Queen Elizabeth shares touching birthday tribute to Duke of Gloucester

Queen Elizabeth has shared a series of heart-melting photos to mark one of her cousin's birthdays on Thursday.

The royal family's Twitter account posted four photos of the Duke of Gloucester in celebration of his 77th birthday.

The first image is a close-up of Prince Richard, looking smart in a suit and tie, while a second shows him with his wife, Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, enjoying a walk.

In one of the pictures, the Duke is seen at a Buckingham Palace garden party, while a fourth shows his visit to Okehampton Camp, Dartmoor during the 6th Battalion, The Rifles' Annual Deployment Exercise in 2017.

The caption read: "Wishing His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester a happy birthday today [balloon emoji]."

Prince Richard, born on 26 August 1977, is the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, making him a paternal first cousin of the Queen.