Queen Elizabeth: "a job for life"

Queen Elizabeth: "a job for life"

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Queen Elizabeth is set to seal a special place in Britain's history by becoming the country’s longest-reigning monarch. The queen never expected to take the throne and only did so because her uncle abdicated.

At about 5.30 p.m., Elizabeth, who now aged 89 is also the nation's oldest ever monarch, will surpass the 63 years, 7 months, 2 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes that her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria spent on the throne.

"It is a job for life," Elizabeth once said, and unlike some European monarchs recently, and even a pope, she is not expected to abdicate. Her son Prince Charles, 66, already a record-holder himself as Britain's longest-serving heir apparent, faces a longer wait still until he becomes king.

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Queen Elizabeth’s coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1953.

Timeline

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Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, set out on a tour of Africa and Asia in place of her ailing father King George VI. George dies on February 6.

Queen Elizabeth is crowned at Westminster Abbey in the first televised coronation service.

The queen gives birth to her third child, Andrew. Her eldest son, Charles, was born in 1948 and Anne in 1950. The queen has her last child, Edward in 1964.

The queen's only daughter, Princess Anne, marries Captain Mark Phillips. They divorce in 1992.

The queen marks her Silver Jubilee with a tour of Commonwealth countries and lavish celebrations in Britain.

Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Spencer in a glittering ceremony. They divorce in 1996.

A son, Prince William, is born to Charles and Diana on June 21. Prince Harry is born two years later.

Andrew marries publishing executive Sarah Ferguson, known as "Fergie".

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh view the restored bed-chamber at the National Maritime Museum.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Mike Parsson

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh view the restored bed-chamber at the National Maritime Museum.

Her 40th year on the throne, which the queen calls her “annus horribilis” (horrible year), is marked by marital upsets and public dissent. Andrew and Sarah separate. Anne divorces Mark Phillips. Photos of a topless Sarah kissing her "financial adviser", Texan John Bryan, cause a furore.

The queen watches Windsor Castle burn as she stands with firemen after a blaze broke out in a private chapel during building work.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Reuters Photographer

The queen watches Windsor Castle burn as she stands with firemen after a blaze broke out in a private chapel during building work.

The queen and her sister, Princess Margaret, travel in an open carriage.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Kevin Coombs

The queen and her sister, Princess Margaret, travel in an open carriage.

The Queen Mother, accompanied by the queen and Princess Margaret, watches from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as war-time aircraft fly over as part of the 50th anniversary of VE Day commemorations.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Simon Kreitem

The Queen Mother, accompanied by the queen and Princess Margaret, watches from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as war-time aircraft fly over as part of the 50th anniversary of VE Day commemorations.

South African President Nelson Mandela and the queen ride in a carriage outside Buckingham Palace during his state visit to Britain.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Reuters Photographer

South African President Nelson Mandela and the queen ride in a carriage outside Buckingham Palace during his state visit to Britain.

Diana and her millionaire companion Dodi Al Fayed are killed when their car crashes while being chased through Paris by paparazzi on motorcycles. In November, large crowds greet the queen and Philip as they mark their golden wedding anniversary.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh look at the mass of floral tributes laid outside Buckingham Palace in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Reuters Photographer

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh look at the mass of floral tributes laid outside Buckingham Palace in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, celebrates her 100th birthday from the balcony of Buckingham Palace with her daughter.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Ian Waldie

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, celebrates her 100th birthday from the balcony of Buckingham Palace with her daughter.

The queen marks the 50th anniversary of her accession on February 6.

The queen's sister, Princess Margaret, dies at the age of 71 after a life of glamour and heartbreak.

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, dies at Windsor Castle aged 101.

The Queen rides her horse in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
. Windsor, United Kingdom. Reuters/Dan Chung

The Queen rides her horse in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The Queen and Prince Charles walk behind the Queen Mother's coffin following her funeral at Westminster Abbey.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Dan Chung

The Queen and Prince Charles walk behind the Queen Mother's coffin following her funeral at Westminster Abbey.

Four days of nationwide celebrations mark the queen's Golden Jubilee.

A carriage carrying the queen and Russian President Vladimir Putin is escorted by royal guards to Buckingham Palace.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

A carriage carrying the queen and Russian President Vladimir Putin is escorted by royal guards to Buckingham Palace.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stroll with U.S. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush along the west terrace of Buckingham Palace.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Jason Reed

Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stroll with U.S. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush along the west terrace of Buckingham Palace.

Charles announces he will marry his long-time lover Camilla Parker Bowles at Windsor Castle.

The queen smiles as Prince Harry pulls a face as they watch Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall leave St. George's Chapel.
. Windsor, United Kingdom. Reuters/Alastair Grant/POOL

The queen smiles as Prince Harry pulls a face as they watch Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall leave St. George's Chapel.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince William watch the annual Braemar Gathering in the Grampian Highlands of Scotland.
. Braemar, United Kingdom. Reuters/Robert Paterson

Queen Elizabeth and Prince William watch the annual Braemar Gathering in the Grampian Highlands of Scotland.

