Long May She Reign

Newsfeeds are filled with excitement over Queen Elizabeth II today. This is the day that she becomes the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, surpassing the record set by her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria. She is also the longest married British monarch. She and Prince Philip have enjoyed 68 years of wedded bliss.

To celebrate this historic day, I have collected some photos, articles, and videos of this very special lady, who is, incidentally the great (x14) granddaughter of Elizabeth of York.

Elizabeth was a princess during World War II. Her father is the subject of the modern book and movie The King's Speech. While he was ruling, his little princess did more than her fair share, joining the war effort as a mechanic at age 16.

As a representative of The Greatest Generation, Elizabeth has been reigning longer than most of us have been alive! This article by Beth von Staats discusses Elizabeth from this point of view.

Before she became queen, Elizabeth became the wife of Philip, former Prince of Greece and Denmark. He became a British citizen and was named the Duke of Edinburgh before marrying the love-struck young woman who would become queen. She appears to be as captivated by him as ever and can often be caught giving him this look.










The happy couple soon welcomed their first child, Prince Charles, the heir to Elizabeth's crown. More children followed with Princess Anne born in 1950, Prince Andrew in 1960, and Prince Edward in 1964.

Those children did not always follow the path expected of them by their mother or the British public. Queen Elizabeth refers to the year when her children announced that they were divorcing their spouses as her "Annus Horribilis" or horrible year. Through it all, she has been the cornerstone of her family and the country. Hers is arguably the most recognized face in the world.

If you think you know everything there is to know about Elizabeth II, check out this list of 12 surprising facts.

It is reported that Elizabeth did not want any
celebration on this day when she passes a record breaking point in her reign. I hope that she is not too disappointed as people around the world cannot help but recognize and celebrate this special day.

God bless the Queen!