The week ahead: Charlotte Bronte's bicentenary and the Queen turning 90

ROYAL BIRTHDAY

Last September the Queen became Britain’s longest reigning monarch, after more than 63 years on the throne. On Thursday, the Queen turns 90 when she will once again find herself at the centre of attention.

It will be an opportunity for millions of people to show their affection and gratitude to their monarch who has, over the decades, come to embody the best of British qualities.

To mark her landmark birthday the Queen will unveil a plaque marking the start of a four-mile Queen’s Walkway at the foot of Windsor Castle. In the evening, the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, will light the first in a chain of 1,000 beacons across the country and worldwide to celebrate the occasion.

This won’t be the end of the celebrations, with events planned in May and June culminating with the annual Trooping of Colour, which marks her official birthday, followed by the Patron’s Lunch.

BRONTE BICENTENARY

The Queen shares her birthday with another female icon, Charlotte Bronte. This week sees the much-anticipated bicentenary of one of the greatest and most influential writers this country has ever produced.

To mark of the occasion leading Northern Ballet dancers Hannah Bateman and Javier Torres, who take the roles of Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester in the ballet’s production of Jane Ayre, will pose at the National Portrait Gallery’s display Celebrating Charlotte’s life in London.

The main focus, though, will be on Haworth and in particular the Bronte Parsonage Museum. The celebrations include a party on Thursday, complete with tea and cake, at the old school room where Charlotte once taught.

BARD’S ANNIVERSARY

Another day, another great British literary figure to celebrate. This time it’s the Bard, arguably the greatest writer that has ever lived. Saturday marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death -it’s perhaps fitting that England’s greatest writer died on St George’s Day.

The BBC is rolling out the red carpet with Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Joseph Fiennes and English National Opera among those confirmed for BBC Two’s Shakespeare Live! from the RSC, one of several events, programmes and shows that are celebrating Shakespeare’s life and work.

OBAMA VISIT

Barack Obama is in the UK this week. The US president’s visit - part of a tour including Saudi Arabia and Germany - is likely to be his last before his term in office ends in January. The president will have a private dinner with the Queen at Windsor Castle and stage a joint press conference with David Cameron at Number 10.

He will no doubt emphasise the importance of his country’s “special relationship” with the UK, but will also be adding his two-penneth to the EU referendum debate with a candid warning over Brexit, by saying that Britain should remain in the EU - which won’t go down well with Boris and co.

COMEDY GIANT

The funeral of Ronnie Corbett takes place in London this week. The much-loved comedian died at the end of March at the age of 85. Corbett was best known for his TV sketch show The Two Ronnies with his comedy partner Ronnie Barker. Famous friends will join his family at the funeral which will no doubt be a fitting send-off for a man so widely and warmly admired.