As the whole country prepares to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, it’s got us thinking about the woman behind the celebrations. We all know her name, and we look at her likeness every single day when we reach for some cash.

But, apart from her name and the fact that she is head of state do we know much more about HRH Queen Elizabeth the second?

The First Platinum Jubilee

On the 6th of February 2022, the Queen marked 70 years on the British throne. A feat which she is the first British monarch to achieve. And the whole country will be celebrating with a four-day Platinum Jubilee weekend at the beginning of June.

70 years! Wow, 70 years in any job is an incredible feat, but when that job is heading an entire country that is a real achievement.

A Lifetime Of Achievements

During her 70 years on the throne Queen Elizabeth has visited over 100 countries carrying out over 20,000 engagements. Her longest overseas tour began in Bermuda in November 1953 and ended in Gibraltar in May 1954. She was travelling for a total of 168 days and visited 13 different countries.

The Queen is also patron of more than 500 organisations, including many education and training organisations, sports, recreational, arts and cultural organisations.

Little-known Military Service

During her 70 years on the throne Queen Elizabeth has visited over 100 countries carrying out over 20,000 engagements. Her longest overseas tour began in Bermuda in November 1953 and ended in Gibraltar in May 1954. She was travelling for a total of 168 days and visited 13 different countries.

The Queen is also patron of more than 500 organisations, including many education and training organisations, sports, recreational, arts and cultural organisations.

Little-known Military Service

The Queen became the first female member of the Royal Family to join the armed services as a full-time, active member in 1945. She joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (the women’s branch of the British Army during the Second World War) in 1945, learning to drive and maintain vehicles as part of her role as a Subaltern.

On VE Day, the Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) and her sister Princess Margaret, aged just 19 and 14 joined the crowds in London incognito. Princess Elizabeth was said to have pulled her ATS cap down over her face.

“I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.”

Queen Elizabeth has held over 50 ranks in the Armed Services during her lifetime.

Paving Her Own Way

Her military service wasn’t the only ‘first’ for The Queen. She developed quite a habit for breaking tradition and paved her own way in life.

Her marriage to Prince Phillip was no exception. In Tatler’s story ‘The Queen and Prince Philip’s love story in pictures’, they say with no exaggeration.

“When it comes to love stories, the tale of Princess Elizabeth falling head-over-heels for strapping soldier, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, is worthy of its own Disney film.”

They first met in 1939 when the then Princess Elizabeth was just 13 years old. In her memoir The Little Princesses, Marion Crawford, the princesses’ governess recalls that Phillip’s presence caused Elizabeth to turn ‘pink-faced’.

Fast-forward to 1946 and Philip asked Elizabeth to marry him. Breaking tradition she agreed without even seeking her parents' permission. Her father, along with numerous courtiers, had reservations about the marriage. However, Elizabeth got her wish and publicly announced her engagement when she became 21.

The couple were married for a total of 74 years, with four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. They travelled side-by-side all over the world, and although it was Elizabeth at centre stage, they always seemed to have a very equal partnership.

Innovation and Adventures

As well as becoming the longest reigning British monarch the Queen has been the first to take part in many other events.

She presented the England men’s football captain, Bobby Moore, with the World Cup Trophy in 1966. In 1969 she sent a message of congratulations to the Apollo 11 astronauts for the very first moon landing. On the 26th of March 1976, the Queen sent her first email to the US Secretary of Defence to formally open the UK/US collaboration on a military programming language.

In 1986 the Queen became the first British Monarch to visit China; she was also the first British Monarch to address the US House of Congress in May 1991.

Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy Initiative

These conservation projects across the Commonwealth have preserved more than 100 million trees for future generations since its launch in 2015.

The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust

Her Diamond Jubilee Trust, which was set up in 2012, has enabled over 100,000 people to have sight-saving surgery. It has also:

We think that you will agree that the seventy years of The Queen’s reign have been interesting to say the least. Thrust into the limelight and given huge responsibility at such a young age, leading a country and bringing up a family can’t have been an easy task.

However you are celebrating the Platinum Jubilee we hope that you enjoy the break from work and spending time with your loved ones.