There’s long, and then there’s Queen Elizabeth long.

23,226 days long to be precise. Blasting through the record set by Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth has decided to celebrate this milestone in the Royal Family’s holiday house/castle in rural Scotland. Among her duties while visiting will be opening the Scottish Borders Railway with the Duke of Edinburgh and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

According to the official website the Borders Railway will be:

• A fast and efficient rail link connecting communities in the Scottish Borders and Midlothian to Edinburgh, who currently have no direct access to a railway line.
• A catalyst for encouraging approximately £33 million of benefits for the wider Scottish economy as well as increased business development and housing opportunities, inward investment and public sector relocation for the local community.
• Significantly reducing carbon emissions by reducing reliance on the car; in turn helping to reduce congestion.
• Reduce the number of road accidents on the A7 and A68 by approximately 6 accidents every year period.
• Creation of approximately 200 – 400 jobs during construction.
• There will also be improved links to education and social activities for communities.

The opening of the line unlocks another way to get to Edinburgh and stay with us at Dreamhouse Apartments of course, and should the Queen decide to pop in on her way back we’ve got tea and cake waiting…

While the kettle boils though, we’ve got some Queen facts for those who like Royal top trumps.

• Victoria became queen at 18 while Elizabeth was 25
• Elizabeth II rides in the same coach as Victoria did for the annual State Opening of Parliament
• Both queens were shot at by a lone gunman while out riding near Buckingham Palace
• Elizabeth loves the private royal estate at Balmoral, which was bought by Victoria
• Victoria ruled over an empire of 400 million people. Elizabeth is head of state for 138 million people.

One day Charles… One day.