Thanksgiving service starts British Queen's 90th birthday celebration

British Queen Elizabeth II attended a national service of thanksgiving Friday at St Paul's Cathedral in London, at the start of a three-day celebration to mark her 90th birthday.

The Queen, accompanied with the Duke of Edinburgh, arrived at St Paul's and waved to well-wishers on the steps before they went in. The Duke of Edinburgh is also celebrating his 95th birthday today.

More than 50 Royal Family members, including the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, and political figures including Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, attended the service.

David Ison, the Dean of St Paul's and Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury praised the Queen's work and reign to the country, and thanked her and Prince Philip's contribution to Britain and to the Commonwealth.

Local media said more than 2,000 people attended the thanksgiving service at St Paul's.

The service kicked off a three-day birthday celebrations to mark the Queen's official birthday. Her real birthday falls on April 21 and a series of grand celebrations were held earlier this April.

The Queen would host a governors-general for lunch at Buckingham Palace, local media said.

A birthday parade with thousands of service personnel and hundreds of horses and musicians, and RAF flypast ceremony will be held on Saturday, the official birthday of the Queen. Royal Family members are expected to make an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

A 10,000 people street party will follow on Sunday in St James's Park, and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince William and Prince Harry will attend the party.

The longest-serving monarch of Britain was born on April 21, 1926, and became the Queen of Britain in 1952.

source : xinhua