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| Queen to mark RAF's 90th birthday | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Queen is due to award new Colours to the Royal Air Force at the service's largest ceremony in more than 30 years. | The Queen is due to award new Colours to the Royal Air Force at the service's largest ceremony in more than 30 years. |
| The event will mark the start of the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. | The event will mark the start of the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. |
| About 5,000 guests, including serving personnel, will attend, and there will be a flypast of nearly 90 RAF aircraft. | About 5,000 guests, including serving personnel, will attend, and there will be a flypast of nearly 90 RAF aircraft. |
| Colours - which are ceremonial flags - are awarded by a sovereign in recognition of a service's achievements. | Colours - which are ceremonial flags - are awarded by a sovereign in recognition of a service's achievements. |
| The presentation by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be made jointly to the RAF and the Royal Air Force Regiment, the RAF's ground fighting force. | The presentation by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be made jointly to the RAF and the Royal Air Force Regiment, the RAF's ground fighting force. |
| Group Captain Tony Barmby, the event's project officer, said: "For most RAF personnel, involvement in such a parade is a once-in-a-career experience." | Group Captain Tony Barmby, the event's project officer, said: "For most RAF personnel, involvement in such a parade is a once-in-a-career experience." |
| He added: "I'm very proud to have the chance to play a part." | He added: "I'm very proud to have the chance to play a part." |
| Royal Salute | Royal Salute |
| The ceremony, which takes place once every 15 years, will mark the 90th anniversary of the Royal Air Force. | The ceremony, which takes place once every 15 years, will mark the 90th anniversary of the Royal Air Force. |
| The Queen's Colours were last presented to the Royal Air Force in the UK at RAF Marnham, Norfolk, in 1993. | The Queen's Colours were last presented to the Royal Air Force in the UK at RAF Marnham, Norfolk, in 1993. |
| Friday's event will be the largest staged since Her Majesty conducted a Silver Jubilee review of the air force at RAF Finningley in South Yorkshire in 1977. | Friday's event will be the largest staged since Her Majesty conducted a Silver Jubilee review of the air force at RAF Finningley in South Yorkshire in 1977. |
| It will begin with a Royal Salute and a flypast by four Typhoons from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. | It will begin with a Royal Salute and a flypast by four Typhoons from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. |
| The Queen's Colour Squadron (63 Squadron RAF Regiment) will escort the Queen's Colours along with other Royal Air Force Regiment squadrons and 34 Squadron RAF Regiment. | The Queen's Colour Squadron (63 Squadron RAF Regiment) will escort the Queen's Colours along with other Royal Air Force Regiment squadrons and 34 Squadron RAF Regiment. |
| The event will be shown in a special programme on BBC One at 1415 BST. | The event will be shown in a special programme on BBC One at 1415 BST. |