20 crazy-but-true facts you (probably) didn’t know about Queen Elizabeth II

She has received some VERY exotic animals as gifts.

She has received everything including horses, cows, elephants, kangaroos, swans, crocodiles, sloths and jaguars. She often donates the animals to the London Zoo.

Her purse is used to signal her staff. The Queen is never spotted without her handbag, and it's not just to store her belongings. Her Majesty uses her purse as a way to signal her staff.

It is said that if she places her bag on the table, it means that she wants to leave within five minutes. If she puts her bag on the floor, it shows she’s not enjoying the conversation and wants to be rescued.

She wakes up to a bagpiper every morning. She is woken up each morning by a bagpiper, who plays outside of her window for 15 minutes every morning at 9 am. The player is known as "Piper to the Sovereign."

I wonder does she get the 9-minute ‘snooze’ option like an iPhone?

Her nicknames include "Lilibet" and "Cabbage" She got the nickname ‘Lilibet’ when she was young and couldn’t pronounce her name. King George VI used to talk about his daughters, saying "Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy."

It was also reported that Prince Philip used to lovingly referred to his wife as "Cabbage."

She studied constitutional History and Law Okay, so she was tutored at home by Britain’s best tutors but if reports are to believed she was very intelligent. In preparation for her future role, she even took lessons in religion from the Archbishop of Canterbury. As you do.

She served in WWII Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945, where she trained to be a mechanic. She was the first female member of the Royal Family to join the Armed Services as a full-time active member. Take that Harry.

She met Prince Philip when she was only 8 years old Although they attended many of the same events as young children, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip met officially in 1934 at the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Prince George, Duke of Kent.

She has owned over 30 Corgis. The Queen has famously loved Welsh Corgis ever since she was young. She has owned over 30 of the dogs and even bred them herself. It is believed her beloved dogs will be buried with her.

She has a personal poet The Queen has an official ‘Poet Laureate’, which is an honorary position appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom.

She speaks fluent French. Queen Elizabeth II learned to speak French at a young age from French and Belgian governesses. She often speaks in the country's language when visiting, and even shocked many when she delivered an address at the State Banquet in 2014 speaking entirely in French. Tres bien

She doesn't need a driver's license, a license plate, or a passport. Since all British passports are issued in the queen’s name, she herself doesn’t need or have one. She also doesn’t require a driver’s license to drive, or a license plate on her car for that matter.

She receives around 70,000 letters a year. The Queen receives about 200-300 letters a day. She chooses a few to read herself, and then has members of her staff respond. The official Royal website says that “The Queen is shown almost all of her correspondence on a daily basis by one of her Private Secretaries, and she takes a keen interest in the letters she receives.” They would say that though.

She celebrates two birthdays. Although she was born on April 21, 1926, Queen Elizabeth II has two recognised birthdays. The first is the actual anniversary of the day she was born (what a novel idea) and a separate day that is labelled her ‘official birthday’, when the weather is better, for the Trooping the Colour parade. The tradition was started in 1748 with King George II.

Her crown snapped on her wedding day. Too many Jagerbombs? Nope. On the day of her wedding, as a hairdresser was securing the veil with the tiara, the antique metal frame snapped.

Prince Philip is her third cousin Elizabeth and Philip are third cousins through Queen Victoria of Britain, as she was both of their great-great-grandmother. Prince Philip is related to Victoria through his maternal side, and Queen Elizabeth through her paternal side.

She owns all of the swans and dolphins in the U.K. waters. As if her Corgis weren't enough, all of the swans and dolphins in the U.K. waters technically belong to the Queen. “As early as the twelfth century, the Crown claimed ownership of all mute swans in the country because the birds were highly valued as a delicacy at banquets and feasts," says Reader's Digest.

She wears Essie 'Ballet Slippers' nail polish. The Queen reportedly exclusively wears Essie famous pale pink shade 'Ballet Slippers.'

She owns an apartment in the Big Apple Her Majesty purchased an $8 million, 3,000-square-foot modern penthouse apartment in United Nations Plaza in New York City just seven years ago.

She has 30 Godchildren. Queen Elizabeth II has a grand total of 30 godchildren. Her long list of godchildren include Guy Nevill, the son of Lord Rupert Nevill and Lady Camilla Wallop, Princess Theodora of Greece, daughter of Constantine II and Princess Anne Marie of Denmark, and James Ogilvy, son of Right Honourable Sir Angus Ogilvy and HRH Princess Alexandra of Great Britain.

She has a glass of champagne each night. Her cousin, Margaret Rhodes, told The Independent about her drinking habits. “She takes a gin and Dubonnet before lunch, with a slice of lemon and a lot of ice. She will take wine with lunch and a dry Martini and a glass of champagne in the evening.”

I’m guessing it’s not the €20 stuff from Aldi either.