LONDON, December 20 (RIA Novosti) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has become the oldest living monarch in the country's history, national media said on Thursday.
At 5:00 p.m. GMT on Thursday, Queen Elizabeth II beat the record of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901 aged 81 years and 243 days.
Queen Victoria, who ruled Britain for nearly 64 years, will remain Britain's longest-serving monarch until at least 2015. Queen Elizabeth II has currently been on the throne for 55 years.
Queen Elizabeth II, born on 21 April 1926, is now the world's second-longest serving living monarch, after Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has ruled Thailand for 61 years. Her reign has seen 11 prime ministers, beginning with Sir Winston Churchill in 1952.
Queen Elizabeth II is also Britain's longest married monarch. On November 20, she and her husband Prince Philip marked their diamond 60th wedding anniversary.
