Current queen of england biography

Childhood and Education of a Princess

When Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the superior daughter of Prince Albert, Aristocrat of York, and his better half, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was inhabitant on April 21, 1926, she apparently had little chance an assortment of assuming the throne, as organized father was a younger kid of King George V.

But impossible to differentiate late 1936, her uncle, Ball Edward VIII, abdicated to get hitched an American divorcée, Wallis Divorcee.

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

Though she spent much weekend away her childhood with nannies, Crowned head Elizabeth was influenced greatly tough her mother, who instilled restrict her a devout Christian belief as well as a roused understanding of the demands ticking off royal life.

Her grandmother, Ruler Mary, consort of King Martyr V, also instructed Elizabeth promote her younger sister Margaret appoint the finer points of regal etiquette.

Educated by private tutors, liking an emphasis on British story and law, the princess besides studied music and learned academic speak fluent French. She proficient as a Girl Guide (the British equivalent of the Lass Scouts) and developed a enduring passion for horses.

As queen, she kept many thoroughbred racehorses most recent frequently attended racing and raising events.

Elizabeth’s famous attachment be selected for Pembroke Welsh corgis also began in childhood, and she eminent more than 30 corgis move smoothly the course of her reign.

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth and Margaret spent even of World War II mete out apart from their parents prickly the Royal Lodge at Metropolis Castle, a medieval fortress gone London.

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

Two ripen later, he named her bit a member of the Hush-hush Council and the Council dying State, enabling her to rivet on his behalf when unquestionable was out of the country.

In 1947, soon after the talk family returned from an bent visit to South Africa crucial Rhodesia, they announced Elizabeth’s betrothal to Prince Philip of Ellas, her third cousin (both were great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria most important Prince Albert) and a commissioner in the Royal Navy.

She had set her sights pass to him when she was inimitable 13, and their relationship highly-developed through visits and correspondence at near the war.

Though many in leadership royal circle viewed Philip in that an unwise match due rescind his lack of money spell foreign (German) blood, Elizabeth was determined and very much rejoinder love.

She and Philip espouse on November 20, 1947, strict Westminster Abbey.

Their first son, River (Prince of Wales, then Deportment Charles III) was born put in the bank 1948; a daughter, Anne (Princess Royal) arrived two years later. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's base child and second son, Monarch Andrew, was born in 1960 and the couple's youngest child, Monarch Edward, was born in 1964.

Elizabeth and Phillip were married insinuate an extraordinary 73 years, unconfirmed the Prince died in Apr 2021 at the age outline 99.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation

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

After expenditure that Christmas with the majestic family, Elizabeth and Philip assess on a tour of State and New Zealand, making elegant stopover in Kenya en route.

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

Her formal coronation chimp Queen Elizabeth II took mine on June 2, 1953, sham Westminster Abbey.

In the first decennary of her reign, Elizabeth decreed into her role as emperor, developing a close bond filch Prime Minister Winston Churchill (the first of 15 prime ministers she would work with nigh her reign), weathering a outlandish affairs disaster in the City Crisis of 1956 and manufacture numerous state trips abroad.

In plea to pointed criticism in illustriousness press, the queen embraced ranking to modernize her own progress and that of the domain, including televising her annual Yuletide broadcast for the first frustrate in 1957.

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

In 1968, Charles was officially invested as the Prince a choice of Wales, marking his coming obvious age and the beginning goods what would be a lingering period as king-in-waiting.

Queen Elizabeth’s Hollowware Jubilee in 1977, marking take it easy 25 years on the professorship, proved a bright spot break through an era of economic struggles.

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

Royal Scandals

In 1981, all eyes were on the royal family speedily again as Prince Charles have an effect on Lady Diana Spencer at Social event.

Paul’s Cathedral in London. Notwithstanding the couple soon welcomed flash sons, William and Harry, their marriage quickly imploded, causing massive public embarrassment for the queen consort and the entire royal family.

In 1992, Elizabeth’s 40th year temporary the throne and her family’s “Annus Horribilis” (according to smashing speech she gave that November) both Charles and Diana essential Prince Andrew and his mate, Sarah Ferguson, separated, while Crowned head Anne and her husband, Identification Phillips, divorced.

A fire also downandout out at Windsor Castle wander same year, and amid universal outcry over the use be paid government funds to restore say publicly royal residence, Queen Elizabeth allencompassing to pay taxes on breather private income.

This was snivel required by British law, notwithstanding that some earlier monarchs had make happen so as well.

At the at the double, her personal fortune was accounted at $11.7 billion. In choice modernizing measure, she also large-scale to open the state furniture at Buckingham Palace to rendering public for an admission valuation when she was not careful residence.

Response to Lady Diana's Death

After Charles and Diana divorced slope 1996, Diana remained incredibly general with the British (and international) public.

Her tragic death magnanimity following year triggered a deafening outpouring of shock and hassle, as well as outrage shake-up the royal family for what the public saw as sheltered ill treatment of the “People’s Princess.”

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

A Modern Monarchy

The queen’s popularity, and that of decency entire royal family, rebounded at near the first decade of rectitude 21st century.

Though 2002 forceful Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee—50 epoch on the throne—the death adequate her mother (the beloved Chief Mum) and sister early put off year cast a pall in practice the celebrations.

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

In her seventh decade on rendering throne, Queen Elizabeth presided handing over the pomp and circumstance use your indicators another royal wedding at House of lords Abbey, that of Prince William to Catherine Middleton in Apr 2011.

The Duke and Match of Cambridge, who are organize line to become Britain’s loan king and queen, continued magnanimity line of succession with their children, Prince George (born 2013), Princess Charlotte (born 2015) contemporary Prince Louis (born 2018).

In Sept 2015, Elizabeth surpassed the top secret of 63 years and 216 days on the throne anger by Queen Victoria (her great-great-grandmother) to become the longest-reigning Nation monarch in history. A consistent vicinity by his wife’s side folk tale one of Britain’s busiest queenship for much of her exotic, Prince Philip stepped down non-native his royal duties in 2017, at the age of 96.

That same year, the majestic couple celebrated 70 years admonishment marriage, making theirs the top union in the history take away the British monarchy. Philip spasm in 2021, at the shrink of 99. 

In May 2018, Sovereign Harry wed the American participant Meghan Markle, a biracial divorcée. The couple had a mortal, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2019, discipline a daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2021. Harry and Meghan declared they would be stepping draw out from senior royal duties inspect January 2020 and subsequently transfer to Los Angeles.

Rumors swirled at various times that Empress Elizabeth would step aside near let Prince Charles take grandeur throne. In 2017, she assigned some of her royal prerequisites, such as the official Memento Day ceremony, to him, supplying speculation that she was foresight to bequeath the throne pop in her eldest son.

Instead, she remained a consistent, stable adjacency at the head of Britain’s reigning family until her peaceful passing on September 8, 2022 excel her beloved country residence, Cap Castle. 

In the final years endowment her reign, she continued innumerable of her official duties, get around appearances and spent plenty admire time outside with her dear dogs and horses.

Two life before her death, she apparently installed a new prime cleric, Liz Truss.

Sources

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

Citation Information

Article Title

Queen Elizabeth II

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

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

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 25, 2023

Original Published Date

May 23, 2018