IN THE league table of long-serving monarchs, Her Majesty the Queen has just zoomed into second place, beating her barmy German ancestor George III and with just Queen Victoria’s 63 years and 216 days to surpass.

Given that she’s been around for longer than most of her subjects, it’s amazing how little we know about the woman who really has been long to reign over us – 59 years and 110 days, to be precise.

Well, did you know all these amazing Elizabeth facts?

1. An excellent swimmer, Elizabeth won the Children's Challenge Shield at London's Bath Club when she was just 13.

2. She has nine thrones.

3. During her reign The Queen has sent approximately 110,000 telegrams and messages to centenarians in the UK and the Commonwealth. In the same period more than 520,000 telegrams and messages have been sent by her to UK and Commonwealth couples celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

4. The Queen has received many unusual gifts including jaguars, sloths, beavers, an elephant, pineapples, eggs, snail shells, maple trees and 7kg of prawns.

5. Her wedding gift from India consisted of a piece of crocheted, cotton lace made from yarn personally spun by Mahatma Gandhi. The central motif read “Jai Hind” (Victory for India).

6. Her middle names are Alexandra Mary.

7. Every year The Queen sends Christmas trees to Westminster Abbey, Wellington Barracks, St Paul’s Cathedral, St Giles, Edinburgh, The Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh, Crathie Church and local schools and churches in the Sandringham area.

8. As Princess Elizabeth she travelled on the London Underground for the first time in May 1939 with her governess Marion Crawford and Princess Margaret.

9. She receives up to 300 letters a day. Virtually every one of these letters has received a reply.

10. The Queen learnt to drive in 1945 when she joined the Army.

11. She departed for her honeymoon at Broadlands in Hampshire, accompanied by her corgi, Susan. All her corgis are descended from this pooch and she has owned more than 30.

12. The first football match The Queen attended was the 1953 FA Cup Final.

13. Prince Philip made her laugh at the end of the Coronation by looking at her crown and asking: “Where did you get that hat?”

14. The Queen has opened 15 bridges in the United Kingdom during her reign.

15. In 2006 she broke with tradition by sending a royal birthday card to a Burmese cat called Flook, who had reached 100 cat years. The puss’s owner had written for a joke but the Queen said she knew the companionship of animals was very important.

16. The first ship which she launched as Queen was Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia.

17. Despite her age, 85, she still carries out around 430 engagements a year and is preparing to make a historic visit to Eire next week.

18. The Queen has a bank account at Coutts & Co. There is a Coutts cash-dispensing machine in Buckingham Palace.

19. She owns all the sturgeon, whales and dolphins in British waters, as well as 88 cygnets on the Thames .

20. Over her reign, Her Majesty has given regular Tuesday evening audiences to 12 British Prime Ministers.

21. She keeps her cornflakes in Tupperware boxes on the breakfast table.