the Queen’s honour. Politicians - past and present - religious leaders and invited guests will gather to mark the Queen’s 90 years as Philip also celebrates his 95th.

Afterwards, the monarch, accompanied by the Duke, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, will host visiting Governors-General for lunch at Buckingham Palace.

On Saturday June 11 - the Queen’s official birthday - will see the traditional Trooping the Colour parade and carriage procession.

The Queen, accompanied by Philip and other royals, will watch the Birthday Parade on Horse Guards Parade at which The Queen’s Colour of Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards will be trooped.

Afterwards, the royals will join a carriage procession back to the Palace. Royal fans will be hoping to catch a glimpse of Princess Charlotte if she makes her first appearance on the balcony for the annual RAF flypast.

Sunday sees the The Patron’s Lunch, the finale of the official celebrations is a giant street party on The Mall.

Organised by the Queen’s eldest grandchild, Peter Phillips, the event will see 10,000 revellers - the majority representatives from the Queen’s patronages - sit down to a hamper-style lunch along the London thoroughfare which leads up to the Palace.

A carnival parade will travel along entertaining guests and the Queen and Philip will take to a stage at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of the Palace to listen to speeches, before sitting in a royal box with the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, joint presidents of the event, for part of the day.

Large screens will be erected in nearby Green Park and St James’s Park for the public to watch the festivities for free. The event will also be broadcast on the BBC.