merelygifted:

Queen releases new photograph ahead of celebrating 96th birthday | The Queen | The Guardian

…  Buckingham Palace is not planning any kind of public engagement to mark her birthday on Thursday, though there will be tributes from family members and organisations she is involved with.

A new photograph was issued to mark the occasion. The portrait, released by the Royal Windsor Horse Show, shows her holding the reins of two white ponies, against a magnolia tree backdrop and was taken last month by Henry Dallal in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The Queen’s ponies, Bybeck Nightingale and Bybeck Katie, will feature in A Gallop through History, the horse show’s Platinum Jubilee equestrian display showcasing horses from across the globe. The show will run from 12 -15 May.  …