GMA: "Behind the Palace Doors"
— -- Good Morning America heads to London for an unforgettable, live, two-hour event, celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Jubilee. Watch GMA's special event, "Behind the Palace Doors: 50 Years With the Royal Family," Wednesday, Feb. 6.
The year 2002 will mark the 50th anniversary of "Her Majesty The Queen's Accession to the Throne," on Feb. 6, 1952.
Buckingham Palace released 50 facts about the queen's reign last month. It covers statistics about The Queen's life and work from official duties, foreign tours and personal events. Check out the list of facts, compiled by Buckingham Palace records, below.
1. The queen is the fifth-longest-serving British* monarch. (She becomes the fourth longest serving monarch on 21 June 2002). Only four other kings and queens in British history have reigned for 50 years or more. These are:
Victoria (63 years) George III (59 years) Henry III (56 years) Edward III (50 years)* James VI of Scotland reigned for 58 years (1567-1625). From 1603 to 1625 he also ruled Britain.
2. Queen Elizabeth II is the 40th monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England.
3. Since 1952, the queen has conferred 380,630 honors and awards.
4. The queen has personally held 459 Investitures.
5. The first Investiture of the queen's reign took place at Buckingham Palace on 27th February 1952. The first person to be presented was Private William Speakman, of The King's Own Scottish Borderers, who received the Victoria Cross for his actions during the Korean War.
6. The queen has received around 3 million items of correspondence.
7. Over the course of the reign, well over a million people have attended garden parties at Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse (The queen ended Presentation Parties in 1958).
8. Since 1952, the queen has given Royal Assent to 3,135 Acts of Parliament.
9. Over the reign, the queen has given regular Tuesday evening audiences to 10 prime ministers. They are:
Winston Churchill 1951-55 Sir Anthony Eden 1955-57 Harold Macmillan 1957-63 Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1963-64 Harold Wilson 1964-70 and 1974-76 Edward Heath 1970-74 James Callaghan 1976-79 Margaret Thatcher 1979-90 John Major 1990-97 Tony Blair 1997-present
10. Tony Blair is the first Prime Minister to have been born during the queen's reign. He was born in early May, 1953 — a month before the coronation.
11. The queen is currently patron of 620 charities and organizations, 433 of which she has held since 1952.
12. In 50 years, the queen has undertaken 251 official overseas visits to 128 different countries.
Related Stories
ABC News Live