When I was first in school, a long time ago now, we started every day by singing God Save The Queen, which at the time was still officially the Canadian national anthem. The present anthem, O Canada, has been around for more than a century, but didn’t become official until 1980.

I mention this today because of a line from the song that we sang really without thought. We were children after all, we did what the adults wanted. Every morning our voices rang out “Send her victorious, happy and glorious, long to reign over us, God save the Queen.”

Well at midday yesterday Queen Elizabeth II, the only British monarch of my life so far, became the longest-reigning British monarch ever, passing her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. I had thought about posting this yesterday, but thought it was better to wait until she had officially set the record.

We live in an age where there really isn’t much use for monarchs except as symbols. Elizabeth never did climb on to a horse and lead her troops into battle (though her sons and grandsons have served in the military). We don’t expect that sort of thing of our leaders anymore. The British monarchy is a relic of a bygone era, more ornamental than anything else when you really think about it. As a traditionalist of sorts I appreciate the institution, but I do wonder about its relevance in 21st century Canada. What loyalty do Canadians really have to the monarchy?

As a symbol, Elizabeth II has done her job well. The British Royal Family has had its share of scandals, enough to convince me that there is no longer any real need for a monarchy, but those incidents have involved other members of the Royal Family, not Her Majesty. She has consistently shown what it means to be a public servant and has led by her example. She is the last of a generation, someone who has always represented Britain and the Commonwealth with dignity and class.

I have never met Elizabeth II, though I know people who have. I don’t travel in such rarified social circles. I did see her once, on a Royal visit to Canada in 1973, when she did a walkabout on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. I had been curious enough to go and join the crowd, but didn’t get close enough to speak to either her or Prince Philip. Probably just as well – I am not sure what I would have said. I do know that protocol dictates that you speak to the sovereign only if she has spoken to you first, but I probably didn’t know that then.

There was another version of God Save The Queen that we sang in the schoolyard, a little less reverent than the official version. “God save our gracious Queen, give her a jellybean, on Halloween. Send her to Halifax, make her pay income tax” – and I can’t remember the rest. I suspect the Queen has over the years heard that and other versions of the song. I’ve been told Her Majesty does have a sense of humour, and my guess is she was amused. And these days she does pay income tax, one of the many changes to the monarchy since she ascended the throne.

So I celebrate Elizabeth II’s long reign. There won’t be another monarch like her, and we are all the poorer for that.