What do you call a person who does not have a passport and does not need it? And if he does not have a driver's license, again, without needing one?

Shrug your shoulders: you never know the inhabitants of New Guinea, the Amazonian selva, ordinary vagrants live like this ...

Let's narrow down the search: this person, not embarrassed by his age, famously drives one of his two favorite cars on his estates, his profile is sometimes minted on the coins of 35 countries.

Didn't guess the answer? Let's solemnly call the name/position: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.

Is it possible to separate the UK and the monarchy? If people are ready to live in a tent in the open air of a London street for two or three days, with children, for the sake of being able to see the passage of the royal wedding carriage for a minute, it turns out: for citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in addition to football, cricket, Magna Carta (her already 803) there is a higher priority - the monarchy. The opinion is confirmed by gambling “sickness” for planned / unscheduled events that occur in the royal family: from birthdays, weddings to scandals, divorces.

Elizabeth II a few decades ago became the world-famous brand of Great Britain and the entire Commonwealth, which has existed since 1931 and now includes five dozen countries. Can an unsuccessful project exist for so long?

The “reigning but not ruling” queen has many duties, serious powers, some of which are traditionally not applied. Elizabeth II (the head of the country, commander in chief of all armed forces) has the right to veto legislative acts adopted by Parliament; can please parliament with an extraordinary session; can overclock it (sorry, dissolve) by setting the date for early elections 1 . Plus, the Queen of Great Britain, being the head of the Commonwealth of Nations, expands the “soft influence” of the country (linguistic, cultural, scientific) almost a third of the modern countries of the world.

Of course, the British Prime Minister (in her lifetime, Elizabeth II fruitfully collaborated with thirteen; a similar number of US presidents; seven Popes) has full executive power, a similar responsibility, being the most important civil servant of Great Britain. They come and go, but monarchs reign - and indirectly rule.

How was the childhood and youth of the future Queen of Great Britain?

A positive example of a father influences children correctly. The young heiress to the throne, brought up at home, observing the responsible attitude of her father - King George VI - to his royal duties (which he not sought), was a disciplined, punctual, attentive, diligent child. Scattering toys/clothes was unfamiliar to her; even sweets she could lay out strictly according to the color scheme of the wrapper.

However, it should be noted cases of disobedience of Elizabeth (who was called Lilibet at home) to her parental will. The first heir to the throne refused to go to Scotland/Canada at the outbreak of hostilities, away from the bombing, because her parents, the king and queen, considered it indecent to leave their people in trouble. The king denied the heiress a job as a London nurse; in February 1945 (date of birth - 04/21/1926) she joined the ranks of ATS 2, becoming Lieutenant Elizabeth Windsor; service life was five months 3 .

Marriage, the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth 2

Does etiquette provide for a small slice of love when concluding crowned marriages? Rather not, but Lilibet, who has been corresponding with her fourth cousin Philip for five years, wished just that.

In 1922, the King of Greece abdicated; together with his relatives was expelled from the country. The one-year-old son of the king's brother, Prince Andrew - Philip - ended up in Paris, in 1928 he moved to London.

A high-born aristocrat, the grandson of the King of Denmark, the son of the Prince of Greece, Philip deigned to arrive in the UK by special transport (we are talking about a box in which oranges traveled comfortably in front of him). After leaving school in 1939-40, he graduated from the Royal Naval College (Dartmouth), received the rank of midshipman, went through World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant.

In 1946, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark turned to King George VI, asking for permission to marry the heir to the throne. The royal family was against (non-compliance with the requirements - a ruined family that lost power ...), but Lilibet was "for"; this turned out to be enough.

Philip had to

• give up existing titles;
• become Mountbatten (an anglicized version of the mother's surname);
• accept British citizenship;
• accept Anglicanism (was baptized in Greek Orthodoxy);
• most respectfully accept the titles bestowed by King George VI before the marriage, which made him Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, Baron of Greenwich.

The Duke and Princess were married on 11/20/1947 (61 years ago), the place of the ceremony was Westminster Abbey Fr. The wedding was one of the most lavish in history; at the same time - the first, broadcast on television, which contributed to the popularity of the newlyweds.

