Buckingham Palace releases rare family photograph to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday

Ben McCaffrey
Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:00:44 +0000

Buckingham Palace has shared a rare family photograph marking Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday.

The picture, released via Instagram, featured King Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, at the centre, surrounded by their immediate family members.

"The King and Queen are joined by members of The Royal Family to remember the life of Queen Elizabeth II," the caption read.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, William, 43, and Kate, 44, are pictured to their left, along with the Prince Richard, 81, and Birgitte, 79, Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

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The Princess Royal, 75, stands next to the Queen, with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, 62, and Sophie, 61, next to her.

Sitting down at the front of the picture are the late Queen's two cousins, Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, 90, and Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, 90: the children of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark.

The image was taken during a gathering in Marble Hall on the afternoon of the late Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday, with King Charles personally handing out invites to those who were born on April 21, 1926.

The Prince and Princess of Wales returned to the fold after a month out of action due to the Easter holidays and were seen arm in arm as they met attendees at the special event.

Princess Alexandra and Prince Edward's appearance at the reception marked a notable outing, given both have reduced their royal engagements in recent years. Their previous public sighting was at the festive lunch held at Buckingham Palace on December 16.

The gathering held particular significance for the Duke of Kent, who has endured a difficult period following the death of his wife in September. The Duchess of Kent passed away at the age of 92.

Despite stepping back from regular duties, the pair remain working members of the royal household.

Other guests included representatives from organisations and charities closely linked to the late Queen, such as Cancer Research UK and the British Red Cross Society, in honour of the late Queen's unwavering commitment to public service.

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The celebration marked the conclusion of a two-day public commemoration for the late Queen, honouring the 100th anniversary of her birth.

On Monday evening, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited a fashion exhibition, called Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, which represents the most extensive showcase of Her late Majesty's fashion ever assembled.

The exhibition, open to the general public, takes royal fans through 96 years of the late Queen's fashion history and features more than 300 items.

Earlier today, the Royal Family visited the British Museum to view the final design recommendations for the Queen Elizabeth Memorial.

A model of the memorial in St James's Park, including a new glass bridge and a 7.3-metre statue of a young Queen Elizabeth, was exhibited by designer Lord Forster.

The Princess Royal also opened The Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent’s Park, London.