More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
The Queen will reach a major landmark today as she becomes the longest serving British monarch.
Elizabeth II will have been on the throne longer than her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who reigned for 63 years and 216 days.
Among those who have paid tribute to the Queen is musician Jools Holland, a deputy lieutenant of Kent.
Mr Holland said: “I’m so delighted that the Queen will be celebrating being the longest reigning monarch that this country has known."
The Queen has made a number of visits to Kent over her long reign, and earlier this year attended a service in Canterbury Cathedral before opening The Wing Battle of Britain memorial at Capel-le Ferne.
Her last trip to the county was in 2013, when she bade farewell to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, attending the 5 Scots final parade at Howe Barracks in Canterbury.
In 2011 the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh gave the royal seal of approval to Margate's Turner Contemporary, where they were given a guided tour of the gallery.
With its long military history, Medway has had its fair share of Royal visits over the decades.
Her majesty's first visit was back in 1968 when she inspected the Royal Engineers at Brompton Barracks in her capacity as Colonel-in-Chief of the Corps.
She repeated the journey in 2007, the first time she visited the barracks since 1987 when she opened the Royal Engineers Museum.
A visit in 1984 included a trip to Rochester High Street, the Wisdom Hospice and Chatham Dockyard and Gillingham Business Park.
She had also previously been in Rochester to visit the Cathedral and hand out Maundy Money.
Her Majesty made quite an impact on Elyssa Gray, from Chatham, who was just five when she travelled to all the way to Slough to see the Queen on a public engagement in 2013 and present her with flowers
Cllr Alan Jarrett, leader of Medway Council, paid tribute: “This is a marvellous achievement by Her Majesty, and a testament to her lifelong commitment to public service.
“She remains an example to us all, and no words are adequate in expressing our admiration for what she does on behalf of Great Britain and the Commonwealth.”
The Queen will be opening a new railway in Scotland today and it is thought she may make a rare speech thanking her subjects and paying tribute to her great-great-grandmother.
