King Charles III has opened two days of royal commemorations to mark what would have been the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, attending a landmark fashion exhibition in London on Monday, 20 April 2026, before a national address and a series of official engagements are planned for Tuesday to honour Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
The late Queen, who died in September 2022 at the age of 96 after 70 years on the throne, would have turned 100 on Tuesday, 21 April 2026. Her centenary has prompted a wave of commemorations spanning the United Kingdom, with the Royal Family gathered across several London locations over the two-day period.
A wardrobe that defined an era
The King and Queen Camilla attended the Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life In Style exhibition at the King’s Gallery on Monday, the largest exhibition ever mounted of the late Queen’s wardrobe.
The display presents approximately 200 pieces spanning her lifetime, offering a comprehensive view of how her style evolved across seven decades of public service.
The exhibition forms the first in a series of engagements the Royal Family will attend to mark the centenary. On Tuesday, King Charles is expected to deliver a special message to the nation and the Commonwealth, honouring his mother’s life and legacy.
National memorial and new charity
Also on Tuesday, the King will join Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the British Museum to review the final plans for a national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Anne is set to open the new Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent’s Park, while a reception at Buckingham Palace’s Marble Hall will bring together centenarians who will receive their 100th birthday cards in person from the King.
The British government has committed a £40 million endowment to launch the Queen Elizabeth Trust, a new independent charity with the King as its patron.
The Trust will focus on restoring shared spaces in communities across the United Kingdom, supporting projects that range from transforming underutilised buildings to enhancing green spaces and neighbourhood gathering points, alongside funding for skills training.
The UK government said the endowment was designed to leave a permanent community legacy in keeping with the late Queen’s values.
“This government is proud to commit to three national initiatives that will honour Her Majesty’s extraordinary legacy and ensure her memory lives on in communities across the United Kingdom,” a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement accompanying Monday’s announcements.
The Buckingham Palace announcement confirmed that the Trust aims to honour the late Queen’s commitment to community life across the Commonwealth.
“The Queen Elizabeth Trust will provide funding for communities throughout the United Kingdom seeking to revitalise communal areas,” the palace said in its official statement.
South Africa and the Commonwealth connection
Queen Elizabeth II held particular significance for South Africa and the broader Commonwealth, which she served as Head for her entire reign. Her centenary is being observed globally, with tributes from Commonwealth member states across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
South African broadcasters and commentators have noted the outpouring of nostalgia from audiences who grew up watching the Queen’s Christmas messages and who followed the Royal Family across decades of political change in both countries.
The Queen’s relationship with post-apartheid South Africa included a historic state visit in 1995 alongside then-President Nelson Mandela, which was widely seen as a moment of global reconciliation.
