Britain's Queen Elizabeth, the world's oldest monarch, turns 95 on Wednesday, but there will be no public celebrations of an occasion that comes just days after she bade a sad farewell to her husband of seven decades at his funeral.
Prince Philip, whom Elizabeth married in 1947, died on April 9 at the age of 99. The royals paid their final respects to the family's patriarch at his funeral on Saturday at Windsor Castle.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the queen sat alone during the sombre service for Philip, who she had described as her "strength and stay".
Elizabeth, who is also the world's longest-reigning monarch, will be at the castle for her birthday, which traditionally passes off with little or no ceremony.
However this year, with the royals marking two weeks of mourning, it will pass off with even less public show: there will be no gun salutes at the Tower of London nor the capital's Hyde park which usually occur on the queen's birthday.
The queen also has an official birthday, which is usually celebrated with greater pomp on the second Saturday in June.
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