As of today, September 9th, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II is the single longest reigning monarch in the history of the United Kingdom, a monarchy that has existed since the 9th Century. At 89, the Queen has served the UK for 63 years and seven months, from the days of Empire to the present days of the British Commonwealth. The title of longest serving monarch is, she says, “not one to which I ever aspired.”

1.

“Grief is the price we pay for love.”

2.

(After being asked why she wasn’t smiling) “I simply ache from smiling. Why are women expected to beam all the time? It’s unfair. If a man looks solemn, it’s automatically assumed he’s a serious person, not a miserable one.”

3.

“It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult.”

4.

“Discrimination still exists. Some people feel that their own beliefs are being threatened. Some are unhappy about unfamiliar cultures. They all need to be reassured that there is so much to be gained by reaching out to others; that diversity is indeed a strength and not a threat.”

5.

“The true measure of all our actions is how long the good in them lasts…everything we do, we do for the young.”

6.

“I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together.”

7.

“It has been women who have breathed gentleness and care into the hard progress of humankind.”

8.

“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

9.

“I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else – I can give my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.”

10.

“To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy. With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all.

11.

“My husband has quite simply been my strength and stay all these years, and I owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim.”

12.

“Like all the best families, we have our share of eccentricities, of impetuous and wayward youngsters and of family disagreements.”

13.

“The world is not the most pleasant place. Eventually your parents leave you and nobody is going to go out of their way to protect you unconditionally.”

14.

“For me, heaven is likely to be a bit of a come-down.”

15.

“Cowards falter, but danger is often overcome by those who nobly dare.”

16.

“Good memories are our second chance at happiness.”

17.

“When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.”

18.

“In the turbulence of this anxious and active world many people are leading uneventful, lonely lives. To them dreariness, not disaster, is the enemy. They seldom realize that on their steadfastness, on their ability to withstand the fatigue of dull repetitive work, and on their courage in meeting constant small adversities depend in great measure the happiness and prosperity of the community as a whole. … The upward course of a nation’s history is due in the long run to the soundness of heart of its average men and women.”

19.

“There are long periods when life seems a small, dull round, a petty business with no point, and then suddenly we are caught up in some great event which gives us a glimpse of the solid and durable foundations of our existence.”

20.

“True patriotism doesn’t exclude an understanding of the patriotism of others.”

21.

“Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom.”

22.

“Families, friends and communities often find a source of courage rising up from within. Indeed, sadly, it seems that it is tragedy that often draws out the most and the best from the human spirit.”

23.

“The lessons from the peace process are clear; whatever life throws at us, our individual responses will be all the stronger for working together and sharing the load.”