November 29, 2010, 20:44

Eldest daughter of Duke George of York, 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, - on her father's side, 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. The Mayfair area has now been rebuilt and the house no longer exists, but there is a memorial plaque on the 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 his daughter’s first name be like the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie was discussing the girl's name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, that’s what I told him, but about Victoria I absolutely agree with him. It was unnecessary."
Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 29 in the chapel at Buckingham Palace, which was later destroyed during the war. 1928
1929 After the abdication of her uncle Edward VIII and her father's accession to the throne in December 1936, 10-year-old Elizabeth became heir and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. Photos from the thirties:
1934 Elizabeth turned eight With sister Margaret With parents Princess Elizabeth with her 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, I was very inquisitive. Horses were of particular interest to her. 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 obliged to work for the country's defense. 1942 Elizabeth Alexandra Mary and Margaret Rose Windsor. 1946 In 1934, at the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece (Philip's cousin) and the Duke of Kent (Elizabeth's uncle), Princess Elizabeth met Prince Philip, a cadet at Dortmouth Naval Academy, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. In 1947 they married, becoming Elizabeth's husband, Philip received the title 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 threads from Chinese silkworms brought to Lullingstone Castle. On February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, Elizabeth, who was on vacation with her husband in Kenya at the time, was proclaimed queen. She was staying at the Tree Tops Hotel, built on the branches of a giant ficus tree, on the day her father died. Corbett, who lived there at the same time, left a note in the hotel registration book: For the first time in world history, a young girl, having once climbed a tree as a princess, came down 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 Elisabeth Alice Louise. With children On June 2, 1953, her coronation took place, broadcast on television for the first time. Coronation Dress Coronation 1953 Inspection of the Guard 1954 1955 With children In 1956, Marilyn Monroe was presented to the Queen 1959 Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne prepare to take a walk on the lake On February 19, 1960, the Queen's second son and third child was born - Andrew Albert Christian Edward, now Duke of York 1962 And 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 her reign, the Queen of England had more than 30 Welsh Corgi dogs. 1974 Queen Elizabeth II arrives with her dogs at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland for the weekend 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 meet President Ibrahim Babangida, London. 1991 Elizabeth performs only representative functions, having virtually no influence on the country's politics. In the first 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 service at Westminster Cathedral, London. Some tensions 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 new prime minister. In particular, there were disagreements between them in connection with the British government's support for the apartheid regime in South Africa, which, according to the queen, could have a negative impact on Britain's influence in the African countries of the Commonwealth. At the same time, she always remained faithful to the tradition of English kings of modern times - to remain above political battles.
1994 Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Russia. The authority of the Royal House of Windsor was increasingly threatened by family scandals and divorce proceedings of Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew. Elizabeth's reserved attitude towards 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 to visit 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 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 turned 84 this year.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor (born April 21, 1926, London) is the 12th Queen and Head of State of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, is also the queen of 15 states of the Commonwealth of Nations (Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica), Head of the Church of England, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Lord of the Isle of Man. From 29 May 1953 to 31 May 1961 she was also Queen South Africa.

Eldest daughter of Duke George of York, future King of Great Britain George VI (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, on her father's side,

Claude George Bowes-Lyon (1855-1944), Earl of Strathmore and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1961), on their mother's side.

The 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 at No. 17 Brewton Street.
2. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

3. At the time, she was third in line 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 king, much less that she would become queen.

4. Princess Elizabeth was baptized with the names 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's 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 King's House in Windsor Great Park.
7. Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her younger sister.

8. Elizabeth’s education was personally handled by her father, King George, and classes were also conducted 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 able to personally engage in conversation 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 later became a Sea 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 Internal Affairs, in overalls.

Royal romance

12. The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.

13. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip met at the wedding of Prince Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece, to the Duke of Kent, who was Princess Elizabeth's uncle, in 1934.

14. Princess Elizabeth's engagement to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten was announced on July 9, 1947. Prince Philip received the title Prince of Greece and Denmark at birth. He joined the Navy in 1939 and after the war, in February 1947, became 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. The royal wedding rings were decorated with platinum and encrusted with diamonds by jeweler Philip Antrobus. He used diamonds from a tiara belonging to Prince Philip's mother in the jewelry.
16. Prince Philip had two stag parties before his wedding: the first was a formal one in Dorchester, which was attended by invited guests from the press, and the second was with close friends at the Belfry Club.
17. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married in Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947 at 11:30 am. The celebration was attended by 2,000 invited guests.

