10 of the Queen's most trailblazing moments in her reign

The Queen will mark her 69th year on the throne in February and in that time, she has lived through some of the most historic moments, as well as breaking records of her own.

Her Majesty is the longest-living British monarch, as well as the longest-serving head of state in world history.

The monarch is set to celebrate a year of milestones for her family, with her 95th birthday in April and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, due to mark his 100th birthday in June. The Queen's platinum jubilee to commemorate the 70th year in her reign in 2022, will even include an extra bank holiday.

From the get-go, the Queen has been a trailblazer and her coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1953 was the first such event to be televised.

Take a look at some of Her Majesty's other most historic moments in our gallery…

READ: The Queen and Prince Philip to move house ahead of summer

WATCH: The Queen delivered a moving address to the public during the first national lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, reassuring the nation that "better days will return." It marked only the fifth time in her reign that the monarch had delivered a televised address.

The future Queen began breaking records from a young age, when she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1945, becoming the first female member of the royal family to join the armed services as a full-time active member.

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Who can forget the moment when the Queen appeared in a now-iconic James Bond sketch specifically for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics? The monarch greeted 007 (Daniel Craig) with "Good evening, Mr Bond," as the pair made their way to board a helicopter from Buckingham Palace, flanked by the Queen's corgis.  

Of course, it wasn’t actually the Queen and Bond dropping in on the stadium, but stunt actors instead. According to the Queen's personal dresser, Angela Kelly, in her book The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe, Her Majesty had requested a speaking part for her mini-movie debut!

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The Queen is renowned for her bold coats and hats, but it was the headpiece she wore to the State Opening of Parliament in 2017 that got everyone talking.

Social media users pointed out that the monarch's blue hat with its yellow flowers bore an uncanny resemblance to the European Union flag.

At the time, the Queen was laying out the government's plans for the next two years, including the matter of Brexit, making the internet wonder if she was subtly showing her support for the EU.  

However, her personal dresser Angela Kelly has since written in her book that the outfit was merely a coincidence. 

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The Queen made history in 2011 as she became the first monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland with the Duke of Edinburgh, at the invite of Irish President Mary McAleese and her husband Martin McAleese. King George V was the last reigning monarch to visit the country in 1911 when what is now the Republic was then part of the UK.

Back in 1992, the Queen described the year as her "annus horribilis" (horrible year) during a speech to mark the 40th anniversary of her succession. In a rare personal remark, the monarch said: "1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure."

It was the year that saw the collapse of three of her children's marriages, including Prince Charles' to Princess Diana, and a fire broke out at Windsor Castle, which caused severe damage to the royal residence.

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Walkabouts are always one of the highlights of a royal tour, but did you know that the Queen and Prince Philip started the trend? The first official walkabout took place during the couple's royal visit to Australia in 1970 and enabled them to meet more members of the public, not just officials and dignitaries.

The royals were out in force for a number of public celebrations to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee in 2012. A river pageant took place on the Thames, as well as a concert at Buckingham Palace to mark the monarch's milestone 60th year on the throne.

In another rare move, it was confirmed that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were among those to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations in January 2021.

It was understood at the time that Her Majesty decided the information should be made public to prevent inaccuracies and further speculation. A royal source confirmed the injections were administered by a royal household doctor at Windsor Castle.

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