Queen Elizabeth of England wanted last Wednesday treated as a normal day, but that was hardly the case. Celebrations marked a notable milestone as she became the longest-serving British monarch ever, passing Queen Victoria (her great-great-grandmother). Elizabeth became queen in 1952 at age 25. She's now 89 and going strong. Her record-setting reign was observed with Parliament speeches, tributes from world leaders, new postage stamps and a procession on the Thames River in London by historic vessels, other boats and a military ship that sounded a four-gun salute.

The queen is a figurehead, a symbol of tradition with no policy-making power. Prime Minister David Cameron, an elected leader who oversees the government, said she has been a "rock of stability" amid decades of sweeping changes, serving as a "golden thread running through three generations" and 12 prime ministers. It's "typical of the queen's selfless sense of service" that she didn’t want a big fuss about her new status, he added.

While Queen Elizabeth is personally popular, some Britons dislike having a ceremonial head of state who inherits the title. Critics see the centuries-old tradition of a king or queen living in Buckingham Palace as outdated and costly. "Let her reign as long as she lives — but let her be Elizabeth the Last," writes Polly Toynbee, a columnist for the newspaper The Guardian.

The royal line: Elizabeth is England’s 40th monarch since William the Conqueror took the crown more than 1,000 years ago. Only five predecessors were queens; the rest were kings

Different eras: Queen Victoria ruled from 1837-1901 over an empire of 400 million people at its largest. Elizabeth now is head of state for 138 million people in the British Commonwealth, which includes Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Prime minister says: "We should celebrate her extraordinary record, as well as the grace and dignity with which she serves our country." – David Cameron, speaking on the historic day