Royal birthday and anniversary messages

Every year, birthday and wedding anniversary cards are sent by the Queen to people celebrating significant birthdays and wedding anniversaries in the United Kingdom, the other Commonwealth realms, and the British Overseas Territories.

A card sent by The Queen to a centenarian, 21 March 2008

Congratulatory messages are sent to people celebrating their 100th and 105th birthday and every year thereafter, and to those celebrating their 60th, 65th, 70th wedding anniversaries and every year thereafter.

The message is held inside the card with a gold tassel, and includes a copy of the Queen's signature.

History

The tradition started in 1917, during the reign of George V. The telegram, which was sent to 24 centenarians, read: "His Majesty's hope that the blessings of good health and prosperity may attend you during the remainder of your days".[1]

By the time of Elizabeth II's accession in 1952, over 200 telegrams per year were being sent.[1]

Telegrams were phased out by the Post Office in 1982, and telemessages took their place. In 1999, telemessages were replaced with a laser-printed card, featuring a smiling photograph of the Queen.[2]

For 1997, the Queen sent messages of congratulations to all those who were married in the same year as her, to mark their golden wedding anniversaries. In 2007 over 18,000 couples received a specially-worded joint congratulatory message from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who were celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.[3]

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, received an official 100th birthday greeting from her daughter, the Queen, in 2000. The card read: "On your 100th birthday all the family join with me in sending you our loving best wishes for this special day." The Queen signed it with her pet name "Lilibet".[4]

In May 2002, an event in Israel was held to celebrate Israel's 600 centenarians, inspired by the custom of the Queen's birthday messages. A message from the Queen was sent to the guests, saying: "I am delighted to be able to send my very best wishes on the occasion of this morning's celebration to honour the centenarians of Israel".[3]

In 2020, instead of the standard 100th birthday message from the Queen, Captain Tom Moore received a personalised card, presented in person by the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Helen Nellis.[5]

A centenarian with her card

Eligibility

Congratulatory birthday messages are sent to people celebrating their:[6]

  • 100th birthday
  • 105th birthday
  • birthday each year following their 105th

A couple can get a congratulatory anniversary message, if they are celebrating their:[6]

  • 60th (diamond) anniversary
  • 65th anniversary
  • 70th (platinum) anniversary
  • anniversary each year following their 70th

Only current citizens of Commonwealth realms or the British Overseas Territories are eligible to receive messages.[7]

Current Commonwealth Realms:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • The Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Canada
  • Grenada
  • Jamaica
  • New Zealand
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Solomon Islands
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Tuvalu
  • United Kingdom

British Overseas Territories:

  • Akirotiri and Dhekelia
  • Anguilla
  • Bermuda
  • British Antarctic Territory
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Falkland Islands
  • Gibraltar
  • Montserrat
  • Pitcairn Group of Islands
  • Saint Helena and its dependencies
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • Turks and Caicos Islands

References
  1. Spectator, The. "How many 100th birthday cards does the Queen send? | The Spectator". www.spectator.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  2. "Queen's birthday message gets personal". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  3. "Special stories". Royal.uk.
  4. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/aug/05/queenmother.monarchy
  5. "Captain Tom's appeal tops £31m on 100th birthday". BBC News. 30 April 2020. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  6. "Get a birthday or anniversary message from the Queen". GOV.UK.
  7. "Eligible countries". Royal.uk.
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