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Elizabeth II

 
Who2 Biography: Elizabeth II, Royalty
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Queen Elizabeth II
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  • Born: 21 April 1926
  • Birthplace: London, England
  • Best Known As: The Queen of Great Britain

Name at birth: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor

Elizabeth II has been the United Kingdom's reigning monarch since 1952. She was proclaimed queen on 6 February 1952 following the death of her father, George VI; she was formally crowned the next year, on 2 June 1953. Her husband, Prince Philip, comes from the royal family of Greece and was created Duke of Edinburgh prior to their wedding on 20 November 1947. Elizabeth and Philip had four children: Charles (b. 1948), Anne (b. 1950), Andrew (b. 1960) and Edward (b. 1964); as the eldest, Prince Charles is heir to the throne. Queen Elizabeth is the sister of the late Princess Margaret, daughter of the late Queen Mother, mother-in-law to the late Princess Diana, and grandmother to the princes William and Harry. She also shares a name with a famous predecessor, Queen Elizabeth I. The queen celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2002, marking 50 years on the throne.

Elizabeth II was played by Helen Mirren in the 2006 film The Queen; Prince Philip was played by James Cromwell.

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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II, 1985.
(click to enlarge)
Elizabeth II, 1985. (credit: Karsh — Camera Press/Globe Photos)
(born April 21, 1926, London, Eng.) Queen of the United Kingdom from 1952. She became heir presumptive when her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated and her father became king as George VI. In 1947 she married her distant cousin Philip, duke of Edinburgh, with whom she had four children, including Charles, prince of Wales. She became queen on her father's death in 1952. Increasingly aware of the modern role of the monarchy, she favoured simplicity in court life and took an informed interest in government business. In the 1990s the monarchy was troubled by the highly publicized marital difficulties of two of the queen's sons and the death of Diana, princess of Wales. In 2002 the queen's mother and sister died within two months of each other.

For more information on Elizabeth II, visit Britannica.com.

Biography: Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II (born 1926) became queen of Great Britain and Ireland upon the death of her father, George VI, in 1952. She was a popular queen who was also respected for her knowledge of and participation in state affairs.

Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, in London, the oldest child of the Duke of York and his wife, Elizabeth. Her father became King George VI, of Great Britain and Ireland in 1936 when his older brother Edward VIII abdicated the throne. Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten in November 1947, and they had four children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.

Since the 1960s criticism of the monarchy and of the queen has been both positive and negative. Indeed, it may be said that is precisely because the monarchy has not "created a truly classless and Commonwealth court" that it has been an institution of inestimable value to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in the second half of the 20th century. Britain is not noticeably less a "deferential society" now than it was in Walter Bagehot's day, and there can be no doubt that considerable spiritual consolation can be derived from symbolic continuity with past glory in rapidly changing and often all too inglorious times.

There have, however, been subtle changes in the monarchy. The work of the monarch and the monarchy has increased, and the queen accordingly shared some of her duties with her children, upon whom more public attention was focussed. She pursued her functions along lines laid out by her father, George VI: diligence, duty, dignity, and compassion. Her involvement of the whole family in her duties also reflected the influence of her father, who used to speak of his family as "The Firm."

In addition, the queen, perhaps in part influenced by her strong-willed and perceptive husband, started some new trends toward modernization and openness in the monarchy. Her efforts were not unsuccessful. The queen and her activities commanded international attention and widespread respect. The prime ministers who served under her, notably Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, were impressed by her knowledge of state affairs - gained by conscientious reading of state papers contained in the Red Boxes, dispatch cases which followed her everywhere. Her popularity at home and abroad was indisputable.

A Popular Traveller

At least part of this popularity could be attributed to her far-flung travels as the embodiment of Commonwealth unity and British nationalism. Her interested and gracious demeanor on these travels contributed to the warmth and enthusiasm of the receptions which greeted her. Between 1970 and 1985 she had a dizzyingly full schedule. She visited France in the spring of 1972, attended the Commonwealth Conference in Ottawa in 1973, took part in the U.S. bicentennial celebrations and then headed north to Montreal to open the 1976 Summer Olympics, and travelled some 56,000 miles throughout the Commonwealth as part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations. In 1979 she travelled to Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, where she was showered with gifts of dazzling (and dazzlingly precious) jewelry.

In April 1982 she made a less exotic but constitutionally more important visit to Ottawa, where she proclaimed the New Canadian constitution, which cut the last legal links between the United Kingdom and Canada. In March of 1984 she visited Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island, Mexico, California, and British Columbia. While in California, her first trip to the west coast of North America, she had some 20 public appearances, including a visit to a movie studio and a gala dinner in San Francisco. She also went to President Reagan's Santa Barbara ranch, to former U.S. Ambassador to Britain Walter Annenberg's luxurious estate, and, in a private capacity, to Yosemite National Park with Prince Philip. She went to North America again in 1984, visiting Canada for the 14th time and then, privately, to the United States to inspect horse-breeding farms in Kentucky and to the wild west of Sheridan County, Wyoming.

Changes in the queen's circumstances and events in her private life necessarily had a public impact. In the early 1970s there was considerable controversy over her request for an increase in her civil list funding. Although it was not unreasonable that she would require additional funds to carry out her public duties in the style to which her subjects had become accustomed and in an era of rampant inflation, some critics considered her request tactless because she was one of the world's wealthiest women. Even such supporters of the monarchy as Richard Crossman publicly resented the fact that her income was not taxable. Despite the critics, however (and perhaps also because of them: the public outcry over their disloyal attitude was loud), funding was increased.

In the early 1980s personal security around the queen was increased after two unpleasant incidents. In June of 1981, while the queen was riding to the Trooping of the Color in London's Mall, a bystander in the crowd fired six blanks in her direction. Thirteen months later an unemployed and disturbed man, Michael Fagan, managed to get into Buckingham Palace and, after wandering in the corridors, entered the queen's bedroom. With admirable aplomb she spoke soothingly to the intruder, who sat bleeding on her bed, and managed to summon help.

Happier events also had their public impact. On November 20, 1972, the queen and Prince Philip celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a service in Westminster Abbey. One hundred couples from all over Britain who happened to have the same anniversary were invited to share in the occasion. The queen's two older children married with great ceremony and had children of their own. On November 14, 1973, Princess Anne married commoner Mark Philips and later had two children: Peter, born in 1977, and Zara, born in 1981. Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer on July 29, 1981; their two sons, Prince William and Prince Henry, were born in 1982 and 1984 respectively. Another son, Prince Andrew (made Duke of York), married Sarah Ferguson, July 23, 1986; their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were born in 1988 and 1990 respectively.

