TheCable

The royal monarch of England, widely known as the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, has become the oldest monarch in the world after the death King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

In his life, 90-year-old Abdullah was two years older than the Queen of England, and was the oldest King and monarch in the world.

The queen is the oldest of eight octogenarian monarchs in the world, some others being the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej; Emperor of Japan, Akihito and emir of Kuwait, Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The king of Saudi, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, died in the early hours of Friday, from a Pneumonia and lung infection.

The queen, who is now the oldest monarch in the world, is however second to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand as the second longest-serving monarch in the world.

King Adulyadej has ruled for 68 years as the world’s longest-reigning current monarch, six years more than the Queen’s 62-year reign.

Sobhuza II of Swaziland is adjudged to be the longest-reigning monarch of all time, having ruled for 82 years (1899-1982).

However, Egyptian pharaoh Pepi II is said to have reigned for up to 94 years, having come to the throne at the age of six.

The queen is the second-longest reigning monarch in British history, having ascended the throne in 1952 at the age 26.