Saturday marks Queen Elizabeth's 92nd birthday. The monarch has been the Queen of the United Kingdom since she took the throne on February 2, 1952, following the death of her father King George VI.
She will likely spend her birthday privately with her family. Traditionally there is a 41 gun salute scheduled for Hyde Park, a 62 gun salute set to happen at the Tower of London and a 21 gun salute at Windsor Great Park on her birthday.
Eight facts about Queen Elizabeth:
The Queen actually celebrates two birthdays each year, one on the day she was born April 21, and one publicly in June when the weather is better and more likely to be good for an outdoor parade. This parade is called "Trooping the Color" and it's a grand celebration.
Queen Elizabeth is the longest-reigning monarch who is still alive today. She has also ruled longer than any monarch in the history of Britain.
After the death of King George VI, Elizabeth II took the throne at the age of just 25.
At the age of 92, the Queen still carries out a full schedule of public engagement and events. Her husband, Prince Philip, stepped down from public life last year.
Queen Elizabeth recently gained the approval to make her son, Prince Charles, her successor.
It's well documented that the Queen loves corgis, she's reportedly owned more than 30 of them throughout her life. But few know she and her sister Princess Margaret invented their own breed of dog called the "dorgi," according to Royal Central. The pup is a combination of the corgi and the dachshund.
The Queen also breeds thoroughbred horses, an animal she's been interested in for much of her life. She used to attend Trooping the Color celebrations on horseback.
Queen Elizabeth was the first British Monarch to broadcast the Christmas Message on television.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Nina was a breaking news reporter. She previously worked at Business Insider, The Boston Globe, and Boston.com.
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
