The royal family’s official X, formerly Twitter, account shared an image of the Queen posing on the balcony of Victor Hugo’s former home in Guernsey on Tuesday.
Wearing a blue silk crepe dress by Fiona Clare, she smiled for the camera in the sunshine against the backdrop of the sea.
The Queen enjoyed a private tour of Hauteville House, where the author lived for 15 years during his exile from France, which she declared a “remarkable treat”.
The property, built on the heights of Saint Peter Port, is where Hugo wrote many masterpieces, including much of Les Misérables, Toilers of the Sea, and The Man Who Laughs.
“Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very Happy Birthday today!” the Royal family said.
There will be little chance to celebrate, because the Queen will mark her birthday with a high-profile appearance amid the pomp and pageantry of the State Opening of Parliament.
Having returned with the King from a two-day tour of the Channel Islands on Tuesday evening, it was straight back to work on her birthday when she was due to join the traditional carriage procession to the House of Lords.
“It’s not the tip-top way she would choose to be spending her birthday,” a friend told The Daily Mail.
“But you won’t ever hear a single word of complaint. About anything, really. For someone who wasn’t born into the royal family, she’s got an extraordinarily strong sense of duty and the temperament to cope.”
Her birthday celebrations got off to an early start in Guernsey, when she was presented with vintage cheddar by Guernsey Dairy as “an early birthday present” and a group of school children from Sark sang Happy Birthday in the island’s native language, Sercquiais.
“Very good, thank you very much indeed, that was very kind,” she said. “I recognise the music but not the language.”
The Queen will be hoping her sprained ankle does not give her too much trouble.
Having sprained it in Jersey on Monday, when she tripped in her heels, she admitted she had to “hobble” around on Guernsey yesterday, using an umbrella as a makeshift walking stick.