Video: "Wedding"

The bridesmaids' 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 present 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 made by designer Sir Norman Hartnell.
21. The fabric for the dress was specially made by Winterthur Silks Limited in Dunfermline, Canmore factory. To make it, threads from Chinese silkworms were brought from China. Placed throughout the dress, garlands of fleur-do-range (an emblem of virginity), jasmine (an emblem of happiness, purity, sincerity) and a white York rose (a white rose means purity) were embroidered with small pearls and crystal rhinestones.

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 come from a necklace and tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood and a wedding gift to Queen Mary in 1893. In August 1936, Queen Mary gave the tiara to Queen Elizabeth when she was still Princess Elizabeth for her future wedding.

Elizabeth “borrowed” the tiara from her mother. An hour before the celebration, the tiara broke in half in the hands of the bride and she had to wait for a jeweler who urgently repaired it.

23. Grave Unknown Soldier in the Abbey it is the only stone that is not covered with a special cover. The day after the wedding, Princess Elizabeth, following a royal tradition started by her mother, sent the wedding bouquet back to the abbey, where flowers were laid on this grave.
24. The bride's wedding ring was made from a Welsh gold nugget that was sent from the Clogau St David mine near Dolgello.
25. About 10 thousand congratulatory telegrams were received at Buckingham Palace, and the royal couple also 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. A "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, and 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 house 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, Windlesham Moor, in Surrey, near Windsor Castle, where they remained until they moved to Clarence House on 4 July 1949.
31.After his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh continued his naval career, reaching the rank of lieutenant commander in the command of the frigate HMS Magpie.
32. Although he was the Queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh was not crowned or anointed at the coronation ceremony in 1953. He was the first to pay his respects and take the oath to Her Majesty. He kissed the newly crowned Queen with the words: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will become your vassal in sickness and in health, and will serve you faithfully, with honor and respect, until my death. So help me God.”

Herbert James Gunn Coronation Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

33. Prince Philip accompanied the Queen on all of her Commonwealth and state visits, as well as to state functions and meetings in all parts of the UK. The first of these was the Coronation Tour of the Commonwealth from November 1953 to May 1954, in which the couple visited Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar, covering a distance of 43,618 kilometers.

34. The coronation took place at Westinster Abbey on June 2, 1953. The sacred ceremony was led by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury.
35. The Coronation was broadcast in every part of London, the Navy, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Sketch by Norman Hartnell coronation dress Elizabeth II

Coronation dress designed by Norman Hartnell

Joan Hassell. Invitation from Prince Charles, 1953

36. The Queen and Duke Philip of Edinburgh have four children: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (born 1948), Princess Anne (born 1950), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born 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 give birth to a child since Queen Victoria. youngest child whom, Princess Beatrice, was born in 1857.

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (b. 1948)

Princess Anne, (born 1950)

The Queen with her son Charles and daughter Anne, 1954.

The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cornwall and Prince ss 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 (born 1981),

Prince William (born 1982),

Prince Harry (born 1984),

Princess Beatrice (born 1988),

Princess Eugenie (born 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 1969, when she decided the royals had had enough on television after an unprecedented documentary film about her family. Her greeting took the form of a written address.
40. In a 1991 message, the Queen denied rumors of abdication as she pledged to continue serving.
41. The Queen issued a writ against The Sun newspaper in 1992 after it published full text her speech two days before the broadcast. She later accepted an apology and £200,000 in donations to charity.
42. The Queen's grandfather, King George V, was the first royal to perform live on radio at Sandringham in 1932.
43. George V was initially against the use of wireless communication devices, 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 the 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 evaluate how her horses perform in the race, and also frequently attends horse racing events.
49. Elizabeth II took part in the Derby, one of Britain's classic races, and the Ascot summer race, which has been a royal race since 1911.
50. The Queen's horses have won races at Royal Ascot several times. Notable was the double victory on 18 June 1954 when Landau won the Rous Memorial Stakes and Halo won the Hardwicke Stakes, and in 1957 Queen had four winners during the race.

Zara Phillips, Princess An and Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II also encourages her young grandchildren (the children of Prince Edward) to become interested in horses.

