Queen Elizabeth II was marking her 96th birthday privately Thursday, retreating to the Sandringham estate in eastern England that has offered the monarch and her late husband, Prince Philip, a refuge from the affairs of state.

Elizabeth is expected to spend the day at the estateB次元官网网址檚 Wood Farm cottage, a personal sanctuary where she also spent her first Christmas since . Philip loved the cottage, in part because it is close to the sea, she said in February when hosting a rare public event at Sandringham.

B次元官网网址淚 think the queenB次元官网网址檚 approach to birthdays very much embodies her B次元官网网址榢eep calm and carry onB次元官网网址� attitude,B次元官网网址� said Emily Nash, the royal editor at HELLO! magazine. B次元官网网址漇he doesnB次元官网网址檛 like a fuss.B次元官网网址�

This birthday comes during the queenB次元官网网址檚 platinum jubilee year, marking her 70 years on the throne. While Thursday will be low-key, public celebrations will take place June 2-5, when four days of jubilee festivities have been scheduled to coincide with the monarchB次元官网网址檚 official birthday.

The day marks yet another milestone in a tumultuous period for the monarch, who has sought to cement the future of the monarchy amid signs of her age and controversy in the family. After recovering from a bout of COVID-19 earlier this year, the queenB次元官网网址檚 public appearances have been limited by unspecified B次元官网网址渕obility issues.B次元官网网址� Prince AndrewB次元官网网址檚 multi-million pound settlement with a woman who also caused unwanted headlines for the royal family.

But the queen got an early birthday treat last week, when grandson Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, paid her a joint visit for the first time since they stepped away from frontline royal duties and moved to California in 2020. Harry, in an , said his grandmother was B次元官网网址渙n great form,B次元官网网址� though he added that he wanted to make sure she was B次元官网网址減rotectedB次元官网网址� and had B次元官网网址渢he right people around her.B次元官网网址�

BritainB次元官网网址檚 longest-serving monarch, Elizabeth has spent much of the past two years at Windsor Castle, west of London, where she took refuge during the pandemic.

ItB次元官网网址檚 been a little over a year since the death of Philip, her spouse of more than 70 years.

The queen said good-bye during a scaled down funeral in St. GeorgeB次元官网网址檚 Chapel at Windsor Castle. Coronavirus restrictions in place at the time limited the service to 30 mourners and forced the monarch to sit alone B次元官网网址� a poignant reminder of how she would spend her remaining years.

Last month, with the pandemic on the wane and restrictions eased, the queen shrugged off recent health issues to attend a service of thanksgiving for Philip at Westminster Abbey, entering the abbey on the arm of Andrew, her second son. Her choice of escort was seen as a vote of support for Andrew following his legal settlement.

But the in-person appearance was rare. The Queen has increasingly relied on Prince Charles to take on public engagements in the twilight of her reign, most recently offering alms to senior citizens at the Royal Maundy service at St. GeorgeB次元官网网址檚 Chapel.

Charles took on the traditional task of distributing specially minted coins to retirees who were being recognized for service to the church and the local community.

This year, 96 men and 96 women received the coins, one for each year of the queenB次元官网网址檚 life.

B次元官网网址淪he has a lot coming up in the next few months, so it absolutely makes sense that she enjoys her birthday quietly, privately at Sandringham,B次元官网网址� Nash said. B次元官网网址淪he will no doubt have quite a lot of time to reflect on her happy times there with Prince Philip over the years. But this is really someone whose focus is still on the future, even at the age of 96.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擠anica Kirka, The Associated Press