Royal Family 2015: Queen Elizabeth II Longest Reigning Monarch In British History [PHOTOS]
Queen Elizabeth II will become the longest-reigning monarch in the history of Britain on Wednesday. Elizabeth, whose coronation took place in 1952, has now reigned for 63 years, breaking the record for Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
The queen won the title from her great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who served as monarch for 23,226 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes. As of Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth II has served one day longer, or 23,227 days.
Born in 1926, Elizabeth became the queen of England in 1952 at age 25, after her father George VI died. The queen married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Nov. 20, 1947, in Westminster Abbey in London, and the pair has remained married since, set to celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary in the fall.
The queen's June 2, 1953, coronation was a lavish affair, broadcast worldwide and watched by more than 27 million people on television. An additional 11 million listened to the coronation on the radio, BBC reported.
Elizabeth has four children, including Prince Charles of Wales, who as the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II is heir apparent to the royal throne.
The queen, who serves as a symbol of the nation, once famously said, "The upward course of a nation's history is due in the long run to the soundness of heart of its average men and women."
The queen has had a passion for animals, charity and her family throughout her reign. Her grandson, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, married Kate Middleton in 2011 and the queen is now the great-grandmother to Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
The Queen famously loves Corgis and has owned 30 of them during her lifetime. Her first Corgi, named Susan, was given to her as an 18th birthday gift in 1944.
During her reign, the queen has seen 12 prime ministers, breaking Queen Victoria's record of 10. Having garnered insight from her long reign, the queen once said: "I know of no single formula for success," adding, "But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together."
© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.