Age of Elizabeth 2 Queen of Great Britain. See what "Elizabeth II" is in other dictionaries

14.11.2020

1 * TWO ROYAL BIRTHDAYS

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) was born on April 21, 1926. However, the official birthday of the monarch in Great Britain does not coincide with the real one. Since the reign of King Edward VII (1901-1910), this holiday has been celebrated on one of the first Saturdays in June, for reasons of good weather. In addition, it is in June that a solemn event takes place - the removal of the banner at the parade of the Horse Guards. By the way, this year, during the celebration of the Queen's official birthday, British pubs were allowed on the occasion of the Queen's 90th birthday on June 10 and 11 not to close until 1 am (and not until 11 pm, as usual).

2 * NOT ONLY BRITAIN

Elizabeth II is primarily the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. But not only. She is also Queen of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. However, this is not all: Elizabeth II is considered the queen of 12 more independent states - Jamaica, Barbados, The Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda , Saint Kitts and Nevis. And of course, the head of the Commonwealth of Nations, which unites fifty countries - mainly the former British possessions.

3 * MONARCHES AND RECORDS

Queen Elizabeth II became Queen in 1952, while on vacation in Kenya - there came the news of the death of her father, King George VI. The coronation took place in June 1953 at Westminster Abbey, the first time the ceremony was televised. The young queen's coronation dress was, according to her instructions, embroidered with the plant emblems of the countries of the British Commonwealth. England was symbolized by a rose, Scotland - a thistle, Wales - a leek, Ireland - a shamrock, Australia - a mimosa, Canada - a maple leaf, New Zealand - a fern, South Africa - Protea, India and Ceylon - lotus flowers, Pakistan - wheat, cotton and jute.

Today, Elizabeth II is the oldest of the world's reigning monarchs. (In terms of time on the throne, she is ahead of the king of Thailand, Bhumibon Adulyadet, who led the country in 1946) She also broke her great-great-grandmother Victoria's record for longevity among the kings and queens of Britain in September 2015 - by that time she had been on the throne for more than 23,226 days.

4 * NAZI SALUTE SCANDAL

Last year, The Sun tabloid released footage from the early 1930s of the little Princess Elizabeth standing next to her mother and sister throwing up her hand in a Nazi salute. The frames also show the uncle of the future queen - Prince Edward (aka King Edward VIII), known not only for his abdication of the British throne, but also for his sympathy for Hitler's Germany. If everything was more or less clear with her uncle, then the seven-year-old girl hardly knew what she was portraying. Moreover, during the war with the Nazis, the British royal family did a lot to inspire their compatriots who were fighting the Nazis.

5 * MILITARY PAST

When the Second World War broke out, Princess Elizabeth was 13 years old. Her mother refused to evacuate her daughters to Canada: “The children will not leave without me. I will not leave without a king. And the king will never leave. "

In February 1945, the grown-up Elizabeth put on a military uniform - she entered the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she trained as a driver and mechanic.

When the war ended, Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, infiltrated the crowds celebrating victory in London's streets incognito.

6 * LOVE OF HER LIFE

Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, in the thirties - they were relatives through King Christian IX of Denmark and Queen Victoria. She was only 13 when the princess fell in love with Philip and they began to correspond. The official engagement took place only after the war - in July 1947. At the same time, Philip was not rich, he was a foreigner (although he served during the war in the British Royal Navy), Orthodox - in a word, not everyone considered him a suitable match for Elizabeth. Be that as it may, the wedding took place in November 1947 at Westminster Abbey. To buy material for a wedding dress in a post-war country, Elizabeth needed cards for manufactured goods. The newlyweds received 2500 wedding gifts from around the world.

Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles, in November 1948. In 1950, Princess Anne was born. Ten years later - in 1960 - the Queen had another son, Prince Andrew. Finally, in 1964, the Queen gave birth to Prince Edward.

