The Queen has long remained committed to her duty to serve every Commonwealth nation since she took to the throne in 1952. Today, at the age of 94, the head of state stands as the world’s oldest and longest-reigning living monarch, having overtaken Queen Victoria in 2015. She is the nation’s 40th monarch and her rule has seen 14 British Prime Ministers, starting with Winston Churchill in 1952 and also 13 US Presidents.

When she became Queen at the age of 25, Joseph Stalin was still leader of the Soviet Union and Harry Truman was US President.

She has been described as “the most politically accomplished person in the world”.

However, when in 1982 she invited former US President Ronald Reagan to Windsor Castle, the ex-Hollywood actor played “hard to get”.

An invitation by the Queen to visit London is one that most people would eagerly snatch.

However, according to a 2010 report by The Telegraph, the then-US President almost caused the “greatest possible mistake” when he almost snubbed coming to Britain altogether, as he considered visiting Rome and Madrid instead in 1982.

The publication cited documents that had just been released from the National Archive.

The blunder is said to have happened after the British Government wanted Mr Reagan to use a NATO summit, expected to be held in London in the summer of 1982, to officially visit Britain.

However, despite formal invitations from both then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the Queen, neither the President or the White House responded for two entire months.

The British Ambassador to Washington, Nicholas Henderson, was informed that America wanted to hold the summit in Brussels, instead.

Mr Henderson was left pulling his hair out as he tried to push for the White House to respond in a timely fashion and to change their mind.

The ambassador told Michael Deaver, the president’s deputy chief of staff, that visiting Rome, Madrid and possibly Paris instead of London would have been the “greatest mistake” and would have left the “worst possible impression on London”.

In January 1982, he also wrote a memo to the Foreign Office.

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He wrote: “Given the number of times we have raised this with them it would be tempting to upbraid them for cavalier behaviour, but I don’t think this would do any good.

“It is really for the President to respond to her invitation, which he has not done personally, something that I have pointed out several times here.”

After Mr Henderson tirelessly campaigned for the President to accept the invitation, it was finally agreed that Mr Reagan would visit.

According to the documents, the US President was determined to make a good impression after initially causing much confusion.

When he was getting ready for his visit, his team asked Number 10 what the President had to wear to go riding with the Queen.

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The answer was said to be: “Something smart, but casual, of course.

“Riding boots, breeches and a turtleneck sweater would do fine.

“No need for formal riding attire.”

The former President ended up riding ‘Centennial’, one of the Queen’s favourite horses, and wore a perfectly fitted sports jacket above his sweater.

Much of the actual visit was devoted to pomp and pageantry, or to relaxation, but Mr Reagan did make one speech of consequence.

He became the first American President to address a meeting of both houses of Parliament and used the occasion to trumpet his distaste for the Soviet Union, calling it an economic catastrophe.

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