A Highly Respected Monarch

Perhaps the happiest event was the queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977, marked by an outpouring of devotion to the queen, her family, and the institution of the British monarchy in the form of innumerable sporting events, festivals, carnivals, races, concerts, commemorative stamps, and other activities in her honor. On May 4, 1977, both Houses of Parliament presented loyal addresses to her in Westminster Hall. At St. Paul's Cathedral in June the queen and her family celebrated a Thanksgiving service. The queen indicated her concern for her subjects by voicing her desire that the Silver Jubilee year be a special time "for people who find themselves the victims of human conflict," by travelling extensively to meet her subjects during the year, and by establishing the Silver Jubilee Trust Fund, headed by the Prince of Wales, which was designed "to help the young to help others." She demonstrated her interest in the jubilee through the television broadcast of two films, Royal Heritage and The Queen's Garden, the publication of a book about her private art collection, the opening of the Holbein Room at Windsor Castle to the public, and the display of some of her works of art in a special Silver Jubilee train which tracked across Australia.

Elizabeth Longford, one of the queen's biographers, has suggested that it was only after the jubilee, when she was able to see the loyalty and esteem of her subjects demonstrated, that she realized her potential as a monarch. Her inhibitions were broken down and she became more confident, more open, and more ready to reveal her keen sense of humor, strong common sense, great energy, and nearly imperturbable serenity of character.

After her accession the queen endeavored in her own way to make the British monarchy more modern, more open, and more accessible. She replaced the noxious presentation of debutantes with informal Buckingham Palace luncheons to which a variety of figures eminent in diverse fields ranging from industry to the stage to sports to Scotland Yard were invited. The guest lists at her garden parties became increasingly eclectic. She showed interest and skill in use of the broadcast media, notably in her annual Christmas television messages, in royally sanctioned documentaries such as The Royal Palaces of Britain (1966) and The Royal Family as well as the two Jubilee presentations, and in television broadcasts of Prince Charles' investiture as Prince of Wales and of the royal weddings. Perhaps the most popular of her attempts was the "walkabout," in which she left her car or entourage to meet, shake hands, and chat with ordinary people in the crowds which gathered around her. These spontaneous strolls, which she started in 1970 while on a trip to New Zealand, revealed her conviction that "I have to be seen to be believed."

Troubles Plague the House of Windsor

However, in the late 1980s, the Queen grew concerned over the state and the future of the monarchy. The British press increasingly chronicled the problems in her children's marriages. It appeared to many that Prince Charles was not interested in suceeding to the throne, preferring instead to hunt, play polo, and spend time with his longtime mistress Camilla Parker-Bowles. There were rumors that the Queen would abdicate the throne to her grandson, Prince William. Her troubles seemed to peak in 1992, and she herself called it a "annus horribilis" a horrible year.

The twenty year marriage of Princess Anne ended in divorce; Prince Charles and Prince Andrew officially separated from their wives. On the night of November 20, a good section of Windsor Castle (one of Queen Elizabeth's official residences), suffered extensive fire damage. Immediately, a public outcry arose when it was announced the castle's restoration would be paid for out of public coffers. Britons felt that the Queen, who enjoyed a tax-exempt income in the millions, should pay for the restoration. Two days later, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen and her family would no longer be exempt from taxation. This announcement was seen as a gesture of savvy and goodwill. The year ended on a happier note, as Princess Anne remarried on December 12.

In 1995, the Queen wrote a letter to Prince Charles and Princess Diana urging them to divorce, prompted by separate television interviews where they discussed their unhappy 14-year marriage. They were divorced in 1996, as were Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. Despite these very public family problems, the Queen generally remained popular.

However, her resolve was tested after the August 1997 death of her former daughter-in-law, Princess Diana. Some Britons lashed out at the Queen for "being too bound up by protocol." Surprised by the backlash, she broke tradition and addressed the nation in a live broadcast the day before the funeral, paying tribute to Diana. The significance of this gesture was seen as significant, as the Queen usually addresses the nation only on Christmas Day; this was the second exception to that rule in her 45-year reign.

In spite of turmoil and public stresses, the Queen does not appear to be slowing down. She continues to enjoy time with her family, her beloved Welsh Corgis, country life, and horses, horse-breeding, and horse-racing.

Further Reading

There is a good deal of literature about Queen Elizabeth and the state of the monarchy. Of interest to those intrigued by the private life of royalty are two books by the queen's former governess, Marion Crawford: The Little Princesses (1950) and Elizabeth the Queen (1952). A well-documented, perceptive, and flattering portrait of the queen and her family is contained in Robert Lacey's Jubilee year Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor (1977). An uncritically laudatory biography is Queen Elizabeth (1979) by Judith Campbell, which is useful only because it has a great number of interesting photographs. Of the greatest value is Elizabeth Longford's The Queen: The Life of Elizabeth II (1983), which is insightful, skillfully written, and thoroughly researched. Royal biographer Anne Edwards profiled the Queen and Princess Margaret in Royal Sisters (1990), which provides an honest account of life as a royal. In 1996, S. Badford chronicled the Queen's life in Elizabeth: A Biography of Her Majesty the Queen (1996). Information on the Internet is also available. Unofficial Web sites on the Queen and royal family can be accessed through the search tool Yahoo, by searching for "Queen Elizabeth II." (July 29, 1997). General biographical information on the Internet can be accessed through http://www.mun.ca/library/ref/qeiifaq.html#crowned.

British History: Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II (b. 1926), queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1952- ). When Princess Elizabeth was born to the duke and duchess of York in 1926 there was little reason to expect that she would succeed to the throne. Her uncle, the prince of Wales, was only 31 and was being urged to marry: it was also quite possible that her parents would have a son who would take precedence. But the abdication of her uncle in 1936 brought her father to the throne as George VI.

Princess Elizabeth grew up pretty, cheerful, and obedient. Her strong sense of duty called to mind her grandfather George V and Queen Victoria. Most of the war was spent at Windsor castle. At the age of 18, and with the war coming to a close, Elizabeth was allowed to join the ATS and went each day to Aldershot to take a driving and vehicle maintenance course. She was already devoted to her cousin Philip Mountbatten, a naval officer. They were married in November 1947. Their first child, Prince Charles, was born a year later. In 1952 she succeeded her father on the throne at the age of 25.

The coronation of 1953 was a great success, a splash of colour and ceremony in a still austere post-war Britain. Excitable journalists wrote of a New Elizabethan Age to come. In fact criticism developed rather quickly. Though not shy, the queen had reserve. In 1957 when Lord Altrincham complained that she sounded like a ‘priggish schoolgirl’, he was predictably threatened with horsewhipping. Political clouds also rolled in quickly. Britain found it extremely hard to shake off recurrent financial and economic crises and the Suez fiasco of 1956 was a reminder that the country had neither its former strength nor its confidence.

The early years of her reign were dominated by the painful process of economic recovery and withdrawal from empire. By 1953 the crippled economies of Europe were beginning to recover and Germany, in particular, proved a formidable competitor. This was followed by the rise of the Far Eastern economies, Japan, Hong Kong, and Korea.Several of her governments ran onto the rocks of balance of payments difficulties, inflation, unemployment, and runs on the pound: traditional industries declined and their replacements were slow to emerge.