7 * ROYAL MONEY

The personal financial condition of the British queen has always attracted wide interest from the media and the public. When reports emerged in the early 1990s that Elizabeth II had a fortune estimated at £ 100 million, Buckingham Palace called this figure "grossly exaggerated." And in 2015, The Sunday Times estimated the Queen's personal fortune at £ 340 million - placing her in 302nd place on the list of the richest people in the United Kingdom. It is worth noting that the Royal Collection, which includes thousands of works of art and royal jewelry, is not the property of the Queen personally, but is in trust, just like the official royal residences (Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Duchy of Lancaster).

8 * QUEEN IN RUSSIA

In October 1994, Elizabeth II on her yacht Britannia arrived in Russia on a visit - she was received by President Yeltsin. This was the first ever visit by a British monarch to our country. After the revolution, the main reason that prevented such a visit was the shooting by the Bolsheviks of the royal family, which was related to the British royal house. The Queen visited Moscow and St. Petersburg. By the way, in 1986, Elizabeth II also became the first British monarch to visit China.

9 * SIMPLE CROWN TASTES

Elizabeth II prefers simple food to culinary delights: she loves lamb cutlets and roast beef, fried flounder and salad with chicken. Desserts include ice cream and pudding. When it comes to drinks, Queen Elizabeth prefers champagne and white wines. He does not shy away from cocktails, for example, martinis. The British royal family sit down at the table four times a day: breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. In the morning, the queen makes herself Chinese tea and drinks it with milk, but no sugar. During the royal breakfast, a Scottish piper plays the Queen's morning tune under the dining room windows. This custom dates back to the days of Queen Victoria. A formal dinner featuring the queen begins with soup, followed by a fish dish. The roast most often at royal dinners is the baked and fried back leg of a lamb, one of Elizabeth II's favorite dishes. The meat is accompanied by 3-4 types of vegetable garnish. This is followed by a salad and then a cold dessert. For lunch, 5 varieties of the best wine are served.

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II) Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - from 6 February 1952
Coronation: June 2, 1953
Preceded by George VI
Heir apparent: Charles, Prince of Wales
Head of the Commonwealth of Nations
Religion: Anglicanism
Born: April 21, 1926
London, Great Britain
Genus: Windsor Dynasty
Birth name: Elizabeth Alexandra Maria
Father: George VI
Mother: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Spouse: Philip Mountbatten

biography of Queen Elizabeth 2

Elizabeth II (English 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 after the death of her father, King George VI.

She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, queen of 15 independent states: 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. 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 the length of stay on the British throne (after Queen Victoria) and also second in the world for the length of tenure as head of state among the current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the oldest female incumbent in the world.
During the reign Elizabetha very wide period of British history falls: the process of decolonization ended, 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 prolonged ethnopolitical conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Throughout her reign, the Queen was criticized more than once not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy and her popularity in Great Britain is at its height.

Childhood and adolescence 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); maternal - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1961).
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in Mayfair, London, at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at 17 Bruton Street. The area has now been rebuilt and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been installed on this 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 the first name of his daughter was like that of the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie discussed the name of the girl with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, I told him so, and about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was unnecessary. " Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 25 at the Buckingham Palace chapel, later destroyed during the war.
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

Elizaveta received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities - she studied the history of the constitution, jurisprudence, religious studies, art history, and also (practically independently) French. From a young age, Elizabeth was interested in horses and was engaged in horse riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.
At birth Elizabeth became the Duchess of York and was the third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII) and father. Since Prince Edward was young enough and, as it was believed, was supposed to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially seen as a real candidate for the throne. However, Edward was forced to abdicate the throne just a few months after the death of George V in 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became the 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" (English) Russian, and if George VI had a son, he would inherit the throne.

World War II 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 scourge 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 "state advisers" (persons entitled to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - the women's self-defense squads - and trained as an ambulance driver and received the military rank of lieutenant.

In 1947, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on a trip to South Africa and, on her 21st birthday, she spoke on the radio with a solemn promise to devote her life to the service of the British Empire.

