the second Elizabethan age

Queen Elizabeth II began her reign 70 years ago when her father, King George VI, died on Feb. 6, 1952.

She is currently the fourth-longest-reigning monarch in world history, behind Louis XIV of France, Johann II of Lichtenstein, and Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, according to The New York Times.

Elizabeth has met 13 American presidents and been served by 14 prime ministers.

“She takes her duties seriously, but she doesn’t take herself very seriously,” Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby told BBC, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised her “unwavering dedication to this nation.”

On Saturday, the queen hosted a small reception for her Platinum Jubilee at her country estate, Sandringham. She greeted members of volunteer groups, cut cake, and spoke with 88-year-old former culinary student Angela Wood, who created a dish known as “coronation chicken” for a banquet on her coronation day in 1953.

Public celebrations of the queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be held in June.

The queen also announced in an address that she wants Duchess Camilla of Cornwall — the second wife of her son and heir, Prince Charles — to have the title of queen consort when Charles becomes king, BBC reported.

This decision marks a reversal of the queen’s previous policy toward Charles and Camilla. At the time of their 2005 marriage following Charles’ acrimonious divorce from Princess Diana, “it had been officially decided that Camilla would use the title Princess Consort if Charles were to become king,” according to CNBC.