Queen Elizabeth II Turns 83 Today

Even though the primary festivities of the day will be in central London, Queen Elizabeth II will be spending the day at Windsor Castle with Prince Phillip. The 41-gun salute in her honor will be performed by six guns from World War I that are going to be drawn by Irish draught horses in Green Park, very close to Buckingham Palace.

Today is the Queen's actual birthday, April 21st, although there is an "official" birthday for the Queen that is celebrated at a sliding date in June. The June celebration involves an elaborate horse parade through the streets of London.

Queen Elizabeth has held the British throne for 56 years and is keeping up an appointment schedule that would make a woman half her age envious. During 2008, Elizabeth managed to keep 417 scheduled engagements. That's a full schedule for anyone, let alone an 83-year-old woman who also happens to be one of the most recognizable people in the world.

From her earliest years, Elizabeth has been highly regarded by those around her as being of the finest temperament, even though she has always had a sharp wit and love of laughter. Her wedding to Prince Phillip shortly after World War II ended was seen by many as the first glimmer of a return to order and to the grand traditions of the British monarchy. Her place in British history, and especially among leaders of the 20th century, is without dispute.