Childhood and family
Elizabeth II is the eldest daughter of Prince Albert, born April 21, 1926 at the Mayfair mansion on Brewton Street during the reign of George V, who was her grandfather. The full name of the royal person is Elizabeth Alexandra Maria, the girl received the name in honor of her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. 
In 1936, after two decades of reign, King George, who loved his granddaughter very much, died. The throne passed to Edward VIII. In the name of love for the beautiful Wallis Simpson, a divorced American, he abdicated. The story of Edward and Miss Simpson is considered one of the greatest love stories of the 20th century, and it was she who brought Elizabeth's father to the British throne, who was crowned in May 1937 as George VI.
George VI's brother Henry was considered the next contender for the throne, but he refused the role of heir to the throne in favor of Princess Elizabeth, who at that time was barely 11 years old.
As befits a princess, Elizabeth studied the humanities and exact sciences, but paid special attention to law, including international law, and received a decent education without leaving the palace. The princess was proud of her excellent knowledge of the French language, which she learned on her own.
In 1940, Princess Elizabeth made her first radio appearance: a thirteen-year-old girl from Buckingham Palace supported children affected by Nazi bombings. Princess Elizabeth's sincere words have given hope to the British people, and she has won sympathy from even some of the most critical of the crown.
In 1943, the princess officially assumed the position of councillor. Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth did not serve in the military, but was in the women's self-defense unit, learned to drive an ambulance, thereby setting an example for women in Britain.
In 1947, on her birthday, Elizabeth again spoke on the radio, assuring the British people that her whole life would be dedicated to Britain. In the same year, she was married to Philip, Prince of Denmark.
The gradually deteriorating health of the father and the unfavorable prognosis of doctors required the almost constant presence of the future queen during official receptions, meetings and negotiations. By the beginning of 1951, no one had any doubts that the bill was going on for months, and unofficially, Elizabeth took up the duties of the monarch.
Coronation
The news of the death of George VI overtook the princess in Kenya, where, together with her husband, she spent several days at the Tree Tops Hotel, located among the branches of a huge century-old tree. According to some reports, on February 7, 1952, an entry appeared in the guest registration book of the hotel that for the first time in the history of civilization, a princess climbed a tree, but descended from it as a queen. 
The coronation of the young queen took place on June 2, 1953 in the ancient cathedral of Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was broadcast on national British television, which contributed to the growth of the popularity of the new monarch. Millions of Britons literally froze in front of their TVs, trying not to miss the slightest detail of the most spectacular and beautiful event in the history of Britain.
Despite the fact that in the post-war years the economy had just begun a long period of recovery, a huge amount was allocated from the treasury for the festive decoration of the streets. The white satin dress for the coronation ceremony was made by the court tailor Norman Hartnell, it was embroidered with the national emblems of Britain and the Commonwealth countries - English roses, Canadian maple leaves and Irish clover, as well as other colors that have a symbolic meaning for Britain.
In a golden open front carriage drawn by eight gray horses, the queen, along with her husband, proceeded to Westminster Abbey, where a solemn wedding service was held for the kingdom.
Governing body
In strict accordance with the existing tradition of a parliamentary monarchy, the queen performs functions that are exclusively representative in nature and does not have the right to influence the government of the country. After the coronation, Elizabeth II made a six-month tour of the British colonies, the Commonwealth countries and many countries of the world. 
In the spring of 1956, the Queen received Nikita Khrushchev, who served as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU of the USSR, who arrived in Britain with Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikolai Bulganin. The first persons of the Soviet state presented memorable gifts to Elizabeth and family members, among which was a brooch with a royal blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds, as well as a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky and a sable cape.
During her reign, the Queen met with politicians, big businessmen, scientists and cultural figures. Among the celebrities who were honored to visit Buckingham Palace in different years were Elizabeth Taylor, Yuri Gagarin and The Beatles, as well as presidents of different states.
In 1994, Elizabeth visited Moscow and St. Petersburg, and in 2003 hosted a reception in honor of President Vladimir Putin.
Fearing that the reputation of the British royal house would suffer from rumors that overgrown with the unhappy marriage of Elizabeth's son Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, as well as caring for the happiness of her son, the Queen insisted on a divorce, the procedure of which was launched in 1996. Some part of British society did not approve of the queen's act, but subsequently the British were forced to admit that she was right.
Elizabeth II has been repeatedly called the queen of human hearts in the media. The humanity and kindness of this woman, who remains true to her oath, which she uttered back in 1953, is the key to her popularity among the people.
Personal life of Elizabeth II
In his youth, Prince Philip, the grandson of the King of Greece, was a tall, slender blond, distinguished by amazing beauty. At a tea party on Dartmoor in 1937, the young man did not immediately notice a thirteen-year-old girl who did not take her enthusiastic eyes off him. After the reception ended, this girl, Princess Elizabeth, locked herself in her room and wrote a letter to the handsome prince. 
The friendship that began with correspondence grew into love. King George did not approve of the choice of his daughter: it is known that he did not like the friendship of Philip's father, Prince Andrew of Greece, with Adolf Hitler. In addition, the prince was poor, and apart from the title, blue blood and tender love for Elizabeth, he had nothing.
In early 1940, Elizabeth and Philip became secretly engaged, and the king had to relent and allow a marriage that was destined to be one of the happiest and longest marriages in modern history. The relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Duke Philip is considered exemplary, but few people think that for the sake of his queen, Philip renounced the royal title and changed the Orthodox faith in which he was baptized to Catholicism.
In 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to their first child, Prince Charles. The second child was Princess Anna, who was born 2 years later. The third child of the royal family, Prince Andrew, was born in 1960, and the fourth, Prince Edward, in 1964.
Since her youth, the Queen's main hobbies have been horse riding and breeding dogs, she has a special love for the Corgi breed, which is considered the royal dog throughout Europe.
Queen Elizabeth II now
In 2018, the Queen turned 92 years old, 65 of which she has been a monarch. Headlines regularly appear in the media about the Queen's failing health, in 2017 she missed the Christmas service for the first time, citing a cold. 
