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1. As the queen of the United Kingdom for 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II was the longest reigning British monarch successful history, passing the grounds of 63 years and 7 months antecedently held by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria successful 2015.

2. Prior to her decease astatine property 96 connected Sept. 8, 2022, she was the oldest monarch successful the world.

3. And the longest reigning pistillate monarch successful satellite history.

4. But that's not all. Queen Elizabeth II was besides the longest-reigning surviving monarch successful the world. While determination person been monarchs who've ruled for longer—including King Sobhuza II of Swaziland who reigned for 82 years and King Louis XIV of France who held the throne for 72 years and 110 days—they are nary longer alive.

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5. Queen Elizabeth II was calved connected April 21, 1926. However, she really celebrated her day doubly a year: Once successful April and erstwhile connected her authoritative day successful June, which is often marked with the Trooping the Colour.

6. Queen Elizabeth II's afloat sanction is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor.

7. She was named aft her mom, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, arsenic good arsenic her father's grandma Queen Mary and great-grandmother Queen Alexandra.

8. Then known as Princess Elizabeth, she was fixed the nickname Lilibet as a child. In fact, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle named their girl Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor after the queen and the Duke of Sussex's mother, the precocious Princess Diana.

9. When she was a child, the queen gave her sister, Princess Margaret, the nickname Bud.

10. Queen Elizabeth II didn't ever unrecorded astatine Buckingham Palace, her main residence until the 2 years anterior to her death, erstwhile she moved to Windsor Castle amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the royal family's authoritative website, she spent her aboriginal puerility years astatine the London location 145 Piccadilly and astatine White Lodge successful Richmond Park. Her parents besides had the Royal Lodge successful Windsor Great Park arsenic a state home. 

11. As a child, she stayed rather busy. According to the royal family's website, she studied creation and music, learned to ride, joined the Girls Guides astatine property 11 (advancing to Sea Ranger) and became a beardown swimmer (winning the Children's Challenge Shield astatine London's Bath Club astatine property 13).

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12. Queen Elizabeth II gave her archetypal nationalist code erstwhile she was 14 years old, addressing the children of the Commonwealth connected Oct. 13, 1940 amid World War II.

"Thousands of you successful this state person had to permission your homes and beryllium separated from your fathers and mothers," she said successful her code for the Children's Hour Broadcast. "My sister Margaret Rose and I consciousness truthful overmuch for you arsenic we cognize from acquisition what it means to beryllium distant from those we emotion astir of all. To you, surviving successful caller surroundings, we nonstop a connection of existent sympathy and astatine the aforesaid clip we would similar to convey the benignant radical who person welcomed you to their homes successful the country." 

13. She enrolled successful the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) successful 1945, making her the archetypal pistillate subordinate of the royal household to articulation the equipped services arsenic a full-time progressive member. During her clip successful the ATS, Her Majesty learned however to thrust and support vehicles. According to the National World War II Museum, "She started arsenic a 2nd subaltern successful the ATS and was aboriginal promoted to Junior Commander, the equivalent of Captain." 

14. She besides dedicated her beingness to serving the Commonwealth during a code she gave connected her 21st birthday.

"I state earlier you each that my full beingness whether it beryllium agelong oregon abbreviated shall beryllium devoted to your work and the work of our large imperial household to which we each belong," she said successful 1947. "But I shall not person spot to transportation retired this solution unsocial unless you articulation successful it with me, arsenic I present invitation you to do: I cognize that your enactment volition beryllium unfailingly given. God assistance maine to marque bully my vow, and God bless each of you who are consenting to stock successful it." 

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15. Her household didn't ever expect her to instrumentality the throne. When she was born, Elizabeth was third successful the enactment of succession aft her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales and her father, Prince Albert, Duke of York. After her gramps King George V died successful 1936, Edward, Prince of Wales was crowned King Edward VIII. But by the extremity of that year, he'd abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. Her begetter past acceded the throne arsenic King George VI, taking his father's name, and erstwhile helium died connected Feb. 6, 1952, Queen Elizabeth II began her reign.

16. After her begetter became king, Elizabeth prepared for her future role by studying constitutional past and law, receiving lessons connected religion from the Archbishop of Canterbury and learning French.

17. Taking spot astatine Westminster Abbey connected June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II's coronation was the archetypal coronation to beryllium televised.

18. During the ceremony, St. Edwards's Crown was placed upon Her Majesty's head. The crown, which is made of coagulated golden and encrusted with 440 precious and semiprecious stones, weighs 4 pounds and 12 ounces. Thankfully, this is the lone clip she's had to deterioration it.

19. Queen Elizabeth II is the sixth queen to beryllium crowned astatine Westminster Abbey. Queen Mary I was the first.

20. She's besides the 40th monarch to instrumentality the throne since William the Conqueror became the king of England successful 1066.

21. For her first authoritative engagement as queen, Her Majesty attended the Royal Maundy Service astatine Westminster Abbey successful April 1952.

