Queen Elizabeth's diamond anniversary: By the numbers

A 21-gun salute signaled the official start Friday of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration in the U.K., a four-day affair in which Britons will honor the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ascension to the British throne. Highlights of the celebration include Sunday's Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the Thames River, Monday night's concert at Buckingham Palace, and a thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday — for which Britons will enjoy an extra public holiday. Here, a numerical look back at the queen's six-decade reign and monumental celebration:

25

Elizabeth's age when she became queen

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85

Her current age

12

British prime ministers during Elizabeth's reign

12

U.S. presidents during Elizabeth's reign

6

Popes during her reign

30

Corgis Elizabeth has owned during her reign. Currently, she has three, says Estelle Shirbon at Reuters: Monty, Willow, and Holly.

3,500

Acts of Parliament the Queen has given Royal Assent to since 1952

261

Overseas visits she has taken, including 78 to the United States

116

Countries she has been to

Passports she owns

404,500

Honors and awards she has conferred

3.5 million

Letters Elizabeth has answered, according to the official website of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

45,000

Christmas cards she has sent

90,000

Christmas puddings she has given to her staff during the holidays over the last 60 years, as part of a custom that began with King George V

129

Portraits she has sat for

50,000

People the Queen hosts each year at Buckingham Palace for a variety of occasions, including banquets, lunches, receptions, and Garden Parties

63

Years Queen Victoria reigned, from 1837 to 1901. Victoria is the longest-serving monarch in British history, followed by Elizabeth.

1,000

Ships expected to take part in Sunday's pageant on the River Thames, the expected highlight of the Jubilee

More than 1 million

People expected to line the river to cheer on the flotilla

£12 million

Estimated cost of the Diamond Jubilee Pageant. "The pageant is a once-in-a-lifetime event," pageant master Adrian Evans tells the Daily Mail, "one that will reclaim the Thames as a royal route."

6 million

Britons who plan to throw a Jubilee party over the weekend

70

Dogs that will be dressed as double-decker buses at a Jubilee-themed brunch at the King Edward Hotel on Sunday

3

Knighted rock stars who will perform at Buckingham Palace during the Diamond Jubilee concert Monday night: Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, and Sir Cliff Richard

£100,000

Price of the commemorative Diamond Jubilee whiskey by John Walker and Sons, sales of which will be donated to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust

$500 million

The Queen's estimated net worth

£32.1 million

Amount Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip are paid annually by the British government, about $50 million

80

Percentage of U.K. residents who want the country to remain a monarchy

Sources: AP, BBC (2, 3), Bloomberg, Daily Mail, TheDiamondJubilee.org, LA Times, Reuters

This article — originally published on February 6, 2012 — was last updated on June 1, 2012.