The Royal Family Will Mark Queen Elizabeth's 100th Birthday With a Special Palace Party Including a Surprising VIP Guest List

The celebrations will include cake, cards and some touching attendees.

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Queen Elizabeth and members of the royal family on the palace balcony during the Platinum Jubilee
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth would have turned 100 on April 21, and although she isn't here today to celebrate her centennial year, the Royal Family will be taking part in a number of events to mark the occasion. From a memorial garden to a fashionable display and a cake-filled party, King Charles and Queen Camilla will have a busy few days ahead of the late Queen's birthday.

Buckingham Palace announced that The King and Queen Camilla will kick off the commemorations by visiting the fashion exhibit Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style at The King's Gallery on April 20. The Buckingham Palace display is the largest exhibition of the late Queen's fashion ever, including items such as her christening gown, wedding dress and coronation gown.

Queen Elizabeth wearing a teal dress looking at cards

Queen Elizabeth reads cards she received for her Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

King Charles and Queen Camilla cutting a cake

The King and Queen will serve a birthday cake at the late Queen's 100th anniversary party.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

But in addition to viewing his late mother's clothing, The King will have the chance to meet with young artisans taking part in the King's Foundation's fashion-related programs. The students, who are enrolled in the the Chanel and le19M Metiers d’Art Embroidery, Millinery and Atelier Fellowship programs, will be visiting the exhibition to draw inspiration for their own style projects.

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On the late Queen's actual birthday, three events will take place, starting with an engagement at the British Museum. The King and Queen, joined by yet-to-be-named members of the Royal Family, will view the final design for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Anne will then officially open the Queen Elizabeth II garden in London's Regent's Park before the family holds a birthday reception at Buckingham Palace.

Along with members of the Royal Family and guests from the various charities the late Queen supported over her 70-year-reign, a very special group of VIPs will be invited to the party. Per Buckingham Palace, "Their Majesties will be joined by centenarians who are celebrating their 100th birthdays on this date and, as birthday cake is served, His Majesty will have the opportunity to present them with their centenary cards in-person."

Kristin Contino
Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.