He had insisted he didn’t want a fuss, but when the King turned 75 last week, he was treated to several renditions of Happy Birthday, gun salutes, gifts and a huge cake.
Aides said His Majesty wanted to use his milestone to shine a light on other people, so he carried out a string of engagements to do exactly that.
However, he also made time to celebrate with his nearest and dearest, who helped him round off his special day with an intimate party at his London home, Clarence House.
The festivities began the day before, when the monarch dropped in on a tea party for others marking their 75th birthdays this year hosted by the King’s Foundation at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire estate. He was serenaded by around 60 partygoers and the local Rock Choir.
Cutting into a three-tiered Victoria sponge cake, he urged guests to eat up, saying: “Who can I donate it to? Can we get rid of it? We need to give you doggie bags.”
He had invited community champions in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset, as well as representatives of the NHS and the Windrush generation, both of which are marking 75th anniversaries this year.
TRIBUTES FROM THE STARS
Famous faces included The Repair Shop presenter Jay Blades, singer Leee John and chef Raymond Blanc, a new ambassador for the foundation, who said: “He has been campaigning for 50 years on environmental and social issues that are vital for our communities and our planet. What he has done is extraordinary.”
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