The Queen celebrated her 85th birthday by giving Maundy Money The Queen has celebrated her 85th birthday by handing out Maundy money in a traditional royal service at Westminster Abbey.
The monarch handed out specially minted coins to deserving recipients in a ceremony dating from the Middle Ages.
Among the 170 people – 85 men and 85 women – who received Maundy money this year were 40 from the Isle of Man.
Buckingham Palace said it was the first time the Queen’s birthday had fallen on Maundy Thursday.
Each year the the Queen chooses a different church to distribute the coins – Maundy money.
This year the venue was the abbey, due to host the wedding of her grandson, Prince William to Kate Middleton, on 29 April.
One of this year’s recipients was Dorothy Boyde, 75, who had never left the Isle of Man before.
She told the BBC: “I wouldn’t go for anything else. It’s a big adventure.”
Usually the recipients of the symbolic alms – one for each year of the monarch’s life – are drawn from the same diocese as the cathedral the Queen visits.
The Bishop of Sodor and Man, the Right Reverend Robert Patterson, suggested to the Queen several months ago that she visit Douglas.
Buckingham Palace later decided it was too difficult for the Queen to visit the island but said Manx residents could be nominated for the honour this year.
Also nominated were people from the Anglican Diocese of Europe, which is based in Gibraltar.
The Maundy Service has been seen as a chance to iron out any technical issues ahead of next week’s royal wedding – which will also be broadcast live from Westminster Abbey.
The Queen has two birthdays – the actual one and the official one in June, which is celebrated with the Trooping the Colour parade.
On Thursday Union flags are being flown above government buildings from 0800 BST until sunset, and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery gave a 41-gun salute in Hyde Park.
The Honourable Artillery Company also fired a 62-gun tribute from Gun Wharf at the Tower of London.
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