Royal Family, President Obama, Fans Mark 400 Years Since Death of Shakespeare

LONDON (TheBlaze/AP) — If all the world was a stage, William Shakespeare would be its architect.

The 400th anniversary of the playwright's death is being marked across Britain with parades, church services and — of course — stage performances.

Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616, his 52nd birthday.

President Barack Obama is visiting Shakespeare's Globe theatre in London on Saturday, and the Royal Shakespeare Company is mounting a stage extravaganza with performances by Judi Dench, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen — and even Prince Charles.

Celebrations took place Saturday in Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, where a special parade was held in his honor.

Around the world, the Bard is more popular than ever. Dominic Dromgoole, artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe, says the playwright's popularity is only likely to grow.

He says "we haven't scratched the surface of how far and how deep he can speak to different communities."

Twitter users honored the beloved playwright by sharing favorite works, quotes, insults and biographical trivia using the hashtag #Shakespeare400: