After France’s Louis XIV, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II became the world’s second-longest reigning monarch on Sunday, surpassing Thailand’s King.
Grand celebrations were held last weekend to commemorate the 96-year-old Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which marked 70 years of service to the country.
She has now broken another record, surpassing Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years and 126 days between 1927 and 2016. With a 72-year and 110-day reign from 1643 to 1715, Louis XIV of France holds the record for the longest reigning monarch.
In September 2015, Queen Elizabeth II, who was crowned in 1953, surpassed her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria as the longest-serving British queen.
The monarch thanked the nation in a letter after four days of royal parades, street parties, pageantry, and other events across the UK and Commonwealth to mark the Platinum Jubilee milestone, saying she had been “humbled and deeply touched,” and that “this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come.”
“There are no rules to follow when it comes to celebrating your Queen’s 70th birthday. It’s a first, to be sure “According to the letter,
“I am honored and sincerely moved by the number of people who have come out to commemorate my Platinum Jubilee,” she remarked.
The Queen, who is suffering from age-related mobility issues, has chosen to miss some of the ceremonies, despite her son and heir Prince Charles and second-in-line Prince William, as well as other members of the royal family, attending. As the prolonged Bank Holiday weekend came to a close, she did appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the conclusion of the Jubilee Pageant.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Cambridge, William, is said to be celebrating his 40th birthday next week by relocating his family from London to Berkshire.
Prince George, 8, and Princess Charlotte, 7, will graduate from their London prep school at the end of this term and are scheduled to attend at a school near Windsor, the Queen’s permanent residence since the plague.
Prince Louis, William and Kate’s youngest son, is likely to start school in Windsor after becoming a media celebrity following his exuberant and lively performances during the Platinum Jubilee festivities.
The future king and queen, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will relocate to a home on the monarch’s Windsor estate this summer. They will eventually move into “the large house,” or the Castle, because Charles, Prince of Wales, does not want to spend as much time at Windsor Castle as the Queen does currently when he becomes king.
Kensington Palace will remain William and Kate’s London residence, containing their private and press offices, according to the newspaper article, and they will visit Anmer Hall, their eastern England family property in Norfolk, on a regular basis.
A friend of William’s was cited as stating, “They really enjoy being up there – that’s their happy spot.” They intend to establish a permanent base in Anmer “beyond the school years.”
