Queen Elizabeth II has celebrated becoming the country’s longest reigning monarch, surpassing the reign of her great great grandmother Queen Victoria. In actual fact the Queen marked the occasion in very low-key style, by opening a railway line in the Scottish borders. She downplayed the milestone by saying it was never anything she had aspired to and that ‘Inevitably a long life can pass by many milestones – my own is no exception’.
And what changes the Queen has witnessed during her 63 year reign. The break up of the British Empire – though she still remains head of state of 16 countries, from Antigua to Australia – while in the UK 12 different prime ministers have come to power. The arrival of her four children and five great grandchildren. The death of Princess Diana. Even England winning the World Cup.
Some of the greatest innovations of the modern age have happened during her time on the throne. The advent of commercial air travel, space exploration, the transformation of communication with the television, the personal computer then the internet and smart phones. The country is now unrecognisable to the post-war one that exited when she succeeded King George VI in 1952.
Of course republicans will argue that having an unelected head of state for over 60 years is not a cause for celebration but as the flag waving masses who turned out to cheer on this landmark occasion showed, the Queen remains a popular figurehead throughout this country and beyond.