Queen Elizabeth II enjoys an unusual 94th-birthday parade - CGTN

The Queen celebrated her official birthday at Windsor Castle with a ceremony from the Welsh Guard, after the traditional Trooping the Colour parade was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The British monarch turned 94 in April, but her birthday is not officially celebrated until the second Saturday of June each year. The parade normally has crowds of thousands watching it in Whitehall, and involves around 1,400 parading soldiers, plus 200 horses and 400 musicians.

Queen Elizabeth, flanked by officials, watches the Welsh Guard parade. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

Queen Elizabeth, flanked by officials, watches the Welsh Guard parade. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

The last time a sovereign's birthday was held at Windsor Castle was in 1895. /Paul Edwards/POOL/AFP

The last time a sovereign's birthday was held at Windsor Castle was in 1895. /Paul Edwards/POOL/AFP

The traditional Trooping the Colour parade was canceled due to coronavirus. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

The traditional Trooping the Colour parade was canceled due to coronavirus. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

It was the first official public appearance from the Queen since the lockdown began. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

It was the first official public appearance from the Queen since the lockdown began. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

Elizabeth, 94, watched the marching from the guards who obeyed social distancing rules. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

Elizabeth, 94, watched the marching from the guards who obeyed social distancing rules. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

The Queen seemed in good spirits as she celebrated her official birthday for the first time at Windsor Castle. /Toby Melville/POOL/AFP

The Queen seemed in good spirits as she celebrated her official birthday for the first time at Windsor Castle. /Toby Melville/POOL/AFP

The Queen was the only royal present at the event. She and the Duke of Edinburgh have been spending the lockdown at Windsor Castle. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

The Queen was the only royal present at the event. She and the Duke of Edinburgh have been spending the lockdown at Windsor Castle. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

The ceremony was performed by a small number of Welsh Guardsmen and the band of the Household Division. /Toby Melville/POOL/AFP

The ceremony was performed by a small number of Welsh Guardsmen and the band of the Household Division. /Toby Melville/POOL/AFP

Guardsman are normally shoulder-to-shoulder but on this occasion they stood 2.2m apart. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP

Guardsman are normally shoulder-to-shoulder but on this occasion they stood 2.2m apart. /Joanne Davidson/POOL/AFP