Probably, it will not work to call their married life ideal: the Duke of Edinburgh was a rather proud and obstinate husband, so the preservation of the marriage is, first of all, the merit of the loving queen.

The first child who made the spouses a family - Prince Charles, heir to the throne - was born on 11/14/1948, his sister, Princess Anna - 08/15/1950.

After that, the time of testing came: on February 6, 1952, the king died of lung cancer; Lilibet was proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The official coronation took place on 06/02/1953, and two months before that, the grandmother of Elizabeth II, Queen Mary, died of cancer. Her last will was to hold the coronation at the appointed time, without taking into account the declared mourning.

The beginning of the reign was not easy - the coming and going of prime ministers, the growing unrest in the colonies, the high level of expectations of subjects. The queen was able to comprehend the incredible complexity of royal duties, to overcome then (and later) the most difficult problems.

Already "under the crown" Elizabeth gave birth to two more sons - Princes Andrew (02/19/1960) and Edward (03/10/1964) 5 .

Elizabeth's lifestyle and habits 2

Is the royal title a symbol of idleness? The Queen of Great Britain has been working every day for over 66 years of reign; the exception is the main holiday of the Nativity of Christ in Western Europe, which a large family - the royal couple, three sons and a daughter, numerous grandchildren (eight!), great-grandchildren (five, but there will be more) celebrates together.

The red briefcase is a container of various documents (including data from special services and intelligence) that Elizabeth II receives by nine in the morning every day; some of them require her signature. This information greatly contributes to the weekly professional communication of the monarch with the next prime minister.

The Queen is still fond of riding and car riding, in the first case - without a jockey helmet, in the second - without wearing a belt. Fishing also enjoys her favor. A family royal hobby can be called pheasant hunting (from October to November), whose chickens are specially bred for this purpose on estates. Let's clarify: men shoot, women are only present. Pheasants are served at the royal table for three to four months, then thawed and fed to hunting dogs. It’s time to howl from such a dog’s life ...

The queen is not a supporter of exotic food, preferring game, fish, vegetables, fruits from her own estates; drinks a cocktail before dinner (gin + vermouth) 6 .

Elizabeth II also pays hundreds of thousands of pounds in taxes on her private property - voluntarily, since the law does not provide for this 7 .

The Queen of Great Britain and the heirs to the throne

The eldest son of the royal couple, Prince Charles, is not a stupid person, but his line of behavior often resembles an offended teenager who was promised, but never handed over the coveted toy - the royal crown. Since he celebrated his 70th birthday a month ago, he is unlikely to want to change his behavior.

Recently, on 04/20/2018, the leaders of the countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations approved the candidacy of Prince Charles for the role of head of the Commonwealth 8 . However, he refuses to accept the main rule: the royal mission is service for the good of one's own country, maintaining a polite smile under all circumstances. His desire is to him allowed to impose their own point of view on fellow citizens. Question: will such an heir be allowed to rule, if so, for how many days? After all, it will take a diligent prince a little time to destroy the sacred meaning of the monarchy ...

Next in line is the grandson-heir, Prince William. Is he ready to keep his posture under the weight of the crown? The attitude of his subjects towards him is quite favorable; he seems to be associated with his mother, Princess Diana, and not with an unpopular father. Most likely, the roles have already been distributed, but a couple of years will have to wait for the final resolution of the situation. Perhaps it will be very unexpected.

Elizabeth II recently complained about the weight of the crown (1.3 kg), which is becoming unsafe for her health 9 . It is impossible to raise / lower the head in it, since the mentioned movement is fraught with a dislocation of the neck (at best).

Let's put forward a fruitful idea: the first persons of even one hundred percent republican countries, in order to raise personal / state authority, should wear crowns of precious metals encrusted with diamonds / rubies / sapphires, weighing one and a half kilograms, every year, and every year a “headdress” should be weighted by 200-500 grams. Restrictions on tenure in elective office can be safely canceled as unnecessary. True, this threatens to increase the cost of the burial of the "leaders of the nations." But what will you not do for the sake of the continuous prosperity of the country ...

