| Your Council sent this letter to the Queen on Monday on your behalf congratulating her on becoming the longest-serving monarch in British history on this day, September 9, 2015. We are honoured to have received this reply from Her Majesty dated September 30, 2015. You can see a selection of pictures taken during each year of her reign on the BBC website just by clicking here! Buckingham Palace has calculated that Queen Victoria reigned for 23,226 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes, taking into account 63 years, 15 leap days, additional months and days and the precise timings of her accession and death. By those calculations, Queen Elizabeth II overtakes Victoria with 63 years plus 16 leap days, additional months and days and the exact time of the death of her father, King George VI. She came to the throne when she was older than Victoria, who was only 18. The historian, Dr Kate Williams, said “It shows that our female monarchs last the longest. The Queen’s longevity is a great source of her strength and popularity. She has lived through World War Two and throughout the 20th century.” Queen Victoria ascended the throne upon the death of her uncle, William IV, on 20 June 1837, less than a month after her 18th birthday. Her husband, Prince Albert, died when he was just 42 and Victoria remained in mourning for the rest of her life. She died on 22 January 1901, aged 81, and was succeeded by her eldest son, who ruled as King Edward VII. Her Majesty, on the other hand, became Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 6 1952 when her father died. The Queen, who was only 25 at the time, received information of his passing and her accession whilst in Kenya on a royal tour. The news was broken to her by her husband, Prince Philip, who continues to support Her Majesty even today. He holds the record for the longest serving British consort. One would think that an event as significant as making history for being the longest reigning British monarch would be a cause for celebration but according to a Buckingham Palace spokesman, this milestone will be just another day for Her Majesty. At 89, she is also the longest living British monarch and the second longest-serving head of state alive today after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand who came to the throne in 1946. |
| Michael Type |