Queen Elizabeth has hit a new and historic milestone as the reigning British monarch on Saturday, July 18. She has been on the throne for 25,000 days or since Feb. 6, 1952, the day her father died.
Her Majesty spent her record-breaking day in private and while in lockdown at Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince Philip. A day before her milestone feat, Queen Elizabeth held two face-to-face royal engagements in four months: the wedding of Princess Beatrice to Edo and the investiture of Capt. Thomas Moore as a knight. Both events took place in the Windsor estate.
The sovereign has long surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who ruled the British monarchy for 23,226 days. At that time in 2015, the Queen said that she never aspired to be the longest-reigning British monarch.
More than seven decades ago, then-Princess Elizabeth was only 25 when she learned that she was going to be the Queen of England after the death of her father, King George VI. She was on a tour in Nairobi when he passed and was looking forward to returning home to her beloved father.
Queen Elizabeth's coronation ceremony took place a year later, with 20 million people watching the broadcast on television. Remarking in a BBC documentary many years later, the monarch said that she has not seen her actual crown since the day of the coronation.
St Edward's Crown weights almost five pounds heavy, which seemed to represent the literal and figurative load carried by the monarch. It has been said that whoever wears the crown has the lifelong responsibility of fulfilling their duty to serve the people.
During her reign, Queen Elizabeth has outlasted 10 prime ministers, met 12 American presidents, survived numerous scandals and controversy, while witnessing her great-grandchildren grow up. She celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years in reign) in 2012 and the royal staff is slowly preparing for her Platinum Jubilee (70 years in reign) in 2022.
In the last four months, however, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip needed to stay isolated from the public due to the coronavirus pandemic. Buckingham Palace enforced strict protocols to ensure their protection from contracting the deadly virus, which meant that Her Majesty would have to forego any public engagements.
It is believed that Queen Elizabeth will continue to isolate from the people as the coronavirus has not yet been controlled with a vaccine or a cure. According to royal observers, the Queen might not be back in Buckingham Palace until 2021.