The future queen was born in April 1926 and became the eldest daughter of Prince Albert and his wife Elizabeth (nee Bowes-Lyon). The girl received the name Elizabeth Alexandra Maria - in honor of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. After 4 years, the family was replenished with the youngest daughter Margaret Rose.

Elizabeth was educated at home, studying law, French, and the history of religion in depth. The young princess devoted a lot of time to her main hobby - horseback riding.

At birth, Elizabeth was the third contender for the throne, but after the death of her grandfather George V and the abdication of her uncle Edward VII, her father became king, and a very young girl received the title of crown princess.

During the war, the royal family did not leave London, the princess was trained and became an ambulance driver. Her service lasted 5 months. After the war, it was the turn of strengthening relations in the Commonwealth countries. Together with her parents, the princess goes on long tours. After the death of her father, she becomes the official head of the British royal house, but the coronation ceremony was held only in 1953, a few months later.

The 20th century was marked by the collapse of many monarchies, but the British kingdom survived. This is a great merit of Elizabeth II. She managed to find a balance between decorative representative functions and real support for the political system. The queen's duties include strengthening external relations, frequent international tours, weekly meetings with the prime minister to discuss the situation in the country.

Family and personal life

Elizabeth married in 1947. The chosen one of the princess was Philip Mountbenten from the Greek royal house. The handsome prince was not considered an enviable match, but the girl in love insisted on her own - and soon the engagement was announced in the kingdom. Before the wedding, Philip had to give up his title to become the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Consort. He was forever provided with an honorable, but still a second role - one step behind his wife. It was not easy for the duke, but he successfully coped with the assigned duties. Despite some difficulties, gossip and rumors, the couple managed to maintain a warm relationship and always treat each other with respect.

The marriage produced 4 children. Relations with the eldest, Charles, the queen was not easy - primarily because of the difference in characters and the fact that immediately after the birth of the baby she was forced to leave for a long tour of the Commonwealth countries. Subsequently, the queen was very sorry for the missed moments, relations gradually returned to normal, and today Charles is the main support of the aging monarch.

The only daughter, Anna, shared her mother's passion for horses and dogs, loved hunting and riding. She took an active part in protocol events and for a long time was considered the most efficient of the royal children. After her daughter, Elizabeth got 2 more sons - Prince Andrew was born in 1960, and the last was Prince Edward.

The queen could not devote too much time to raising children, but she was always interested in their life and was able to build warm and harmonious relationships in the family. This was not prevented by the inevitable scandals associated with the divorces of the two eldest sons and daughters, accusations of the death of Princess Diana and problems in the personal life of her younger sister Margaret. Despite her busy work schedule, Elizaveta devotes time to her hobbies: breeding corgis and racehorses. She loves country trips to Balmoral, walks in the moorlands, horse races, in which her daughter and eldest granddaughter Zara once took part.

Today the Queen is a happy mother and grandmother of 8 grandchildren. She also waited for her great-grandchildren - two older children became grandparents. Elizabeth adores the younger members of the family, and they pay their legendary grandmother and great-grandmother great respect, reverence and love.

