Fire up the Queenmobile, it's time for a birthday street party: Drizzle cake, beacons, bunting and thousands of wellwishers, ROBERT HARDMAN on the gloriously British way Her Majesty entered her tenth decade 

There simply wasn't room on the cake for all the candles. But no matter. Last night the entire United Kingdom became one giant birthday cake as the Queen lit the first of over a thousand beacons stretching from Cornwall to the Shetlands in honour of her 90th.

No British monarch has reached this milestone before. Had the Queen been any other public servant, of course, she might have retired at 60, back in 1986 – with Mrs Thatcher still in Number Ten and Ronald Reagan in the White House. But hers is a job for life, continuing today with a lunch for President Barack Obama and the First Lady.

Yesterday was a moment to pause and celebrate not just a birthday but the fact that we have one of the greats on the Throne today.

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There simply wasn't room on the cake for all the candles. But no matter. Last night the entire United Kingdom became one giant birthday cake as the Queen lit the first of over a thousand beacons stretching from Cornwall to the Shetlands in honour of her 90th

Had the Queen been any other public servant, of course, she might have retired at 60, back in 1986 – with Mrs Thatcher still in Number Ten and Ronald Reagan in the White House. But hers is a job for life, continuing with a lunch for President Barack Obama and the First Lady

Yesterday was a moment to pause and celebrate not just a birthday but the fact that we have one of the greats on the Throne today

Hence the huge crowds lining the streets of Windsor to salute the record-breaking monarch on her historic birthday walkabout – followed by a new nonagenarian variation: the driveabout.

There were more bumper crowds last night as the Prince of Wales welcomed his mother to Windsor Great Park to ignite her beacon, before last night's family dinner at the castle. The 'EIIR' brazier was one of four on the famous Long Walk. There were echoes of another age as the Prince kissed the Queen's white-gloved hand. And then he permitted himself a little 21st-century informality.

'Your Majesty – Mummy,' he announced. 'The beacon will represent the love and affection in which you are held throughout this country and the Commonwealth. Long may you reign over us!' That, in short, was the theme of the entire day.

Gun salutes and bells rang out across the country during the day. In Parliament, the Prime Minister led tributes to a 'steadfast' monarch, a 'rock of strength for our nation'. The Prince of Wales recited Shakespeare on radio and narrated last night's BBC1 documentary.

But it was at Windsor, the place she truly calls home, that the birthday girl chose to celebrate yesterday. As the sun came out on cue, and with the biggest Royal Standard in the flag locker flapping from the Round Tower, the National Anthem announced the appearance of the Queen and Prince Philip at the top of Castle Hill at midday.

The Band of the Coldstream Guards burst into 'Happy Birthday' while the Queen, dressed in a silk dress and matching coat of 'spring-grass green' was handed bouquet after bouquet. No one was entirely sure what to sing at the 'dear' bit. Some opted for 'Your Majesty', others a less reverential 'dear Queenie'.

Crowds gather to see the Queen light a beacon to celebrate her 90th birthday yesterday in Windsor

A little girl waves the Union flag as the Queen passed by as part of her 90th birthday celebrations in Windsor yesterday

Hence the huge crowds lining the streets of Windsor to salute the record-breaking monarch on her historic birthday walkabout – followed by a new nonagenarian variation: the driveabout

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets wellwishers during a 'walkabout' on her 90th birthday in Windsor, west of London

Gun salutes and bells rang out across the country during the day. In Parliament, the Prime Minister led tributes to a 'steadfast' monarch, a 'rock of strength for our nation'. The Prince of Wales recited Shakespeare on radio and narrated last night's BBC1 documentary

Donna Werner, 63, had flown from Connecticut, USA, for this moment, and was wearing a shiny cardboard crown. It seemed to do the trick as the Queen stopped to say 'hello'. 'I love your crown,' added her lady-in-waiting, Jennifer Gordon-Lennox.

Elsewhere, the Duke of Edinburgh was doing what he has always done – ensuring that the other side of the road did not feel left out. For more than six decades he has been lifting disappointed children over barriers on his side of the road to enable them to reach the Queen. He was doing it again yesterday. In the midst of all the Hallelujahs for the Queen's 90th, it went almost unremarked that he will be 95 in June.

For veteran royal-watchers, there was a sense of deja-vu. This was the same spot where the Queen came for a walkabout on her 80th birthday. Some reflected that she seemed to look younger this time around.

The only difference was the size of the crowd. The numbers were so large that a different royal route had been organised. Some had spent the previous night on the public benches outside the castle, among them Maria Scott, 45, from Newcastle. Now a connoisseur when it comes to public seating, Maria remarked ruefully, that these had not been nearly as comfortable as those outside St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, where she had camped out for the birth of Princess Charlotte last year.

The Duke of Edinburgh was doing what he has always done – ensuring that the other side of the road did not feel left out

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh wave to well-wishers during her 90th birthday celebrations in Windsor

For veteran royal-watchers, there was a sense of deja-vu. This was the same spot where the Queen came for a walkabout on her 80th birthday. Some reflected that she seemed to look younger this time around

The only difference was the size of the crowd. The numbers were so large that a different royal route had been organised

In front of the statue of Queen Victoria, her great-great-granddaughter unveiled a plaque marking the new Queen's Walkway, a four-mile trail linking the main landmarks of this town. She then moved on to the 17th-century Guildhall

In front of the statue of Queen Victoria, her great-great-granddaughter unveiled a plaque marking the new Queen's Walkway, a four-mile trail linking the main landmarks of this town. She then moved on to the 17th-century Guildhall.

