The Golden Jubilee of 2002 marked the 50th anniversary of The Queen's Accession in 1952. The Queen is one of only a handful of British monarchs to reach such a milestone; the last had been Queen Victoria.

The year began with personal sadness for The Queen. Her sister, Princess Margaret, died at the age of 71 on 9 February 2002, following a stroke.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, aged 101, died only a few weeks later, on 30 March, at Royal Lodge, Windsor. The Queen attended her funeral at Westminster Abbey before a private committal at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

Despite her bereavements, The Queen continued her duties, and embarked on a programme of events to mark her Golden Jubilee.

Celebrations included visits to Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia and Canada; a tour throughout the UK, visiting 70 cities and towns; and a national weekend of celebrations, including two enormous concerts held in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

In 2006 The Queen celebrated her 80th birthday with a public walkabout in Windsor town centre. She also hosted a lunch for other people celebrating their 80th birthday on the same day, and enjoyed a family dinner at Kew Palace.

View a video of The Queen visiting The Prince's Trust:

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on 20 November 2007.

Spanning seven decades, four children, eight grandchildren, Accession and Coronation and The Queen's reign of over 50 years, their marriage saw many changes over the years.

Events to mark the low-key anniversary included a Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey followed by the unveiling of a new Jubilee Walkway panoramic panel in Parliament Square.

In 2011, Her Majesty undertook an historic visit to Ireland, the first visit by a British monarch since Ireland gained independence.

The Queen has celebrated several happy family events recent years including the birth of her first great-grandchild Savannah Philips in 2010 and the marriages of two of her grandchildren in 2011: Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton in Westminster Abbey and Miss Zara Philips to Mr Mike Tindall in Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh.

Today The Queen continues to undertake her official duties, including audiences with ministers, Investitures, overseas visits and ceremonies such as the State Opening of Parliament.