From monarchist and republican alike, royal respect for Elizabeth

Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten have paid tribute to the Queen becoming Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 2301 GMT ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2015 A handout photo taken in July 2015 by Mary McCartney and released by Buckingham Palace on September 8, 2015, shows Britain's Queen Elizabeth as she poses for a photograph at her desk in her private audience room in Buckingham Palace, with one of her official red boxes in which she receives on an almost daily basis official correspondence from government ministers, her representatives across the Commonwealth, and dignitaries further afield. Queen Elizabeth II is planning to keep things low-key on September 9, 2015, when she will overtake Queen Victoria as Britain's longest-serving monarch, despite public interest in the historic date. According to calculations by royal officials, at around 1630 GMT Elizabeth will beat her great-great grandmother Victoria's time on the throne: a total of 63 years, seven months and two days which she served between 1837 and 1901. AFP PHOTO / MARY MCCARTNEY / HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE -- MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / MARY MCCARTNEY / HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II " -- NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS -- DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 2301 GMT ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2015 -- IMAGE FREE OF CHARGE FOR USE FROM ONE CALENDAR MONTH FROM OCTOBER 9, 2015. FURTHER USE, ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 7, 2015 MUST BE APPROVED IN ADVANCE FROM THE ROYAL COMMUNICATIONS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE [phone]

After 63 years, seven months and four days in the job, Queen Elizabeth II has marked the extra­ordinary milestone of becoming Britain’s longest-reigning monarch in her trademark no-fuss way.

There was a private family gathering — but not a “celebration”, according to Buckingham Palace officials — and the Queen even found time to open the £300 million ($654m) Borders Railway in Edinburgh.

While the Queen appeared to take the occasion in her stride, others lined up to sing the praises of the woman who came to the throne in 1952 as a 25-year-old.

Tony Abbott, a prominent monarchist, and Bill Shorten, a fierce republican, offered tributes at the close of question time ­yesterday.

The Prime Minister described the Queen, 89, as a “beacon of stabil­ity” but remarked that it was “yet another no-fuss day” for the monarch.

The Opposition Leader, who once described Mr Abbott’s decis­ion to knight her husband, Prince Philip, as “anachronistic”, said it was a privilege to congratulate the Queen. “Hers has been a long, rich life of service to her country, to the Commonwealth,” he said. “We pay tribute to her dedication to duty. We wish her and her loving, remarkable husband health and happiness in the years ahead.”

Mr ­Abbott said Australians felt ­“respect and affection” for the Queen. “For Australia, for the United Kingdom and for the rest of the Commonwealth, the Queen has been a beacon of stability for more than six decades.

GALLERY: The Queen’s life in pictures

“In her golden jubilee year, the Queen declared that her admiration, affection and regard for the people of Australia will remain, as it has been, constant, sure and true.

“As we mark this extraordinary milestone, the Queen’s ­admir­ation for the Australian ­people is returned with respect and affection.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday millions would celebrate the Queen’s “historic moment”. “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,” Mr Cameron said.

The Queen’s reign has surpassed that of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who broke the previous record set by her grandfather, ­George III.

Buckingham Palace marked the milestone by releasing an officia­l photograph of the Queen taken by Mary McCartney, a photo­grapher who is the daughter of former Beatle Paul McCartney.

Additional reporting: AP