The Suez crisis was only one of the more dramatic episodes in the retreat from empire. The withdrawal from India had taken place in 1948 before Elizabeth came to the throne. It was followed into independence by Malaya (1957), Ghana (1957), Nigeria (1960), Sierra Leone (1961), Tanganyika (1961), Uganda (1962), Jamaica (1962), Trinidad (1962), Zambia (1964), and Aden (1967). The withdrawals were effected with relatively little rancour, though there was fighting in Malaya (1948-60), in Aden (1963-73), a protracted crisis over Southern Rhodesia (1965-80), and an unpleasant and tedious campaign in Kenya against Mau Mau from 1952 to 1955. The queen and the royal family played an active role in efforts to transform the empire into a commonwealth of equal states. But most of the newly independent countries opted to become republics and although the queen remained head of the Commonwealth, her role was largely social.

The later years of her reign have seen considerable economic progress. Macmillan's remark of 1957—‘most of our people have never had it so good’—was premature, but the gross national product continued to grow. This was partly because the sharp rise in world oil prices was offset by North Sea oil from 1975 onwards.

As the empire shrank and economic performance faltered, Britain's relationship with Europe emerged as a major issue. It had implications for the monarchy since the more advanced schemes for a federal Europe would affect sovereignty. Britain's first two applications to join the European Economic Community were vetoed by de Gaulle in 1963 and 1967, before Edward Heath's government gained acceptance in 1972. In the 1980s, as what was at first envisaged as a trading community moved towards political integration, the question of ‘Europe’ moved steadily to the front of the political agenda.

Of more immediate concern to the queen was probably the role of the monarchy itself and the vicissitudes of the royal family. The first indications that the royal road might be bumpy came in 1953 when the queen's sister wished to marry a distinguished airman, Group Captain Peter Townsend, who was in the process of divorcing his wife. The princess was persuaded not to marry him. When she did marry Anthony Armstrong Jones in 1960, it ended in divorce. These were no more than the drops of rain that preceded the deluge. The marriages of three of the royal children who embarked on matrimony ended in divorce. In November 1992 at the Guildhall, the queen referred ruefully to a year which had seen one divorce, two marital breakdowns, and a devastating fire at Windsor castle as ‘not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure … an annus horribilis’.

It is too soon for any informed assessment of the queen's constitutional role. Though her prime ministers have enthusiastically published their memoirs, they have been bland in their references to the sovereign. There was some criticism of the procedure in 1957 when Eden was forced by ill-health to resign and was succeeded by Macmillan rather than Butler. But the lord chancellor and the lord president of the council (Kilmuir and Salisbury) were asked to sound the cabinet, and its strong preference for Macmillan was confirmed by the chief whip, the chairman of the 1922 committee, the chairman of the Conservative Party, and Sir Winston Churchill. The queen certainly did not act against advice. Nor did she in 1963 when the choice of Lord Home to succeed Macmillan caused surprise. She acted on the advice of Macmillan himself, whom she visited in hospital. Changed arrangements in the Conservative Party in 1965 for electing its leader make it unlikely that this royal prerogative will cause awkwardness in future.

There is no doubt that, from the 1980s onwards, there has been increased criticism of the royal family, though not of Elizabeth herself. The decline in respect is a general phenomenon and applies to many other institutions—to the church, the law, Parliament, and, not least, to the press itself. A policy of openness, inaugurated by the film Royal Family (1966), has evident dangers. Satire, which in the 1960s was refreshing and witty, may become coarse and spiteful. ‘The Palace’ has often had to ponder the balance between over- and under-exposure. That the latter has its risks is demonstrated by the example of Queen Victoria's unpopularity during her seclusion after Albert's death. But the problems caused by under-exposure are more easily remedied.

Spotlight: Elizabeth II
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From our Archives: Today's Highlights, April 21, 2006

Happy 80th birthday to Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, Elizabeth was proclaimed queen on February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, George VI. The only female member of the royal family to actually have served in the military, Elizabeth was trained as a driver in the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945. Among the Queen's other positions are Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
 
Columbia Encyclopedia: Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II, 1926-, queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1952-), elder daughter and successor of George VI. At age 18 she was made a State Counsellor, a confidante of the king. During World War II she trained as a junior subaltern (second lieutenant) in the women's services. On Nov. 20, 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, duke of Edinburgh (see Edinburgh, Prince Philip Mountbatten, duke of). They were in Kenya (en route for a tour of Australia and New Zealand) when the king died (Feb. 6, 1952) and Elizabeth succeeded to the throne. Her coronation, on June 2, 1953, was the first to be televised. She is also head of state in a number of former British possessions and is head of the Commonwealth of Nations.

An extremely popular queen, Elizabeth has traveled more extensively than any previous British monarch. Throughout her reign, expanded media coverage has brought the monarchy closer to the British people. Although the queen, who in public is formal and unemotional, continues to be greatly admired and respected, since the mid-1980s a barrage of tabloid reports about her children and their spouses has seriously tarnished the royal image. In 1992 she celebrated her 40th year on the throne, but it was also a year in which part of Windsor Castle suffered a devastating fire; her son Prince Andrew (b. 1960) separated from his wife, the former Sarah Ferguson (they were divorced in 1996); her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced; and her son and heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Princess Diana separated (they were divorced in 1996). Elizabeth's youngest son is Prince Edward (b. 1964). In 1992 Elizabeth, the wealthiest woman in England, agreed to pay income tax for the first time. Although she was widely criticized for her seeming insensitivity in the days following Princess Diana's death (1997), she had regained the public's esteem by the time of her golden jubilee, less than five years later.

Bibliography

See E. Longford, The Queen (1984); S. Bradford, Elizabeth (1996); B. Pimlott, The Queen (1997).

History Dictionary: Elizabeth II
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The present queen of Britain. Her husband is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the eldest of her four children is Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. Since Elizabeth became queen in 1952, dozens of nations, formerly possessions of Britain, have become independent.

Wikipedia: Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
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"QEII" redirects here. For the ocean liner QE2, see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2.
This page is a biography of Queen Elizabeth II. For the constitutional role of the monarchy, see Monarch's role in the realms.
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II in 2007
Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the other Commonwealth realms
Reign 6 February 1952 – present
(&0000000000000057.00000057 years, &0000000000000290.000000290 days)
Coronation 2 June 1953
Predecessor George VI
Heir apparent Charles, Prince of Wales
Prime Ministers See list
Consort Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Issue
Charles, Prince of Wales
Anne, Princess Royal
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Full name
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary
House House of Windsor
Father George VI
Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Born 21 April 1926 (1926-04-21) (age 83)
Mayfair, London
Signature
Religion Church of England & Church of Scotland

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926) is the queen regnant of sixteen independent sovereign states known informally as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. She holds each crown separately and equally in a shared monarchy, as well as acting as Head of the Commonwealth, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and Head of State of the Crown Dependencies, British overseas territories, the Realm of New Zealand and the external territories of Australia. As a constitutional monarch, she is politically neutral and by convention her role is largely ceremonial.[1]

When Elizabeth was born, the British Empire was a pre-eminent world power, but its influence declined, particularly after World War II, and the empire evolved into the modern Commonwealth of Nations. Her father, George VI, was the last Emperor of India. On his death in 1952, Elizabeth became Head of the Commonwealth, and queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon. During her reign, which at 57 years is one of the longest for a British monarch, she became queen of 25 other countries within the Commonwealth as they gained independence from Britain. She has been the sovereign of 32 individual nations, but half of them later became republics.

