Much Ado About...

Liz's long reign:

We celebrate Elizabeth II becoming Britain's longest-serving monarch

And she has at least one fan:

William's 'worries over social change' message in tribute to Grandma: He writes of 'challenges to communities' in heartfelt homage to the Queen to mark her longest -ever reign (but adds she is such fun, too)

Prince William Praises His Granny the Queen's 'Love of Family and Home'

Prince William pays glowing tribute to grandmother Queen Elizabeth II

Duke of Cambridge praises Queen's life of service in new biography

But perhaps there's more important issues to muse over:

What Does Queen Elizabeth II Carry in Her Purse?

The Brits do have a fascination with minute details of royal life, too:

Queen Elizabeth II to become Britain's longest reigning monarch: The many things the Queen can do that the rest of us can’t

"Here are the things that the Queen can do that you can’t, not that she’s showing off or anything:

If you’re the Queen of England acquiring a driving license like every other British 17-year-old is not necessary. The Queen is the only person in Britain who can drive without a licence. Because they are issued in the Queen’s name, it would be unnecessary for her to give herself a license. But that doesn’t mean she can’t drive – Elizabeth operated a first-aid truck for the Women’s Auxillary Territorial Service during WWII.

As well as not having to have a licence, she also does not have to bother with a registration plate for her car.

The Queen can travel abroad without any travel documents or a passport, since these are issued in her own name. This is something that even other members of the Royal Family can’t get away with, so passports at the ready Charles et al.

Her majesty is entitled to two birthdays per year. While her actual proper legit birthday is on 21 April, her ‘official’ Queen’s birthday is celebrated on a Saturday in June.

Here are the things that the Queen can do that you can’t, not that she’s showing off or anything:

"If you’re the Queen of England acquiring a driving license like every other British 17-year-old is not necessary. The Queen is the only person in Britain who can drive without a licence. Because they are issued in the Queen’s name, it would be unnecessary for her to give herself a license. But that doesn’t mean she can’t drive – Elizabeth operated a first-aid truck for the Women’s Auxillary Territorial Service during WWII.

As well as not having to have a licence, she also does not have to bother with a registration plate for her car.

The Queen can travel abroad without any travel documents or a passport, since these are issued in her own name. This is something that even other members of the Royal Family can’t get away with, so passports at the ready Charles et al.

Her majesty is entitled to two birthdays per year. While her actual proper legit birthday is on 21 April, her ‘official’ Queen’s birthday is celebrated on a Saturday in June."

Not everyone agrees, though:
Do you believe them? Elizabeth II is NOT our greatest monarch, say historians

Well, it may be the wrong Elizabeth, too. Seems there's some dispute over not just the longevity bit, but also how great her reign has been:

Do you believe them? Elizabeth II is NOT our greatest monarch, say historians


ROBERT HARDMAN: Queen Victoria a greater monarch than Elizabeth II? Twaddle! She was a workshy recluse

Queen Elizabeth crowned 'the greatest ever monarch' - but which one?

Liz I or Liz II?

As you can tell, I'm a fan of Queen Liz. She assumed the throne when I was three years old and a actually saw her once, when I was about six or seven years old. She and Prince Phillip were touring Canada, and their train stopped in my home town and they did a brief walkabout. From what I remember, practically the whole town turned out. I remember very clearly what I was wearing, too. I had on a peach coloured dress with white trim, which I loved.

While Liz may be the longest serving and most loved monarch, there's no dispute over who was the worst monarch:
Henry VIII voted worst monarch in history

And here's why (from the article):

"King John I may forever be known as a Bad King following that seminal history textbook 1066 and All That, but according to history authors, it is Henry VIII who should bear the title of the worst monarch in history.

More than 60 writers were surveyed by the Historical Writers Association (HWA), with Henry VIII taking 20% of the vote to find the worst monarch and criticised for a wide range of crimes: he was “obsessive”, “syphilitic” and a “self-indulgent wife murderer and tyrant”, according to respondents.

Robert Wilton, the author of The Spider of Sarajevo, called the Tudor king “a gross man-child, wilfully and capriciously dangerous to everything around him including the country”, adding that psychologically, Henry “barely made it out of infancy, let alone adolescence, and ruled with little more policy than petulant self-gratification”."