The Queen with Prince Philip at the Trooping the Colour parade on Saturday. A minute's silence was held by the Queen at the start of the parade to remember the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in West London, along with those killed in the recent UK terror attacks in London and Manchester.
The mark of respect followed the release of her Majesty's official birthday message, which stated that it was "difficult to escape a very sombre national mood." The message, which was released on Twitter, read: "Today is traditionally a day of celebration. "This year, however, it is difficult to escape a very sombre national mood."
Her Majesty also said: "In recent months, the country has witnessed a succession of terrible tragedies. As a nation, we continue to reflect and pray for all those who have been directly affected by these events."
The Queen has only missed one a Trooping the Colour celebration, in 1955 when the event was cancelled due to a national rail strike. In the past, the monarch participated on horseback and trotted through the event, but she prefers to ride a carriage now.