51. Other interests include walking in nature and the countryside. The Queen also loves to walk with her Labradors, which were specially bred at Sandgreenham.
52. Less known is the Queen's interest in Scottish dancing. Each year during her stay at Balmoral Castle, the Queen hosts dances known as the Gillis Balls for neighbors, estate owners, castle staff 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 on her car. And she doesn't have a passport.
54. The Queen is the patron of more than 600 charities.
55. To formally greet the Queen, men must bow their heads slightly, while women curtsey slightly. When presented to the Queen, the proper formal address would be "Your Majesty" followed by "Ma'am".

Queen's leisure

56. Queen Elizabeth II is the fortieth English monarch since William the Conqueror.
57. She visited Australia 15 times, Canada 23 times, Jamaica 6 times and New Zealand 10 times.
58. Her Majesty sent about 100 thousand telegrams to centenarians in the UK and Commonwealth countries.
59. The Queen dined on 23 ships and spoke 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 celebrations.
63. For her wedding dress, the Queen collected coupons for clothes.
64. The Queen has a bank account with 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 born during her reign, during which there were already nine prime ministers before him.
67. The Queen attended 91 state banquets and posed for 139 official portraits.
68. Technically, the Queen of England still owns sturgeon, whales and dolphins in the waters throughout the UK, which are recognized as the "Royal Fish". In addition, she owns all the wild flocks of swans that live in open water.

69. The Queen developed a new breed of dog known as the Dorgi when one of the Corgis was bred to a Dachshund named Pipkin.
70. The Queen is the first British monarch to see her children divorce three times.
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. During the queen's reign, there were six archbishops of Canterbury.
75. The Queen is 5 feet 4 inches or 160 centimeters tall.

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: April 21, 1926
London, UK
Family: Windsor dynasty
Birth name: Elizaveta 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 (English: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.
Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, following 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, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. He is also the head of the Church of England and the Supreme Commander of the British Armed Forces.

Elizabeth II- the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She currently ranks second in history for longest tenure. British throne(after Queen Victoria) and also the second longest serving head of state in the world among current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the oldest female sitting head of state in the world.
During the reign Elizabeth A very broad period of British history falls: 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-term ethnopolitical conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Throughout her reign, the Queen has been repeatedly criticized not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. However, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy and her popularity in Great Britain is at its highest.

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 grandparents: on her father's side - King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); on the mother's side - 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 Earl of Strathmore's residence at No. 17 Brewton Street. The area has now been rebuilt and the house no longer exists, but there is a memorial plaque on the site. She received her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).
At the same time, the father insisted that his daughter’s first name be like the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie was discussing the girl's name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, that’s what I told him, but about Victoria I absolutely agree with him. It was unnecessary." Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 25 in the chapel at Buckingham Palace, which was later destroyed during the war.
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

Elizabeth received a good education at home, mainly of a humanitarian nature - she studied the history of the constitution, jurisprudence, religious studies, art history, and also (virtually independently) the French language. From a young age, Elizabeth was interested in horses and practiced horse riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.
At birth Elizabeth became Duchess of York and was third in line to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VIII) and her father. Because Prince Edward was quite young and expected to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially considered a viable candidate for the throne. However, Edward was forced to abdicate just 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” (“presumptive heir”) (English) Russian, and in the event of the birth of a son to George VI, he would inherit the throne.

Second world war began when Elizabeth was 13 years old. On October 13, 1940, she spoke on the radio for the first time - with an appeal to children affected by the disasters of war. In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of Guards Grenadiers. In 1944, she became one of the five "councilors of state" (persons authorized to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizaveta 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, made a solemn announcement on the radio to dedicate her life to the service of the British Empire.

That same year, 21-year-old Elizabeth married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten, a British naval officer and 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 at Dartmouth, where Philip studied, in 1939. Having become the princess's husband, Philip received the title Duke of Edinburgh.

A year after the wedding, in 1948, Elizabeth and Philip’s eldest son, Prince Charles, was born. And on August 15, 1950, the daughter was Princess Anne.

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 was on holiday in Kenya at the time with her husband, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.
The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. It was the first televised coronation of a British monarch and is credited with having contributed significantly to the rise in popularity of television broadcasting.
After that, in 1953-1954. The queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth states, British colonies and other countries of the world. Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.