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22. The Queen archetypal met her husband Prince Philip erstwhile she was 8 years aged and helium was 13. They crossed paths astatine the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark to Prince George, Duke of Kent successful 1934 and past again successful 1939, erstwhile she was 13 and helium was 18, astatine Dartmouth Naval College.

23. Seven years later, Prince Philip projected with a ringing by Philip Antrobus Ltd that featured diamonds from his mother Princess Alice of Battenberg's tiara. According to the jeweler, "The ringing features a magnificent three-carat circular superb diamond, acceptable successful platinum and flanked by smaller pavé acceptable diamonds." Elizabeth's dada asked them to support their engagement nether wraps until aft she turned 21, the authoritative announcement coming connected July 9, 1947.

24. Queen Elizabeth II wed Prince Philip astatine Westminster Abbey connected Nov. 20, 1947. Like galore brides who tied the knot soon aft World War II, she utilized covering ration coupons to wage for her dress, which was designed by Norman Hartnell and made of ivory silk. It besides featured crystals, 10,000 effect pearls and a 15-foot silk tulle tribunal train.

25. But determination could person been a manner faux pas! On her wedding day, Queen Elizabeth II wore Queen Mary's fringe tiara. But according to the royal family's website, "the framework of the gem broke arsenic the bride was putting it connected and it had to beryllium rapidly repaired."

26. Before his death successful April 2021, Prince Philip was joined to Queen Elizabeth II for 73 years, making them the longest joined couple successful the royal family's history.

"He is idiosyncratic who doesn't instrumentality easy to compliments," the queen said during a 1997 speech. "He has, rather simply, been my spot and enactment each these years, and I, and his full family, and this and galore different countries, beryllium him a indebtedness greater than helium would ever assertion oregon we shall ever know."

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27. It was Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip who decided to springiness their descendants antithetic past names than the remainder of the royal family. While her gramps King George V adopted Windsor arsenic the family's surname successful 1917, the mates chose successful 1960 to besides incorporated the Duke of Edinburgh's past name, Mountbatten, and person their descendants transportation the past sanction Mountbatten-Windsor.

28. And yes, she is survived by rather a large unit of Mountbatten-Windsors. In summation to the 4 children she welcomed with Prince Philip—Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward—the queen has 8 grandchildren (Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn) and 12 great-grandchildren (Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Mia Grace Tindall, Lena Elizabeth Tindall, Lucas Philip Tindall, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten Windsor, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank and Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi).

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30. Her Majesty was the monarch to 14 countries successful summation to the U.K. She was besides Head of Commonwealth, which consists of 54 countries.

31. But these weren't her lone roles. She besides held the titles of Head of State, Head of Nation, Head of Armed Forces, Sovereign of the Garter, Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England among others.

32. As Head of State, Her Majesty had to stay neutral connected governmental matters. Therefore, she didn't ballot oregon basal for election. Although, arsenic the royal family's website explains, the monarch did person ceremonial and ceremonial roles relating to the U.K. government, similar opening caller sessions of Parliament and approving orders and proclamations done the Privy Council. She could besides name a premier minster and conscionable with him oregon her regularly.

33. In May 2021, the queen opened Parliament for the 67th time—having opened it each twelvemonth of her reign but 1959 and 1963 (when she was large and expecting Prince Andrew and Prince Edward) and 2022 owed to, arsenic Buckingham Palace enactment it, "episodic mobility problems." 

34. Audiences, oregon one-on-one meetings, were portion of Her Majesty's job. According to the royal family's website, determination are much than 170 ambassadors and precocious commissioners successful London astatine immoderate fixed time, and the monarch volition person an assemblage with each 1 soon aft the idiosyncratic has assumed the role. She besides had a play assemblage with the premier curate successful which they sermon authorities matters.

35. By 2016, the queen had held more than 660 investitures (an lawsuit that awards honors to individuals for their achievements, bravery oregon services to the U.K. and British oversea territories).

36. Her Majesty had much than 600 patronages.

37. Her reign wasn't completely without criticism. After Princess Diana's decease successful 1997, for instance, Her Majesty faced nationalist disapproval for initially staying astatine her Balmoral Castle successful Scotland, alternatively of returning to London, and for primitively not flying the British emblem astatine half-mast, which didn't hap until the time of Diana's funeral. The monarch aboriginal addressed the Princess of Wales' death successful a televised statement.

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38. The queen visited 117 countries during her reign. For those counting, that's 1,032,513 miles.

39. She didn't get her wings until 1945, though, taking formation for the archetypal clip arsenic she headed from from Northolt to Northern Ireland successful 1945.

40. She besides made much than 200 visits to Commonwealth countries.

41. Her archetypal visit to the Commonwealth was successful November 1953 and she stayed for six months. During this time, she visited 12 countries which adds up to 43,618 miles.

42. Seventeen years later, portion touring Australia, she made her first royal "walkabout," a casual stroll among commoners that's go somewhat of a household staple.

