Royal reigns of 2015

On September 10th 2015, the Queen becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history. At that point she will have been on the throne longer than her great, great grandmother Queen Victoria. She is easily the longest reigning monarch in Europe at the moment with her continental counterparts enjoying rules of varying lengths. Elizabeth II is heading into her 63rd year as Queen with Europe's other monarchs in her wake.

The Queen will become the longest reigning monarch in British history on September 10th 2014

Queen Margrethe of Denmark will celebrate the 43rd anniversary of her reign on January 14th 2015. Europe's other queen regnant took her country's throne in 1972 on the death of her father, Frederik IX. Her Scandinavian counterpart, Harald V, will celebrate the anniversary of his own accession three days later. He took his country's throne on the death of his father, Olav, on January 17th 1991 and this year his reign reaches the 24 year mark.

King Harald with his family - he will mark 24 years of his rule on January 17th 2015

Albert II of Monaco will have ruled his country for a decade this year. He became sovereign prince on April 6th 2005 on the death of his father, Rainier III and will celebrate his tenth anniversary this spring. Three weeks later, Willem-Alexander will mark two years as king of the Netherlands - he became monarch on the abdication of his mother, Beatrix, on April 30th 2013.

An official portrait of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima taken on the day of his accession - April 30th 2013

As the summer takes hold, the newest monarch on the continent will celebrate the first anniversary of his accession. Felipe VI will mark a year as king on June 19th 2015 having taken the throne on the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos I. The King of the Belgians, Philippe, will have been on his country's throne for two years on July 21st 2015 having become monarch when his own father, Albert II, gave up his crown in  2013.

King Philippe of the Belgians became monarch on July 21st 2013

On September 15th 2015, Carl XVI Gustaf will have been Sweden's monarch for 42 years having taken the throne in 1973 on the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, making him the longest reigning king on the continent.