Elizabeth married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947. The couple have four children and eight grandchildren.

Contents

Early life

Princess Elizabeth in 1929.
Princess Elizabeth aged seven, in 1933. Painting by Philip Alexius de László.

Elizabeth was the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), and his wife Elizabeth. She was born by Caesarean section at 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, London,[2] on 21 April 1926, and on 29 May she was baptised in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace by the Archbishop of York, Cosmo Lang. Her godparents were her paternal grandparents King George V and Queen Mary; her aunts, Princess Mary and Lady Elphinstone; her great-great-uncle, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn; and her maternal grandmother, Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. Elizabeth was named after her mother, great-grandmother Queen Alexandra, and grandmother Queen Mary,[3] and was called "Lilibet" by her close family.[4] She had a close relationship with her grandfather, and was credited with aiding in his recovery from illness in 1929.[5][6] Her only sibling was Princess Margaret, born in 1930. The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford, who was casually known as "Crawfie".[7] To the dismay of the royal family,[8] Crawford later published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses. The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, and her attitude of responsibility.[8] Such observations were echoed by others. Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant."[9] Her cousin, Margaret Rhodes, described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved".[10]

Heiress presumptive

As a granddaughter of the monarch in the male line, Elizabeth held the title of a British princess, with the style Her Royal Highness, her full style being Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York. At birth, she was third in the line of succession to the throne, behind her uncle, The Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, and her father. Although her birth did generate public interest, there was no reason to believe then that she would ever become queen, as it was widely assumed that the Prince of Wales would marry and have children of his own.[11] In 1936, when her grandfather, the King, died and her uncle Edward succeeded, she was second in line after her father. Later that year, Edward abdicated and her father became king. Elizabeth became heiress presumptive, and was thereafter known as Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth.

Elizabeth studied constitutional history with Henry Marten, Vice-Provost of Eton College.[12] She learned modern languages, and still speaks French fluently.[13] A Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company, was formed specifically so Elizabeth could socialise with girls her own age. Later she was enrolled as a Sea Ranger.[14]

In 1939, the Canadian government wanted Elizabeth to accompany her parents on their upcoming tour of Canada. However, the King decided against this, stating that his daughter was too young to undertake such a strenuous tour, which ended up being over a month long.[15] Elizabeth had probably met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in 1934 and 1937.[16] After another meeting at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in July 1939, Elizabeth, though only 13 years old, fell in love with Philip, and they began to exchange letters.[17]

World War II

Princess Elizabeth changing a vehicle wheel during World War II.

In September 1939, with the outbreak of World War II, Elizabeth and her younger sister, Margaret, stayed at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, from September to Christmas 1939, until they moved to Sandringham House, Norfolk.[18] From February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle, where they stayed for most of the next five years.[19] The suggestion that the two princesses be evacuated to Canada was rejected by Elizabeth's mother; she said, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave."[20] The princesses remained at Windsor, where they staged pantomimes at Christmas in aid of the Queen's Wool Fund.[21] It was from Windsor that Elizabeth, in 1940, made her first radio broadcast during the BBC's Children's Hour, addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities.[22] She stated:

We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well.[15]

During the war, plans were drawn up to affiliate Elizabeth more closely with Wales, in order to quell the growing influence of Welsh nationalists.[23] In a report to Home Secretary Herbert Morrison, the constitutional expert Edward Iwi proposed appointing Elizabeth as Constable of Caernarfon Castle (a post then held by David Lloyd George); the idea was rejected by Morrison, on the grounds that it might cause conflict between north and south Wales.[23] Morrison did, however, take forward a suggestion by civil servant Thomas Jones to make her patron of the Welsh League of Youth, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, and planned to have her tour Wales as such.[23][24] The idea was rejected by the King, who refused to subject his young daughter to the pressures of official tours and because two leading members of Urdd Gobaith Cymru were conscientious objectors.[23]

In 1945, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on visits to Commonwealth service personnel, and began to carry out solo duties, such as reviewing a parade of Canadian airwomen.[15] She joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, as No. 230873 Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor. Elizabeth trained as a driver and mechanic and drove a military truck, eventually rising to the rank of Junior Commander.[25] She is now the last surviving head of state who served in uniform during World War II.[26]

British Royal Family
UK Royal Coat of Arms.svg
see also:
Canadian Royal Family

HM The Queen
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
v • d • e

At the end of the war in Europe, on Victory in Europe Day, Elizabeth and her sister mingled anonymously with the celebratory crowds in the streets of London. She later said in a rare interview, "we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief."[27] Two years later, the Princess made her first official overseas tour, when she accompanied her parents to Southern Africa. On her 21st birthday, in a broadcast to the British Commonwealth from South Africa, she pledged: "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong."[28]

Marriage

Elizabeth married Philip on 20 November 1947. The couple are second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark and third cousins through Queen Victoria. Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the surname of his mother's family.[29] Just before the wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style of His Royal Highness.[30]

The marriage was not without controversy: Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born (though a British subject), and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links.[31] Elizabeth's mother was reported, in later biographies, to have opposed the union initially, even dubbing Philip "The Hun".[32] In later life, however, she told biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman".[33] The country had not yet completely rebounded from the devastation of the war; the Princess still required rationing coupons to buy the material for her gown, designed by Norman Hartnell.[34] Elizabeth and Philip received 1347 wedding gifts from around the world.[35] At the ceremony, Elizabeth's bridesmaids were her sister; her cousin, Princess Alexandra of Kent; Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott; Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester; her second cousin, Lady Mary Cambridge; Lady Elizabeth Mary Lambart (now Longman), daughter of Frederick Lambart, Earl of Cavan; The Honourable Pamela Mountbatten (now Hicks), Philip's cousin; and two maternal cousins, The Honourable Margaret Elphinstone (now Rhodes) and The Honourable Diana Bowes-Lyon (now Somervell).[36] Her page boys were her young paternal first cousins, Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent.[36] In post-war Britain, it was not acceptable for any of the Duke of Edinburgh's German relations to be invited to the wedding, including Philip's three surviving sisters.[37][38] Elizabeth's aunt, Princess Mary, Princess Royal, allegedly refused to attend because her brother, the Duke of Windsor (who abdicated in 1936), was not invited due to his marital situation; she gave ill health as the official reason for not attending.[39]

Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles, on 14 November 1948, several weeks after letters patent were issued by her father allowing her children to enjoy a royal and princely status to which they otherwise would not have been entitled.[40][41] Though the Royal House is named Windsor, it was decreed through a British Order-in-Council in 1960, that those male-line descendants of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip who were not princes and princesses of the United Kingdom should have the personal surname Mountbatten-Windsor.[42] In practice, however, all of their children have used Mountbatten-Windsor as their surname. A second child, Princess Anne, was born in 1950.

