London (CNN) -- Sixty years ago Monday, a 25-year-old woman visiting a remote part of Kenya got a message that her father had died. 

She cut her trip short and flew home to London. Prime Minister Winston Churchill met her at the airport -- because with her father dead, she had become Queen Elizabeth II. 

Celebrations of her Diamond Jubilee, marking six decades on the throne, officially begin Monday and continue through June, when London will mark the anniversary of her coronation with festivities including up to 1,000 boats sailing up the River Thames. 

On Monday, the queen thanked the public "for the wonderful support and encouragement that you have given to me and (husband) Prince Philip over these years." 

She said in the open letter that she planned to "dedicate myself anew to your service." 

She called on people to "give thanks for the great advances that have been made since 1952 and to look forward to the future with clear head and warm heart" in a brief letter that she signed simply "Elizabeth R." 

She was honored with a 41-gun salute in London's Hyde Park Monday, and a 21-gun salute in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Two new photographs of the queen were released Monday as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, showing her wearing a necklace worn by Queen Victoria in her own Diamond Jubilee portrait in 1897. 

She is the oldest British monarch in history, but has not yet passed her great-great-grandmother Victoria as the longest-reigning one. 

Elizabeth II was not in line to the throne when she was born April 21, 1926. But the fate of Lilibet, as she was known to her friends, changed when her uncle Edward abdicated the thone to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. 
what is a Diamond Jubilee?
how long has Elizabeth II been Queen?
how old was she at that time?
who is her husband?
How does she sign her letters?
how was she honored on Monday?
what did the recent photos released show?
Was she always in line to be queen?
what changed?
why did he give it up?
What is the queen called by her friends?
Is she the longest reigning monarch?
who is?
how is she related to Elizabeth?
what does she plan to do according to her letter?
what is one festivity that will take place to celebrate?
marks six decades on the English throne
marking six decades on the throne
Sixty years
 Sixty years ago
25
 she had become Queen Elizabeth II. 
Prince Philip
(husband) Prince Philip
"Elizabeth R."
a brief letter that she signed simply "Elizabeth R." 
gun salutes
She was honored with a 41-gun salute 
her wearing a necklace of Queen Victoria
Two new photographs of the queen were released Monday as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, showing her wearing a necklace worn by Queen Victoria
no
Elizabeth II was not in line to the throne when she was born
her uncle Edward abdicated the thone
changed when her uncle Edward abdicated the thone
to marry Wallis Simpson
 to marry Wallis Simpson
Lilibet
 Lilibet, as she was known to her friends
no
 not yet passed her great-great-grandmother Victoria as the longest-reigning one. 
Queen Victoria
 her great-great-grandmother Victoria as the longest-reigning one
she is her great-great-grandmother
her great-great-grandmother Victoria
"dedicate myself anew to your service."
she planned to "dedicate myself anew to your service." 
up to 1,000 boats sailing up the River Thames
festivities including up to 1,000 boats sailing up the River Thames.