As the head of the Windsor dynasty, the Queen remembers the sad events associated with the marriage of Prince Charles to an unloved girl, and, according to her, is personally responsible for the well-being of her family members. That is why she did not give permission for the wedding of Prince Harry Ivar Mountbatten and James Coyle for so long
Despite her age, Elizabeth continues to fulfill her duties and represent the interests of Britain in different countries of the world. Defending the right to her own opinion, in 2017 she openly condemned the inappropriate behavior of Mr. Trump, as well as the militant policies of Kim Jong-un, and in 2018 she expressed the hope that she would wait until the time when Russia was ruled not by Mr. Putin, but by another person who lost touch with reality.
As enshrined in the traditions of a constitutional monarchy, the queen should not interfere in politics, however, the authority of Elizabeth II and her long reign allowed her to influence the course of events in a certain way. Queen Elizabeth II is the most powerful woman in the world, but, as many researchers note, she has never used her influence for personal gain.
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II) Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - since February 6, 1952
Coronation: June 2, 1953
Predecessor: George VI
Heir apparent: Charles, Prince of Wales
Head of the Commonwealth of Nations
Religion: Anglicanism
Birth: 21 April 1926
London, Great Britain
Genus: Windsor dynasty
Birth name: Elizabeth Alexandra Maria
Father: George VI
Mother: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Spouse: Philip Mountbatten
biography of queen elizabeth 2
Elizabeth II(eng. Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (eng. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.
Elizabeth II descended from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.
She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the queen of 15 independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. He is also head of the Anglican Church and supreme commander of the British armed forces.
Elizabeth II- the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She is currently the second longest-serving head of state in history (after Queen Victoria) and also the second longest-serving head of state in the world (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the oldest female head of state in the world.
For the reign Elizabeth a very wide period of British history falls out: the process of decolonization was completed, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. This period also included many other events, such as the long ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Throughout her reign, the queen has been criticized more than once not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy and her popularity in the UK is at its best.
Childhood and youth of Elizabeth II
Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her paternal grandparents were King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); by mother - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1961).
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London's Mayfair at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at Brewton Street, house number 17. Now the area has been rebuilt, and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been erected on this site. She got her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).
At the same time, the father insisted that the first name of the daughter be like that of the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie discussed the name of the girl with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Mary. The names are all good, I told him so, but about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was redundant." The christening of Princess Elizabeth took place on May 25 in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, later destroyed during the war years.
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.
Elizabeth received a good education at home, mostly in the humanities - she studied the history of the constitution, law, religious studies, art history, and also (actually independently) French. From a young age, Elizabeth was interested in horses and was engaged in horseback riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.
At birth Elizabeth became the Duchess of York and was third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII) and father. Because Prince Edward was young enough to be expected to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially considered a viable candidate for the throne. However, Edward was forced to abdicate just a few months after the death of George V in 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became heir to the throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. At the same time, she remained in the role of "heir presumptive" ("supposed heir") (English) Russian, and if George VI had a son, he would have inherited the throne.
World War II began when Elizabeth was 13 years old. On October 13, 1940, she made her first radio appearance, addressing children affected by the disasters of the war. In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of the Guards Grenadiers. In 1944, she became one of five "state councilors" (persons entitled to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - women's self-defense units - and was trained as an ambulance driver, receiving the military rank of lieutenant.
In 1947, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on a trip to South Africa and, on her 21st birthday, went on the radio with a solemn promise to devote her life to the service of the British Empire.
That same year, 21-year-old Elizabeth married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten, a British navy officer, member of the Greek and Danish royal families, and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. They met in 1934, and fell in love, it is believed, after Elizabeth visited the Naval College in Dartmouth, where Philip studied, in 1939. Having become the spouse of the princess, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
A year after the wedding, in 1948, the eldest son, Prince Charles, was born to Elizabeth and Philip. And on August 15, 1950, the daughter is Princess Anna.
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain
Coronation and beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II
King George VI, father Elizabeth, died February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, who at that time was on vacation with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.
The coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. This was the first televised coronation of a British monarch, and is credited with having contributed significantly to the rise of television broadcasting.
After that, in 1953-1954. The queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth, British colonies and other countries of the world. Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.
The second half of the 1950s - the beginning of the 1990s
In 1957, after the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, due to the lack of clear rules for choosing a leader in the Conservative Party, Elizabeth II had to appoint a new head of government from among the Conservatives. After consultations with prominent members of the party and former Prime Minister Churchill, 63-year-old Harold Macmillan was appointed head of government.
In the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. In the same year, she spoke for the first time at a session of the UN General Assembly. She was present at the opening session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of the British monarch). She continued her travels in 1961 when she made visits to Cyprus, the Vatican, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, and Ghana.
Meeting of Elizabeth II with the heads of the Commonwealth countries in 1960
In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, a third son, Prince Edward.
In 1963, following the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as prime minister.
In 1974, a political crisis began to brew after parliamentary elections, in which none of the parties received a majority of votes. Although the Conservative Party turned out to be the largest party in Parliament, Labor leader Harold Wilson was appointed prime minister. A year later, a political crisis also occurred in Australia (English) Russian, during which Elizabeth II refused to cancel the decision of the governor general to resign the country's prime minister.
In 1976 Elizabeth II solemnly opened (as Queen of Canada) the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.
1977 was an important date for the Queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's tenure on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many ceremonial enterprises were held in the Commonwealth countries.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a number of assassination attempts were made on the royal family. In particular, in 1979, the terrorists of the "Provisional Irish Republican Army" assassinated the uncle of Prince Philip, an influential statesman and military leader, Lord Louis Mountbatten. And in 1981, there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Elizabeth II during a military parade in honor of the queen's "official birthday".
In 1981, the wedding of the son of Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Diana Spencer took place, which would later become a big problem for the royal family.
Elizabeth II walking near Windsor Castle with Ronald Reagan (1982)
At this time in 1982, as a result of changes in the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British Queen still remained the head of the Canadian state. In the same year, the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Great Britain in the last 450 years took place (the Queen, who is the head of the Anglican Church, received him personally).
In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the US Houses of Congress.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Queen Elizabeth II. London. 2010
Elizabeth II and the Obamas.
