CELEBRATIONS took place yesterday for an elderly woman who has notched up a record number of years receiving taxpayer-funded benefits without working.

Elizabeth Windsor, whose original family name was Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, is married to a Greek immigrant.

She receives an annual £35 million taxpayer-funded government grant.

Ms Windsor, who is 89 but has never had a proper job, yesterday broke the record for receiving the grant for 63 years, five months, three weeks and two days — one day longer than the previous record-holder, Victoria Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

Ms Windsor and her family also benefit from an annual government grant of £334m to cover “running costs” such as security, staffing, travel and maintaining numerous households.

On top of that, she has a private annual income of £13m from a family business.

Graham Smith, of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, said: “Sixty-three years on the throne is a reason for change, not celebration.”