Will pass the record set by her great-
great-grandmother, Queen Victoria
At around 1630 GMT, Queen Elizabeth
II will become Britain's longest-
serving monarch, beating her great-
great grandmother Victoria's time on
the throne: a total of 63 years, seven
months and two days which she
served between 1837 and 1901.
The exact hour has been difficult to
determine because the exact start of
her reign -- the moment when her
father George VI passed away -- is
difficult to work out as the king died at
night in his sleep.
The 89-year-old Elizabeth, also the
world's oldest monarch, had originally
not planned anything special for the
day itself but reportedly agreed to a
public appearance due to public
pressure.
"You need to remember for the queen
this is a date whose calculation rests
on the death of her father and great-
great grandmother. That naturally
colors the way she sees it," a royal
source said.
The queen will ride on a steam train in
Scotland to inaugurate a new railway
line and will host a dinner at Balmoral
Castle with her grandson Prince
William and his wife Kate in
attendance.
"While she acknowledges it as an
historic moment, it's also for her not a
moment she would personally
celebrate, which is why she has been
keen to convey business as usual, and
no fuss," the source said.
Buckingham Palace will mark the day
with a photo display of her reign and
the Royal Mint has designed a new
silver £20 coin (27 euros, $30) with
the five official portraits since she
became queen in 1952.
Historian David Starkey said the
queen's style, inherited from her
father King George VI, and grandfather
King George V, had helped
"established a record of
unimpeachable integrity".
He said her refusal to comment on
controversial issues had deprived
"republicanism of the necessary
oxygen of controversy".
'Still point' in stormy world
The 1990s were her toughest years as
a series of crises and a less-
deferential society led to serious
doubts about the future of the family.
Three of her four children went through
highly public divorces, and she
appeared out of touch with modern
Britain with her muted response to the
1997 death of Princess Diana, former
wife of Prince Charles, as the rest of
the country mourned.
But she was able to ride the storm,
and a series of recent good-news
stories such as the wedding of William
and Kate, the birth of their two
children George and Charlotte and a
diamond jubilee have all helped boost
her popularity.
The birth of George meant there are
now four generations of present and
future rulers of Britain alive at the
same time, for the first time since
Victoria's reign.
Prince Charles, 66, is also a record-
holder thanks to his mother's
longevity, having three years ago
become the longest-waiting heir to the
British throne.
After reigning through the decline of
the British empire and some of the
worst scandals in royal history, Queen
Elizabeth II is set to become Britain's
longest-serving monarch Wednesday.
Iconic
With over 63 years on the throne, the
queen is one of the most famous and
respected women in the world and
"embodies the history of the 20th
Century", according to historian Kate
Williams.
The 89-year-old, rarely seen without
her signature hat and handbag, has
met most of the major figures of recent
decades, from India's first prime
minister Jawaharlal Nehru to
Japanese emperor Hirohito.
South Africa's anti-apartheid icon
Nelson Mandela called her "my
friend", while her reign also spanned
the construction and the destruction of
the Berlin Wall.
The sprawling British empire of the
Victorian era, on which it was said
that the sun never set, has shrunk to a
few remnants during her reign. Most
recently, Hong Kong was handed over
to China in 1997.
Yet even in far-flung parts of the
world, "when people refer to the queen
they almost always mean our queen,"
said John Major, one of the 12 prime
ministers to have held office while she
has been on the throne.
Britain's slender republican movement
condemns a system based on
inherited privilege. But for many, the
queen is a mainstay in a multi-ethnic
country increasingly riven by regional
divisions, including in Scotland, which
voted against independence last year.
The ascent of 'Lilibet'
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor's
birth on April 21 1926 was a relatively
minor event for a world teetering
between two world wars and just three
years away from the Great
Depression.
The curly-haired "Lilibet" was
destined for marriage, not the throne.
But after reigning for just 325 days,
her childless uncle Edward VIII
abdicated in 1936 to marry Wallis
Simpson, a twice-divorced American.
Princess Elizabeth's father inherited
the crown as George VI and she
suddenly became heir to the throne.
When the young Elizabeth and her
sister Margaret had to move to
Buckingham Palace, she asked her
nanny: "What -- you mean forever?"
On her 21st birthday, she vowed to
spend her life serving her country.
During World War II, Elizabeth—then
an 18-year-old princess—joined the
Women’s Auxiliary Territorial
Service. Known as Second Subaltern
Elizabeth Windsor, she trained as a
mechanic and military truck driver.
The queen remains the only female
member of the royal family to have
entered the armed forces and is the
only living head of state who served in
World War II.
On November 20, 1947 she married
Philip -- a distant cousin who
renounced his titles as prince of
Greece and Denmark and his career in
the Royal Navy to be with her. She has
described him as "my strength and
stay".
When George VI died at the age of 56
in 1952 she became queen aged just
25 and with two young children:
Charles (born in 1948) and Anne
(1950). Two others came later --
Andrew (1960) and Edward (1964).
Her role is highly ceremonial and she
remains above the fray of politics.
Every year, she reads out the program
of the government of the day at the
State Opening of Parliament.
Her voice remains neutral, even when
the proposals include measures she is
suspected of opposing, such as
banning the traditional sport of fox-
hunting.
"Ma'am" as her subjects address her,
also presides over the Commonwealth
composed of 53 members, including
15 former colonies where she is still
the sovereign, such as Australia and
Canada.
"The primary role of the monarchy is
to sell the British brand and the queen
is very good at it," said royal
biographer Robert Jobson.
She has visited 132 countries, posed
for 139 portraits and given thousands
of speeches, though never an
interview. Her private life is largely a
mystery.
The monarchy's official website says
she still goes horse riding and has 30
Corgi dogs in her palaces.
Rare indiscretions from palace
insiders have revealed her love of the
Racing Post newspaper's horse racing
tips, a Dubonnet and gin before lunch,
and crossword puzzles.
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