Tuesday marks the queen of England's 89th birthday. Queen Elizabeth II, whose full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of York, was born April 21, 1926. She became monarch on Feb. 6, 1952, and is today the world's oldest reigning monarch. She still enjoys huge public support.

The queen is expected to celebrate privately on Tuesday. At noon, soldiers will fire a 41-gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21-gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London, according to the official website of the British monarchy. The nation won't officially celebrate the queen's birthday until June 13.

Want to learn more about the Queen? Read on for facts about her, compiled from the website and the Mirror:

  1. The United States has had 12 different presidents since the queen took the throne.
  2. Twelve prime ministers have served under her.
  3. She's answered more than 3.5 million letters. You can write to her at Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom.
  4. Artists have painted about 130 official portraits of her.
  5. She can drive -- she learned in 1945. 
  6. She paid for her wedding dress with clothing ration coupons.
  7. The queen has two corgis, Holly and Willow, and two dorgis (Daschund-corgi mix), Candy and Vulcan. She's had more than 30 corgis during her reign.
  8. She sent her first email in 1976. Her first tweet came in 2014.
  9. The queen is fluent in French.
  10. Her 1953 coronation was the first to be televised.
  11. She delivers a Christmas message to her subjects every year. She missed it only once, in 1969. 
  12. The queen technically owns the whales and dolphins in the U.K. waters.
  13. She once described 1992 as an "annus horribilis" -- a horrible year that included the Windsor Castle fire and Princess Anne and Mark Phillips' divorce.
  14. U.S. President Barack Obama gave the queen an iPod in 2009, but she first obtained one 2005.
  15. She drinks a cup of tea every day at 7:30 a.m.