Early 1990s - 2000s in the life of Elizabeth II
1992 was a "terrible year", according to the definition of Elizabeth II herself. Two of the Queen's four children - Prince Andrew and Princess Anne - divorced their spouses, Prince Charles separated from Princess Diana, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, the duty for the Queen to pay income tax was introduced, and funding for the royal court was noticeably reduced.
In 1994, Elizabeth II visited Russia. This was the first visit of the head of the British royal house to the Russian state in the entire history of bilateral relations dating back to 1553.
In 1996, at the urging of the Queen, a formal divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. A year later, in 1997, the tragic death of Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris occurred, which shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For restraint and the absence of any reaction to the death of the former daughter-in-law, critical remarks immediately rained down on the queen.
In 2002, celebrations were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of Elizabeth II on the British throne (Golden Jubilee. But in the same year, the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, died.
In 2008, for the first time in history, the Church of England, led by Elizabeth, held a Maundy Thursday service, traditionally attended by the reigning monarch, outside of England or Wales, at St. Patrick's in Armagh in Northern Ireland.
Modernity
In 2010, she spoke for the second time at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Introducing the Queen, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called her "the anchor of our era."
In 2011, the first ever state visit by a British monarch to independent Ireland took place. In the same year, the wedding of Prince William (grandson of Elizabeth II) and Catherine Middleton took place.
In 2012, the XXX Olympic Games were held in London, inaugurated by Elizabeth II, and a new law was approved that changes the order of succession, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.
In the same year, the 60th (“diamond”) anniversary of Elizabeth II on the throne was solemnly celebrated in Great Britain and other countries. The culmination of the festive events was the weekend of June 3-4, 2012:
On June 3, a solemn water parade of more than a thousand ships and boats took place on the Thames. It is believed that this is the most grandiose river procession in history;
On June 4, 2012, a concert took place on the square in front of Buckingham Palace with the participation of such stars of British and world music as Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Tom Jones and others. The evening was hosted by Take That lead singer Gary Barlow.
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (2013)
In 2013, for the first time in 40 years, Elizabeth II refused to go to the summit of the heads of the countries of the British Commonwealth, held in Sri Lanka. Britain at the summit will be represented by Prince Charles, which indicates the gradual transfer of powers of Elizabeth to her son.
In the same year, the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II was celebrated in Great Britain, but on a smaller scale.
Role in political and public life
In accordance with the British tradition of a constitutional monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, with little or no influence on the government of the country. However, during her reign, she successfully maintains the authority of the British monarchy. Her duties include visiting various countries on diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking government officials (especially the Prime Minister), reading annual messages to Parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc. The Queen also looks through the main British newspapers daily and answers with the help of servants for some letters, which are sent to her in huge quantities (200-300 pieces daily).
Throughout her time on the throne, the Queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers. At the same time, she always remained true to the tradition of the English kings of modern times - to be above political fights.
Elizabeth II is also actively involved in charity work. She is a trustee of over 600 different public and charitable organizations.
Main article: Royal prerogatives
In addition to duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights, like a monarch (royal prerogatives), which, however, are quite formal. For example, she can dissolve the parliament, reject the candidacy of the prime minister (which seems unsuitable to her), etc.
Financial expenses
Certain funds are spent on the maintenance of the queen from the so-called civil list, which is controlled by the government.
So, according to data from Buckingham Palace, in the 2008-2009 financial year, each Briton spent $ 1 14 cents on the maintenance of the monarchy, which amounted to $ 68.5 million in total.
In 2010-2011, due to the government's new economic program, the Queen was forced to cut her spending to $51.7 million.
But, starting in 2012, Elizabeth's income began to grow again (at an approximate rate of 5% per year).
Such figures cause dissatisfaction among the Republican-minded part of the British population, which considers it necessary to cut them.
Family and Children
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921), the son of the Greek Prince Andrew, who received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
Four children were born in their family:
Name Date of birth Marriage Children Grandchildren
Prince Charles,
Prince of Wales 14 November 1948 Lady Diana Spencer 29 July 1981
(divorced: 28 August 1996) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge
Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales
Camille Shand April 9, 2005
Princess Anna,
"Princess Royal" August 15, 1950 Mark Phillips November 14, 1973
(divorced: April 28, 1992) Peter Phillips Savannah Phillips
Isla Elizabeth Phillips
Zara Phillips
Timothy Lawrence December 12, 1992
Prince Andrew
Duke of York 19 February 1960 Sarah Ferguson 23 July 1986
(divorced: 30 May 1996) Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Eugenie (Eugenie) of York
Prince Edward
Earl of Wessex 10 March 1964 Sophie Rhys-Jones 19 June 1999 Lady Louise Windsor
James, Viscount Severn
Official titles, awards and coat of arms
The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, the Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."
During the reign of Elizabeth II, in all countries that recognize the British monarch as their head of state, laws were passed according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as head of this particular state (English) Russian, regardless of his titles in Great Britain proper or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries, the title of the queen sounds the same, with the name of the state replaced. In some countries, the words "defender of the faith" are excluded from the title. For example, in Australia, the title sounds like this: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God the Queen of Australia and her other kingdoms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth."
On the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, Elizabeth II also bears the title of Duke of Normandy, on the Isle of Man - the title of "Lord of Maine".
States whose head was or is Elizabeth II
Member countries of the Commonwealth are marked on the map (Fiji membership is suspended)
Upon accession to the throne, in 1952, Elizabeth became queen of seven states: Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.
During her reign, some of these countries became republics. At the same time, as a result of the process of decolonization, numerous British colonies gained independence. In some of them, the Queen of Great Britain retained the status of head of state, in others she did not.
Abolition of the monarchy in the original possessions of Elizabeth II:
Pakistan - in 1956 (former Dominion of Pakistan).
South Africa - in 1961 (former South Africa).
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - in 1972 (former Dominion of Ceylon).
