Queen Elizabeth II's Sapphire Jubilee: 20 facts about Her Majesty as she prepares to mark 65 years on the throne

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Saphora Smith6 February 2017

Queen Elizabeth II is set to make history as the first British monarch to celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee on Monday.

As the nation reflects on her life and reign here are 20 facts about the Queen.

1. The Queen was born at 2.40am on April 21 1926 - the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York.

2. The infant princess was third in line to the throne - and was not expected to be Queen.

3. She was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in the chapel at Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth II - In pictures

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4. She is a great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria.

5. She was only 10 when she became heir presumptive. Her father George VI acceded to the throne after the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936.

6. She is the 40th monarch since William the Conqueror, who seized the Crown in 1066.

7. Princess Elizabeth never went to school - she was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her younger sister.

Coronation: Queen Elizabeth II wearing the St. Edward Crown and carrying the Sceptre and the Rod
PA

8. As a child, she was called Lilibet, and her nickname for her sister Margaret Rose was "Bud" because she was "not a real Rose yet".

9. Shortly after her 18th birthday in 1944, she was appointed a Counsellor of State when her father was away on tour, and, for the first time, carried out some of the duties of Head of State.

10. She undertook National Service, joining the Auxiliary Transport Service on February 24 1945, and was registered as No 230873 Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor.

The Queen on her Golden Jubilee
Getty Images

11. She qualified as a driver on April 14 1945 and was promoted to Junior Commander.

12. She could have married the Duke of Edinburgh when she was 17 - the age of his first formal request to be considered as a suitor - but her parents thought she was too young. They wed when Princess Elizabeth was 21 and have been married for nearly 70 years.

13. At the very moment her father died in Sandringham on February 6 1952, Elizabeth, unaware of the momentous change to her life, was watching the sun rise over the jungle, having climbed to a lookout post at the top of a tree in Kenya.

14. Elizabeth II was formally proclaimed Queen at the Accession Council on February 8 and was crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 2 1953.

15. Her favourite tipple is gin and Dubonnet - one part gin and two parts Dubonnet. Her favourite cakes are honey and cream sponge, ginger, fruit and the chocolate biscuit cake that the Duke of Cambridge served at his wedding reception.

16. For breakfast, the Queen has cereal with a spoonful of apricots, prunes or Macadamia nuts, or toast with light marmalade. She eats alone because the Duke of Edinburgh rises earlier and has already had his.

17. She drinks Earl Grey tea and listens to BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The Racing Post is a favourite read.

The Queen with Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh (PA )
PA

18. The Queen has an iPod and a mobile.

19. She sent her first tweet - signed "Elizabeth R" - from the British monarchy's official Twitter account in 2014 at the opening of a new Science Museum gallery, but it was immediately attacked by trolls sending abusive messages.

20. Her favourite TV shows include the quiz show Pointless. She has also been a fan of Downton Abbey, Silent Witness, EastEnders, The Bill, New Tricks and Midsomer Murders.

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