Celebrating 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II

This year the whole of Britain is celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee – not only is this an amazing achievement for Her Majesty reaching such a milestone, but she is also the first British monarch to have done so!  

How well do you know the Queen?  
Here are some facts to wow your friends during the Jubilee 

• Queen Elizabeth II was born at 2.40am on 21^st April 1926 to the Duke and Duchess of York. Her father became King George VI after her uncle King Edward abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson.  
• During WWII, she and her sister both volunteered for the war effort and was a mechanic.  
• She made her first radio broadcast in October 1940 during WWII. 
• Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on 2^nd June 1953 – her coronation was the first to be televised and was one of the first big events to be watched nationally. 20 million people tuned in!  
• She is the longest reigning monarch ever in Britain – she has narrowly beat her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria.  
• Since becoming queen, she has been served by 14 prime ministers.  
• She has two birthdays, her actual birthday on 21^st April and her official birthday, which is in June and is traditionally part of the Trooping the Colour celebration.  
• Queen Elizabeth II is the only person in the UK who doesn’t have to have a driver’s licence 
• Queen Elizabeth became a home owner at the age of 6! She was gifted a house by the people of Wales which is in the grounds of Windsor’s Royal Lodge.  
• We all know that she is a fan of corgis and more recently dorgis – corgis crossed with dachshunds – but did you know she also owns an elephant, two giant turtles, a jaguar and a pair of sloths? All were gifted by various countries and now live at London Zoo.  
•  The Queen’s hobbies include horse riding, pigeon racing and watching Arsenal FC.  
• The Queen sent her first email in 1976 and posted her first Instagram in 2019.  
• Did you know that the Queen’s birthplace is now a restaurant. 

Queen Elizabeth’s reign through the ages 

21^st April 1926 – Birth of Princess Elizabeth 

1933 – The Queen receives her first corgi, Dookie.  

December 1936 – Death of George V, coronation and abdication of Edward VIII. Coronation of George VI. Princess Elizabeth becomes heir presumptive.  

20^th November 1947 – Princess Elizabeth marries Prince Philip 

6^th February 1952 – The Queen begins her reign at the age of 27 after the death of her father 

2^nd June 1953 – Coronation of the Queen.  

2^nd June 1977 – Queen’s Silver Jubilee 

1981 – Marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer 

20^th November 1992 – Windsor Castle catches fire 

31^st August 1997 – Princess Diana dies in a car accident in Paris 

20^th November 1997 – Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s Golden Wedding Anniversary 

2002 – Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother both pass away 

24^th June 2002 – Queen’s Golden Jubilee 

21^st April 2007 – Queen becomes Britain’s oldest ever monarch, overtaking the record set by her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria.  

17^th May 2007 – Queen Elizabeth visits the Republic of Ireland, the first British monarch to do so.  

21^st June 2012 – Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 

27^th July 2012 – Queen makes a cameo alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond to open the London 2012 Olympics 

9^th September 2015 – Queen becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history 

21^st April 2016 – Queen celebrates her 90^th birthday 

21^st June 2017 – Queen’s Sapphire Jubilee 

9^th April 2021 – Prince Philip dies 

12^th April 2021 – Queen Elizabeth celebrates her 95^th Birthday