Melbourne sings Happy Birthday

Melbourne, Mar 15: The celebration was premature, for she turns 80 next month but the 85,000-strong crowd joined Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in singing ''Happy Birthday To You'' that had Queen Elizabeth II visibly emotional.

The Queen dressed in gold and accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. She was taken by surprise as the entire crowd in the Melbourne Cricket Ground was on its feet, singing ''Happy Birthday'', with the tune blending into 'God Save the Queen.'

UNI