It's duty first as always... no fuss for Queen as she starts 70th year of her reign today

THE Queen will enter the 70th year of her reign today in the inner sanctum of Windsor Castle – her lockdown home throughout the Covid crisis.

- Richard Palmer

But there will be no special celebration to mark her 69 years on the throne.

Instead, it will be a duty as always, going through at least one red box of official papers from the Government, Parliament, and her private secretary – as she does every day except Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. There may be time to walk her one remaining dog, a corgi called Candy.

Then she will spend part of Accession Day in solemn reflection, as she remembers the sad event that brought her to the throne – the death of her beloved father George VI.

He died from a blood clot in his heart on February 6, 1952, aged just 56.