Stars shine for Queen's big birthday party

Sir Tom Jones started off the event with It’s Not Unusual before Her Majesty took up her seat in the Royal box at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

With numerous members of her family around her, she then enjoyed Kylie Minogue, Sting, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Shaggy, among others.

Another of the acts was a George Formby tribute act featuring politician turned entertainer Ed Balls, and comedians Frank Skinner and Harry Hill.

While events were held nationwide to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, Elizabeth II usually prefers to spend her birthday in private.

But the concert came at the end of a week that saw Prince Charles approved as her successor as head of the Commonwealth at the end of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust youth charity, of which her grandson Prince Harry was appointed president this week, was earmarked as the main beneficiary of Saturday night’s event.

The Prince was in the audience with his wife-to-be Meghan Markle, and the second in line to the throne Prince William, whose heavily pregnant wife Kate was absent.

At the end of the evening, Elizabeth went on stage to join some of the performers with her son, Charles.

He joked that she could not have predicted that in 1948, when he was born, his mother would be sharing a stage with her 70-year-old son.

Charles then led a round of cheers from the audience as his mother acknowledged them with a smile and her trademark royal wave.

Harry also paid tribute to his grandmother.

Others who took part in the 5,000-seater show included Craig David, Jamie Cullum, Shawn Mendes and Anne-Marie.

Elizabeth was born on 21 April, 1926, and became queen in 1952 at the age of 25.

She also celebrates an official birthday in June when soldiers parade through central London for the Trooping the Colour.