Countdown to history

While jubilee celebrations get underway in Sweden, this week also marks the two year countdown to a truly historic moment for the British monarchy.  It will be the biggest jubilee of them all - even through there are no gold, diamonds or rubies attached to it.  On September 10th 2015 Queen Elizabeth II will become the longest reigning monarch in British history, the longest ruling queen regnant ever and the third longest ruling of all Europe's monarchs. 

 

Queen Elizabeth II will become the longest reigning monarch in British history on September 10th 2015

 

Queen Victoria kept that little crown she was so fond of on her head for 63 years and 216 days, a tally that Queen Elizabeth II will match on September 9th 2015 and overtake on September 10th.  And with her good health and great genes (if she matches mummy then she'll be blowing out 101 candles at least and that gets us to 2027 and 75 years on the throne) that looks like a lot of jubilees still to come for the head of the House of Windsor.  The festivities that marked her Diamond Jubilee popular events and have already got everyone looking ahead to celebrating for 65 and 70 years - blue sapphire and platinum according to wedding anniversary traditions.  Although if you're a queen ripping up the record books, you probably get to pick what you want to call the celebrations which won't be matched, in all likelihood, for a very long time.   

 

 

Queen Elizabeth II at her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012