BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday became the longest serving British Monarch, surpassing the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. At 89, Elizabeth is also Britain's longest-living monarch.
Victoria became queen at the age of 18, while Elizabeth was 25 when she ascended the throne of an empire spread over the world on February 6, 1952 following the death of her father, George VI.
September 9, 2015 marked the 23,226th day of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, during which she saw 12 British Prime Ministers.
Only one current monarch who came to the throne before her is still in place, Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
After a number of her realms dwindled as territories gained independence and some became republics, Elizabeth currently is Queen of 17 countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
She is also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
In 1947, she married Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with whom she has four children: Heir Apparent Charles, who is Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Edward; Earl of Wessex; and Prince Andrew, Duke of York.
Despite being a historic day, the Queen preferred it to be a 'business as usual' day with no big celebrations scheduled.
Accompanied by Prince Philip, the Queen traveled by steam train from Edinburgh to Tweedbank, where she formally opened the new Scottish Borders Railway in the presence of Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
In her brief remarks, the Queen said, 'Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones; my own is no exception.' Elizabeth thanked all, at home and overseas, for their 'touching messages of great kindness.'
In London, a flotilla of historic vessels, leisure cruisers and passenger boats took part in a procession along the Thames, and HMS Belfast sounded a four-gun salute in honor of the Queen.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX