Trooping the Colour: Queen's 90th birthday celebrated with huge military parade

Official celebrations marking Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday continue in London today.

The Queen and othermembers of the royal family gathered on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a flypastof Royal Air Force jets and planes from the Second World War.

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Earlier, the Queen satat ground level to overseea militaryparade knownas Trooping the Colour, featuring more than 1,500 soldiers and several hundred horses.

GrandsonPrince William, his father Prince Charles and aunt Princess Anne rode horsesduring the parade, a tradition that originates from preparations for battle, when flags are carried or "trooped" down the rank for soldiers to see.

Following the ceremony, thousands of people lined the Mall near Buckingham Palace to pay their respects.

Next in the lineup wasa river pageant on the Thames.The flotilla included the royal barge Gloriana, the historic launch Havengore and a group of Dunkirk little ships.

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They moveddownstream from Westminster Palace and along the way passed the London Eye, Shakespeare's Globe and the Tower of London.

As the vessels reached Tower Bridge, it lifted and the flotilla passed underneath, marking the end of the pageant.

On Sunday, the party will include thePatron's Lunch to honour the Queen for her support of several charities.

The festivities werescheduled to unfold over three days.They kicked off on Friday with a Thanksgiving Service at St. Paul's Cathedral.

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Four carriages carriedmembers of the royal family to thepalace for Saturday's ceremonies.

Prince Philip and the Queen, who wore a brightgreen outfit, were in the last carriage.

The Queen actuallyturned 90 on April 21, but official celebrations are held in June, a long-standing tradition.