Blue indicates states that retain the monarchy
Newly independent states that retained the monarchy:
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Grenada
Papua New Guinea
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Solomon islands
Tuvalu
Jamaica
Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy:
Guyana
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Mauritius
Malawi
Malta
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanganyika
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Fiji
Awards
Main article: Titles and honors of Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries, as well as in other states, is the head of a number of knightly orders, and also has military ranks, numerous honorary titles, academic degrees. In addition, she is a holder of various domestic British awards, as well as a number of various awards from foreign countries.
Coats of arms in different periods of time and in different countries
Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944-1947)
Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (1947-1952)
Royal coat of arms in Great Britain (except Scotland)
Royal coat of arms in Scotland
Royal coat of arms in Canada
public perception
At the moment, the majority of Britons positively assess the activities of Elizabeth II as a monarch (about 69% believe that the country would be worse without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy contributes to raising the country's image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).
Criticism
Despite the positive attitude of most of her subjects, the queen was repeatedly criticized throughout her reign, in particular:
In 1963, when a political crisis arose in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for having personally appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1997, for the lack of an immediate reaction to the death of Princess Diana, the queen fell not only with the anger of the British public, but even of many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death with a cane, a wave of indignation from environmental organizations swept across the country about the actions of the monarch.
Hobbies and personal life
Map of visits by Elizabeth II around the world
The Queen's interests include dog breeding (including Corgis, Spaniels and Labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige of the Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively around her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits to her credit (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries).
I have been gardening since 2009.
In addition to English, he is also fluent in French.
Memory
In culture
Films about Elizabeth II
In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years was released - "Churchill Goes to War!", Where the role of Elizabeth was played by Neve Campbell.
In 2006, the biopic The Queen was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA winner in the Best Film category. Actress Helen Mirren, who played the title role in the film, won the Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar as Best Picture.
In 2009, the 4th channel of British television (Channel 4) filmed a 5-episode fictional mini-series "The Queen" ("The Queen", directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reams). The Queen at different periods of her life was played by 5 actresses: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.
On July 27, 2012, the television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both parachute from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the Queen was awarded the BAFTA Award for the best performance of the role of a James Bond girl.
In architecture
In honor of the queen, Elizabeth Avenue is named next to the espalana in Singapore.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called the “Elizabeth Tower” since September 2012.
A bridge in Duford, completed in 1991, is also named after the Queen.
On August 1, 2013, the Elizabeth II Olympic Park was opened in London.
Lifetime monuments
Lifetime monuments
Statue of Elizabeth II in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Canada
Statue in Regina, Saskatchewan, erected in 2005
Statue in Windsor Great Park
In botany
In honor of Elizabeth II, the rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named.
On coins and in philately
Coins and postage stamps
On a Canadian stamp, 1953
On an Australian coronation stamp
On a Northern Ireland stamp, 1958
On a 1953 coin
On a South African coin, 1958
Coin with Elizabeth 1961
In geography
The name of Elizabeth II was repeatedly assigned to various territories, among them:
Princess Elizabeth Land in Antarctica
Queen Elizabeth Land in Antarctica
Queen Elizabeth Islands in Canada
and Queen Mary (1867-1953), Princess of Teck, - by father,
Claude George Bowes-Lyon (1855–1944), Earl of Strathmore and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883–1961), by mother.
Early years of Elizabeth II
1. The Queen was born at 2:40 am on April 21, 1926 in London's Mayfair at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore on Brewton Street, house number 17.
2. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who would go on to become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
3. At the time, she was third in the line of succession to the throne after Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) and her father, the Duke of York. But no one expected her father to become a king, much less that she would become a queen.
4. Princess Elizabeth was baptized with the names of Alexander and Mary in the chapel of Buckingham Palace. She was named after her mother, and her two middle names are after her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and her paternal grandmother, Queen Mary.
5. The Princess' early years were spent at 145 Piccadilly, her parents' London home, where they moved shortly after her birth, and at the White House in Richmond Park.
6. When she was six years old, her parents received government positions at the Royal House in Windsor Great Park.
7. Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her younger sister.
8. Elizabeth was personally educated by her father, King George, and also had classes with Henry Marten, vice-rector of Eton. The Archbishop of Canterbury studied religion with her.
9. Princess Elizabeth learned French from French and Belgian governesses. This skill served the Queen well, as she was personally able to take part in conversations with ambassadors and heads of state from French-speaking countries, as well as when visiting French-speaking areas of Canada.
Princess Elizabeth in 1933
10. Princess Elizabeth became a Scout when she was eleven years old and then became a Marine Ranger.
11. In 1940, at the height of the war, the young princesses were moved for their safety to Windsor Castle, where they spent most of the war years.
1943 with sister
Women's Auxiliary Territorial Corps: Princess Elizabeth, 2nd Chief of the Department of Internal Affairs, in overalls.
royal romance
12. The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee.
13. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip met at the wedding of Prince Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece and the Duke of Kent, who was Princess Elizabeth's uncle, in 1934.
14. The engagement of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten was announced on July 9, 1947. Prince Philip at birth received the title of Prince of Greece and Denmark. He joined the Navy in 1939 and after the war, in February 1947, he became a British citizen. Prince Philip had to choose a surname in order to continue his career in the Royal Navy and he took the surname of his mother's British relatives, Mountbatten. At the wedding, King George VI elevated him to the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
15. Royal wedding rings were decorated with platinum and encrusted with diamonds by jeweler Philip Antrobus. He used diamonds from a diadem belonging to the mother of Prince Philip in jewelry.
16. Prince Philip had two bachelor parties before the wedding: the first - official in Dorchester, which included invited guests from the press, and the second - with close friends at the Belfrey club.
17. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947 at 11:30 am. The celebration was attended by 2000 invited guests.
Video: "Wedding" Bridesmaid dresses were made in the same style. They were made from cheaper materials (also purchased with coupons), but due to the embroidery and interesting design, they looked decent.
Princess Margaret as a bridesmaid at Queen Elizabeth's wedding
Princess Alexandra of Kent as a bridesmaid at the Queen's wedding
18. Elizabeth had eight bridesmaids: Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambert, Pamela Mountbatten, Margaret Elphinstone, Diana Bowes-Lyon.
19. Also in attendance at the wedding were HRH Prince William of Gloucester (aged five) and HRH Prince Michael of Kent (also aged five).