Here, the Queen was introduced to 20 fellow members of the 1926 club. 'You were all born in a lovely vintage year,' she remarked with an impish grin to Rosamund Fulawka, also 90 this month. None of this lot was going to disagree with that. Like the Queen, June Martin (90 next week) still enjoys working, in her case at a day centre for the elderly. 'I told her, 'We all think you're wonderful',' said June afterwards. 'She looked very bashful.'

In the centre stood Her Majesty's three-tier birthday cake, made – at the request of the Palace – by Nadiya Hussain, winner of the Great British Bake-Off. It looked spectacular but had no candles. As was later pointed out, if Nadiya had been required to accommodate the requisite number of candles, she would have had no room left for the icing.

Her main worry was its consistency. Viewers of the ITV film Our Queen At Ninety will have seen a golden moment at last year's centenary of the Women's Institute when the Queen was invited to cut a fruitcake. Whereupon her knife got stuck. The incident had been preying on Nadiya's mind, so she decided against a similar recipe. 'I don't like fruitcake anyway and my worry was it wouldn't cut,' she explained. The same thought had crossed the Queen's mind. 'Does it cut?' she asked.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip unveil a plaque marking The Queen's Walkway at the foot of Castle Hill, Windsor

Thousands of people greet the Queen on her 90th birthday. One Union flag, with Her Majesty's face in the middle, was hung over the barrier

Such are the deep, personal connections between the House of Windsor and the people of the town. That is why the Queen wanted to see as many of them as possible yesterday. But there was no way that she and the Duke could be expected to walk all the way

To relief all round, the blade sank easily into Nadiya's lower tier. Here was a moment right up there with her Bake-Off victory. 'That was the icing on the cake – if you'll forgive the pun,' she said. Meanwhile, the Duke teased the assembled town hall worthies. Feeling the rabbit fur on the robes of Councillor Judith Diment, he joked: 'I can smell the mothballs!' Windsor is extremely proud of being a royal borough; most of these councillors had met the royal couple before. Eileen Quick, the Mayor of Windsor – an office occupied by her father and grandfather before her – had met the Queen as a little girl. Yesterday, she was her host.

Such are the deep, personal connections between the House of Windsor and the people of the town. That is why the Queen wanted to see as many of them as possible yesterday. But there was no way that she and the Duke could be expected to walk all the way.

It was these two who 'invented' the royal walkabout, in 1970, when they abandoned protocol in Wellington, New Zealand, and walked off the red carpet for an impromptu chat with complete strangers. It's been part of royal life ever since. And yesterday we had a glimpse of how the Queen will tackle long walkabouts in future. Throughout her reign, the Queen has had a vehicle called the State Review, a mobile dais for viewing big parades. In the past, it has simply been an open-top Land Rover with the rear seats removed.

Last year, Range Rover designed a new version. It has more standing room and an electric motor to allow it to cruise silently and slowly without exhaust fumes (so it can operate in an enclosed space). Expect to see more of it in future. Like the Popemobile, the Queenmobile has arrived

Moving no faster than a window shopper, the royal couple edged their way through the precinct. The crowds were so deep that the Queen was unable to see the lifesize model of herself in Snappy Snaps. Nor could she glimpse the special display of royal books in Waterstones

Finally, the Queenmobile turned off up a side road where the State Bentley was waiting to take the Sovereign back up to the castle. Drizzle cake, beacons, church bells, bunting and a trip to the shops. What a gloriously British way to enter one's tenth decade

Last year, however, Range Rover designed a new version. It has more standing room and an electric motor to allow it to cruise silently and slowly without exhaust fumes (so it can operate in an enclosed space). Expect to see more of it in future. Like the Popemobile, the Queenmobile has arrived.

Moving no faster than a window shopper, the royal couple edged their way through the precinct. The crowds were so deep that the Queen was unable to see the lifesize model of herself in Snappy Snaps. Nor could she glimpse the special display of royal books in Waterstones.

Finally, the Queenmobile turned off up a side road where the State Bentley was waiting to take the Sovereign back up to the castle. Drizzle cake, beacons, church bells, bunting and a trip to the shops. What a gloriously British way to enter one's tenth decade.

PANIC OVER A PINK FLYAWAY BALLOON LEFT SISTERS IN TEARS AT QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

All eyes should have been on the Queen – not the skies.

But amid the colour, spectacle and joyous celebration, the monarch was briefly upstaged when attention turned to the plight... of a rogue balloon. The drama began when sisters Anne and Judy Daley turned up at Windsor resplendent in pink and with two huge matching balloons saying '90'.

But the Cardiff siblings were left feeling a little deflated when Anne, 55, lost her grip on hers.

Judy (left) and Anne Daley, from Wales, join crowds outside Windsor Castle in Berkshire before a walkabout by Queen Elizabeth II as she celebrates her 90th birthday

Royal approval: Thanks to TV coverage, the siblings were given a replacement balloon just in time for the arrival of the Queen

Pictured is Anne Daley chasing after the flying '90' balloon which she had brought to show the Queen on her birthday

With the 'nine' floating off in the direction of Heathrow Airport, the Daley sisters were left with a solitary pink '0' to wave at the Queen

With the 'nine' floating off in the direction of Heathrow Airport, the Daley sisters were left with a solitary pink '0' to wave at the Queen. 

Meanwhile, even the BBC devoted time to the drama, with the Breakfast show cutting to footage of the balloon drifting off into the distance above Windsor.

Thanks to the coverage, a nearby retailer hastily produced a replacement to save the day. And when the royal party arrived it emerged they had been following the drama too. Anne said: 'When the lady-in-waiting saw the balloons, she said, 'You've got the '9' back!'.

The Queen was killing herself laughing. She must have seen it on TV. She was really lovely.'

Civilian police worker Judy, 50, said: 'The Queen's just remarkable, a very formidable lady.'