More active, vibrant and loved than ever, the Queen remains at the heart of national life and indeed world affairs as she turns 89 with her birthday on April 21. The royal matriarch is not given to self-congratulation, but even she will be quietly pleased with the monarchy's standing at present.
The Queen's birthday is on April 21
Her dynasty continues to grow with the birth of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton's second royal baby expected any day now.Meanwhile, last year she played a pivotal role in the anniversary of the D Day landings. The French described her as their 'super guest of honour', putting the Queen front and centre of all events, amid a huge gathering of world leaders.
The monarch still rides, drives and retains her incredible regal aura
Then her televised Christmas address set the Twitterverse on fire because it included a reference to the Games of Thrones. Showing that she remains in touch with modern technology as well, the Queen recently sent her first tweet, which was then retweeted 6,000 times in the first hour.Then the sovereign allowed Prince Andrew to post a family picture of her with Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex on Facebook.
The Queen made her acting debut uttering the words: "Good evening Mr Bond" in a skit
That's not forgetting another first when she electrified the opening ceremony of the London Olympics by appearing in a spoof James Bond video opposite Daniel Craig.
In her private life, she is still a passionate supporter of equestrian sports, who incredibly rides whenever the opportunity presents itself, without a helmet, and also drives herself.