Second half of the 1950s - early 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 party members and ex-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 of the 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 heads of Commonwealth countries in 1960
In 1960, the Queen gave birth to her second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, her third son, Prince Edward.
In 1963, after the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as Prime Minister.
In 1974 it began to mature political crisis after parliamentary elections in which no party received a majority of votes. Although the Conservative Party was 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.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NY4CNDGu0w

In 1976 Elizabeth II inaugurated (as the Queen of Canada) the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.
1977 was an important year for the Queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's tenure on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many ceremonial events were held in the Commonwealth countries.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, there were a number of assassination attempts against the royal family. In particular, in 1979, the Provisional Irish Republican Army terrorists killed the uncle of Prince Philip, an influential statesman and military leader Lord Louis Mountbatten. And in 1981, there was an unsuccessful attempt on the life of Elizabeth II during a military parade in honor of the queen’s “official birthday.”
In 1981, the wedding of Elizabeth II's son Prince Charles and Diana Spencer took place, which would later become a big problem for the royal family.
Elizabeth II on a walk near Windsor Castle with Ronald Reagan (1982)
At this time in 1982, as a result of changes to the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British Queen still remained the head of state of Canada. 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 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 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 Queen was required to pay income tax, and funding for the royal household was significantly reduced.
In 1994, Elizabeth II visited Russia. This was the first visit of the head of the British royal house to Russian state in the entire history of bilateral relations, dating back to 1553.
In 1996, at the insistence of the Queen, an official divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. A year later, in 1997, there was tragic death Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris that shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For her restraint and lack of any reaction to the death of her former daughter-in-law, the queen immediately received criticism.

In 2002, ceremonial events were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of Elizabeth II on the British throne (Golden Jubilee). But in the same year, the death of the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, and the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, occurred.
In 2008, for the first time in history, the Anglican Church, of which Elizabeth is the head, held a service on Maundy Thursday, which traditionally involves the reigning monarch, outside of England or Wales - in 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 "an anchor of our era."
In 2011, the first ever state visit of 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 changing the order of succession to the throne, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.

In the same year, the 60th (“diamond”) anniversary of Elizabeth II’s tenure 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 considered to be 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 organizer of the evening was Take That lead singer Gary Barlow.

Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (2013)
In 2013, Elizabeth II, for the first time in 40 years, refused to go to the summit of the heads of the countries of the British Commonwealth, held in Sri Lanka. Prince Charles will represent Britain at the summit, signaling the gradual transfer of Elizabeth's powers 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 social life
In accordance with the British tradition of constitutional monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, having virtually no influence on the governance of the country. However, during her reign she successfully maintained the authority of the British monarchy. Her responsibilities include visiting various countries on diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking officials government officials(especially with the Prime Minister), reading annual messages to parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc. Also, the Queen daily looks through the main British newspapers and, with the help of servants, answers some letters that 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 faithful to the tradition of English kings of modern times - to remain above political battles.

Elizabeth II is also actively involved in charity work. She is a trustee of more than 600 different public and charitable organizations.

Main article: Royal prerogatives
In addition to her duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights as a monarch (royal prerogatives), which, however, are quite formal. For example, she can dissolve parliament, reject a candidate for prime minister (who seems unsuitable to her), etc.
Financial costs
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 2008-2009 financial year Each Briton spent $1.14 to maintain the monarchy, amounting to $68.5 million in total.
In 2010-2011, due to the government's new economic program, the Queen was forced to reduce her expenses 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 Prince Andrew of Greece, who received the title Duke of Edinburgh.
Four children were born into their family:
Name Date of birth Marriage Children Grandchildren
Prince Charles
Prince of Wales November 14, 1948 Lady Diana Spencer July 29, 1981
(divorced: 28 August 1996) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge
Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales
Camilla Shand April 9, 2005
Princess Anne,
"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 (Eugenia) 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 is “Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and 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 in each of these countries the British monarch acts as the head of that particular state (English) Russian, regardless of his titles in Great Britain. or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries the title of 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 reads as follows: “Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God 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, and on the Isle of Man - the title of “Lord of Man”.
States whose head was or is Elizabeth II
The map shows the member countries of the Commonwealth (Fiji's membership is suspended)

Upon her 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 decolonization process, numerous British colonies gained independence. In some of them, the Queen of Great Britain retained the status of head of state, in others - not.

Abolition of the monarchy in the original dominions of Elizabeth II:

Pakistan - in 1956 (formerly Dominion of Pakistan).
South Africa - in 1961 (formerly South Africa).
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - in 1972 (former Dominion of Ceylon).

States in which the monarchy remains are marked in blue.

