The late Queen Elizabeth II would have been 100 on April 21, 2026, and the Royal Family is marking the occasion with tribute events surrounding her birthday, while some longer-lasting exhibitions dedicated to the Queen’s memory will remain open to visit around the United Kingdom this year. 

Since her death on September 8, 2022, at age 96, there has been much turmoil in the royal household, from illness (King Charles and the Princess of Wales were both diagnosed with cancer) to scandal (the removal of Prince Andrew’s titles and his eviction from his Windsor property in the wake of ongoing Epstein revelations) and the ongoing estrangement of the Sussexes from the family.

This centenary is a bright spot on the royal calendar, just ahead of a U.S. state visit by the King and Queen. Two days at the heart of the celebration, April 20 and the 21, will see the senior working members of the Royal Family deployed to events to highlight the occasion. No special mass or street parties are planned: this anniversary has taken on more of a memorial focus.

King Charles will give a special address on April 21, broadcast to the nation and to the Commonwealth, in tribute to his late mother. He will write the speech himself, and it is to be accompanied by a video montage highlighting her life in service. After all, it was in 1947, on her 21st birthday, that Elizabeth delivered one of her most famous speeches, pledging to devote her life, however long or short, to public service. It ended up being 70 years of service, a phenomenal accomplishment. Her reign – a journey pitched by the gales of seven decades of modern history, amid world wars, the Cold War, the Space Age, the Information Age, and, most significantly, the untethering of a colonial empire transformed into a Commonwealth of countries. Its magnitude and impact were profound, equal to those of monarchs who oversaw massive societal upheavals in the past. She made her life’s work something so much larger than herself. This was something Charles noted in the address he gave following her death: “It was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life.”

On the night of the broadcast, the King, Queen and members of the Royal Family (the core group of senior working Royals – the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh – are all rumoured to be in attendance) will host a reception in the Marble Hall at Buckingham Palace. There will be birthday cake, and British citizens celebrating their own 100th birthdays, as well as a list of representatives from the late Queen’s patronages (from Cancer Research UK and the British Red Cross Society, to the Jockey Club and the Kennel Club), hand-picked by Charles. 

The major initiative to mark the anniversary of Elizabeth’s birth is The Queen Elizabeth II National Memorial, which will be located in St. James Park. On April 21, the King, Queen and Prime Minister Keir Starmer will gather to unveil a scale model of the memorial. The site will feature a statue garden, as well as a bridge inspired by Queen Elizabeth’s wedding tiara. But the centrepiece will be a statue of the late Queen herself. Originally it was thought that she would be cast on horseback; however, after review, it was determined that most Windsor monarch statues featured standing figures, and it is expected that will be the case at the unveiling of the models. It is expected that construction of the park memorial will be completed this year.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will also attend the blockbuster fashion exhibit at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace: “Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style” presented by the Royal Collection today, April 20. Some 300 fashion pieces – from historic garments like her wedding and coronation gowns to the iconic clear plastic raincoat she wore to allow her characteristic rainbow monochromatic suiting to still pop on rainy days. It features both “off-duty” gear (such as the clothes she would wear to the stables or on holiday in the Highlands) to a colourful array of her everyday workwear. Elizabeth created something very special with her wardrobe: she had an instantly recognizable signature style that remained familiar and steadfast, a way to use fashion to symbolize the constancy and comfort of her reign while simultaneously projecting authority. She also used dress as a way to show unwavering support for the British design and manufacturing industries. And she taught us all to be confident in re-wearing favourite pieces, an element of sustainability her family and heirs have followed. 

A  new royal garden in Regent’s Park called The Queen Elizabeth II Garden, is also set to be officially opened tomorrow, (April 21),  by Princess Anne. It will be open to the public as of April 27. The design is focused around creating a reflective space over two acres, with “wilder” sustainable plantings. Rosemary and lily of the valley have been included, as they were of personal significance to the late Queen. Another garden tribute will be opened at Sandringham, the Queen’s private estate in Norfolk. At Sandringham Arboretum, commemorative plaques lead visitors through the walkways to trace, as the Estate says, “her extraordinary path, exploring both the milestones of her reign and the personal marks she left on her cherished Norfolk home.” The late Queen’s private apartments at Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh will be opened later this spring in May (through to October), offering a rare glimpse of her life behind palace walls. As for Commonwealth celebrations, the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust will name 100 young leaders (exceptional changemakers, ages 18 to 35) from across the 56 countries that make up the Commonwealth, in honour of the late Queen’s 100th birthday. 

Also, there shall be merch! The Royal Mail is issuing 12 stamps, eight of which commemorate notable moments from the monarch’s life, from her coronation through her various jubilees. A quarter of the stamps mark the late Queen’s private passions, for horses and dogs. The Royal Mint is doing commemorative coins, including some pressings from 1926, alongside new designs. The Royal Collection Trust has designed teacups, pillboxes, tea towels and plates, all inspired by the colours of the threads woven into her coronation dress, which was designed by Norman Hartnell. And lastly, though this isn’t official gear, we are very much coveting the Burberry corgi brooch, just released to mark the centenary. 

And if that’s not enough, keep an eye out for a new documentary just released on the BBC, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century where icons from Barack Obama to Helen Mirren and David Attenborough reflect on the Queen’s life in parallel with the biggest social changes of the late 20th century. Apparently you can find it on YouTube, so pour yourself a Dubbonet and gin and settle in.