Yesterday, she officially became the UK's longest reigning monarch but while much has changed during the Queen's tenure, one thing has not: her diet.
Former royal chef Darren McGrady, 52, says the menu at Buckingham Palace 'hasn't changed much at all' in the 63 years since she took the throne.
Mr McGrady, who spent more than a decade cooking for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, alsorevealed that although she likes to eat seasonally and adores butter, she does keep a close eye on her figure.
The Queen toastsPresident of Mexico Enrique Pena Nieto during a state banquet at Buckingham Palace
'The royal table hasn't changed much at all in 63 years,' said Mr McGrady. 'One thing about Her Majesty is continuity and the same menus, just allowing new ones to creep in gradually.'
Mr McGrady, who was speaking to US magazine People, added that the royals were 'pioneers of modern day food trends' and 'farm to table' dining.
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The Queen 'insists on food in season', he explained, adding that while she is 'happy' to eat strawberries from her garden at Balmoral in the summer, she would 'never' eat them in January.
Darren McGrady cooked for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh for 11 years
During his royal career, Mr McGrady cooked for the Queen on a daily basis and did the catering for state banquets, cooking for guests that included former US presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush.
Other duties included travelling with the royal family to Windsor Castle, Sandringham and Balmoral as well as on the Royal Yacht Britannia during royal tours around the world.
He said when the Queen is entertaining, she eats meals 'heavy in butter and cream' but when eating alone, she sticks to simple things like grilled chicken with salad to keep her slim figure.
Mr McGrady described the Queen as 'disciplined' and said she has a 'no starch' rule - shunning 'potatoes, rice or pasta for dinner'.
He added that she 'eats to live' and is 'not a foodie'.
After training at London's prestigious Savoy Hotel, Mr McGrady became the most junior of 20 cooks in the Buckingham Palace kitchen,although he had already risen to chef de partie saucier (head sauce chef) at the Savoy.
During his stint at the Palace, he rose to become senior pastry chef but was often responsible for meals at Windsor for a whole weekend.
According to Mr McGrady, daily menus are presented to the Queen with two suggestions for each course.
The Queen then strikes a line through the one she doesn't want, occasionally making her own suggestion to include a visitor's favourite dishes.
Mr McGrady said the Queen eats strawberries 'in season', pictured left, and grilled chicken to keep her slim figure, right
Queen Elizabeth II officially opens the Borders Railway in Scotland on the day she became Britain's longest reigning monarch
The Queen shuns starchy food like potatoes, pictured left, but loves cream and butter when entertaining, right
In 1993, Mr McGrady transferred to the Kensington Palace kitchens, where he worked as the private chef to Princess Diana.
For four years, he ran Diana's as well as William and Prince Harry's day to day menus. He also catered private and official lunches and dinner parties.
He said most meals would consist of 'traditional, English food' and said the young princes adored simple fare such as cottage pie and peas – of which Prince William was particularly fond – as well as poached chicken, rice and fish cakes.
'[They ate] everything a normal British child would have,' he toldHELLO!. 'The only difference is that they had a chef cooking it for them.'
Their favourite puddings included jam roly-poly 'You don't get much more quintessentially British comfort food than that,' continued the chef.
'Each time, I'd send up six pieces, and each of them would go.'
After the princess' death in 1997, he declined an offer of employment with Prince Charles and moved to the US in 1998 with his wife Wendy and their three children, Kelly, Lexie and Harry.
Mr McGrady has since written a book on his recipes and memories from the palace kitchen entitled Eating Royally.
The Queen pictured at her desk in her private audience room at Buckingham Palace with one of her official red boxes
Mr McGrady cooked for the Queen on a daily basis and catered banquets for American presidents including Bill Clinton and George Bush
In 1993 Mr McGrady moved to Kensington Palace to work as the private chef to Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry