Queen carries out 340 engagements during record-breaking year

Updated

In the year she became Britain's longest-reigning monarch, the Queen showed no signs of slowing down as she carried out more than 340 official engagements during 2015.

On September 9 the Queen surpassed the previous record, held by her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria, and has now reigned for almost 64 years.

But she remained as active as ever last year, carrying out 306 engagements in the UK and 35 on overseas tours.

Her vitality was almost matched by that of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who took part in 217 UK engagements and 33 abroad, despite turning 94 in June.

Their efforts exceeded those of the younger generation of royals - between them the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry had 198 engagements in the UK and 94 abroad.

The Duchess did not travel overseas, largely because she gave birth to Princess Charlotte in May, while William juggles his royal duties with his role as a helicopter co-pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance, a role he took up in July.

Harry, meanwhile, left the Army in June after 10 years' service before spending the summer as a volunteer with conservation experts in southern Africa.

The Prince of Wales also outdid his children, undertaking 380 engagements at home and 147 abroad.

But even his busy schedule could not match that of his sister, the Princess Royal, who carried out 456 engagements in the UK and 88 overseas.

The figures were compiled by Times reader Tim O'Donovan, who does so every year based on engagements announced in the Court Circular.

He told the newspaper: "During the year the Queen became the longest-reigning British monarch; the number of engagements carried out by Her Majesty in her 90th year and by the Duke of Edinburgh, who will be 95 in June, is remarkable.

"Except for Christmas Day and Easter Day, the Queen never has a day off from the official red boxes which pursue her everywhere."

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