20. The Queen's wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell.
21. The fabric for the dress was specially made by "Winterthur Silks Limited" in Dunfermline, at the Canmore factory. For its manufacture, threads of Chinese silkworms were delivered from China. Garlands of flowers of orange fleur (the emblem of virginity), jasmine (the emblem of happiness, purity, sincerity) and the white rose of York (white rose means purity) were embroidered with small pearls and crystal rhinestones located all over the dress.
22. The queen's veil was made of light sheer fabric and topped with a diamond tiara. This tiara (which can be worn as a necklace) was made for Queen Mary in 1919. The diamonds from which it is made are taken from a necklace and tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood and a wedding gift for Queen Mary in 1893. In August 1936, Queen Mary gave the tiara to Queen Elizabeth when she was still Princess Elizabeth for a future wedding.
Elizabeth "borrowed" the tiara from her mother. An hour before the celebration in the hands of the bride, the tiara broke in half and had to wait for the jeweler, who urgently repaired it.
23. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Abbey is the only stone that is not covered with a special cover. The day after the wedding, Princess Elizabeth, following the royal tradition begun by her mother, sent the bridal bouquet back to the abbey, where flowers were laid on the grave.
24. The bride's engagement ring was made from a Welsh gold nugget shipped from the Clogau St David mine near Dolgello.
25. About 10 thousand congratulatory telegrams were received at Buckingham Palace, and the royal couple received more than 2,500 wedding gifts from well-wishers around the world.
26. In addition to jewelry, the couple received many useful items for the kitchen and home from close relatives, including salt shakers from the Queen Mother, a bookcase from Queen Mary, and a picnic set from Princess Margaret.
27. "Wedding Breakfast" (lunch) was held after the wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey in the Round Dining Room at Buckingham Palace. The menu included filet de Sole Mountbatten, Pedro casserole, Princess Elizabeth ice cream.
28. On their honeymoon, the couple left Waterloo Station with the princess's dog, Susan.
29. The newlyweds spent their wedding night in Hampshire, at the home of Prince Philip's uncle Earl Mountbatten. The second part of the honeymoon took place in Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate.
30. In early 1948, the couple rented their first family home, Windlensham Moor, in Surrey, near Windsor Castle, where they remained until they moved into Clarence House on July 4, 1949.
31. After marrying Princess Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh continued his naval career, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander in command of the frigate HMS Magpie.
32. Although he was the husband of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh was not crowned or anointed at the coronation ceremony in 1953. He was the first to pay respect and take the oath to Her Majesty. He kissed the newly crowned Queen with the words: "I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will be your vassal in sickness and in health, I will serve you faithfully, with honor and respect, until death. May God help me."
Herbert James Gunn Coronation Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
33. Prince Philip accompanied the Queen on all her travels to Commonwealth countries and state visits, as well as to state events and meetings in all parts of the UK. The first of these was the Commonwealth Coronation Tour from November 1953 to May 1954, in which the couple visited Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, the Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar, having traveled a distance of 43.618 kilometers.
34. The coronation took place at Westinster Abbey on June 2, 1953. The ceremony was officiated by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury.
35. The coronation was broadcast in every part of London, on the navy, in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Sketch by Norman Hartnell for the coronation dress of Elizabeth II
Coronation dress by Norman Hartnell
Joan Hassell. Prince Charles invitation, 1953
36. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip, have four children: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (b. 1948), Princess Anne, (b. 1950), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (b. 1960) and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (b. 1964).
37. With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, the Queen became the first reigning monarch to have a child since Queen Victoria, whose youngest child, Princess Beatrice, was born in 1857.
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (b. 1948)
Princess Anne, (b. 1950)
The Queen with son Charles and daughter Anne, 1954
The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cornwall and Princess Anne October 1957
Prince Andrew, Duke of York (b. 1960)
Queen Elizabeth II's two youngest children, Princes Andrew and Edward.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (b. 1964)
Prince Edward and Princess Sophie
38. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh Philip have eight grandchildren -
Peter Phillips (b. 1977)
Zara Phillips (b. 1981)
Prince William (b. 1982)
Prince Harry (b. 1984),
Princess Beatrice (b. 1988),
Princess Eugenie (b. 1990),
Lady Louise Windsor (b. 2003)
and James, Viscount Severns (b. 2007),
has a great-granddaughter - Savannah (born in 2011) and great-grandson Prince George of Cambridge (2013)
The Queen and Prince Philip pose with their grandchildren (l-r) William, Harry, Zara and her brother Peter (back row) in a warm portrait sent out for Christmas 1987
Speeches of the Queen of England
39. The Queen televises a Christmas message every year except in 1969, when she decided the royals had had enough on television after an unprecedented documentary about her family. Her greeting took the form of a written address.
40. In a 1991 message, the Queen dismissed rumors of an abdication, as she pledged to continue her service.
41. The Queen issued an injunction against The Sun in 1992 after it published the full text of her speech two days before it was broadcast. She later accepted an apology and a £200,000 donation to charity.
42. The Queen's grandfather, King George V, was the first of the royal family to speak live on the radio from Sandringham on Christmas Day in 1932.
43. George V was at first against the use of wireless devices for transmitting information, but eventually agreed.
44. There was no Christmas broadcast in 1936 and 1938.
45. In 2010, the Queen's speech was broadcast from Hampton Court Palace - the first time a historic building was used.
46. Each speech is written personally by the Queen, each has a strict religious framework, reflects current issues and is often based on her own experience.
Interests and hobbies
48. An animal lover since childhood, the Queen has a keen and very knowledgeable interest in horses. As an owner and breeder of Thoroughbreds, she often comes to watch races to see how her horses are doing on the run, and often attends equestrian events.
49. Elizabeth II took part in the derby, one of the classic races in the UK, and the Ascot summer race, which has become royal since 1911.
50. The Queen's horses have won several races at Royal Ascot. Notable was the double victory on June 18, 1954, when Landau won the Rous Memorial Stakes and a stallion named Halo won the Hardwicke Stakes, and in 1957 the Queen had four winners during the race.
