• The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, arrives in Windsor for a State Visit to the United Kingdom as the guest of Her Majesty The Queen. His Higness arrived at Windsor Castle by carriage , inspected the Guard of Honour and then after a brief meeting with the Queen attended a Stat Lunch in the Waterloo Chamber of Windsor Castle in 2013. Photo by Ian Jones
    The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, arrives in Windsor for a State Visit to the United Kingdom as the guest of Her Majesty The Queen. His Higness arrived at Windsor Castle by carriage , inspected the Guard of Honour and then after a brief meeting with the Queen attended a Stat Lunch in the Waterloo Chamber of Windsor Castle in 2013. Photo by Ian Jones
  • Queen Elizabeth, Sheikh Khalifa, and Prince Philip leave following the inspection of the Guard of Honour at Windsor Castle in 2013. Toby Melville / AP Photo
    Queen Elizabeth, Sheikh Khalifa, and Prince Philip leave following the inspection of the Guard of Honour at Windsor Castle in 2013. Toby Melville / AP Photo
  • Sheikh Khalifa is greeted by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh on the Royal Dais outside Windsor Castle in 2013. Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
    Sheikh Khalifa is greeted by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh on the Royal Dais outside Windsor Castle in 2013. Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
  • Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Prince Andrew at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in 2010. Andrew Henderson / The National
    Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Prince Andrew at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in 2010. Andrew Henderson / The National
  • Britain’s Queen Elizabeth attends a lunch at Al Mushrif Palace hosted by Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, and members of the ruling family in 2013. Ian Jones
    Britain’s Queen Elizabeth attends a lunch at Al Mushrif Palace hosted by Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, and members of the ruling family in 2013. Ian Jones
  • Queen Elizabeth II with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,centre, and Prince Phillip on the Royal Dais in Windsor, as he begins a State Visit to the UK in 2013. AP Photo
    Queen Elizabeth II with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,centre, and Prince Phillip on the Royal Dais in Windsor, as he begins a State Visit to the UK in 2013. AP Photo
  • Queen Elizabeth ll inaugurates the tower in 1979 as part of her tour of the UAE. Here she is appointing Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid, a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. The British honour is conferred on people holding positions of authority. Prince Philip stands to the back left. Tim Graham / Getty Images
    Queen Elizabeth ll inaugurates the tower in 1979 as part of her tour of the UAE. Here she is appointing Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid, a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. The British honour is conferred on people holding positions of authority. Prince Philip stands to the back left. Tim Graham / Getty Images
  • A photograph of Queen Elizabeth with Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father during a state visit to the country in 1979. Courtesy: Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh
    A photograph of Queen Elizabeth with Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father during a state visit to the country in 1979. Courtesy: Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh
  • Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh with Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father on board the Royal Yacht Britannia during a state visit to the UAE on February 25, 1979. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images
    Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh with Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father on board the Royal Yacht Britannia during a state visit to the UAE on February 25, 1979. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images
  • Queen Elizabeth II meets with Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father during a state visit 40 years ago. Courtesy: Al Ittihad
    Queen Elizabeth II meets with Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father during a state visit 40 years ago. Courtesy: Al Ittihad
  • Queen Elizabeth II meets Sheikh Mohammed at Emirates Palace on November 25, 2010 in Abu Dhabi during her state visit to the Middle East.. Chris Jackson / Getty Images
    Queen Elizabeth II meets Sheikh Mohammed at Emirates Palace on November 25, 2010 in Abu Dhabi during her state visit to the Middle East.. Chris Jackson / Getty Images
  • Britain's Queen Elizabeth leaves the annual Easter Sunday Service at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle, Britain, 21 April 2019. The Easter Mattins Service is attended every year by the Royal Family. This year the service falls on the Queen's Elizabeth II birthday, who turns 93. EPA
    Britain's Queen Elizabeth leaves the annual Easter Sunday Service at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle, Britain, 21 April 2019. The Easter Mattins Service is attended every year by the Royal Family. This year the service falls on the Queen's Elizabeth II birthday, who turns 93. EPA
  • Catherine, Duchess of Sussex curtsies as Queen Elizabeth II arrives for the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, England. Getty Images
    Catherine, Duchess of Sussex curtsies as Queen Elizabeth II arrives for the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, England. Getty Images
  • Members of the royal family greet Queen Elizabeth II as she arrives for the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, England. Getty Images
    Members of the royal family greet Queen Elizabeth II as she arrives for the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, England. Getty Images
  • Zara (L) and Mike Tindall, Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (C) and Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (2nd R) stand by as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrrives for the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday on Sunday, marking 93 years in the public glare. AFP
    Zara (L) and Mike Tindall, Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (C) and Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (2nd R) stand by as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrrives for the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday on Sunday, marking 93 years in the public glare. AFP
  • Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L) smiles as she and Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge arrrive for the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday on Sunday, marking 93 years in the public glare. AFP
    Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L) smiles as she and Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge arrrive for the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday on Sunday, marking 93 years in the public glare. AFP
  • Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and her husband, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge with Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips arrive for the annual Easter Sunday Service at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle, Britain. The Easter Mattins Service is attended every year by the Royal Family. This year the service falls on the Queen's Elizabeth II birthday. EPA
    Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and her husband, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge with Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips arrive for the annual Easter Sunday Service at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle, Britain. The Easter Mattins Service is attended every year by the Royal Family. This year the service falls on the Queen's Elizabeth II birthday. EPA
  • Britain's Queen Elizabeth leaves the annual Easter Sunday Service at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle, Britain. The Easter Mattins Service is attended every year by the Royal Family. This year the service falls on the Queen's Elizabeth II birthday, who turns 93. EPA
    Britain's Queen Elizabeth leaves the annual Easter Sunday Service at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle, Britain. The Easter Mattins Service is attended every year by the Royal Family. This year the service falls on the Queen's Elizabeth II birthday, who turns 93. EPA

UAE leaders congratulate Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on her birthday


Claire Corkery
  • English
  • Arabic

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed and Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid sent messages of congratulations to Queen Elizabeth II as Britain’s monarch turned 93 on Easter Sunday.

Elizabeth II last visited the UAE in 2010 with her husband Prince Philip, where she met Sheikh Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

Her first visit to the UAE was in 1979 where she was welcomed by Sheikh Zayed, founding President of a country that was then only eight years old.

The Queen, who is the longest-serving monarch in British history, has a second official birthday in June as part of a royal tradition that goes back to the 18th century.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, sent birthday wishes to the monarch from their new Instagram account, Sussex Royal.

"Happy Birthday Your Majesty, Ma'am, Granny. Wishing you the most wonderful day! Harry & Meghan," the couple, who are expecting their first child, wrote, alongside several pictures of the Queen with her family.

The Kensington Palace Twitter account, which represents Harry’s brother William and his wife, Kate, also congratulated the monarch.

"Wishing a very happy 93rd birthday to Her Majesty The Queen! #HappyBirthdayYourMajesty," Kensington Palace wrote.

The Queen attended a church service to celebrate Easter at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where she was also joined by a number of her grandchildren and their partners.

William and Kate were pictured arriving at the church ahead of the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall.

Harry also attended the service without Meghan, who is currently on maternity leave from official duties.

Later on, the Band of the Irish Guards at Buckingham Palace performed a rendition of Happy Birthday in her honour.