In Pics | Queen Elizabeth II begins celebrations to mark 70 years on throne
Celebrations begin
Queen Elizabeth kicked off celebrations for the 70th anniversary of her accession to the British throne.
Several local community groups were invited to her Sandringham residence in the east of England. The queen was seen wearing a light blue dress.
A bittersweet landmark
The queen also cut a celebratory cake baked by a local resident. Sunday will mark the queen's platinum jubilee.
This will be the first for a British monarch. It comes as a bittersweet landmark because she also marked the 70th anniversary of her father's death.
Historical background
Elizabeth was not destined to be monarch at her birth. However, she became the queen only because her uncle Edward VIII abdicated to be with American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
Then in 2015, she overtook Victoria as Britain's longest-reigning sovereign.
Crowned at Westminster Abbey
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953, in front of 8,500 assembled guests.
The ceremony was the first major televised international event and led to a surge in sales for television sets.
Government adds extra public holiday
The government has added an extra public holiday to the usual spring day off to make it a four-day weekend.
Buckingham Palace on Friday released a footage displaying items from previous royal jubilees. It included a fan given to her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria to mark her 50th year on the throne.
Coronation chicken vol-au-vents
Coronation chicken vol-au-vents were served at the reception with representatives from local community groups.
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