Following their wedding, the couple leased Windlesham Moor, until 4 July 1949,[36] when they took up residence at Clarence House. However, at various times between 1949 and 1951, the Duke of Edinburgh was stationed in Malta (at that time a British Protectorate) as a serving Royal Navy officer. He and Elizabeth lived intermittently, for several months at a time, in the Maltese hamlet of Gwardamanġia, at the Villa Gwardamanġia, the rented home of Louis Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten of Burma. The children remained in Britain.[43]

Reign

Succession

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 2 June 1953. Prince Philip swears his allegiance to his wife and newly crowned sovereign.

George VI's health declined during 1951, and Elizabeth was soon frequently standing in for him at public events. In October of that year, she toured Canada, and visited the President of the United States, Harry S. Truman, in Washington, D.C.; on that trip, the Princess carried with her a draft accession declaration for use should the King die while she was out of the United Kingdom.[15][44] In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand via Kenya. At Sagana Lodge, about 100 miles north of Nairobi, word arrived of the death of Elizabeth's father on 6 February. Philip broke the news to the new queen.[45] Martin Charteris, then her Assistant Private Secretary, asked her what she intended to be called as monarch, to which she replied: "Elizabeth, of course."[46] Elizabeth was proclaimed queen in the various countries where she had acceded to the throne, and the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom. The new Queen and Duke of Edinburgh moved into Buckingham Palace.

In the midst of preparations for the coronation, Princess Margaret informed her sister that she wished to marry Peter Townsend, a divorced commoner sixteen years older than Margaret, with two sons from his previous marriage. The Queen asked them to wait for a year; in the words of Martin Charteris, "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Princess, but I think she thought – she hoped – given time, the affair would peter out."[47] After opposition from the Commonwealth prime ministers, and a British minister's threat of resignation should Margaret and Townsend marry, the Princess decided to abandon her plans.[47]

Despite the death of the Queen's grandmother Queen Mary on 24 March 1953, the Queen's coronation went ahead in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953, in accordance with Mary's wishes. The entire ceremony, save for the anointing and communion, was televised throughout the Commonwealth, and watched by an estimated twenty million people in Britain, with twelve million more listening on the radio.[48] Elizabeth wore a gown commissioned from Norman Hartnell, which consisted of embroidered floral emblems of the countries of the Commonwealth: the Tudor rose of England, the Scots thistle, the Welsh leek, shamrocks for Ireland, the wattle of Australia, the maple leaf of Canada, the New Zealand fern, South Africa's protea, two lotus flowers for India and Ceylon, and Pakistan's wheat, cotton, and jute.[49]

Continuing evolution of the Commonwealth

Further information: Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth realm > Historical development, and George VI > Empire to Commonwealth
Queen Elizabeth with Prime Minister of Australia Sir Robert Menzies at an official function during her first visit to Australia in 1954

Elizabeth witnessed, over her life, the ongoing transformation of the old British empire into the new British Commonwealth, and its modern successor, the Commonwealth of Nations. By the time of Elizabeth's accession in 1952, her role as nominal head of multiple independent states was already established. Spanning 1953–1954, the Queen and her husband embarked on a six-month around-the-world tour. She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations.[50][51] During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen the Queen.[52] Throughout her reign, Elizabeth has undertaken state visits to foreign countries, as well as tours of each Commonwealth country, including attending all Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM). Elizabeth II is the most widely-travelled head of state in history.[53]

In 1956, French Prime Minister Guy Mollet and British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden discussed the possibility of France joining in a union with the United Kingdom; among the ideas put forward was one in which Elizabeth was to be the French head of state. Mollet "had not thought there need be difficulty over France accepting the headship of Her Majesty".[54] The proposal was never accepted, and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome.[54] In November that year, Britain and France invaded Egypt in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture the Suez canal. Earl Mountbatten of Burma claimed the Queen was opposed to the invasion, though Prime Minister Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later.[55]

The absence of a formal mechanism within the Conservative Party for choosing a leader meant that, following Eden's resignation, it fell to the Queen to decide whom to commission to form a government. Eden recommended that Elizabeth consult Lord Salisbury (the Lord President of the Council). Lord Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir (the Lord Chancellor) consulted the Cabinet, Winston Churchill and the Chairman of the 1922 Committee, as a result of which the Queen appointed their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan. Six years later, Macmillan himself resigned and advised the Queen to appoint the Earl of Home as Prime Minister, advice which she followed. In both 1957 and 1963, the Queen came under criticism for appointing the Prime Minister on the advice of a small number of ministers, or a single minister. In 1965, the Conservatives adopted a formal mechanism for choosing a leader, thus relieving her of the duty.[55]

The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first real personal criticism of the Queen. In a magazine, which he owned and edited,[56] Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch".[57] Altrincham was denounced by public figures and physically attacked by members of the public appalled at his comments.[58] Her Majesty made a state visit to the United States that year, where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly.[59] On the same tour she opened the 23rd Canadian Parliament, becoming the first Canadian monarch to open a parliamentary session. Two years later, she revisited Canada and the United States. In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Iran.[60] During a trip to Ghana, she refused to keep her distance from President Kwame Nkrumah, despite him being a target for assassins.[61] Harold Macmillan wrote at the time: "the Queen has been absolutely determined all through. She is impatient of the attitude towards her to treat her as... a film star... She has indeed 'the heart and stomach of a man'... She loves her duty and means to be a queen."[62]

The Queen (left) with First Lady Pat Nixon during President and Mrs. Nixon's trip to the United Kingdom, 1970.

Elizabeth's pregnancies with both Andrew and Edward, in 1959 and 1963, marked the only times Elizabeth did not perform the State Opening of the British Parliament during her reign. She delegated the task to the Lord Chancellor instead. Elizabeth inaugurated the first Canadian trans-Atlantic telephone cable (part of one devised to link all the Commonwealth countries) in 1961, by calling Canadian Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker, from Buckingham Palace with the words "are you there Mr. Prime Minister?"[63] In 1965, Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith declared unilateral independence from Britain. Although the Queen dismissed Smith in a formal declaration and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, Smith's regime survived for another eleven years.[64]

In 1969, Elizabeth sent a congratulatory message to the Apollo 11 crew on the first manned lunar landing; the micro-filmed message was left in a metal container on the moon's surface. She later met the crew at Buckingham Palace.[13]

In February 1974, an inconclusive United Kingdom general election result meant that, in theory, the outgoing Prime Minister, Edward Heath, whose party had won the popular vote, could stay in office if he formed a coalition government with the Liberals. Rather than immediately resign as Prime Minister, Heath explored this option, and only resigned when discussions on forming a cooperative government foundered, after which the Queen asked the Leader of the Opposition, Labour's Harold Wilson, to form a government.[65]

