FACTS ABOUT THE QUEEN

The long reign of Queen Elizabeth II was marked by her strong sense of duty and her determination to dedicate her life to her throne and her people. She became for many the one constant point in a rapidly changing world as British influence declined, society changed beyond recognition and the role of the monarchy itself came into question. Her success in maintaining the monarchy through such turbulent times was even more remarkable given that, at the time of her birth, no one could have foreseen that the throne would be her destiny. While a lot is known about this long-standing monarch let's take a look at some maybe lesser-known facts about her.

1. She celebrated two birthdays.

   Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, but official celebrations don't take place until the second Saturday of June — a tradition that was started in 1748 by King George II.

2. She never went to school.

   This might sound attractive to kids who'd rather stay at home to play all day. However, she did have private tutors who taught her constitutional history, law, and French. Nevertheless, she often said she would have preferred having a formal education.

3. She was related to her late husband

   The late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was a third cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, as both were the great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria. Elizabeth reportedly fell for the prince when she was just 13 and the two eventually married in November 1947.

4. She had her own fashion designer

   Norman Hartnell became the royal family's assigned designer after a series of commissions for the royal family. He famously crafted Princess Elizabeth's wedding gown and her outfit for the coronation.

5. She was not the richest person in Britain

   The queen's net worth, estimated by the «Sunday Times» at 370 million pounds, comes from her investments, jewels, and two castles. Instead, the richest person in the UK is the Duke of Westminster, whose net worth is 11 billion.