Happy birthday to Queen Elizabeth II who will turn 92 on April 21st! Whilst this is her date of birth, the Queen's official birthday takes place in June. All British sovereign are given the option of choosing an 'official' birthday to celebrate. This tradition dates back to 1748 when King George II decided to celebrate his birthday twice - once on his date of birth in November and again in the Summer, having decided that Autumn wouldn't be an ideal time for public celebration because of the weather.
On her birthday in April, the Queen will celebrate privately but the occasion will be marked by gun salutes in London at midday - a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London. For her official birthday in June, a parade will take place in central London.
Here are a few fun facts about a hugely interesting figure in British history, Queen Elizabeth II -
- She is the only person in the UK who is allowed to drive without a licence
- She is the longest reigning monarch ever in Britain, beating Queen Victoria
- The Queen first sent an email in 1976
- She has seen 12 Prime Ministers come to power
- Her favourite dog breed is the Corgi
- She is a trained mechanic after having joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II
- She has sent around 50,000 Christmas cards to date, and counting..
In celebration of Her Royal Majesty, we took a look around
Alfies for a few objects dedicated to her:
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| A Royal Worcester 'Queen's 8th Birthday' figurine. Available from W & L Antiques |
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| A selection of memorabilia mugs, c1950s. Available from W & L Antiques |
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| A selection of memorabilia mugs, c1950s. Available from W & L Antiques |
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