10 Things You Didn't Know About Elizabeth II

A hugely impressive milestone in the United Kingdom's history was achieved this week, as the country's HM Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch in British history...

Hat's off to The Queen, at 89 years old she's now been on the throne longer than her great, great grandmother Queen Victoria, dubbing her the longest serving monarch in British history. In total, she's reigned for 63 years and 7 months. What a milestone!  In celebration of this historical event, we've gathered up 10 fun facts about Her Majesty that you may have not necessarily known about her. 

1. She speaks fluent French, and often uses the language for Audiences and State Visits. She doesn't even need a interpreter to help her out! Impressionnant!

2. Madame Tussauds have showcased 23 different waxworks of Her Majesty to date.

SEE ALSO: What is it like to live as an expat in the UK?

3. Queen Elizabeth II has four children (Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward), eight grandchildren (Prince William, Prince Harry, Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn), and five great-grandchildren (Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips and Mia Tindall). Phew! 

4. She's believed to be the only monarch in British history who has been properly trained to change a flat tyre or a spark plug, having served in the wartime ATS as 2nd Lieutenant Elizabeth Windsor.

5. The Queen sent her first ever email from an army base in 1976! 

6. She doesn't hold a driving licence and is not obliged to have registration plates on her vehicles.

7. The Crown retains the right to ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water. Technically, the Queen also owns all the dolphins, whales and sturgeons within a 3 mile radius of the UK's shores.

8. The Queen is a keen photographer, and enjoys taking pictures and moving images of her family. To ensure she keeps abreast of changes in modern photography, she even photobombed a selfie at the Commonwealth Games in 2014!

Image Daily Mirror

9. She's sat for over 130 official portraits... With her first being in 1933 when she was just 7 years old! That's one almost every one and a half years. 

10. 1953 was the very first time Queen Elizabeth II attended a football match, and which she handed a medal over to Blackpool football player, Stanley Matthews.