Beacons in Norwich, Acle, Gorleston, Lingwood and Thorpe St Andrew will celebrate Queen’s 90th birthday
Beacons will be lit on April 21 to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.Picture: James Bass - Credit: Eastern Daily Press © 2012
Flames will light up the skies as more than 700 beacons blaze to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.
Elizabeth II becomes the first reigning monarch to reach the milestone on Thursday, April 21. A chain of beacons will begin a summer of celebration across the land.
Norfolk's Lord Lieutenant Richard Jewson said: 'We can all unite in congratulating Her Majesty on the occasion of her 90th birthday.
'Norfolk has always enjoyed a special relationship with the Queen because of her home in Norfolk. We celebrate her lifetime of service and wish her continued good health and happiness.'
So far, 20 communities in Norfolk and Suffolk have joined the list of beacon lightings. They include Acle, Cromer
Felbrigg Hall, Gorleston, Lingwood, Norwich, City Hall;
Potters Leisure Resort, Stokesby and Thorpe St Andrew.
Most Read
- 1 Quaint 'tucked away' house is for sale for the first time in almost 30 years
- 2 City pub 'full of life again' after busy opening weekend
- 3 See inside this £1.15m Bridgerton-style city centre period property
- 4 Pub closes for £5,000 refurb to enable it to serve drinks faster
- 5 Reunion for workers from the historic city factory still going strong
- 6 Waiting game over fate of housing bid for former school playing field
- 7 Hidden city garden opening with live music and plant sale
- 8 Vandals smash charity dinosaur trail T.rex and leave kebab in its mouth
- 9 'Killer weeds infesting river are threat to life', warns boat boss
- 10 ‘Porn addict’ Norfolk doctor who secretly filmed women struck off
Britain has a long tradition of celebrating Royal jubilees, weddings, coronations and special birthdays with the lighting of beacons - on top of mountains, churches and castle battlements, on town and village greens, farms, country parks and estates, and on beaches.
The last major beacon celebration was on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, in June 2012.
Ross Murray, president of the Country Land and Business Association, said: 'There is a long tradition in Britain of lighting beacons on royal occasions, such as jubilees, weddings, coronations and birthdays.
'These are ceremonies that bring communities together in celebration and can be conducted anywhere - from churches to farms, village greens to country parks and estates.'
Between Thursday, May 12 and Sunday, May 15, the Queen and members of the Royal Family will attend a pageant celebrating her life at Windsor Castle.
On Friday, June 10, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will attend a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral in London.
On Saturday, June 11, the Queen and members of the Royal Family will attend a birthday parade in London.
On Sunday, June 12, the Queen will attend the Patron's Lunch, a celebration of her patronage of more than 600 charities.
Are you organising a beacon lighting, street party or celebration on April 21? E-mail hmq90@archant.co.uk.