New independent states who 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 awards of Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries, as well as in other countries, is the head of a number of knightly orders, and also has military ranks, numerous honorary titles, academic degrees. In addition, she is a recipient 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 of Canada

Public perception

At the moment, the majority of British people have a positive assessment of Elizabeth II’s activities as a monarch (about 69% believe that the country would be worse off without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy helps improve the country’s image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).
Criticism

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

In 1963, when a political crisis arose in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for personally appointing 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 was attacked not only by the wrath of the British public, but also even by many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death with a cane while hunting, a wave of outrage from environmental organizations over the monarch's actions swept across the country.

Hobbies and personal life
Map of Elizabeth II's visits different countries peace

The Queen's interests include breeding dogs (including corgis, spaniels and Labradors), photography, horse riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively throughout her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has made more than 325 foreign visits (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries).

I started gardening in 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 - “Churchill Goes to War!” was released, where Neve Campbell played the role of Elizabeth.
In 2006, the biographical film “The Queen” was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA Award winner in the Best Film category. Actress Helen Mirren, who played the main role in the film, received Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA awards, as well as the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture.
In 2009, Channel 4 of British television produced a 5-part feature mini-series “The Queen”, directed by Edmund Coulthard and Patrick Reams. The Queen was played by 5 actresses at different periods of her life: 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 jump with parachutes from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. April 5, 2013 for this role The Queen was awarded the BAFTA Award for Best Performance as a James Bond Girl.

In architecture

Elizabeth Walk next to the Espalade in Singapore is named after the Queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called the “Elizabeth Tower” since September 2012.
The Duford Bridge, built 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

The rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named in honor of Elizabeth II.
On coins and 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

Today, the most famous woman on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II of England, celebrates her birthday. Despite her venerable age, the Queen continues to delight us with her appearances, is the constant heroine of our “Stylish Monarchs” column, and gives valuable instructions to her heirs - Prince Charles and William, as well as her young daughter-in-law - Kate Middleton. HELLO.RU congratulates Elizabeth II on her birthday and remembers the 15th interesting facts about this legendary person.

Elizabeth II

1. Queen Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926. At the time of her birth, she was third in line to the throne; then they could not even think about her future elevation to the throne. Her father, George VI, began to rule after the unexpected abdication of his elder brother, King Edward, and thus Elizabeth came closer to power.

Queen Elizabeth II with her mother Elizabeth I and father George VI

On the day of her father's death, her younger sister, Princess Margaret, approached 25-year-old Elizabeth and said: Does this mean you will become queen? Poor thing!

2. Elizabeth's education was personally handled by her father, King George VI. Her teachers also included the Vice-Rector of Eton and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

From an early age, Lilibet, as she was called at home, was an enthusiastic and active person. She really enjoyed learning languages. Thanks to foreign governesses, she became fluent in French as a child. At age 11, while still a princess, Elizabeth became a scout and then a sea ranger.

Elizabeth II in scout uniform, 19423. Since childhood, the queen has been very fond of animals. She is the breeder of many thoroughbred horses, and often comes to watch equestrian competitions, as well as the races in which her horses participate.

Elizabeth II has been riding a horse almost since birth
Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip at the Hippodrome Elizabeth II also loves dogs. Her favorite breed is the Welsh Corgi. Her father gave her her first puppy for her birthday, and since then she has had more than 30 corgis, each of which is a descendant of her firstborn, Susie. The dogs live with the Queen in the castle, travel in limousines and live in hotels.

Queen Elizabeth II with her dog

4. The Queen met her husband, Prince Philip, at the age of 8. The son of a Greek prince was forced to flee his native country to England at the age of 1 in an orange box. Naturally, King George VI of Great Britain did not welcome his daughter’s union with the “impoverished prince.” According to rumors, Elizabeth herself achieved the favor of Philip, with whom she was in love from an early age, and then proposed marriage to him.

Elizabeth and Philip at their engagement party, 1947

5. The couple announced their engagement in 1947. The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten took place on November 20, 1947. 2000 invited guests attended the celebration. The wedding dress was made by designer Norman Hartnell, and the bride's head was decorated with a diamond tiara, which Queen Mary gave her as a child.

Wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

After his marriage to the princess, Philip was not anointed king. When his wife ascended the throne, he was the first to take the oath to her with the words:
I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will become your vassal in sickness and in health, and will serve you faithfully, with honor and respect, until my death. May God help me.
61 years have passed since then, and Philip is still always and everywhere next to his queen.

