Elizabeth II was born less than 23 years after the Wright brothers carried out the first ever powered flight. Four of Queen Victoria's children were still alive when she was born. The last one of them died in 1944 when Elizabeth was already 18.

She lived for more than a third of the entire age of the United States (1776) - a nation which is only 246 years old. And well over half the age of Canada (1867), and all but 25 years of the nation of Australia (1901).

She became Queen at the age of just 25, when Stalin and Truman were also in post, just 7 years after the end of WWII.

Her first Prime Minister was born in 1874. Yes, the 1800s!!!

Her last PM was born only two years before her Silver Jubilee in 1975 - so her first and last PMs were born over 100 years apart!

She was already 51 when she celebrated that first Jubilee in 1977.

Ruling in her own right (with no regent, like Louis XIV had for 13 years), she was the longest reigning monarch in World history, no matter what Wikipedia says. In my book, Regencies don't really count as "doing the job" - you don't really 'rule' when you're only 4 years old, like he was!

She lived through three kings herself before she even took the throne - George V, Edward VIII, and her father George VI

She saw the jet age arrive, the birth of electronic computing, and the space age - all before she was 35 years old.

She ruled for 70 years at the age of 96, more than 35 years after the age at which most people retire.

Her reign is over 7% of the entire history of Britain since William the Conqueror took the crown - 956 years ago - and that's considering that we've had 41 monarchs in that time. So, on a pro-rata basis, each reign would only be 23 years. So, she's done the equivalent of over three tours of duty.

So, yeah, she certainly *was* Great Britain and everything that we've seen and grown up with. She was with us through, literally, all we've ever known in living memory.

Her selfless service to this country was simply astonishing, when she could have 'retired' from the job decades ago and enjoyed some well-deserved rest.

She is now a huge part of British history herself, there is no 'was' about it anymore. She *is* and will remain an integral component of this country, having overseen an amazing Elizabethan Age.

I am glad to have lived in her reign, and witnessed it, in spite of the country's broken heart.

As she said herself "Grief is the price we pay for love."

Rest in Peace Ma'am with your beloved Philip.

Your duty has been done, multiple times over."

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