A year later, at the height of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was dismissed from his post by Governor-General Sir John Kerr after the Opposition-controlled Senate rejected Whitlam's budget proposals.[66] The Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives, Gordon Scholes, appealed to the Queen on behalf of the house to reverse Kerr's decision, on the basis that Whitlam's Labor Party still enjoyed the confidence of the house. Elizabeth declined, stating that it was not appropriate for her to intervene in affairs that are reserved for the Governor-General alone by the Constitution of Australia.[67] The crisis fuelled Australian republicanism.[66]

Silver Jubilee

In 1977, Elizabeth marked the Silver Jubilee of her accession.[68] Events took place in many countries throughout the Queen's associated Commonwealth tour, and included a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral attended by dignitaries and other heads of state. Parties were held throughout the Commonwealth realms, culminating in several Jubilee Days in the United Kingdom, in June. In Britain, commemorative stamps were issued. The Jubilee Line of the London Underground (though opened in 1979) was named for the anniversary, as were several other public locations and spaces, including the Jubilee Gardens in London's South Bank. In Canada, the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal was issued. In 1978, she endured a state visit by the brutal communist dictator of Romania, Nicolae Ceauşescu,[69] but the following year brought two blows: one was the unmasking of Anthony Blunt, Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, as a communist spy; the other was the assassination of her relative and in-law Earl Mountbatten of Burma by the Provisional Irish Republican Army.[70]

According to Paul Martin, Sr., by the end of the 1970s the Queen was worried that the Crown "had little meaning for" Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.[71] Tony Benn said that the Queen found Trudeau to be "rather disappointing".[71][72] Trudeau's supposed republicanism seemed to be confirmed by his antics, such as sliding down banisters at Buckingham Palace and pirouetting behind the Queen's back in 1977, and the removal of various Canadian royal symbols during his term of office.[71] Martin—along with John Roberts and Mark MacGuigan—was sent to the UK in 1980 to discuss the patriation of the Canadian constitution. The Queen was deeply interested in the constitutional debate, particularly after the failure of Bill C-60, which would have affected her role as head of state.[71] The entire party found the Queen "better informed on both the substance and the politics of Canada's constitutional case than any of the British politicians or bureaucrats".[71] As a result of the constitutional patriation, the role of the British parliament in the Canadian constitution was removed, but the monarchy was retained. Trudeau said in his memoirs: "The Queen favoured my attempt to reform the Constitution. I was always impressed not only by the grace she displayed in public at all times, but by the wisdom she showed in private conversation."[73]

1980s

Elizabeth II riding Burmese at a Trooping the Colour ceremony

Elizabeth's personal courage, as well as her skill as a horsewoman, was shown in 1981 during the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony.[74] Six shots were fired at her from close range as she rode down The Mall. She kept control of her horse, Burmese, and continued on, and later it was revealed that the fired shots were blanks. The Canadian House of Commons was so impressed by her display of courage that a motion was passed praising her composure.[62] The following year, the Queen found herself in another precarious situation when she awoke in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace to find a strange man, Michael Fagan, in the room with her. Remaining calm throughout, for approximately ten minutes, and through two calls to the palace police switchboard, Elizabeth spoke to Fagan while he sat at the foot of her bed until assistance arrived.[75] From April to September that year, the Queen remained anxious[76] but proud[77] of her son, Prince Andrew, who was serving with British forces during the Falklands War. Though she hosted President Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle in 1982, and visited his California ranch in 1983, she was angered when his administration ordered the invasion of Grenada, one of her Caribbean realms.[78]

During Margaret Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the 1980s, it was rumoured that Elizabeth was worried that Thatcher's economic policies fostered social divisions, and was reportedly alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots, the violence of a miners' strike,[79] and Thatcher's refusal to apply sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa.[80] Thatcher told Brian Walden, "the Queen is the kind of woman who could vote SDP [Social Democratic Party]."[79] Reports of strained relations between Elizabeth and Thatcher throughout the period varied over the extent of this difference and to what degree it was due to concerns over policy, or a personality clash.[81] The Queen's feelings towards Thatcher were even described as "cordial dislike".[82] Despite such speculation, Thatcher later clearly conveyed her personal admiration for the Queen in the BBC documentary Queen & Country, Thatcher described the Queen as "marvellous" and "a perfect lady" who "always knows just what to say", referring, in particular, to her final meeting as prime minister with Elizabeth.[83] Belying reports of acrimony between them, after Thatcher retired from politics, Elizabeth conferred on her two personal gifts of the sovereign: the Order of Merit and the Order of the Garter.[84] Both the Queen and Prince Philip attended Thatcher's 80th birthday party.[85]

In 1991, she became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the United States Congress.[86] The following year, she attempted to save the failing marriage of her eldest son, Charles, by counselling him and his wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, to patch up their differences.[87] She was unsuccessful, and the couple formally separated.

Annus horribilis

The Queen called 1992 her "annus horribilis" in a speech on 24 November 1992.[88] The year saw her daughter divorced, one son separated and another whose marriage was rocky. Windsor Castle had suffered severe fire damage, and the monarchy had come under increased criticism and public scrutiny.[89] In an unusually personal speech, she said any institution must expect criticism but asked, "Couldn't it be done with a touch of humour, gentleness and understanding?"[90]

In the ensuing years, public revelations on the state of Charles and Diana's marriage continued.[91] Eventually, in consultation with the British Prime Minister John Major, Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, her private secretary Robert Fellowes, and her husband, she wrote to both Charles and Diana saying that a divorce was now desirable.[92] A year after the divorce, Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. At the time, the Queen was on holiday at Balmoral with her son and grandchildren. In their grief, Diana's two sons wanted to attend church, and so their grandparents took them that morning.[93] For five days, the Queen and the Duke shielded their grandsons from the ensuing press interest by keeping them at Balmoral where they could grieve in private.[93][94] The royal family's seclusion caused public dismay.[95] Pressured by her family, friends, the new British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and public reaction, the Queen agreed to broadcast live to the world on 5 September.[96] In it, she expressed admiration for Diana, and her feelings "as a grandmother" for Princes William and Harry.[97] The public mood was transformed by the broadcast from hostility to respect.[97]

Golden Jubilee and beyond

Elizabeth II and former U.S. President George W. Bush share a toast during a state dinner at the White House, 7 May 2007.

In 2002, Elizabeth marked her Golden Jubilee as queen.[98] She again undertook an extensive tour of her realms, which began in Jamaica in February, where the Queen called the farewell banquet "memorable" after a power cut plunged the King's House, the official residence of the Governor-General, into darkness.[99] Though public celebrations in the UK were more muted than those that had taken place 25 years earlier, due, in part, to the death of both the Queen Mother and her sister earlier that year, there were street parties and commemorative events in many locales. As in 1977, monuments were named and gifts offered to honour the occasion, including, in Canada, the Golden Jubilee Journalism New Media Centre at Sheridan College, and the Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park.[100]

In 2005, she was the first Canadian monarch to address the Legislative Assembly of Alberta;[101] and, in 2007, the first British monarch to address the Virginia General Assembly.[102] In May 2007, it was reported that the Queen was "exasperated and frustrated" by the policies of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.[103] Elizabeth was rumoured to have shown concern that the British Armed Forces were overstretched in Iraq and Afghanistan, and she was supposed to have raised concerns over rural and countryside issues with Blair repeatedly.[103] Elizabeth did, however, apparently admire Blair's efforts to achieve peace in Northern Ireland.[104] On 20 March 2008, at the Church of Ireland St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, the Queen attended the first Maundy Service held outside England and Wales.[105]

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2007, with a special service at Westminster Abbey and private dinner hosted by Prince Charles at Clarence House on 19 November, and, the following day (their actual anniversary) a dinner party with other members of the Royal Family, former and present Prime Ministers, and the surviving bridesmaids and pages from the original wedding party. On 21 November, Elizabeth and Philip travelled to Malta, where a Royal Navy ship that was docked in the vicinity arranged its crew members on deck in the form of the number 60.

