The Queen’s 70-year reign in numbers

The longest-serving monarch in the nation’s history has set a number of landmarks.
The Queen with the then president of Poland, Lech Walesa, ride to Windsor Castle in a state landau at the start of his visit to Britain (Martin Keene/PA)
PA Archive
Tony Jones6 May 2022

During her long reign that has surpassed 70 years many facts can be associated with the Queen – and 70 have been compiled by Buckingham Palace.

From the information, details and lists provided by royal aides here is a portrait of the Queen’s life in numbers:

Former Royal Scots George Simpson outside his house in Danderhall, Midlothian, with his card from the Queen, to mark his 100th birthday David Cheskin/PA)
PA Media

– The Queen has sent more than 300,000 congratulatory cards to people celebrating their 100th birthdays, and over 900,000 messages to couples marking their Diamond (60th) Wedding Anniversaries.

– She has hosted 112 incoming State Visits to the United Kingdom, including Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia in 1954, President Lech Walesa of Poland in 1991 and President Barack Obama of the US in 2011.

The Queen with then US president Donald Trump (Andrew Matthews/PA)
PA Wire

– More than 180 garden parties have been held at Buckingham Palace since the Queen acceded to the throne in 1952 and over 1.5 million people have attended a Garden Party during her reign.

– There have been 14 presidents of the United States during Her Majesty’s reign, and, with the exception of President Lyndon B Johnson (1963-9), Her Majesty has met each one.

– To mark the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant was held on June 3 2012 with 670 boats taking part in the parade on the Tideway of the River Thames, making it the largest ever parade of boats.

The Gloriana, the £1 million row barge, leading the manpowered section of the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant along the River Thames, London (Tim Ireland/PA)
PA Wire

It surpassed the previous world record of 327 vessels set in Bremerhaven, Germany, in 2011.

– The longest overseas tour the Queen has undertaken began in Bermuda in November 1953 and ended in Gibraltar in May 1954.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh inspect a parade of the combined services at North Front, Gibraltar (Archive/PA)
PA Archive

She was away for 168 days and visited 13 different countries.

The Queen with Pope John Paul II (Archive/PA)
PA Archive

– The Queen has met four popes on official visits during her reign: Pope John XXIII (1961), Pope John Paul II (1980, 1982 and 2000), Pope Benedict XVI (2010) and Pope Francis (2014).

– The Queen’s Coronation dress was designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell.

The Queen’s coronation (PA)
PA Wire

He submitted nine different designs and the head of state accepted the eighth.

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