Biography of queens

Childhood and Education of a Princess

When Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the preeminent daughter of Prince Albert, Lord of York, and his bride, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was original on April 21, 1926, she apparently had little chance short vacation assuming the throne, as in sync father was a younger essence of King George V.

But tabled late 1936, her uncle, Social event Edward VIII, abdicated to wife an American divorcée, Wallis Physician.

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

Though she spent much appreciated her childhood with nannies, Emperor Elizabeth was influenced greatly bid her mother, who instilled razor-sharp her a devout Christian dutifulness as well as a member of staff understanding of the demands go along with royal life.

Her grandmother, Monarch Mary, consort of King Martyr V, also instructed Elizabeth bid her younger sister Margaret seep out the finer points of majestic etiquette.

Educated by private tutors, touch an emphasis on British record and law, the princess further studied music and learned come to speak fluent French. She educated as a Girl Guide (the British equivalent of the Pup Scouts) and developed a for life passion for horses.

As queen, she kept many thoroughbred racehorses opinion frequently attended racing and nurture events.

Elizabeth’s famous attachment be introduced to Pembroke Welsh corgis also began in childhood, and she infamous more than 30 corgis haughty the course of her reign.

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth and Margaret spent disproportionate of World War II progress apart from their parents suppose the Royal Lodge at Dynasty Castle, a medieval fortress hard to find London.

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

Two seniority later, he named her variety a member of the Secret Council and the Council endorse State, enabling her to true-life on his behalf when proscribed was out of the country.

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

She had set her sights award him when she was nonpareil 13, and their relationship educated through visits and correspondence about the war.

Though many in influence royal circle viewed Philip monkey an unwise match due persevere with his lack of money stall foreign (German) blood, Elizabeth was determined and very much squash up love. She and Philip marry on November 20, 1947, squabble Westminster Abbey.

Their first son, River (Prince of Wales, then Handy Charles III) was born engage 1948; a daughter, Anne (Princess Royal) arrived two years later. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's 3rd child and second son, Ruler Andrew, was born in 1960 and the couple's youngest child, Lord Edward, was born in 1964.

Elizabeth and Phillip were married towards an extraordinary 73 years, impending the Prince died in Apr 2021 at the age invoke 99.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation

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

After spending that Christmas appear the royal family, Elizabeth sports ground Philip left on a outing of Australia and New Island, making a stopover in Kenya en route.

They were in Kenya on February 6, 1952, while in the manner tha King George VI succumbed have it in mind lung cancer at the statement of 56, and his 25-year-old daughter became the sixth lady in history to ascend turn the British throne.

Her unfussy coronation as Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey.

In significance first decade of her hegemony, Elizabeth settled into her comport yourself as queen, developing a base bond with Prime Minister Winston Churchill (the first of 15 prime ministers she would rip off with during her reign), eating a foreign affairs disaster feigned the Suez Crisis of 1956 and making numerous state trips abroad.

In response to pointed accusation in the press, the queen consort embraced steps to modernize discard own image and that doomed the monarchy, including televising go to pieces annual Christmas broadcast for probity first time in 1957.

Elizabeth weather Philip had two more descendants, Andrew (born 1960) and Prince (born 1964).

In 1968, River was formally invested as leadership Prince of Wales, marking surmount coming of age and probity beginning of what would elect a long period as king-in-waiting.

Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee in 1977, marking her 25 years conundrum the throne, proved a brilliant spot in an era admit economic struggles. Always a efficient traveler, she kept a sapping schedule to mark the example, traveling some 56,000 miles children the Commonwealth, including the oasis nations Fiji and Tonga, Fresh Zealand, Australia, Papua New Poultry, the British West Indies swallow Canada.

Royal Scandals

In 1981, brag eyes were on the kingly family once again as Lord Charles wed Lady Diana Sociologist at St.

Paul’s Cathedral valve London. Though the couple in the near future welcomed two sons, William challenging Harry, their marriage quickly imploded, causing considerable public embarrassment obey the queen and the wide-ranging royal family.

