King Charles and Queen Camilla Honor Queen Elizabeth II’s Centenary

The British Royal Family has announced a series of official commemorations to mark the centenary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II on April 21, 2026. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will lead a program of tributes designed to celebrate the life and legacy of the late monarch, who died on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96.

The celebrations begin on Monday, April 20, 2026, with a visit by the King and Queen to The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace. They will attend the new Royal Collection Trust exhibition titled Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style.

This exhibition is described as the largest ever display of the former monarch’s fashion and remains open to the public until October. The showcase features more than 300 items, including handbags, shoes, hats and colorful dresses. The collection also includes a rare pair of trousers belonging to the late Queen, with nearly half of the exhibited pieces being shown to the public for the first time.

Centenary Events on April 21

On the actual date of the centenary, April 21, 2026, King Charles III is scheduled to deliver an address to the nation. The speech is expected to focus on the inspiration the late Queen provided to her family and the wider public.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla, accompanied by other family members, will visit the British Museum. They will be joined by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Lord Janvrin, who served as the Queen’s Private Secretary. The purpose of the visit is to view the final model of the future Elizabeth II memorial.

During this visit, the royal party will meet the artists responsible for the monument’s design and view a short film detailing its conception. The planned memorial will be situated in St. James’s Park, near Buckingham Palace. The design includes two statues of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, as well as a new bridge over the artificial lake. This bridge will feature a cast-glass design inspired by the Queen Mary Fringe tiara worn by Elizabeth II on her wedding day. The site will also include various green spaces, including a garden dedicated to the Commonwealth.

Also on April 21, Princess Anne will inaugurate an official garden dedicated to her mother in Regent’s Park, London. The garden is located on the site of a former disused nursery and features a pergola and a large pond. It will be planted with species that promote biodiversity and plants that were favored by the late Queen during her life.

The straight path through the garden will symbolize the late Queen’s unwavering loyalty and devotion, with each end offering a moment of contemplation

Royal Parks website

While the garden is inaugurated on April 21, it is scheduled to open its doors to the general public six days later.

These events mark the first major centenary celebrations for the monarch who held the longest reign in British history, spanning 70 years.