November 29, 2010, 20:44

Eldest daughter of the Duke of York George, the future King George VI of Great Britain (1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her grandparents: George V (1865-1936), King of Great Britain and Queen Mary (1867-1953), Princess of Teck, - paternal, Claude George Bowes-Lyon (1855-1944), Earl of Strathmore and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1961), - by mother. Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York was born at the Earl of Strathmore's residence at No. 17 Brewton Street. Now the Mayfair area has been redeveloped and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been erected on this site. 1926 Princess Elizabeth shortly after birth The princess was third in the line of succession after her uncle, the Prince of Wales, who was not yet married, and her father. She got her name in honor of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. 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 29 in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, later destroyed during the war years. 1928
1929 After the abdication of her uncle Edward VIII and the accession of her father to the throne in December 1936, 10-year-old Elizabeth became the heiress and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. Photo of the thirties:
1934 Elizabeth turned eight With sister Margaret With parents Princess Elizabeth with sister Margaret and parents George VI and Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth mother and daughters The future queen grew up in an atmosphere of love and care. She received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. As a child, she was very inquisitive. She was especially interested in horses. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades. With sister Margaret During World War II, Princess Elizabeth worked as an ambulance driver as a subaltern, as the royal family was required to work for the country's defense. 1942 Elizabeth Alexandra Mary and Margaret Rose Windsor. 1946 In 1934, at the wedding of the Greek Princess Marina (Philip's cousin) and the Duke of Kent (Elizabeth's uncle), Princess Elizabeth met Prince Philip, a cadet at the Dortmouth Naval Academy, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. In 1947, they got married, becoming the husband of Elizabeth, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen's wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell. The fabric for the dress was created by Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, Canmore factory. Manufacturers used Chinese silkworm threads brought to Lullingstone Castle. On February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, Elizabeth, who was at that time with her husband on vacation in Kenya, was proclaimed queen. She was in the Tree Tops Hotel, built on the branches of a giant ficus, on the day of her father's death. Corbett, who lived there at the same time, left an entry in the inn's register book: For the first time in world history, a young girl, once climbing a tree as a princess, descended from it the next day as a queen - God bless her! 1951 By that time, she was already the mother of two children: on November 14, 1948, a year after the wedding, Charles Philip Arthur George, now the Prince of Wales, was born. And on August 15, 1950, a daughter was born - Anna Elizabeth Alice Louise. With kids On June 2, 1953, her coronation took place, which was broadcast on television for the first time. coronation dress Coronation 1953 Inspection of the guard 1954 1955 With kids Marilyn Monroe was introduced to the Queen in 1956 1959 Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne are preparing to take a walk on the lake February 19, 1960 was born the second son and third child of the Queen - Andrew Albert Christian Edward, now the Duke of York 1962 A March 10, 1964 - Edward Anthony Richard Louis, now Earl of Wessex 1969 Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II after the official investiture ceremony in Wales 1970 Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to New Zealand. During the years of her reign, the Queen of England had more than 30 Welsh Corgi dogs. 1974 Queen Elizabeth II arrives with her dogs for the weekend at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland 1982 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during an official visit to the Solomon Islands 1989 Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana welcome President Ibrahim Babangida, London. 1991 Elizabeth performs only representative functions, practically without any influence on the country's politics. In the early years of her reign, she still played some role in the appointment of the prime minister if there was no clear leader in the ruling party. The Queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers, including representatives of the Labor Party - Harold Wilson, Anthony Blair. 1991 Queen Elizabeth II after a service at Westminster Cathedral, London. Some friction between the prime minister and the queen, hidden from the public eye, arose during the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. Elizabeth was somewhat embarrassed by the "royal style" of the management of the new prime minister. In particular, there were disagreements between them in connection with the support of the apartheid regime in South Africa by the British government, which, in the opinion of the queen, could negatively affect the influence of Great Britain in the African countries - members of the Commonwealth. At the same time, she always remained true to the tradition of the English kings of modern times - to be above political fights.
1994 Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Russia. The authority of the Windsor royal house was more threatened by family scandals and the divorce proceedings of Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew. The restrained attitude of Elizabeth to the tragic death of Princess Diana in August 1997 caused disapproval from ordinary Britons. Nevertheless, Elizabeth manages to maintain the high prestige of the English monarchy in the eyes of her subjects. 1995 The royal family arrived in Scotland on a visit to Queen Elizabeth II as part of a cruise on the royal yacht Britannia 1999 Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Show, Birmingham 2002 2003 Visit of Putin V.V. to the UK 2005 year. Queen Elizabeth II at the St. George's Day Parade at Windsor Castle, UK 2008 Queen Elizabeth II during a trip to Turkey. The royal family returned from a sea cruise The Queen is 84 this year.

For six months she was the oldest acting head of state in the world, then she lost the championship to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for a year and a half. Since February 29, 2020, she is once again the world's oldest current head of state.

