Queen Elizabeth II is marking her 96th birthday privately Thursday, retreating to the Sandringham estate in eastern England that has offered the monarch and her late husband, Prince Philip, a refuge from the affairs of state.

Elizabeth is expected to spend the day at the estate’s Wood Farm cottage, a personal sanctuary where she also spent her first Christmas since Philip’s death in April 2021.

This birthday comes during the Queen’s platinum jubilee year, marking her 70 years as monarch.

To help celebrate, the Royal Winter Horse Show has released a new photograph of the Queen taken last month on the grounds of Windsor Castle where she spends most of her time these days.

(henrydallalphotography.com/Royal Windsor Horse Show via AP)

In it, the Queen is flanked by two fell ponies, reflecting her lifelong interest in horses.

While her actual birthday is kept low-key, public celebrations will take place June 2-5, when four days of jubilee festivities have been scheduled to coincide with the monarch’s official birthday.