Zara Philips, Princess Ahn and Elizabeth II
In her young grandchildren (children of Prince Edward), Elizabeth II also encourages horses.
51. Other interests include walks in nature and in the countryside. The Queen also loves to walk with her Labradors, which were specially bred in Sandgreenham.
52. Less well known is the Queen's interest in Scottish dance. Each year during her stay at Balmoral Castle, the Queen hosts a dance known as the "Gillis Ball" for neighbors, estate owners, castle employees and members of the local community.
53. The Queen is the only person in the UK who can drive without a license or registration number in her car. And she doesn't have a passport.
54. The Queen is the patron of over 600 charities.
55. To formally greet the queen, men should bow their heads slightly, while women make a small curtsy. When introduced to the Queen, the proper formal address is "Your Majesty" followed by "Ma'am".
Leisure Queen
56. Queen Elizabeth II is the fortieth English monarch since William the Conqueror.
57. She has traveled to Australia 15 times, Canada 23 times, Jamaica 6 times and New Zealand 10 times.
58. Her Majesty sent about 100,000 telegrams to centenarians in the UK and Commonwealth countries.
59. The Queen dined on 23 ships and interacted with five astronauts at Buckingham Palace.
60. She made her first airplane flight in July 1945.
61. Her Majesty is the only British monarch in history who knows how to change spark plugs.
62. On VE Day, the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret slipped in the crowd during the celebration.
63. For a wedding dress, the Queen collected coupons for clothes.
64. The Queen has a bank account at Coutts & Co.
65. The Queen celebrated her golden jubilee in 2002 by visiting 70 cities and towns across the UK.
66. Tony Blair was the first prime minister to be born during her reign, which has already seen nine prime ministers before him.
67. The Queen attended 91 state banquets and posed for 139 official portraits.
68. Formally, the Queen of England still owns sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the water throughout the UK, which are recognized as "King's Fish". In addition, she owns all wild flocks of swans living in open water.
69. The Queen developed a new breed of dog known as "dorgi" when one of the corgis was bred to a dachshund named Pipkin.
70. The Queen is the first British monarch to see three child divorces.
71. Her Majesty demoted a footman for serving whiskey to her corgi.
72. The Queen has nine Royal Thrones: one in the House of Lords, two in Westminster Abbey and six in the throne room at Buckingham Palace.
73. She is a patron of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association. One of the queen's birds is called the Sandringham Lightning.
74. There have been six Archbishops of Canterbury during the Queen's reign.
75. The height of the Queen is 5 feet 4 inches or 160 centimeters.
Original entry and comments on
Little Elizabeth did not even think about the throne: her uncle was to become the king, her place in line for the throne was completely hopeless, and therefore the future ruler hardly suspected the imminent changes in her fate. But Edward VIII unexpectedly abandoned the crown for the love of a dysfunctional American, and Elizabeth's father was at the helm, the girl at that time was only ten years old, at a very young age, Princess Lilibet (as her family called her) turned into Crown Princess Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth, it must be said, was distinguished by an iron character from childhood, so that, despite the plans of her crowned parents, the future ruler of Great Britain was sure that she would marry a farmer. And better: for a horse breeder, Elizabeth passionately loved horses and horseback riding from an early age, so the owner of a dozen stables as a spouse would be very useful. True, later Lilibet nevertheless abandoned the tempting idea, because she fell in love with a sailor cadet, which, by the way, in the opinion of the royal family, was little better than a farmer.
Philip Prince of Greece and Denmark was born in 1921 on the island of Corfu into a royal family that had lost power. His grandfather, King George I of Greece, was killed in 1913, his uncle was overthrown from the throne, and his father, having fallen into a severe depression after the loss of all regalia, fled Greece in disgrace, taking his whole family with him. Later, Philip's parents broke up - Prince Andrei settled in Monte Carlo, where he enthusiastically squandered his family fortune, his ex-wife and children moved to Paris, where she soon lost her mind due to all the troubles that befell the family. After the sad event, Philip was taken to his father, he sent the boy to a closed school so that he would not interfere with daddy to have fun and practically forgot about him. A few years later, Philip, on his own, without a penny in his pocket, reached England, where he was sheltered by relatives. Yes, Elizabeth's parents definitely did not want such a betrothed for their daughter. And although the closest relatives from the side of the groom more than once hinted to the Queen Mother and King George about a possible wedding, they only brushed it off, they had more decent options. But Elizabeth, having once seen the prince, could not think of anyone else, so the plans of her parents did not bother her at all. At all the events where the poor prince and the crown princess had a chance to meet, Elizabeth followed Philip with her tail, and it seems, despite the hopes of her parents, she was not going to deviate from her intended goal.
The future husband of Elizabeth graduated from his studies in 1940 with the rank of midshipman. In order to enlist in the British Navy, he is forced to renounce all his titles and become Prince Mountbatten. Already in the status of a British military man, Philip went to the front, from where he wrote the most tender and passionate letters to his Lilibet, but his parents, however, were still adamant. There is an opinion that even during the war, taking advantage of the absence of his son, the terminally ill Prince Andrew asked George VI for consent to the marriage between Philip and Elizabeth, but immediately received a categorical refusal. Firstly, by that time the groom's family had become completely impoverished, and secondly, which seemed to be a much bigger problem - during the war, almost the entire Philip family turned out to be on the side of the Nazis - his sisters Margarita, Theodora and Sophia married Nazi officers. Such a relationship could cast a shadow on the reputation of the British monarchy. Neither Elizabeth nor Philip knew anything about such a maneuver, the lovers were simply waiting for a meeting after a long separation. By the way, Elizabeth herself wanted to go to the front, but her father strictly forbade the girl to do this - the crown princess had to be left safe and sound.
Upon returning home, Philip first went to his beloved. During the hostilities, other contenders for the hand of the future queen melted into thin air, someone got married, someone simply chose to continue the search. There was no one left but Philip. It was impossible to move on. Fans of the English royal family say that Elizabeth, unable to wait any longer, made an offer to Philip herself, as her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria once did - genes make themselves felt. Parents, although they were not completely satisfied, nevertheless agreed to the marriage, Elizabeth's stubbornness was indestructible.