The reign of Elizabeth II covered a very wide period of British and world history. 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. Under Elizabeth II, Britain entered and left the European Union. Among other events of this period, it is worth noting the Falklands War, the participation of Great Britain in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Under these conditions, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige and popularity of the British monarchy.

Elizabeth received a good education at home, mostly in the humanities - she studied the history of the constitution, jurisprudence, religious studies, art history, and also (virtually independently) French. From a young age, Elizabeth was interested in horses and practiced horseback riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.

At birth, Elizabeth became the Princess of York and was third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle and father. Since 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 eleven months after the death of George V in January 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became heir to the throne and moved with her parents from Kensington Palace to Buckingham Palace. At the same time, she remained in the status of "heir presumptive" ("supposed heir"), and if George VI had a son, he would have inherited the throne.

“I want to make one statement now. Very simple. I declare before you all that my whole life, whether long or short, will be dedicated to serving you and that great empire to which we all belong."

In May 1948, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip made their first official visit abroad, to Paris.

In early 1952, Princess Elizabeth and Philip went on a visit to the Commonwealth countries, which was interrupted by the death of the king.

On April 24, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II granted British Prime Minister Winston Churchill membership in the Knight's Order of the Garter, which gave him the right to the title "sir".

After that, in November 1953 - May 1954. the queen undertook a six-month tour of the Commonwealth states, British colonies, and elsewhere in the world. Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand. In addition, she visited Fiji, Tonga, Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Yemen (Aden), Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar, having traveled 43,618 kilometers.

November 22 - December 8, 1956 in Melbourne, Australia, the XVI Olympic Games were held, which were opened by the husband of Elizabeth II, Prince Philip.

Queen Elizabeth II, Duke of Edinburgh Philip, Prince Charles and Princess Anne in October 1957

In May 1957, the Queen received the former First Lady and widow of the 32nd US President Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, at Buckingham Palace.

In October of the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. During these visits, she spoke at a session of the UN General Assembly, met with the current US President Dwight Eisenhower and former US President Herbert Hoover (was US President in 1929-1933), and also attended the opening of the 23rd session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of the British monarch).

On December 25, 1957, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to congratulate subjects on Christmas on television (since 1932, monarchs have congratulated subjects on the radio).

In 1958, Elizabeth II was the first in the UK to make a trunking call (automatic distribution of communication channels between subscribers).

On June 5, 1961, Elizabeth II received the Kennedy couple at Buckingham Palace - US President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline.

On July 15, 1961, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain received the first cosmonaut in the world, Yuri Gagarin, at Buckingham Palace. In honor of him, a luncheon was arranged, which was attended by the Queen herself, her husband Philip and their children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew (he was only one year old at that time), as well as Prince Philip's uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten and the Queen's sister Princess Margaret.

In July 1976, Elizabeth II solemnly opened (as Queen of Canada) XXI Olympic Games in Montreal, and even before their opening, she went on a visit to the United States, where she met with American President Gerald Ford and took part in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of US independence.

In May 1977, Elizabeth II received US President Jimmy Carter at Buckingham Palace.

On June 8, 1982, the Queen received US President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy at Windsor Castle.

In October 1986, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip paid an official visit to socialist China, where they met with the country's leader Deng Xiaoping. This was the first visit to China by a British monarch.

In November 1992, Elizabeth II received Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin in London.

On October 17-20, 1994, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain visited Russia on her only state visit. During the visit, the Queen of Great Britain visited such historical and cultural places of Moscow and St. Petersburg as the State Hermitage Museum, leaving an entry in the book of honored guests of the museum, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Moscow classical gymnasium No. 20, the Moscow Kremlin, Red Square, the center for the rehabilitation of children - Disabled Research Institute of Prosthetics. G. Albrecht, Bolshoi Theater, and also opened a memorial stone at the construction site of the new building of the British Embassy in Moscow.

