Today marks the 67th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ascension to the throne and the anniversary of her father's death. After a long illness, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland died in his sleep. Princess Elizabeth — the oldest of the king’s two daughters and next in line to succeed him — was in Kenya at the time of his passing. Groomed as a girl to succeed her father, she was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, at the age 27. Since her ascension, The Queen has participated in over 20 Royal Tours of Canada. She made her first tour as Princess Elizabeth in 1951 with her husband, The Duke of Edinburgh. From the very beginning, Elizabeth understood the value of public relations. She insisted that her 1953 coronation be televised, despite objections that it would cheapen the ceremony. The 40th British monarch since William the Conqueror, Elizabeth worked hard at her royal duties and became a popular figure around the world. She is only the fifth British monarch to celebrate more than 50 years on the throne. She's one of the world’s wealthiest women, with extensive real-estate holdings and art and jewellery collections.