Elizabeth II sets record on throne

After reigning through the decline of the British Empire and some of the worst scandals in royal history, Queen Elizabeth II was set to become Britain's longest-serving monarch on Wednesday (early Thursday, China time).

With more than 63 years on the throne, the queen is one of the most famous and respected women in the world and "embodies the history of the 20th century", according to historian Kate Williams.

The 89-year-old, rarely seen without her signature hat and handbag, has met most of the major figures of recent decades, from India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to Japanese Emperor Hirohito.

South Africa's anti-apartheid icon, Nelson Mandela, called her "my friend", while her reign also spanned the construction and the destruction of the Berlin Wall.

The sprawling British Empire of the Victorian era has shrunk to a few remnants during her reign. Most recently, Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997.

Yet around the world, "when people refer to the queen, they almost always mean our queen," said John Major, one of the 12 prime ministers to have held office while she has been on the throne.

Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday that millions of Britons would celebrate the queen's "historic moment".

"Over the last 63 years, Her Majesty has been a rock of stability in a world of constant change, and her selfless sense of service and duty has earned admiration not only in Britain, but right across the globe," Cameron said.

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

Britain's slender republican movement condemns a system based on inherited privilege. But for many, the queen is a mainstay in a multiethnic country increasingly rived by regional divisions, including in Scotland, which voted against independence last year.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor's birth on April 21, 1926, was a relatively minor event. The curly-haired "Lilibet" was destined for marriage, not the throne.

But after reigning for just 325 days, her childless uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced US citizen.

Princess Elizabeth's father inherited the crown as George VI, and she suddenly became heir to the throne.

AFP - AP

(China Daily 09/10/2015 page11)