Crowds celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday walkabout

WINDSOR, England - Queen Elizabeth greeted thousands of well-wishers from across Britain and beyond as she celebrated her 90th birthday on Thursday, demonstrating the world's oldest monarch's intent to keep doing the job she has performed for more than six decades.

Usually the queen's birthday passes with little ceremony but to mark Thursday's milestone a beaming Elizabeth, attired in a light green outfit, mingled with crowds during a lengthy walkabout near her Windsor Castle home, west of London.

In a rare move in recent years, she then drove through Windsor in an open-topped car with Prince Philip, her husband of 68-years by her side.

'All of us are here to respect the queen and to show her our affection and how much we appreciate all her years of service and to wish her a happy birthday,” said Donna Werner who had travelled to Windsor from Connecticut in the United States.

'I send my best wishes to those who are celebrating their 90th birthday ... on this shared occasion, I send my warm congratulations to you,” said a post on the queen's Twitter site.

Close aides say Elizabeth, who has been on the throne for 64 years and is by far the oldest monarch in British history, was far more interested in events to mark her 90th birthday than she had been about overtaking her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria last September as Britain's longest-reigning sovereign.

Born on April 21, 1926, Elizabeth shows no signs of retiring let alone abdicating.

Jeremy Corbyn, the ardent Labor Party leader, paid tribute to her 'outstanding commitment to public life.”

'Whatever differing views people across this country have about the institution, the vast majority share an opinion that Her Majesty has served this country ... with a clear sense of public service and public duty,” he said.