In the same year, the Queen visited the British Mosque for the first time - the Islamic center in Scunthorpe (Lincolnshire). In addition, Elizabeth II became the first member of the royal family to receive a gold disc: the recording of the “Party in the Palace” concert, arranged in honor of the 50th anniversary of her reign, sold 100,000 copies.

On November 20, 2007, Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding (60 years), and on December 20 of the same year, the Queen became the oldest British monarch in history, overtaking her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria (1819-1901).

In October 2011, the Queen paid an official visit to Australia.

On December 25, 2012, the Queen's Christmas speech was televised, broadcast for the first time in 3D.

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 was represented at the summit by Prince Charles, which testifies to the gradual transfer of Elizabeth's powers to her son.

On September 9, 2015, Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning ruler of Britain in its history.

In April 2016, the Queen's 90th birthday was solemnly celebrated in the UK. In honor of this, Elizabeth II sent her message on Twitter to those who congratulated her on her birthday.

In February 2017, the Sapphire Jubilee was celebrated in Britain, which marked the 65th anniversary of the reign of Elizabeth II. To this date, the Royal Mint issued a series of coins with the Queen's profile into circulation.

On November 20, 2017, Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip became the first royal couple to celebrate their 70th platinum wedding anniversary.

On April 20, 2018, Commonwealth leaders announced that the Queen's successor as head of the Commonwealth would be her son, Prince Charles.

On May 19, 2018, the wedding of Prince Harry (the second grandson of Elizabeth II) and Meghan Markle took place in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

June 2, 2018 marks the 65th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. By this date, a commemorative investment gold coin of 10 pounds was put into circulation, on both sides of which the profile of the queen is depicted.

Queen Elizabeth II and US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle on July 13, 2018

On July 13, 2018, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain received US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania at Windsor Castle. During the meeting, Donald Trump presented the Queen with a traditional American-style Scottish quache (a shallow drinking cup with two handles), and her great-grandchildren (Prince George, Princess Charlotte and newborn Prince Louis) were presented with handmade cowboy saddles. Elizabeth II, in turn, presented the First Lady of the United States with a bottle of perfume made to order by the Queen's personal perfumer, J. Floris.

ambassadors. In addition, there are other forms of communication between the queen and her subjects. For example, since 1956, small informal dinners of the queen and her spouse with prominent people have been practiced (usually 6-8 guests and 2 courtiers are present). In general, under Elizabeth, the forms of communication between the monarch and his subjects became much more diverse than under her predecessors, which was facilitated by the development of information technology. It was under her that the British monarchy acquired pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, as well as an official website.

At the same time, the methods of communication with subjects established by the former monarchs are also preserved. Since 1860, there has been a tradition of tea parties in the park of Buckingham Palace, for which guests are selected by various charitable and other public organizations at random. At these tea parties, the queen communicates freely with the guests.

Elizabeth retained the practice of obligatory meetings of the monarch with British prime ministers - every Tuesday at six o'clock in the evening for conversation and exchange of views. The content of these audiences is not disclosed, no records are kept of them. If the mandatory weekly meeting cannot take place, then the Queen and the Prime Minister communicate over a dedicated telephone line protected from eavesdropping.

Apparently, these meetings play a prominent role in the decision-making process. In her memoirs, Margaret Thatcher wrote of her weekly meetings with Queen Elizabeth:

Anyone who thinks that they [meetings] are a mere formality or social convention is deeply mistaken. In fact, they take place in a relaxed business atmosphere, and Her Majesty always demonstrates her ability to cover a wide range of issues and her wide experience.

The Queen is more knowledgeable on most matters than meets the eye. In addition, the Queen has regular meetings with other Commonwealth ministers and prime ministers when they are in the UK on a visit. Also, during her stay in Scotland, she meets with the First Minister of Scotland. UK ministries and diplomatic missions send her regular reports.

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. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth II should not publicly express her political likes or dislikes. She has always carried out this rule, acting not in public - therefore her political views remain unknown.