43. She christened the Victoria line in 1969, making her the first reigning monarch to question connected the nationalist transit system the London Underground. She's conscionable similar us!

44. Surprisingly, Her Majesty didn't person a passport. Since British passports are issued successful the sanction of the queen, she didn't request one. Her household members, however, do.

45. And, according to the BBC, she was the lone idiosyncratic successful Britain who was allowed to thrust without a driver's license.

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46. In 1957, she had her precise archetypal Christmas broadcast, a contented that lives connected 60-plus years later.

47. And if you're lucky, you whitethorn person been 1 of the 750 radical a twelvemonth who received a vacation paper from the queen, who usually spent Christmas and New Year at Sandringham House.

48. She besides gave puddings to employees who worked astatine the palaces, tribunal station bureau and wrong the palace police, distributing astir 1,500 each year.

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49. You've got mail: In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II became the archetypal monarch to nonstop an email, which was sent during a web exertion objection astatine the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment.

50. Almost 40 years later, she posted her archetypal idiosyncratic tweet which read, "It is simply a pleasance to unfastened the Information Age accumulation contiguous astatine the @ScienceMuseum and I anticipation radical volition bask visiting. Elizabeth R."

51. It's wide the Science Museum held a peculiar spot successful her bosom arsenic it's besides wherever the monarch made her archetypal Instagram post. "Today, I had the pleasance of learning astir children's machine coding initiatives and it seems fitting to maine that I people this Instagram station astatine the Science Museum," she wrote successful 2019 portion sharing an archived photograph of her great-great-grandfather, "which has agelong championed technology, innovation and inspired the adjacent procreation of inventors. Elizabeth R."

52. For those wondering, the "R" successful "Elizabeth R," stands for regina, which is Latin for queen.

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53. At this point, you apt deliberation of the queen and deliberation of her corgis. As it turns out, erstwhile she was 18, she received her first pup named Susan. And since then, each her corgis person been descendants of her. How galore descendants exactly? Her Majesty owned at slightest 30 corgis and a fig of dorgis, a transverse betwixt dachshund and corgis.

54. She technically owned a batch of swans, too. According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, "An unmarked mute swan connected the [River] Thames is regarded arsenic belonging to the Queen by default."

55. Plus, she received galore animals arsenic authoritative gifts, including 2 pygmy hippopotami from President Tubman of Liberia, a sloth and 2 achromatic jaguars from the Prefect of Brasília and an African wood elephant from President Ahidjo of Cameroon. All of which were sent to the ZSL London Zoo (with the elephant aboriginal relocating to the agrarian zoo astatine Whipsnade).

56. And, past but not least, she loved horses, receiving her archetypal pony, Peggy, astatine property 4. Over the years, she owned and bred a fig of thoroughbreds, with her horses winning rather a fewer races. In 2013, for instance, her horse Estimate won the Royal Ascot's Gold Cup, making it the archetypal clip successful past a reigning monarch took location the trophy.

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57. The queen loved photography and snapping pictures of her family.

58. She besides enjoyed Scottish state dancing and will host Gillies Balls during her stays astatine her vacation location Balmoral Castle successful Scotland.

59. If you ever wondered, yes, the queen was connected the shorter side, coming successful astatine 5-foot-4 according to the BBC.

60. Over the years, the queen was served by 15 British premier ministers, the archetypal being Winston Churchill. The astir recent? Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen days earlier Her Majesty's passing.

61. She also met 13 retired of the past 14 U.S. presidents, the objection being Lyndon Johnson.

62. What's more, she was the archetypal British monarch to code the U.S. Congress, which she did successful 1991.

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63. From the commencement of her reign to 2016, the queen received more than 3.75 cardinal items of correspondence.

64. She besides sent much than 230,000 messages to anyone successful the U.K.—its overseas realms and territories included—who were 100 oregon older.

65. She had her ain idiosyncratic flag, adopted successful 1960, which is bluish with a golden plan featuring her archetypal "E" with the royal crown and encircled successful roses. You could spot it flying on the buildings, ships, cars oregon aircrafts she occupied.

66. Each year, the queen welcomed much than 30,000 guests to plot parties held astatine Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

67. One of her favourite flowers was the lily of the valley, which was featured successful her coronation bouquet.

68. Queen Elizabeth II appears connected the coinage of astatine slightest 35 antithetic countries.

69. She was besides the archetypal subordinate of the royal household to receive a golden disc from the signaling industry. That's each acknowledgment to the signaling of her 2002 Golden Jubilee concert, titled Party astatine the Palace, with 100,000 copies selling out within the archetypal week of its release.

70. She was a wholly normal, relatable grandmother. Well, astatine slightest according to Prince Harry. "She is precise funny, but I deliberation she gets it from my grandfather," he said during a 2012 interrogation with The Telegraph, later adding, "My household is the aforesaid arsenic immoderate different household erstwhile it comes to wit down closed doors, though I'd similar to deliberation I was funnier than my grandmother."