6. Elizabeth II is the Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces. She herself conducts all important meetings with the heads of the Commonwealth, and also visits military installations during her visits to other countries. She is preparing her son, Prince Charles, and grandchildren, William and Harry, for political affairs, but does not yet trust them to make decisions.

Queen Elizabeth II with her first child, Prince Charles

7. Despite her steely character and talent for government, the queen does not forget about femininity. The bright colors of dresses and suits, which she has preferred since a very young age, reveal her creative and mischievous nature.

A recognizable style, the main elements of which are a monochrome suit of rich color, a matching hat, black shoes and a handbag, was formed at the very beginning of her reign. Now, despite her advanced age, the queen is not at all afraid of bright colors and still does not change her habits. As Karl Lagerfeld said, in order to become a recognizable person, you need to dress in such a way that it is easy to copy a caricature of you. Queen Elizabeth II inspired the creativity of both famous creators and animators.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1986

8. Order surrounds the Queen in everything, so it is not surprising that in Elizabeth II’s dressing room all things have a serial number. The place and time at which the outfit was worn is also indicated. Given the Queen’s busy work schedule, this is the only way she can avoid “fashion repetitions.”

9. The Queen's working day is scheduled minute by minute. At 7:30, a tray containing a silver teapot, a jug of water and milk is brought to her bed. She starts her duties at 10:00 and finishes work around 23:00. First thing in the morning she looks at the British daily newspapers and the racing magazine The Racing Post.

Elizabeth II, 2013

After this, from the hundreds of letters from her subjects that arrived during the day, she selects a few, which she reads, and then dictates to her assistant the answers to each of them. In the first half of the day, the queen schedules several meetings - with ambassadors, bishops, and judges. Each takes no more than 15 minutes. In the evening, Elizabeth II meets with the Prime Minister and gets acquainted with official papers. At the end of the day, she attends exhibitions, concerts and other events.

10. Queen Elizabeth II has a very large family: four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. When she is not busy with business, she loves to be at home with her loved ones.

Elizabeth II with Prince Philip, three sons and daughter

She spends several weeks in August and September alone. These days, the doors of Buckingham Palace open to everyone, and the Queen goes on vacation to the Scottish castle of Balmoral. There she enjoys reading novels, doing crossword puzzles and taking a bath. By the way, Elizabeth has a funny habit associated with her latest pastime - the queen never takes a bath without her rubber ducky.

Another favorite pastime of the Queen on weekends is “fussing” with dogs. Rumor has it that Elizabeth loves to comb their fur herself and even look for fleas on them.

11. The Queen is the only resident of Great Britain who does not have a passport or license. However, this does not stop her from actively traveling and driving. By the way, she first got behind the wheel at the age of 19. With 67 years of driving experience behind her, the Queen was spotted behind the wheel by paparazzi in 2012. In an unaccompanied car, Elizabeth II was returning from her Scottish residence, where she was hunting hazel grouse.

Queen Elizabeth II driving12 .During travel, the weight of the queen's luggage can reach several tons. A record figure was recorded during Elizabeth II's trip to a meeting of the heads of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1953 - the queen carried 12 tons of clothing with her. Considering the number of her dogs that travel with her everywhere, there are also several tons of grooming supplies for them.

Elizabeth II

13. Elizabeth II has a number of secret signs. For example, if during official events she places her handbag on the table, then it becomes clear to those accompanying her that the Queen wishes to leave the meeting after 5 minutes. When she begins to twirl a ring on her finger or shift her bag from one hand to another, this means that she is bored with communication with her interlocutor.

Queen Elizabeth II
14. The most difficult times in the queen's life were 1992 and 2002. In the early 90s, the reputation of the monarchy was under attack due to the divorce of the Queen's heir, Prince Charles, from Princess Diana. And in 2002, the queen lost two loved ones at once - her sister Margaret and her mother Elizabeth I.

Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Diana

15. Despite the fact that the Queen turns 88 today, this event will be celebrated on a national scale only in the summer. According to a tradition that has developed over the years, the birthday of the reigning monarch of Great Britain is celebrated twice: directly on the day of the celebration with loved ones and on one of the weekends in June. It is in the summer that lavish festivities take place, people take to the streets to celebrate another year in the life and reign of the most popular monarch in the world.