The United Kingdom has the longest uninterrupted monarchy in the world. The current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has been on the throne since 1952. She is the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant in world history.
The UK’s monarchy can be traced back to 871 AD, when King Alfred the Great unified England under one ruler. Since then, there have been 33 monarchs of England, Scotland and Great Britain. The last reigning Scottish king was James VI & I, who became king of England upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603.
Since 1707, when James VI & I’s great-grandson King George I acceded to the throne following the Acts of Union between England and Scotland, there have been 15 sovereigns of a united Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801-1922), and then of a united Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1922 onwards.
Queen Elizabeth II is not only the UK’s longest-serving monarch but also – at 93 years old – its oldest ever sovereign. In 2015 she overtook her great-great grandmother Victoria as Britain’s longest reigning Monarch; Victoria ruled for 63 years 7 months 2 days (23 May 1837 – 22 January 1901). On 9 September 2015 Queen Elizabeth II became not only our country’s Longest Reigning Monarch but also Longest Reigning Sovereign in British History!
