The Queen is a keen mimic and often entertains friends and family with her Norfolk and Aberdeenshire accents, it has been revealed.

As she nears her 90th birthday, the monarch is showing no signs of losing her sense of humour, and especially enjoys when things go wrong, her first cousin Margaret Rhodes told BBC Radio 4.

Asked if The Queen still has fun, Mrs Rhodes said: 'Oh she does. And she's a very, very good mimic. She can do the Norfolk and Scottish - Aberdeenshire - accents beautifully and often pretends to be a keeper or somebody or other of them.

'Like all her family they rejoice in anything that goes wrong because that is bliss.

'She's full of laughter, got that wonderful smile. She can tell very funny stories of things that have happened to her where things might have gone just a fraction wrong.'

Mrs Rhodes said her cousin had made it 'perfectly clear through age' that there is no possible danger of her abdicating.

'I think she feels the vows she made on her coronation were ones she wants to fulfil to the nth degree - so far she has shown no sign of wilting in the job.

'I fully expect her to go on until such time as it's no longer possible.'

Mrs Rhodes told the PM Programme: 'I think her total dedication is something we should all be very grateful for.'