A grand parade and two ceremonies will highlight the 90^th Birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II which will be observed in the Territory on Thursday, April 21.   

Paramilitary organisations such as the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and the Fire and Rescue Services; schools, civic organisations and bands will lead the procession which will begin at 1:30 p.m. from the House of Assembly. The parade will make its way to the Festival Grounds where the official ceremony will commence.

Later that evening, the second event, the Beacon Lighting ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m.  Performances by youth groups throughout the Territory will take centre stage and items of poetry, song and dance will be rendered.

Simultaneous Beacon lighting ceremonies will be held on Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada.

This year the Territory also marks the 50^th anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen’s first visit to the Virgin Islands. An educational display is presently mounted at the Virgin Islands Public Library in Road Town which depicts the timetable and sequence of activities engaged in by Her Majesty during her first visit on February 23, 1966.  Her Majesty was accompanied by her husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Organisations that wish to participate in the celebrations should contact the Deputy Governor’s Office to register. 

The Queen’s Birthday is traditionally observed in June. 

This year to commemorate the occasion of Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday, Buckingham Palace approved the request from His Excellency the Governor Mr. John S. Duncan, OBE, with the agreement of Cabinet to mark this historic event on the actual date of Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday on April 21.

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch In September 2015. The Queen is Head of State of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms.