Two very lucky couples from Canada are heading to London to celebrate the Queen's 80th birthday. But unlike the thousands who will celebrate from outside the palace gates, these four Canadians will dine with the Queen herself.

Thomas Radford and Alma Dingwell are among the 100 commonwealth invitees selected for a luncheon at Buckingham Palace because they share a lucky coincidence -- the same birthday as Queen Elizabeth, April 21, 1926.

The pair of Canadians couples are packing for the event, which will be held two days before Her Majesty's actual birth date.

For Alma Dingwall, from Nova Scotia, the reality of the invite to this unique birthday bash is just starting to set in.

"Now that I'm really getting packed, I realize yes, I'm going," Dingwell told CTV.

"A lot of people we know... say we've stood outside the palace...I said well I'm going in! Ha, ha," she laughed.

Winnipeg native, Thomas Radford, isn't too worried about polishing his table manners for his royal eating companions.

"As far as I know, you start out from outside and work your way in," Radford told CTV.

Radford's wife, Shirley, wrote a three-paragraph letter in addition to her application for the palace lunch.

"Like I said to Shirley...just act your natural self," Radford said.

Last November, Buckingham Palace announced that applications were available for commonwealth residents who shared the Queen's birthday to attend the luncheon reception with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The 100 octogenarians chosen are allowed to bring a guest of their choosing.

In addition to the luncheon, Buckingham Palace also released 80 little-known facts about the Queen to mark her 80th birthday. They include:

• Elizabeth learned to drive in 1945 when she joined the Army.
• She continues the Royal Family's long association with racing pigeons that began in 1886 when King Leopold II of Belgium made a gift of racing pigeons to the British Royal Family.
• Elizabeth has owned more than 30 corgis during her reign, starting with Susan who was a present for her 18th birthday in 1944.
• She sent her first email in 1976 from a British Army base.
• Over the reign, she has given regular Tuesday evening audiences to 10 British Prime Ministers and has met 10 U.S. Presidents
• During her reign, she has made more than 256 official overseas visits to 129 different countries.
• The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have sent about 37,500 Christmas cards during her reign.
• Technically the Queen still owns the sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the waters around the UK.
• She has visited the sets of a number of popular British soap operas including Coronation Street, East Enders and Emmerdale.
• In 1986 the Queen became the first British Monarch to visit China.

With a report from CTV's John Vennavally-Rao