MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Queen Elizabeth II: 15 things you need to know

She is believed to be the only British monarch in history properly trained to change a spark plug.

How much do you know about Britain's longest-reigning monarch? Queen Elizabeth II was 27 years old and 16 months into her role as sovereign when her coronation took place on 2 June 1953 in the historic surroundings of Westminster Abbey – an event that was celebrated with street parties across the country.

The Queen is also known as Her Most Excellent and Britannic Majesty, Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her Other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

She is one of the most famous figureheads worldwide.

 1. Her Majesty The Queen was born at 17 Bruton Street, London, on 21 April 1926 and was christened on 29 May 1926 at Buckingham Palace.

 2. The Queen's first-ever radio broadcast in 1940 was a message of support to children affected or displaced by the Second World War.

 3. On VE Day, 8 May 1945, she and her sister, Princess Margaret, headed into the crowd to celebrate.

 4. Elizabeth learned to drive in 1945 when she joined the women's branch of the British Army. Both Elizabeth and Winston Churchill's daughter were members of the group, which was called the Auxiliary Territorial Service.

 5. She is believed to be the only British monarch in history properly trained to change a spark plug.

 6. She collected ration coupons for her wedding dress.

 7. A 68-year-old slice of the Queen's wedding cake sold for £500 at auction, nearly seven decades after Her Majesty's marriage to Prince Philip. The wedding fruit cake was wrapped in its original baking parchment and was still edible, thanks to its high alcohol content.

 8. Her Majesty is the 40th monarch since William the Conqueror.

 9. She sent her first email in 1976, from a British Army base.

10. She is the daughter, wife and mother of sailors. The Queen has always had a strong link with the Senior Service.

11. She has been a patron of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association, and named one of her birds 'Sandringham Lightning'.

12. As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is not necessary for the Queen to have her own passport.

13. Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 2007, the first time a reigning monarch had done so. They then celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary in 2017.

14. On 9 September 2015, she became Britain's longest-reigning monarch, surpassing the record set by Queen Victoria, her great, great grandmother. That reign lasted 23,226 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes.

15. On 6 February 2017, she became the first British monarch to celebrate a sapphire jubilee, marking 65 years of her reign.