Becomes longest reining monarch
Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest-reigning monarch in Britain’s history by passing Queen Victoria, who served for 63 years and seven months. While inaugurating a new train route along the Scottish border, she says she had not aspired to pass Victoria and simply saw it as a logical result of having lived a long life.
I thank you all, and all of the many others at home and overseas, for your touching messages of great kindness.
Prime Minister Cameron:
Over the last 63 years, Her Majesty has been a rock of stability in a world of constant change and her selfless sense of service and duty has earned admiration not only in Britain, but right across the globe.
British legislators mark the milestone in Parliament and newspapers share special souvenir tributes to the Queen.
Tightens regulations after leak
BBC Administrators review and tighten regulations on staff tweeting stories about sensitive news after a rogue tweet causing news organizations to wrongly report Queen Elizabeth II is dead or in the hospital. Updated guidelines for “category one” public figures including the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and the Duke of Cambridge state:
It is essential that those responsible for the coverage in the hour or so immediately after the announcement of death, especially of the Monarch and, assuming the death is a natural one, understand that this is NOT a “breaking story” in the normally accepted sense. If the death was sudden and/or unexpected, the circumstances of the death, as a news story, might well take precedence, at least in the initial coverage. However, it would be expected that the tone would become more reflective as the coverage unfolds.
Obituary rehearsal rogue tweet
Following a routine obituary rehearsal for Queen Elizabeth II, a BBC reporter releases a tweet stating the Queen is dead. The tweet is quickly followed by one stating the Queen is being treated in hospital, then the tweets are deleted. Reports state the Queen is in good health. BBC official:
During a technical rehearsal for an obituary, tweets were mistakenly sent from the account of a BBC journalist saying that a member of the royal family had been taken ill. The tweets were swiftly deleted and we apologise for any offence.