Queen Elizabeth celebrates longest reign by British monarch

LONDON British Prime Minister David Cameron led the tributes on Wednesday as Queen Elizabeth II became Britain’s longest-serving monarch, surpassing the six-decade reign of Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother.

The 89-year-old queen, who has ruled Britain for 63 years, seven months and three days, was expected to give a speech commemorating the landmark and thanking the public for supporting her.

“Her Majesty has been a rock of stability in a world of constant change, earning admiration for her selfless sense of service and duty,” Cameron said.

“It is only right that we should celebrate her extraordinary record, as well as the grace and dignity with which she serves our country,” he said.

The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, are scheduled to visit Edinburgh, Midlothian and Tweedbank and travel by steam train on a new Scottish Borders railway later Wednesday.

Dozens more events are scheduled to be held across Britain to celebrate the landmark, while coins and pottery are among the commemorative souvenirs on sale.

Born in 1926, the queen has ruled since 1952 when she was 25 years old.

Some royal watchers said her enduring popularity comes partly from her success in avoiding public controversy.

Britain’s system of constitutional monarchy keeps the queen as a largely ceremonial head of state, allowing the government to pass legislation and run the country.

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