Health and reduced duties

The Queen's reign is longer than those of her four immediate predecessors combined (Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, and George VI). She is the third-longest-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, the second-longest-serving current monarch of a sovereign state (after King Bhumibol of Thailand), and the oldest reigning British monarch.

Elizabeth could become the longest-lived British head of state (surpassing Richard Cromwell) on 29 January 2012 at age 85, the longest-reigning monarch in British history and the longest-reigning queen regnant in world history (surpassing Queen Victoria) on 10 September 2015 at age 89, and the longest-reigning monarch in European history (surpassing King Louis XIV of France) on 26 May 2024 at age 98.

Elizabeth has enjoyed good health throughout her life, and continues to have what is described as excellent health and is seldom ill. In June 2005, the Queen cancelled several engagements after contracting what the Palace described as a bad cold. In October 2006, she suffered a burst blood vessel in her right eye,[106] While the Queen would have suffered no pain or lasting damage, burst blood vessels, though common in the elderly, could be a sign of hypertension. Later that month, the Queen cancelled her appointment to officially open the new Emirates Stadium, because of a strained back muscle that had been troubling her since the summer.[107] Elizabeth's back began to cause more serious concerns; in November 2006, there were worries that the Queen would not be well enough to open the British parliament, and, though she was able to attend, plans were drawn up to cover her possible absence. In December, there were rumours of ill health when she was seen in public with a bandage on her right hand.[108] However, the bandage was because one of her corgis bit her while she was separating two that were fighting.[109]

At the time of her 80th birthday, the Queen made it clear that she had no intention of abdicating.[110] For a number of years, both Prince Charles and Princess Anne had been standing in for their mother at events such as investitures, and acting as Counsellors of State. This led to some speculation in the British press that Prince Charles would start to perform many of the day-to-day duties of the monarch while Elizabeth effectively went into retirement.[111] However, Buckingham Palace announced that Elizabeth would continue with her duties, both public and private, well into the future.

Public perception and character

Main article: Personality and image of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth's hand writing and signature on a personal note paying homage to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, May 2008.

Since Elizabeth rarely gives interviews, her personal feelings and character remain distant. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth has not expressed her personal political opinions in a public forum, maintaining this discipline throughout her reign. She does have a deep sense of religious and civic duty, and takes her coronation oath seriously.[112][113] She is known for her conservative clothes, consisting mostly of solid-colour overcoats and decorative hats, which allow her to be seen easily in a crowd.[114] Her main leisure interests include horse racing, photography, and dogs, especially her Pembroke Welsh Corgis.[13]

In the 1950s, as a young woman at the start of her reign, Elizabeth was depicted as a glamorous "fairytale Queen".[115] After the trauma of the war, it was a time of hope, a period of progress and achievement heralding a "new Elizabethan age".[116] Lord Altrincham's accusation in 1957 that she was a "priggish schoolgirl" was an extremely rare criticism.[117] In the late 1960s, attempts to portray a more modern image of monarchy were made in the television documentary Royal Family, and by televising Prince Charles's investiture as Prince of Wales.[118] At her silver jubilee, the crowds and celebrations were genuinely enthusiastic,[119] but in the 1980s public criticism of the royal family increased, as the personal and working lives of Elizabeth's children came under media scrutiny.[120] Elizabeth's popularity sank to a low point in the 1990s; under pressure from public opinion she began to pay income tax for the first time, and Buckingham Palace was opened to the public.[94] Discontent with the monarchy reached its peak on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and only faded once the Queen had broadcast to the world.[94] In November 1999, a referendum in Australia on the future of the monarchy favoured its retention.[121] As her Golden Jubilee year began, the media speculated whether it would be a success or a failure.[122] The year began sombrely with the death of Elizabeth's sister and mother, but a million people attended each day of the three-day main Jubilee celebration in London.[123] The enthusiasm shown by the public for Elizabeth was greater than many journalists had predicted.[124] Polls in 2006 revealed strong support for Elizabeth; the majority of respondents desired that she remain on the throne until her death, and many felt that she had become an institution in herself.[125]

Finances

Sandringham House, Elizabeth's private residence in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Elizabeth's personal fortune has been the subject of speculation for many years. Forbes magazine estimated her net worth at around US$450 million (GB£270 million) in 2009,[126] but official Buckingham Palace statements in 1993 called estimates of £100 million "grossly overstated".[127][128] The Royal Collection, which includes artworks and the Crown Jewels, is not owned by the Queen personally and is held in trust,[129][130] as are the occupied palaces in the United Kingdom such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle,[131] and the Duchy of Lancaster, a property portfolio valued at £323 million in 2009.[132] As with many of her predecessors, Elizabeth is reported to dislike Buckingham Palace as a residence, and prefers Windsor Castle.[110] Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle are privately owned by the Queen.[131] Income from the British Crown Estate—with holdings of £6 billion in 2009[133]—is transferred to the British treasury in return for Civil List payments. Both the Crown Estate and the Crown Land of Canada—comprising 89% of Canada's land area[134]—are owned by the Sovereign in trust for the nation, and cannot be sold or owned by Elizabeth in a private capacity.

Religion

Aside from her official religious role as Supreme Governor of the established Church of England, Elizabeth personally worships with that church, and with the national Church of Scotland.[135] She regularly attends Sunday service at Crathie Kirk when in Balmoral.[136] Frequently, the Queen will add a personal note about her faith to her annual Royal Christmas Message broadcast to the Commonwealth, such as in the 2000 edition, wherein she spoke about the theological significance of the millennium marking the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ:

To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.[137][138]

Elizabeth has also demonstrated support for inter-faith relations, often meeting with leaders of other religions, and granting her personal patronage to the Council of Christians and Jews.[139]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

Main article: List of titles and honours of Queen Elizabeth II

Elizabeth has held a number of titles throughout her life, as granddaughter of the monarch, as a daughter of the monarch, through her husband's titles, and eventually as sovereign of multiple states. In common practice, she is referred to most often as simply The Queen or Her Majesty. Officially, she has a distinct title in each of her realms: Queen of Canada in Canada, Queen of Australia in Australia, Queen of New Zealand in New Zealand, etc. In the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, which are Crown dependencies rather than separate realms, she is known as Duke of Normandy and Lord of Man respectively. Additional styles include Defender of the Faith and Duke of Lancaster.[140] When in conversation with the Queen, the practice is to initially address her as Your Majesty and thereafter as Ma'am.[141]

Elizabeth has received many honours and awards from countries around the world, and has held many honorary military positions throughout the Commonwealth, both before and after her accession.

