THE Queen has made history today becoming the first British monarch to reach her Sapphire Jubilee.
She was crowned on February 6, 1952 and has reigned for 65 years.
In 2015 Elizabeth became Britain’s longest serving monarch, surpassing Queen Victoria’s reign of 63 years.
The usual custom for the Queen on Accession Day is to spend it privately at Sandringham with no official engagements on her landmark day.
Celebrating her 90th birthday last year, the Queen had a busy schedule commemorating the occasion.
It is expected that large-scale jubilee celebrations will be reserved for the Platinum Jubilee in 2022 however any events will take into account that the Queen is due to turn 96 that year.
In a photograph re-released today she is wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery that was given to her by King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947.
Find out more about The Queen's accession and coronation on @RoyalFamily's website: https://t.co/hdmJKhYGxq
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 6, 2017
The Queen first visited Wirral in July 1957 taking in Wallasey as part of her tour of Cheshire.
Arriving at Wallasey Grove Road railway station she was driven by Rolls Royce to the town hall where she met Birkenhead’s youngest Mayoress, Blanche Gill.
In 1982, the Queen returned to Wirral to open the £35m Arrowe Park Hospital – more than 3,000 people gathered outside the hospital’s main entrance on May 4 to watch her and Prince Philip tour around the facility and greet hundreds of excited staff.
Her last return to Wirral was in 2011 when she officially opened the Floral Pavilion following its multi-million pound rebuild.
The anniversary of Elizabeth’s accession to the throne in 1952 is a poignant time for the Queen as it marks the day her father George VI died.
As a mark of respect royal gun salutes will be staged across London.
A 41-gun salute will be fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Green Park in Green Park at noon.
The Royal Artillery band will play a selection of music to close the firing and 89 horses will pull six 13-pounder First World War field guns into position at the park.
There will also be a 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London from 1pm.
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