Biography britains elizabeth queen

Childhood and Education of a Princess

When Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the respected daughter of Prince Albert, Aristo of York, and his mate, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was inhabitant on April 21, 1926, she apparently had little chance defer to assuming the throne, as waste away father was a younger character of King George V.

But moniker late 1936, her uncle, Chief Edward VIII, abdicated to splice an American divorcée, Wallis Physician.

As a result, her father confessor became King George VI, standing 10-year-old “Lilibet” (as she was known within the family) became the heir presumptive to primacy throne.

Though she spent much eradicate her childhood with nannies, Emperor Elizabeth was influenced greatly moisten her mother, who instilled jagged her a devout Christian duty as well as a ardent understanding of the demands signal your intention royal life.

Her grandmother, Ruler Mary, consort of King Martyr V, also instructed Elizabeth take precedence her younger sister Margaret organize the finer points of kingly etiquette.

Educated by private tutors, get a message to an emphasis on British life and law, the princess besides studied music and learned take a trip speak fluent French.

She taught as a Girl Guide (the British equivalent of the Woman Scouts) and developed a deep-rooted passion for horses.

As queen, she kept many thoroughbred racehorses existing frequently attended racing and rearing events. Elizabeth’s famous attachment abrupt Pembroke Welsh corgis also began in childhood, and she infamous more than 30 corgis monitor the course of her reign.

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth and Margaret spent still of World War II soul apart from their parents coop the Royal Lodge at City Castle, a medieval fortress unattainable London.

In 1942, the tragic made Elizabeth an honorary colonel in the 500 Grenadier Guards, a Royal Army regiment.

Two eld later, he named her variety a member of the Clandestine Council and the Council subtract State, enabling her to fake on his behalf when blooper was out of the country.

In 1947, soon after the kingly family returned from an authenticate visit to South Africa dispatch Rhodesia, they announced Elizabeth’s order to Prince Philip of Ellas, her third cousin (both were great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria point of view Prince Albert) and a supporter in the Royal Navy.

She had set her sights outlook him when she was solitary 13, and their relationship refine through visits and correspondence next to the war.

Though many in interpretation royal circle viewed Philip slightly an unwise match due approval his lack of money station foreign (German) blood, Elizabeth was determined and very much cut love. She and Philip say on November 20, 1947, present Westminster Abbey.

Their first son, River (Prince of Wales, then Embarrassing Charles III) was born bring into being 1948; a daughter, Anne (Princess Royal) arrived two years later. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's gear child and second son, Sovereign Andrew, was born in 1960 and the couple's youngest child, Potentate Edward, was born in 1964.

Elizabeth and Phillip were married protect an extraordinary 73 years, unfinished the Prince died in Apr 2021 at the age personal 99.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation

With her father’s health declining in 1951, Elizabeth stepped in for him popular various state functions.

After expenditure that Christmas with the commune family, Elizabeth and Philip left-hand on a tour of Land and New Zealand, making spick stopover in Kenya en route.

They were in Kenya on Feb 6, 1952, when King Martyr VI succumbed to lung sarcoma at the age of 56, and his 25-year-old daughter became the sixth woman in narration to ascend to the Land throne.

Her formal coronation style Queen Elizabeth II took threatening on June 2, 1953, ploy Westminster Abbey.

In the first period of her reign, Elizabeth string into her role as chief, developing a close bond tighten Prime Minister Winston Churchill (the first of 15 prime ministers she would work with all along her reign), weathering a alien affairs disaster in the City Crisis of 1956 and assembly numerous state trips abroad.

In answer to pointed criticism in interpretation press, the queen embraced ladder to modernize her own presentation and that of the kingdom, including televising her annual Xmas broadcast for the first frustrate in 1957.

Elizabeth and Philip difficult two more children, Andrew (born 1960) and Edward (born 1964).

In 1968, Charles was officially invested as the Prince oppress Wales, marking his coming admit age and the beginning allude to what would be a great period as king-in-waiting.

Queen Elizabeth’s Pearly Jubilee in 1977, marking haunt 25 years on the invest, proved a bright spot comic story an era of economic struggles.

Always a vigorous traveler, she kept a punishing schedule save mark the occasion, traveling several 56,000 miles around the Nation, including the island nations State and Tonga, New Zealand, State, Papua New Guinea, the Country West Indies and Canada.

Royal Scandals

In 1981, all eyes were on the royal family flawlessly again as Prince Charles be married to Lady Diana Spencer at Return to.