Queen Elizabeth arrives for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Casino Royale" at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Alessia Pierdomenico

Queen Elizabeth arrives for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Casino Royale" at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square.

The queen is seen on a television screen making her speech next to a painting of herself during the State Opening of Parliament.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Luke MacGregor

The queen is seen on a television screen making her speech next to a painting of herself during the State Opening of Parliament.

The queen arrives in the United States to mark the 400th anniversary, on May 14, 1607, of Virginia Company explorers landing on Jamestown Island to establish an English colony on the banks of the James River.

The queen and the Duke of Edinburgh mark their 60th wedding anniversary.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip walk at Broadlands in Romsey, southern England.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Fiona Hanson/Pool

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip walk at Broadlands in Romsey, southern England.

The queen leaves after attending a service of commemoration at St Paul's Cathedral to mark the end of combat operations in Iraq.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Luke MacGregor

The queen leaves after attending a service of commemoration at St Paul's Cathedral to mark the end of combat operations in Iraq.

The queen boards a scheduled train at King’s Cross station in London to go to King’s Lynn in Norfolk.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Stefan Rousseau/Pool

The queen boards a scheduled train at King’s Cross station in London to go to King’s Lynn in Norfolk.

Queen Elizabeth leaves Buckingham Palace in a horse-drawn carriage to attend the State Opening of Parliament.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett

Queen Elizabeth leaves Buckingham Palace in a horse-drawn carriage to attend the State Opening of Parliament.

Queen Elizabeth waits prior to a meeting with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
. Ottawa, Canada. Reuters/Blair Gable

Queen Elizabeth waits prior to a meeting with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

The queen attends the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth

The queen attends the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

The queen cancels a planned Christmas party at Buckingham Palace after deciding it would be inappropriate to celebrate as Britons feel the pinch from the economic crisis.

Queen Elizabeth talks with Prince William, serving as a pilot, after being shown around a Sea King search-and-rescue helicopter during a visit to RAF Valley in north Wales.
. Anglesey, United Kingdom. Reuters/Christopher Furlong/Pool

Queen Elizabeth talks with Prince William, serving as a pilot, after being shown around a Sea King search-and-rescue helicopter during a visit to RAF Valley in north Wales.

Prince William and Kate Middleton marry in Westminster Abbey in a sumptuous show of British pageantry that attracted a huge world audience and breathed new life into the monarchy.

Prince Philip stands next to Carole Middleton as Queen Elizabeth listens to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, after the wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Toby Melville

Prince Philip stands next to Carole Middleton as Queen Elizabeth listens to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, after the wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.

Large crowds cheer Elizabeth on the fourth and last day of a historic visit to Ireland, the first by a British monarch to the Republic of Ireland since independence from London in 1921. The queen laid a wreath to those who died fighting the British crown. In a speech to the Irish nation, she expressed sympathy to those who suffered during hundreds of years of conflict between the two neighbours.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Edward watch the winners enclosure after her horse lost in the Epsom Derby.
. Epsom, United Kingdom. Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Edward watch the winners enclosure after her horse lost in the Epsom Derby.

The queen addresses parliament in Westminster Hall to celebrate her 60 years and re-dedicates herself to serving her people.

The queen and Prince Philip shelter under umbrellas as they visit the "Wild London" exhibition.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett

The queen and Prince Philip shelter under umbrellas as they visit the "Wild London" exhibition.

The queen and the nation celebrate the diamond jubilee over three days, including a pageant on the River Thames.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip attend the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip attend the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles cheer as competitors participate in a sack race at the Braemar Gathering.
. Braemar, United Kingdom. Reuters/Reuters Photographer

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles cheer as competitors participate in a sack race at the Braemar Gathering.

The queen leaves after the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Dan Kitwood/Pool

The queen leaves after the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster.

Queen Elizabeth receives flowers from a child actor as she inspects the horse prop from the theatre production "War Horse" during a visit to the National Theatre to commemorate its 50th anniversary.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Lefteris Pitarakis/pool

Queen Elizabeth receives flowers from a child actor as she inspects the horse prop from the theatre production "War Horse" during a visit to the National Theatre to commemorate its 50th anniversary.

Queen Elizabeth waits for her train to be arranged before delivering her speech in the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett

Queen Elizabeth waits for her train to be arranged before delivering her speech in the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron bows as he greets Queen Elizabeth.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Toby Melville

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron bows as he greets Queen Elizabeth.

Senior members of Britain's royal family stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony to celebrate the Queen's official birthday.
. London, United Kingdom. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth

Senior members of Britain's royal family stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony to celebrate the Queen's official birthday.