Her 70 years of reign were celebrated with great fanfare throughout the United Kingdom last weekend: at 96, Queen Elizabeth II has never been so popular! And although she was not present at each stage of this jubilee, organized for several months, she appeared several times on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, greeting the huge crowd who had come to acclaim this exceptional longevity.
A longevity that breaks records: few sovereigns have reached 70 years of reign in the history of the world! Moreover, this Sunday, when she is now on the throne for 70 years, 4 months and 5 daysshe became the second sovereign in history to hold her role for so long: indeed, she has now surpassed the King of Thailand Rama IX, who had ruled his country from 1946 to 2016, i.e. 70 years, 4 months and 4 days !
A few years ago, the monarch had already exceeded her grandmother, Queen Victoria (64) and no longer in sight as the Sun King, Louis XIV. Ascended to the throne at age 5, it remained there for 72 yearsshowing immense longevity for the time. To beat this record and set a new one (not about to be beaten), he will have to wait until May 27, 2024!
Will she hold out until then? We hope so for her! Tired and tested in recent months by the Covid-19 and the loss of her husband, Prince Philip, the sovereign now lives far from the hustle and bustle of London, in Windsor. Recently, before the ceremonies, she had also gone to rest on her Scottish lands, at Balmoral.
Very surrounded by her family, fortunately, she can often count on her descendants to take over. During the Jubilee ceremonies, three of her four children (Princes Charles and Edward and Princess Anne) as well as all of her grandchildren (even Prince Harry!) attended the many celebrations, sharing sweet moments with the crowd and with the new generation of the royal family (including little Louis, 4, unleashed, who had a long chat with the queen on the balcony).
The queen, often forced to stay at home to avoid getting tired, had still reserved a nice surprise for the British (and her family!) By recording a very moving short clip with Paddington Bear. After all the fervor died down, she released a statement thanking her people, and explaining that her “heart was with you all“.