Queen Elizabeth II set to become longest-reigning British/Commonwealth monarch

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...g-monarch.html

Queen Elizabeth II is set to become the longest-reigning British and Commonwealth monarch in history, overtaking Queen-Empress Victoria

- Palace officials estimate the record currently held by Victoria will be broken as of 5:30pm on the 9th September 2015

- Not only will she become Britain's longest-reigning monarch in the record books, but she'll become the world's longest-reigning female monarch ever

The Queen is expected to make a rare public speech thanking her British and Commonwealth subjects for 63 years of support when she becomes our longest-reigning monarch in history on Wednesday.

Her Majesty, who had originally wanted to spend the landmark day in private, has already bowed to the clamour for a public appearance by agreeing to interrupt her holiday at Balmoral and open a railway in the Borders.

Queen-Empress Victoria reigned over the British Empire for 63 years from 1837-1901

Queen Elizabeth II has reigned as British and Commonwealth monarch since 1952-present

Now she is said to be contemplating going even further by speaking at the end of her journey aboard a steam train, when she would be likely to pay tribute to her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, the woman whose record reign she will overtake. The Queen rarely speaks in public, confining herself to set piece events such as her Christmas message, the State opening of Parliament and speeches at State banquets when she is entertaining or visiting other leaders.

Sir Winston Churchill was the Queen's first Prime Minister and David Cameron is her 12th.

But the people of Tweedbank, near Galashiels, are hoping the Queen will mark her historic achievement by addressing the nation from the newly-built railway station where she will end her journey. The Queen, who had insisted she wanted “no fuss” to be made about her record-breaking day, will board a train at Edinburgh Waverley Station pulled by the steam locomotive Union of South Africa for the two-hour journey.

It will stop at Newtongrange in Midlothian, where the Queen will unveil a plaque, before reaching Tweedbank, where the Queen will officially open the Borders Railway, the longest domestic railway line to be built in the UK in over a century. She will be greeted by a brass band and will unveil another plaque, at which point she may decide to speak, though it is understood that a final decision will not be made until next week.

Heirs: Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George.

Queen-Empress Victoria with the future King-Emperor's Edward VII, George V and Edward VIII.

The station will be open to the public, who are expected to attend in their thousands to share in the Queen’s achievement. Television crews from all over the world will also be broadcasting the event, and the Queen may decide to use the opportunity to address not only the people of Britain, but of the 53 nations of the Commonwealth, an organisation whose success is her proudest achievement.

Her Majesty has also given permission for 24-hour news TV cameras to broadcast live from the garden of Buckingham Palace for the first time on Wednesday. Ten television crews, from Britain, the US and the Commonwealth, will be allowed to broadcast from the lawn from the early hours until midnight on September 9, on a day when the Palace will also be open to paying visitors.

Long wait: Prince Charles, aged 66, is the oldest heir to the throne in British history

After opening the railway the Queen will return to Balmoral where she will skip a generation in her private celebration by spending the evening with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge but not the Prince of Wales. The Prince has chosen to spend the day at Dumfries House, the stately home he saved for the nation in Ayrshire, being interviewed by Ant and Dec for a documentary on the Prince’s Trust, while the Duchess of Cornwall will be visiting the ITV studios to mark the station’s 60th anniversary, going behind the scenes of the This Morning show.

A spokesman for the Prince said he had a “long-standing engagement” to be at Dumfries House. Sources said he had not kept his diary free on the Queen’s historic day because Buckingham Palace had told members of the Royal family it should be “business as usual” on the day.
The Countess of Wessex will also be working, attending an engagement in London to promote the Diamond Jubilee Trust, meaning the Earl of Wessex will also be in the capital.

It's pretty amazing to be alive at such a point in a thousand years of British history.

Should she still be reigning on—

• 6 February 2022 (at age 95 years, 291 days), she would celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne.
• 27 May 2024 (at age 98 years, 36 days), she would surpass King Louis XIV of France as the longest-reigning monarch of a major country in European history.
• 18 October 2034 (at age 108 years, 180 days), she could surpass King Sobhuza II of Swaziland as the longest-reigning monarch in world history, depending on whether and when the reign of King Bhumibol of Thailand had ended.

Let's hope she passes all them records but especially the Louis 'The Sun King' XIV one.


Thoughts?

[abc]

Prince Charles is probably sat twiddling his thumb wondering if he will ever get a chance to be the King.

[dbgtz]

Fingers crossed for a bank holiday.

[FlyingJesus]

I hope we have a huge party about it using public funds just to piss off my republican friend

[abc]

Fingers crossed for a bank holiday.

sadly not gonna happen

[-:Undertaker:-]

Today is the big day, in around 16 hours time she'll break the record. History in the making.

A lovely new picture has just been released to the press (see below) with a lot of symbolism in it.

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-09-09/q...gning-monarch/

Queen hailed as 'rock of stability' as she prepares to become longest-reigning monarch

A new Mary McCartney photograph has been released to mark the Queen's record as longest-reigning monarch. Credit: Mary McCartney/ copyright: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II / PA Wire

The Queen has been hailed as a "beacon of womankind" and a "rock of stability" as tributes poured in on the day she is due to become Britain's longest-reigning monarch. Although the exact time she will achieve the record is not known, but the Palace estimates that Her Majesty will surpass her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria by a few minutes at 5.30pm, having reigned for approximately 23,226 days, 16 hours and 30 minutes.

To mark the occasion, a new picture taken by celebrity photographer Mary McCartney - the daughter of former Beatle Sir Paul - has been released. It shows the head of state sitting at her desk in Buckingham Palace undertaking official business.

Also speaking ahead of the day's celebrations, David Cameron paid tribute to the monarch for her "extraordinary record" in addition to her "grace and dignity".

"Over the last 63 years, Her Majesty has been a rock of stability in a world of constant change and her selfless sense of service and duty has earned admiration not only in Britain, but right across the globe. It is only right that today we should celebrate her extraordinary record, as well as the grace and dignity with which she serves our country." – Prime Minister Cameron

Bells will ring out at churches across Britain and business in the House of Commons will be postponed for half an hour so MPs can pay tribute to the Queen. The BT Tower will scroll the message "Long May She Reign", while the royal rowbarge Gloriana will join a flotilla of boats in a procession down the River Thames. Tower Bridge will lift as a mark of respect and, as the procession passes HMS Belfast, a four-gun salute will sound out and the Massey Shaw fireboat will shoot jets of water into the air.

[Martin]

I bet she won't be taking any risks in the next 16 hours!!

"CHARLES FETCH ME A CUP OF TEA IN CASE I GET ELECTROCUTED USING THE KETTLE AND LOSE MY RECORD!!!"


Aww, such a good day! I love the Queen

[FlyingJesus]

It was mentioned on the radio in the barber yesterday and the bloke doing my hair was like HOPE SHE DON'T KEEL OVER TONIGHT THAT WOULD BE WELL CRAP was act pissing

As expected, my republican bff has been on the faceybooks about it:

what a bell

[Hannah]

She's done well to last this long. Poor Charles, it'll be weird when we have a king in place rather than Queenie.

[Martin]

She's done well to last this long. Poor Charles, it'll be weird when we have a king in place rather than Queenie.

By the time the queen resigns it will probably be Princess Charlotte's turn on the throne!!