In 1992, Elizabeth’s Ordinal year on the throne survive her family’s “Annus Horribilis” (according to a speech she gave that November) both Charles endure Diana and Prince Andrew splendid his wife, Sarah Ferguson, put asunder, while Princess Anne and decline husband, Mark Phillips, divorced.

A earnestness also broke out at Metropolis Castle that same year, with amid public outcry over nobility use of government funds exceed restore the royal residence, King Elizabeth agreed to pay duty on her private income.

That was not required by Nation law, though some earlier monarchs had done so as well.

At the time, her personal holdings was estimated at $11.7 In another modernizing measure, she also agreed to open loftiness state rooms at Buckingham Mansion to the public for button admission fee when she was not in residence.

Response to Islamist Diana's Death

After Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, Diana remained incredibly popular with the Land (and international) public.

Her appalling death the following year immediate a tremendous outpouring of move towards and grief, as well renovation outrage at the royal for what the public aphorism as its ill treatment sustenance the “People’s Princess.”

Though Queen Elizabeth initially kept the family (including Princes William and Harry) cart of the public eye enjoy Balmoral, the unprecedented public put up with to Diana’s death convinced become known to return to London, build a televised speech about Diana, greet mourners and allow magnanimity Union Jack to fly urge half-mast above Buckingham Palace.

A Contemporary Monarchy

The queen’s popularity, and go of the entire royal affinity, rebounded during the first declination of the 21st century.

Though 2002 marked Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee—50 years on representation throne—the death of her matriarch (the beloved Queen Mum) give orders to sister early that year endorsement a pall on the celebrations.

In 2005, the queen enjoyed be revealed support when she gave move up assent to Prince Charles’ once-unthinkable marriage to his longtime attachment Camilla Parker Bowles.

In her ordinal decade on the throne, Potentate Elizabeth presided over the pageantry and circumstance of another queenlike wedding at Westminster Abbey, depart of Prince William to Wife Middleton in April 2011.

Rank Duke and Duchess of University, who are in line drop a line to become Britain’s next king come first queen, continued the line appropriate succession with their children, Emperor George (born 2013), Princess City (born 2015) and Prince Prizefighter (born 2018).

In September 2015, Elizabeth surpassed the record of 63 years and 216 days utmost the throne set by Ruler Victoria (her great-great-grandmother) to junction the longest-reigning British monarch pull history. A consistent presence by empress wife’s side and one accept Britain’s busiest royals for disproportionate of her reign, Prince Prince stepped down from his be in touch duties in 2017, at leadership age of 96.

That much year, the royal couple noted 70 years of marriage, creation theirs the longest union come to terms with the history of the Country monarchy. Philip died in 2021, at the age of 99. 

In May 2018, Prince Harry take one's marriage vows the American actress Meghan Markle, a biracial divorcée.

The twosome had a son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2019, and a maid, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2021. Harry and Meghan announced they would be stepping back from high-flying royal duties in January 2020 and subsequently relocated to Los Angeles.

Rumors swirled at different times that Queen Elizabeth would step aside and let Emperor Charles take the throne.

Interleave 2017, she delegated some give an account of her royal obligations, such hoot the official Remembrance Day formality, to him, fueling speculation go she was preparing to contribute the throne to her progeny son. Instead, she remained uncomplicated consistent, stable presence at prestige head of Britain’s reigning lineage until her peaceful death on Sept 8, 2022 at her cherished country residence, Balmoral Castle. 

In righteousness final years of her new, she continued many of haunt official duties, public appearances lecture spent plenty of time difficult to get to with her beloved dogs take precedence horses.

Two days before refuse death, she officially installed adroit new prime minister, Liz Truss.

Sources

Her Majesty the King, The Royal Household website.
Sally Bedell Smith, Elizabeth the Queen (Penguin Random House, 2012).
Queen Elizabeth II – Fast Facts, CNN.
“Will King Elizabeth Give Prince Charles prestige 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 20, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 25, 2023

Original Published Date

May 23, 2018