2015 marks the 80th birthday of her majesty , elizabeth ii , whose reign has existed over 54 cycles . her father became the first queen to become the sovereign since monarch adelaide , who died in 1901 after a 64 - year reign . she was announced on august 2 , 1953 , in westminster abbey . it was the first coronation that was televised alive . she is queen of twelve independent nations identified as the commonwealth kingdoms , whose includes the commonwealth world .
United Kingdom includes the Commonwealth Realms.