Three times during her reign, the queen had constitutional problems with the formation of the British government. In 1957 and 1963, with no clear mechanism for electing a leader in the Conservative Party, it was up to the Queen to decide whom to entrust with the formation of a government after the resignations of Anthony Eden and Harold Macmillan. In 1957, Anthony Eden refused to advise the Queen on whom to appoint as his successor, and she turned to Winston Churchill for advice, as the only Conservative prime minister alive at the time (following the precedent followed by the resignation of Andrew Bonar Law in 1923 by King George V consulted Lord Salisbury's father and former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour). In 1963, Harold Macmillan himself advised the appointment of Alec Douglas-Home as his successor, and in 1974, after the resignation of Edward Heath as a result of an unclear election outcome, Elizabeth II appointed opposition leader Harold Wilson as prime minister. In all these cases, the Queen acted according to the British constitutional tradition, according to which she should not take any important decisions without the advice of her ministers and privy councillors.

Although it is customary that the Queen does not interfere in politics, but due to the fact that during her long reign she had the opportunity to work with many prime ministers and leaders of other countries, her advice is always taken seriously.

Also, Elizabeth II is actively involved in charity and social activities. The Queen of Britain is a trustee of more than 600 different public and charitable organizations.

In addition to duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights as a monarch (royal prerogatives). For example, she can reject the candidacy of the prime minister (which seems unsuitable to her) and so on. These prerogatives are not always a mere formality. For example, the prerogative "the right to consult, the right to encourage and warn" is expressed in the fact that Elizabeth receives a number of documents for study, which the Privy Council collects for her. These papers are brought to the palace daily at 7 pm in red boxes, after which the monarch quickly looks through them, underlining in red what he did not like or is incomprehensible, since these documents are taken away at 8 o'clock the next morning. The Queen's remarks are usually heeded. In addition, the Queen receives reports from 15 Commonwealth countries, which she meets and sends back.

Such amounts cause dissatisfaction with the Republican-minded part of the British population, which considers it necessary to cut them.

Supporters of the preservation of the monarchy point out that these expenditures generate a large profit in the form of tourist income, which is attracted by the ceremonials of the British monarchy. In 2011, British Chancellor of the Exchequer J. Osborne said that the monarchy annually brings more than £500 million to the state budget).

Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories 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 (English), regardless of their titles proper in the UK 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".

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.

Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy some time later:

Elizabeth II in Great Britain and Commonwealth countries, as well as in other states. In addition, she is a holder of various domestic British awards, as well as a number of various awards from foreign countries.

Despite active communication with subjects, Elizabeth strictly observes royal ceremonial. For example, the queen does not like to be touched first. It was noted that when visiting hospitals, exhibitions and other official events, Elizabeth was very polite, but she never took off her gloves and did not touch anyone. Even at regular tea parties in the park of Buckingham Palace, the Queen and her family members have a separate tent, where only especially important guests are allowed. A certain alienation of the queen from other people is observed when she communicates with the press. Despite the fact that under Elizabeth II, communication between the monarch and his subjects increased dramatically, the queen herself did not give a single interview during her entire reign. The queen sometimes does not forgive violations of the protocol even to the heads of other states. For example, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his state visit to the UK in 2003, was 12 minutes late for a meeting with the Queen. In response, Elizabeth II came to Putin's farewell with a delay of exactly 12 minutes. In Scotland, the royal standard and the procedure for raising it was changed with the consent of Elizabeth II and brought into line with the Lyon King of Arms Act 1672, which was enshrined in a regulation adopted by the Scottish government in April 2010.

The majority of Britons positively assess the institution of a constitutional monarchy. According to a 2012 survey, approximately 69% believe that the country would be worse off without a monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy contributes to raising the country's image abroad, and only 22% were against the monarchy.

Despite the positive attitude of most of her subjects, the queen was repeatedly criticized throughout her reign, in particular:

Among the queen's interests is breeding dogs (among them corgis (see the article royal corgi), Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, the queen was awarded the BAFTA award for this role, for the best performance of the role

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); 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. Since 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 the 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, there was a tragic death of Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris, 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 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
Commonwealth member countries marked on map (Fiji membership 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 in 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