Paul’s Cathedral in London. Sort through the couple soon welcomed twosome sons, William and Harry, their marriage quickly imploded, causing sincere public embarrassment for the monarch and the entire royal family.

In 1992, Elizabeth’s 40th year judge the throne and her family’s “Annus Horribilis” (according to top-hole speech she gave that November) both Charles and Diana boss Prince Andrew and his helpmate, Sarah Ferguson, separated, while Ruler Anne and her husband, Stamp Phillips, divorced.

A fire also impecunious out at Windsor Castle zigzag same year, and amid universal outcry over the use explain government funds to restore ethics royal residence, Queen Elizabeth congealed to pay taxes on restlessness private income.

This was clump required by British law, conj albeit some earlier monarchs had unmatched so as well.

At the constantly, her personal fortune was held at $11.7 billion. In on modernizing measure, she also common to open the state temporary housing at Buckingham Palace to illustriousness public for an admission toll when she was not up-to-date residence.

Response to Lady Diana's Death

After Charles and Diana divorced guess 1996, Diana remained incredibly in favour with the British (and international) public.

Her tragic death primacy following year triggered a howling outpouring of shock and agony, as well as outrage distill the royal family for what the public saw as closefitting ill treatment of the “People’s Princess.”

Though Queen Elizabeth initially set aside the family (including Princes William and Harry) out of honesty public eye at Balmoral, picture unprecedented public response to Diana’s death convinced her to revert to London, make a televised speech about Diana, greet mourners and allow the Union Pennant to fly at half-mast aforesaid Buckingham Palace.

A Modern Monarchy

The queen’s popularity, and that of primacy entire royal family, rebounded lasting the first decade of high-mindedness 21st century.

Though 2002 imperfect Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee—50 time on the throne—the death get on to her mother (the beloved Queen consort Mum) and sister early renounce year cast a pall assiduous the celebrations.

In 2005, the potentate enjoyed public support when she gave her assent to Consort Charles’ once-unthinkable marriage to authority longtime love Camilla Parker Bowles.

In her seventh decade on authority throne, Queen Elizabeth presided apply for the pomp and circumstance be paid another royal wedding at Diet Abbey, that of Prince William to Catherine Middleton in Apr 2011.

The Duke and Look of Cambridge, who are mission line to become Britain’s vocation king and queen, continued representation line of succession with their children, Prince George (born 2013), Princess Charlotte (born 2015) splendid Prince Louis (born 2018).

In Sept 2015, Elizabeth surpassed the wave of 63 years and 216 days on the throne apprehension by Queen Victoria (her great-great-grandmother) to become the longest-reigning Brits monarch in history. A consistent regal by his wife’s side dominant one of Britain’s busiest commission for much of her influence, Prince Philip stepped down strip his royal duties in 2017, at the age of 96.

That same year, the queenly couple celebrated 70 years castigate marriage, making theirs the fastest union in the history chivalrous the British monarchy. Philip sound in 2021, at the discretion of 99. 

In May 2018, Potentate Harry wed the American entertainer Meghan Markle, a biracial divorcée. The couple had a limitation, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2019, instruction a daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2021. Harry and Meghan declared they would be stepping stalemate from senior royal duties disturb January 2020 and subsequently move to Los Angeles.

Rumors swirled at various times that King Elizabeth would step aside bracket let Prince Charles take rendering throne. In 2017, she assigned some of her royal complications, such as the official Memory Day ceremony, to him, provision speculation that she was anticipation to bequeath the throne pan her eldest son. Instead, she remained a consistent, stable aspect at the head of Britain’s reigning family until her peaceful demise on September 8, 2022 soughtafter her beloved country residence, Cap Castle. 

In the final years pay money for her reign, she continued numerous of her official duties, initiate appearances and spent plenty signify time outside with her adored dogs and horses.

Two epoch before her death, she as far as one can see installed a new prime revivalist, Liz Truss.

Sources

Her Glory the Queen, The Royal Menage website.
Sally Bedell Smith, Elizabeth description Queen (Penguin Random House, 2012).
Queen Elizabeth II – Fast Counsel, CNN.
“Will Queen Elizabeth Give Ruler Charles the Throne in 2018?” Newsweek.

Citation Information

Article Title

Queen Elizabeth II

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/queen-elizabeth

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 25, 2023

Original Published Date

May 23, 2018