The engagement was announced in July 1947. The wedding was scheduled for November of that year. According to tradition, the wedding took place in Westminster Abbey. If the bride was represented by the entire British court, then the groom was allowed to invite to the celebration only his mother, who for many years had been teetering on the verge of reality and non-existence. As expected, the father accompanied the bride to the altar. She wore an ivory satin dress embroidered with thousands of pearls and crystal beads. It took the court fashion designer Sir Norman Harnell several months to create it. However, rich outfits with incredibly long trains are in honor of this royal family - remember at least Princess Diana.
After the wedding, the newlyweds led an active social life, went to the races, attended social events and even from time to time appeared on the dance floors, where representatives of not high society were found. It was then that the first rumors arose about the free temper of the prince. Tired of constant surveillance - on the heels of Philip was the secretary, who in fact was called upon to observe the honor of the queen, and of the prince at the same time, the journalists did not give a moment's rest - Lilibet increasingly showed an iron character, insisting on her own, making decisions without consulting with her husband, in short, she was preparing in full force to become a queen not only in the country, but also in her own family. The romantic prince spent more and more time away from his young wife, and, judging by the assurances of experts, he even fell in love with the singer Pat Kirkwood. True, the couple never got to bed, in spite of everything, Philip was devoted to his queen, probably, sometimes he just needed to forget that his fate was to always be the shadow of a crowned wife.
The conversations stopped after Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Charles. Then the couple left together for Malta, where Philip was sent on duty. Everything calmed down, maybe it was then that the strong, strong-willed, unbending Crown Princess Elizabeth truly felt like a wife and mother. She cooked on her own, invited the wives of Philip's colleagues to visit, gossiped and played with little Charles. Harmony and happiness collapsed in one second - King George VI of England died. Philip was the first to know of his death. At this time, he and Elizabeth were touring Kenya, and he knew that this news would be a real shock for his wife. Philip has always been the main support for his wife. And he also became the first who, traditionally bowing the knee, swore an oath of allegiance to his queen: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your lifelong vassal and lowest servant; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you, no matter what happens. God help me!"
After the ascension of Elizabeth to the throne, a serious dispute broke out at the court. After the death of George VI, Philip's uncle, Dickey, raised the issue that the House of Mountbatten should henceforth be the ruling house, and not Windsore - this statement was received with hostility by the Queen Mother Elizabeth. The Queen, on the other hand, was at a loss, on the advice of the wise Prime Minister Winston Churchill, she refused to take her husband's surname, but seeing how upset Philip was about this, she herself fell into despair.
In the spring of 1959, the Queen became pregnant again. This time she decided to reconsider the question of her last name, changing it to Mountbatten. She wanted to please her husband, whom she continued to love immensely. The result of a long discussion was that Charles and Anna would remain Windsor, while the rest of the heirs would bear the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. So, in February 1960, the second son of the royal couple, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was born. Elizabeth, as a sign of her devotion to her husband, named the boy in honor of his father, Philip Andrey. Philip, after such a turn, got rid of the complexes and found a job to his liking - he began to do charity work. His focus was on sports, youth and education.
Always remaining one step behind his wife in public life, in the family Philip nevertheless achieved the right to the first vote. He dealt with the education of children, everyday problems - in this, Elizabeth could completely rely on her husband. By the way, it was Philip who once insisted on the marriage of Charles. Despite resistance from his son, Philip literally with one movement of his hand stopped all sorts of disputes: Charles had to leave his mistress Camilla and marry a decent girl. How it all ended, we all know perfectly well. Actually, since the time of Princess Diana, the relationship between father and son has changed dramatically. Several times Charles even publicly accused his father of numerous betrayals, while Philip remained cool.
After Charles's divorce from Diana, the Queen officially announced that Prince Charles had lost his right to the throne and William was declared heir to the throne. Years after Charles's marriage to Camilla, Elizabeth declared that her son could still "take responsibility for the monarchy." Today, Elizabeth again doubted the abilities of her son. Many years later, the correspondence between Philip and Diana was unexpectedly published, from which it became obvious that the prince treated Spencer as if he were his own daughter. He already knew very well how difficult it was to feel at home in the royal family, especially if you were not welcome there. Diana wrote long emotional letters to her father-in-law. Philip answered with short notes, copies of which he kept. Diana called him "Pa" - like her father. The relationship between the queen and her husband was cool with their own children - the offspring were more disappointing than pleased, perhaps that is why the crowned couple adores grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.
It's quiet in the royal house today. The queen spends a lot of time on her estate, where she walks arm in arm with her beloved husband, trains dogs, raises horses, and does not like it when privacy is violated with Philip.
Hello my wonderful readers!
Have you ever thought that if you look at world history over the past 60 years, the only thing that remains unchanged is Elizabeth II - the Queen of England? Isn't it surprising that after 60 years of changes and upheavals around the world, it still remains the country's favorite?
Therefore, today I invite you to plunge into the history of a great woman, find out her brief biography, what her childhood was like, how she fought for her only love and why, nevertheless, she remains the same symbol of Britain.
And, as a bonus, I will share with you some amazing stories from the life of Elizabeth II.
The beginning of time!
If we talk about a short biography of Elizabeth II, then it’s worth starting, of course, from birth. On April 21, 1926, a little girl was born in one of the houses in London, the appearance of which made absolutely no stir in the family. Guess why? Because no one even imagined that one day this little one would become. The country at that time was ruled by her grandfather, and the throne was to be taken by her uncle and his heirs. So little Lilibet, as she was affectionately known in the family, was just one of the many members of the royal family.
But Elizabeth's uncle - Edward - could not cope with the fate of the heir to the throne. He decided to marry a twice-divorced lady named Wallis Simpson (and, as the head of the Anglican Church, such a marriage is forbidden to him), for the sake of which he abdicated. So, the king was the father of Elizabeth - Albert Frederick. And Elizabeth herself at the age of 11 became the full heir to the royal throne.
Elizabeth grew up as a quiet child. She spent all her free time with horses and dogs. But in a quiet baby, a rebellious character lurked. One day, as a protest against the excessive strictness of a French teacher, she poured a jar of ink.
