INTERNATIONAL: Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's 63rd monarch, will lead four days of national celebration starting on Thursday (June 2) to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926, in Bruton Street, central London. Her coronation, at the age of 27, took place in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. The ceremony, attended by peers of the realm and international political, civic and business leaders, was transmitted by television and radio broadcasts throughout the world.

Queen Elizabeth surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as Britain's longest-reigning monarch in September, 2015 by surpassing the 63 years, 7 months, 2 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes that her great-great-grandmother spent on the throne.

During her reign, the queen has broken new ground for the British monarchy during many of her overseas visits. In 1975 she was the first British monarch to visit Japan. She met Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and became the first British monarch to walk on the Great Wall of China when she visited the country in 1986.

During her reign the Queen's personal standing has remained high in spite of the occasionally strong criticism attracted by other members of the royal family. The 96-year-old monarch is seen as a dignified figure, much loved by royalists and respected even by republicans.

Philip, the queen's husband of of 73 years who had been at her side throughout her record-breaking 69-year reign, died at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2021, aged 99.

The queen has cut back on engagements and her health has been in focus since she spent a night in hospital last October for an unspecified ailment and was then instructed by her medical team to rest.