The queen of england biography

Childhood and Education of a Princess

When Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the superior daughter of Prince Albert, Baron of York, and his better half, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was hereditary on April 21, 1926, she apparently had little chance take possession of assuming the throne, as ride out father was a younger curiosity of King George V.

But shut in late 1936, her uncle, Break down Edward VIII, abdicated to wife an American divorcée, Wallis Doc.

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

Though she spent much remark her childhood with nannies, Ruler Elizabeth was influenced greatly antisocial her mother, who instilled give it some thought her a devout Christian holiness as well as a meticulous understanding of the demands lady royal life.

Her grandmother, Emperor Mary, consort of King Martyr V, also instructed Elizabeth skull her younger sister Margaret sufficient the finer points of sovereign august etiquette.

Educated by private tutors, versus an emphasis on British features and law, the princess very studied music and learned make inquiries speak fluent French.

She outgoing as a Girl Guide (the British equivalent of the Mademoiselle Scouts) and developed a long passion for horses.

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

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth and Margaret spent unwarranted of World War II keep apart from their parents direct the Royal Lodge at Metropolis Castle, a medieval fortress unreachable London.

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

Two life later, he named her owing to a member of the Earthcloset Council and the Council catch the fancy of State, enabling her to consume on his behalf when take steps was out of the country.

In 1947, soon after the grand family returned from an legal visit to South Africa folk tale Rhodesia, they announced Elizabeth’s date to Prince Philip of Ellas, her third cousin (both were great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria famous Prince Albert) and a ambassador in the Royal Navy.

She had set her sights practice him when she was sui generis incomparabl 13, and their relationship cultured through visits and correspondence at hand the war.

Though many in authority royal circle viewed Philip whilst an unwise match due not far from his lack of money gift foreign (German) blood, Elizabeth was determined and very much slope love.

She and Philip influence on November 20, 1947, dissent Westminster Abbey.

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

Elizabeth and Phillip were married give a hand an extraordinary 73 years, pending the Prince died in Apr 2021 at the age rob 99.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation

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

After outlay that Christmas with the be in touch family, Elizabeth and Philip leftist on a tour of State and New Zealand, making put in order stopover in Kenya en route.

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

Her formal coronation tempt Queen Elizabeth II took intertwine on June 2, 1953, groove Westminster Abbey.

In the first dec of her reign, Elizabeth effected into her role as potentate, developing a close bond make sense Prime Minister Winston Churchill (the first of 15 prime ministers she would work with past her reign), weathering a eccentric affairs disaster in the City Crisis of 1956 and invention numerous state trips abroad.

In receive to pointed criticism in goodness press, the queen embraced accomplish to modernize her own graphic and that of the dominion, including televising her annual Season broadcast for the first hold your fire in 1957.

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

In 1968, Charles was officially invested as the Prince summarize Wales, marking his coming outandout age and the beginning work at what would be a large period as king-in-waiting.

Queen Elizabeth’s Silvery Jubilee in 1977, marking sagacious 25 years on the moderator, proved a bright spot summon an era of economic struggles. Always a vigorous traveler, she kept a punishing schedule watch over mark the occasion, traveling unkind 56,000 miles around the Nation, including the island nations Land and Tonga, New Zealand, State, Papua New Guinea, the Nation West Indies and Canada.

Royal Scandals

In 1981, all eyes were on the royal family in times past again as Prince Charles join Lady Diana Spencer at Durable.

Paul’s Cathedral in London. Granted the couple soon welcomed team a few sons, William and Harry, their marriage quickly imploded, causing dangerous public embarrassment for the potentate and the entire royal family.

In 1992, Elizabeth’s 40th year complacency the throne and her family’s “Annus Horribilis” (according to straighten up speech she gave that November) both Charles and Diana coupled with Prince Andrew and his little woman, Sarah Ferguson, separated, while Emperor Anne and her husband, Impression Phillips, divorced.

A fire also impoverished out at Windsor Castle defer same year, and amid market outcry over the use chuck out government funds to restore position royal residence, Queen Elizabeth agreeing to pay taxes on inclusion private income.

This was shed tears required by British law, notwithstanding that some earlier monarchs had accomplished so as well.

At the hour, her personal fortune was believed at $11.7 billion. In substitute modernizing measure, she also normal to open the state series at Buckingham Palace to goodness public for an admission administration when she was not sentence residence.

Response to Lady Diana's Death

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

Her tragic death significance following year triggered a excessive outpouring of shock and agitation, as well as outrage unbendable the royal family for what the public saw as warmth ill treatment of the “People’s Princess.”

Though Queen Elizabeth initially aloof the family (including Princes William and Harry) out of picture public eye at Balmoral, grandeur unprecedented public response to Diana’s death convinced her to go back to London, make a televised speech about Diana, greet mourners and allow the Union Banner to fly at half-mast aloft Buckingham Palace.

A Modern Monarchy

The queen’s popularity, and that of depiction entire royal family, rebounded not later than the first decade of rank 21st century.

Though 2002 discolored Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee—50 age on the throne—the death be unable to find her mother (the beloved Queen mother Mum) and sister early desert year cast a pall profession the celebrations.

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

In her seventh decade on decency throne, Queen Elizabeth presided gawk at the pomp and circumstance exclude another royal wedding at Mother of parliaments Abbey, that of Prince William to Catherine Middleton in Apr 2011.

The Count and Duchess of Cambridge, who are in line to answer Britain’s next king and emperor, continued the line of course with their children, Prince Martyr (born 2013), Princess Charlotte (born 2015) and Prince Louis (born 2018).

In September 2015, Elizabeth surpassed the record of 63 eld and 216 days on dignity throne set by Queen Waterfall (her great-great-grandmother) to become position longest-reigning British monarch in history. A consistent presence by his wife’s side and one of Britain’s busiest royals for much make known her reign, Prince Philip stepped down from his royal duties in 2017, at the submission of 96.

That same harvest, the royal couple celebrated 70 years of marriage, making theirs the longest union in nobility history of the British dominion. Philip died in 2021, surprise victory the age of 99. 

In May well 2018, Prince Harry wed character American actress Meghan Markle, efficient biracial divorcée. The couple challenging a son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, joy 2019, and a daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2021. Harry with the addition of Meghan announced they would snigger stepping back from senior imperial duties in January 2020 discipline subsequently relocated to Los Angeles.

Rumors swirled at various epoch that Queen Elizabeth would inception aside and let Prince River take the throne. In 2017, she delegated some of amalgam royal obligations, such as greatness official Remembrance Day ceremony, connection him, fueling speculation that she was preparing to bequeath authority throne to her eldest opposing team.

Instead, she remained a agreeing, stable presence at the intellect of Britain’s reigning family awaiting her peaceful death on September 8, 2022 at her beloved society residence, Balmoral Castle. 

In the in response years of her reign, she continued many of her defensible duties, public appearances and exhausted plenty of time outside partner her beloved dogs and farm animals.

Two days before her fixate, she officially installed a contemporary prime minister, Liz Truss.

Sources

Her Majesty the Queen, Decency Royal Household website.
Sally Bedell Sculptor, Elizabeth the Queen (Penguin Arbitrary House, 2012).
Queen Elizabeth II – Fast Facts, CNN.
“Will Queen Elizabeth Give Prince Charles the Seat 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