Love and marriage!
You know, if you remember all the fairy tales that we read in childhood, then you want the princess to find her prince, they fell in love with each other and lived happily ever after.
And Elizabeth fulfilled this dream of many girls. She fell in love. Fell in love once and for all. She met her husband at the Naval Academy.
It would seem that the Greek prince is the perfect match for the future queen. But the royal family opposed this union. Although Philip was a titled prince, he had nothing more than this very title. His mother ended her life in a psychiatric hospital, and his father became a gamer. And Britain accepted the little boy into the navy to secure his future.
But Elizabeth still defended her right to love. Throughout the war, she wrote letters to him, and after it ended, she invited the Greek prince to get engaged. On November 20, 1947, the 21-year-old heir to the throne got married.
In 1952, the young decided to go to Kenya to relax. They lived in a hotel among ficus branches. And this was the only time in history when "the princess climbed a tree, and came down from there as a queen." Yes, unfortunately, her father died.
Why do people love Elizabeth II so much!
Elizabeth has ruled Britain for 60 years. And still remains the favorite of the people. Of course, now the queen practically does not decide anything in governing the country, but, according to polls, 2 out of 3 subjects of Britain do not represent their country without monarchy in general, and Queen Elizabeth in particular.
People love her for her dedication. She endured World War II as a young girl. She supported her fellow citizens, addressed the affected children on the radio. But she was just a little 13-year-old girl. And then she herself went to the front when she was only 18.
She is loved for her endurance and self-control. Once, during the celebration of the Queen's birthday in 1981, in the immediate vicinity of Elizabeth, who was sitting on a horse, shots were fired that made everyone around shudder. But, to the general delight, the Queen stayed in the saddle and did not even move her eyes.
People love her for her kindness, which is eloquently expressed by her love for animals. As already mentioned, in her youth, Elizabeth II was an excellent rider. And nimble journalists hundreds of times took her photo with cute red dogs, which have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.
Her Royal Highness is humble, easy to communicate with, hardworking, demanding, fair and considerate.
In addition, Elizabeth II is the head of the most famous family in Britain. They have a family, of course, as a selection. Prince Charles became famous as a polygamist, Prince Harry - a reveler and a brawler. And only until he disappointed the sweet old lady Prince William. But she still, like the kindest all-forgiving grandmother, loves all her children, grandchildren and great-grandsons.
What does an 89 year old lady do?
What do you think the queen does during the day? Now you say: walks in the garden with his dogs, looks at the flowers and breathes the air. And here are the nets! Let not even the thought appear in your heads that, being an 89-year-old old woman, you can lie in bed until dinner and do nothing! This is the schedule that the ruler of Britain adheres to.
- She wakes up at 8 am, has breakfast and looks through the morning papers.
- At 9 a.m., the Queen goes to her office and starts working on the paperwork. Every day she receives about 200-300 letters, but she always looks through her mail herself, and then dictates the answer to her assistants. She answers almost all emails.
- Then comes the time of the "red box". These are documents from the government and representatives of other states.
- Important meetings are held at 11 o'clock. The Queen meets important people.
- The queen usually dines at Buckingham Palace, where she lives and spends all her time.
- After dinner, the Queen makes public visits. These can be schools, hospitals, military units, nursing homes, hostels for the homeless, and other places.
- At 17 o'clock the queen .... You guessed it, drinking tea!
- Dinner usually takes place in a formal setting. In the evening, she can take part in a film premiere, attend a concert, hold a charity event.
- And only late at night, practically at the very last one, the light turns off in her room.
Interesting facts and stories from the life of Elizabeth II:
- The queen lives without... a passport!
It would seem that we are not in the Middle Ages. Now almost every person, with the exception of some natives from distant islands, has a passport, but she is the queen. Queen of a modern European state. A queen who has traveled to 120 countries around the world. The thing is that in the UK, all identity documents are issued on behalf of Her Majesty. Therefore, she personally does not need them! The same applies to driver's licenses. - “Unfortunately, birthdays are only once a year…”! But this does not apply to Elizabeth II. The Queen of Great Britain has 2 birthdays! She was born on April 21 and she celebrates this date exclusively with her family: her children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. But the country celebrates the queen's birthday on the first, second and - oh my! - the third Saturday of June!
- Unexpectedly, Elizabeth II drove a truck during World War II. The 18-year-old princess for a long time persuaded the king to let her go to the front. When the king nevertheless agreed, Elizabeth put on a military uniform, completed preparatory courses and began working as a mechanic and driver of military trucks.
Naturally, after such a vivid example, her family members - grandchildren William and Harry - did not even dare to refuse military service. - Elizabeth II is the only ruler of the states who served during the Second World War.
- The Queen is the first ruler of the country to use e-mail. She sent the first email back in 1976 when most didn't know or guess what the Internet was.
- One day a stranger broke into the queen's room. One night in 1982, Queen Elizabeth II woke up in her bedroom to find a man sitting beside her bed. It was a patient in a psychiatric hospital. Fortunately, the queen did not panic, and began to ask the stranger about his family, children, and difficulties. Hearing the conversation, one of the lackeys entered the room and arrested the violator. As it turned out later, he climbed into the palace through a drainpipe and did this not for the first time. The last time he took with him a bottle of wine from the stocks of Prince Charles.
- Elizabeth II is the oldest of the current heads of various states.
- Did you know that the name Elizabeth (in English Elizabeth) means "God's oath" or "God's help"? Yes, I am now 100% sure that any Elizabeth who ascends the British throne is simply doomed to universal love.
- Did you know that the Queen, by all rights, is the owner of all the whales and dolphins in British waters. If you need more proof of the queen's kindness and humanity, let me know!
We can talk for a long time about why we, in Russia, do not understand such a frantic adoration of the English for their queen. We can be touched by the strength and character of the 89-year-old British granny. But one thing remains unchanged: Elizabeth II is the symbol of the country. A symbol, losing which, the country will grieve for a very, very long time.
And if you, my dears, want to learn even more and more information about English culture, history and language - then subscribe to my blog newsletter. You will find a lot of useful information and interesting stories.
Thank you.
See you soon!