Arms

Main article: Flags and coats of arms of Elizabeth II
The arms of The Princess Elizabeth, before her marriage.

From 21 April 1944 until her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh,[142] Elizabeth's arms consisted of a lozenge bearing the same charges as the shield of the Royal coat of arms, and a label of three points argent, the centre bearing a Tudor Rose and the first and third a cross of St George. Following her marriage, these arms were impaled with those of the Duke of Edinburgh. After her accession as Sovereign, she adopted the royal coat of arms undifferenced.

Similarly, Elizabeth bears a number of personal flags for use in some of her realms: two in the United Kingdom (one for Scotland and another for all other areas), and one each for Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and Barbados. These consist of the banners of the associated Royal Arms, all, save for those of the UK, defaced with Elizabeth's personal badge: a crowned letter E within a circle of roses on a blue disk. This same badge is also used as the Queen's personal flag for her role as Head of the Commonwealth, or for visiting Commonwealth countries where she is not head of state.

Issue

Name Birth Marriage Issue Divorce
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales 14 November 1948 29 July 1981 Lady Diana Spencer Prince William of Wales
Prince Henry of Wales		 28 August 1996
9 April 2005 Camilla Parker-Bowles
Princess Anne, Princess Royal 15 August 1950 14 November 1973 Mark Phillips Peter Phillips
Zara Phillips		 28 April 1992
12 December 1992 Timothy Laurence
Prince Andrew, Duke of York 19 February 1960 23 July 1986 Sarah Ferguson Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Eugenie of York		 30 May 1996
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex 10 March 1964 19 June 1999 Sophie Rhys-Jones Lady Louise Windsor
Viscount Severn

Ancestry

Main articles: Ancestry of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Descent of Elizabeth II from William I, Descent of Elizabeth II from Cerdic, and Descent of Elizabeth II from the Franks

See also

Notes

  1. ^ What is constitutional monarchy?, Official website of the British Monarchy, http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/HowtheMonarchyworks/Whatisconstitutionalmonarchy.aspx, retrieved 14 November 2009 
  2. ^ Brandreth, p.103 and Roberts, p.74
  3. ^ Brandreth, p.103
  4. ^ "Queen 'Lilibet' letters unveiled". BBC. 27 May 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5019736.stm. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  5. ^ Pimlott, Ben (1997). The Queen: A Biography of Elizabeth II. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 047119431X. http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/p/pimlott-queen.html. Retrieved 2008-10-12. 
  6. ^ Rose, Kenneth (1983). King George V. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 389. ISBN 0-297-78245-2. 
  7. ^ Crawford, p. 26; Shawcross, p.21
  8. ^ a b Brandreth, pp.108–110
  9. ^ Quoted in Brandreth, p.105 and Shawcross, pp.21–22
  10. ^ Quoted in Brandreth, pp.105–106
  11. ^ Bond, p.8
  12. ^ Brandreth, p.124; Crawford, p. 85; Shawcross, p.25
  13. ^ a b c "80 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Queen Elizabeth". Time Europe. http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/facts.html. Retrieved 2006-09-26. 
  14. ^ "The Queen: Education". Official website of the British monarchy. http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/Education/Overview.aspx. Retrieved 28 July 2009. 
  15. ^ a b c d "Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada". Canadian Royal Heritage Trust. http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html. Retrieved 2007-03-06. 
  16. ^ Brandreth, pp.133–139
  17. ^ Bond, p.10 and Brandreth, pp.132–136, 166–169
  18. ^ Crawford, pp. 104–114
  19. ^ Crawford, pp. 114–119
  20. ^ "Biography of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Activities as Queen". Official website of the British monarchy. http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/The%20House%20of%20Windsor%20from%201952/QueenElizabethTheQueenMother/ActivitiesasQueen.aspx. Retrieved 28 July 2009. 
  21. ^ Crawford, pp. 137–141
  22. ^ "Archive - Princess Elizabeth - Children's Hour: Princess Elizabeth". BBC. 1940-10-13. http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/princesselizabeth/6600.shtml?all=1&id=6600. Retrieved 2009-07-22. 
  23. ^ a b c d "Royal plans to beat nationalism". BBC. 8 March 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4329001.stm. Retrieved 2007-10-31. 
  24. ^ "Ymdrech i atal cenedlaetholdeb". BBC. 7 March 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/welsh/hi/newsid_4320000/newsid_4327500/4327547.stm. Retrieved 2009-08-28. 
  25. ^ "Her Majesty the Queen – Early Public Life". Official website of the British Monarchy. http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/Publiclife/EarlyPublicLife/Earlypubliclife.aspx. Retrieved 28 July 2009. 
  26. ^ "Left Out of D-Day Events, Queen Elizabeth Is Fuming", New York Times, May 27, 2009
  27. ^ Bond, p.10
  28. ^ "21st birthday speech". Official website of the British Monarchy. http://www.royal.gov.uk/ImagesandBroadcasts/Historic%20speeches%20and%20broadcasts/21stbirthdayspeech21April1947.aspx. Retrieved 28 July 2009. 
  29. ^ Hoey, pp. 55–56
  30. ^ The Duke of Edinburgh: Marriage and family. Official website of the British monarchy. http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/TheDukeofEdinburgh/Marriageandfamily.aspx. Retrieved 21 August 2009. 
  31. ^ The Real Prince Philip, Channel 4 Television, 31 October 2000, http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/R/real_lives/prince_philip_t.html, retrieved 23 September 2009 
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References

Further reading

  • Allison, Ronald (2001). The Queen: 50 Years - A Celebration. HarperCollins UK. ISBN 0004140788. 
  • Bousfield, Arthur; Toffoli, Gary (2002). Fifty Years the Queen - A Tribute to Elizabeth II on Her Golden Jubilee. Hamilton: Dundurn Press. ISBN 9781550023602. 
  • Erickson, Carolly (2004). Lillibet: An Intimate Portrait of Elizabeth II. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0312287348. 
  • Lacey, Robert (2002). Royal: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. London: Little, Brown. ISBN 0748104097. 
  • Lacey, Robert (2003). Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II. Free Press. ISBN 0743236696. 
  • Noakes, Michael & Noakes, Vivien (2001). The Daily Life of the Queen: An Artist's Diary. Trafalgar Square. ISBN 009186982X. 
  • Pimlott, Ben (2007). The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy. revised edition: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-007-11436-2. 
  • Waller, Maureen (2006). Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power. The Six Reigning Queens of England. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-33801-5. 
  • Jubilee A Celebration of 50 Years of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Cassell & Co. 2002. 

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From Today's Highlights
April 21, 2006

Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom.
- Queen Elizabeth II

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