Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's Longest Reigning Monarch

As of September 9, 2015, HM Elizabeth II will become the longest reigning monarch that Britain has ever seen. She came of age during World War II, was coordinated at a time of simple post-war prosperity and continues to reign as successfully as ever during the technological age,

After taking the throne at the young age of 25, Elizabeth has finally passed her great great grandmother, Queen Victoria. That's 63 years on the British throne! That's 12 UK Prime Ministers, 12 US Presidents and 9 tonight show hosts!

Although she seems a rather uneventful figure head, it's quite the contrary. Throughout her 63 year reign, Elizabeth has given a comforting leadership to the British people and has overcome National and Public scandal. On a larger scale, she had a government that battled the Irish troubles as well as current tensions in the Middle East. In the 1980's, she was even so bold as to privately oppose Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's South African apartheid policies. Personally, the Queen has battled the scandal of her family's disastrous marriages and has managed to come out on top with a monarchy more popular than it has ever been.

What I find most fascinating about this second Elizabethan age is that it wasn't even supposed to happen. Born a daughter of the Duke of York, it was meant to be her uncle, Edward VIII, and his descendants taking the throne. To the shock of the nation, her uncle abdicated after a half-year on the throne and her father, George VI, became king, making Elizabeth heir presumptive. When George became King, many of his advisers urged him and his wife to have a son that would have a stronger claim to the the throne than his two daughters, the oldest of whom being Elizabeth. To the great fortune of the British people, George VI had faith in his daughter's abilities to rule and all these years later, he would regret that decision.