Communities come together to celebrate Queen's 90th birthday

Her Royal Highness became the first living British monarch to reach the age of 90 on April 21.

But in a tradition dating back to 1748, she celebrates a second birthday - her official one - this Saturday, the second Saturday in June.

Each year, the monarch’s official birthday is marked with a parade, the Trooping of the Colour, through central London.

Holding the parade in the summer means there is less chance of rain and more chance of warmer British weather for the occasion.

This year, a traditional service of thanksgiving, the annual birthday parade and a mass street party for 10,000 people will all celebrate the milestone birthday of Britain’s longest reigning sovereign.

An extension of pub opening hours on Friday and Saturday evening has also been arranged to help create a party atmosphere.

Today, politicians, religious leaders and guests will gather at St Paul’s Cathedral for a service celebrating the nonagenarian.

Saturday will see the traditional Trooping the Colour parade and carriage procession.

The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and other royals, will watch the Birthday Parade on Horse Guards Parade at which The Queen’s Colour of Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards will be trooped.

Afterwards, the royals will join a carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace. Royal fans will be hoping to catch a glimpse of Princess Charlotte if she makes her first appearance on the balcony for the annual RAF flypast.

Gun salutes will then be fired and the Royal Family will assembly on the Palace Balcony for a fly past by the Royal Air Force.

The Queen’s Birthday Honours List is also announced and the Union flag is flown from government buildings.

The celebrations will finish on Sunday, with The Patron’s Lunch, a giant street party on The Mall.

Around 10,000 revellers - the majority representatives from the Queen’s patronages - will sit down to a hamper-style lunch along the London thoroughfare which leads up to the Palace. A carnival parade will travel along entertaining guests.

Street parties and celebrations will be held up and down the country.

Here’s what’s going on in Wakefield.

You can send us details about and photos from your Queen celebrations by emailing [email protected]

Kirklees district:

- St Paul’s Church in Hanging Heaton will hold a summer fete and church service from 11am on Saturday.

- Celebrations will be taking place from 10.45am today at Dewsbury Town Hall. Around 600 school children will come together to perform, including singing happy birthday. Kirklees schools have also been sending in their entries for a special competition - children have either drawn a picture of the Queen or written about what it means to be British. The winners of the competition will be announced at the mass sing. Local people who turn 90 this year will then attend civic receptions in Huddersfield and Dewsbury where they will be treated to a special performance by Kirklees Music School and a small group of school singers.

- Batley Music Centre Wind Band and Mirfield Music Centre Swing Band will host a royal party full of musical performances in Dewsbury Town Centre today from 10.30am until 11.30am.

- Mirfield Library will hold a garden party on Saturday from 10.30am until noon. There will be musical performances, a fancy dress competition and the chance to design a birthday card for The Queen.

- St Peter’s Church in Bristall will hold a royal tea party and picnic on Sunday from 4pm. There will be a royal treasure hunt, bouncy castle, and garden games.