In honour of it being The Queen & Prince Philip's 70th wedding anniversary today, here are 12 facts about Her Majesty's wedding dress & jewels:

1. Princess Elizabeth's ivory silk duchesse satin wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell. Featuring embroidered star lily and orange blossom motifs, Hartnell cited Botticelli's painting 'Primavera', which symbolises the coming of spring, as his inspiration.

2. Being two years after the War had ended, the dress' inspiration was symbolic of rebirth and growth in Britain.

3. Due to rationing measures in place following World War II, Elizabeth used clothing ration coupons to pay for her dress.

4. She was sent hundreds of coupons from people across the UK, however they had to be returned as it was illegal to use them.

5. The dress took seven weeks to make and was decorated with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls. The material was a Scottish silk made by Chinese silkworms.

6. The platinum and gold engagement ring was made using diamonds from a tiara belonging to Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.

7. The wedding ring was made from Welsh gold which came from the Clogau St David's mine. In 1923 The Queen's mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon used this gold for her wedding ring, with enough left over for the marriages of Elizabeth, Margaret, Anne and Diana.

8. One of Elizabeth's pearl necklaces once belonged to Queen Anne (the last Stuart Queen), and the other one belonged to King George II's wife, Queen Caroline. On the big day, Elizabeth's private secretary had to dash to the Palace where the necklaces were still on display, as nobody had remembered to pick them up.

9. Elizabeth's earrings were a gift from Queen Mary.

10. Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara served as Elizabeth's 'something borrowed' part of the tradition, borrowed from her mother. Mary had been given it as a wedding present in 1893, originally owned by Queen Victoria.

11. The tiara snapped on the morning of the wedding and had to be speedily repaired.

12. The bouquet consisted of white orchids and a sprig of myrtle, a tradition started by Queen Victoria. It was lost on the morning of the wedding, until someone remembered it was in the refrigerator.