In the same year, 21-year-old Elizabeth married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten, a British naval officer, member of the Greek and Danish royal families and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. They met in 1934, and fell in love, it is believed, after Elizabeth attended the naval college in Dartmouth, where Philip studied, in 1939. Becoming the consort of the princess, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

A year after the wedding, in 1948, Elizabeth and Philip had their eldest son, Prince Charles. And on August 15, 1950, the daughter is Princess Anna.

Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II
Coronation and beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II
King George VI, father Elizabeth, died on February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, while vacationing with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.
The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. It was the first televised coronation of a British monarch and is believed to have contributed significantly to the rise in popularity of television.

After that, in 1953-1954. the queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth states, the British colonies and other countries of the world. Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.

Second half of 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 was to appoint a new head of government from among the Conservatives. After consultations with prominent party members and former Prime Minister Churchill, 63-year-old Harold Macmillan was appointed head of government.
In the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. In the same year, she spoke for the first time at a session of the UN General Assembly. She attended the opening session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of a British monarch). She continued her travels in 1961, when she made visits to Cyprus, the Vatican, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, as well as Ghana.
Meeting of Elizabeth II with the heads of the Commonwealth countries in 1960
In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, a third son, Prince Edward.
In 1963, following the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Hume as Prime Minister.
In 1974, a political crisis began to brew after the parliamentary elections, as a result of which none of the parties received a majority of votes. Although the largest party in parliament was the Conservative Party, Labor leader Harold Wilson was named Prime Minister. A year later, a political crisis also struck Australia, during which Elizabeth II refused to overturn the Governor General's decision to resign the country's prime minister.

In 1976 Elizabeth IIinaugurated (as Queen of Canada) the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.

1977 became an important date for the queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's stay on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many solemn enterprises were held in the Commonwealth countries.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a number of assassination attempts were made against the royal family. In particular, in 1979 there was the murder by terrorists of the "Provisional Irish Republican Army" of 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 Walking Near Windsor Castle with Ronald Reagan (1982)
At this time in 1982, as a result of changes in the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British queen still remained the head of 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 Church of England, received him personally).
In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to speak at a joint session of the chambers of the United States Congress.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Queen Elizabeth II. London. 2010 year.
Elizabeth II and the Obama couple.

Early 1990s - 2000s in the life of Elizabeth II

1992 was a "terrible year," as Elizabeth II herself put it. Two of the Queen's four children - Prince Andrew and Princess Anne - divorced their spouses, Prince Charles divorced Princess Diana, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, an obligation for the Queen to pay income tax was introduced, and funding for the royal court was significantly reduced.
In 1994, Elizabeth II paid a visit to Russia. This was the first visit of the head of the British royal house to the Russian state in the entire history of bilateral relations dating back to 1553.
In 1996, at the insistence of the Queen, an official divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. A year later, in 1997, there was the tragic death of Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris, which shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For restraint and the absence of any reaction to the death of the former daughter-in-law, critical remarks immediately fell on the Queen.

In 2002, solemn events were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of the stay 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.
In 2008, for the first time in history, the Anglican Church, of which Elizabeth is the head, held a service on Maundy Thursday, in which the reigning monarch traditionally participates, outside England or Wales - at St. Patrick in Armagh, Northern Ireland.

Modernity
In 2010, she spoke for the second time at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Introducing the Queen, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called her "the anchor of our era."

In 2011, the first ever state visit by a British monarch to independent Ireland took place. In the same year, the wedding of Prince William (grandson of Elizabeth II) and Catherine Middleton took place.
In 2012, the XXX Olympic Games in London were held, inaugurated by Elizabeth II, and a new law was approved that changes the order of succession, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.

In the same year, Great Britain and other countries celebrated the 60th ("diamond") anniversary of Elizabeth II's rule on the throne. The culmination of the festive events was the weekend of June 3-4, 2012:
On June 3, a solemn water parade of more than a thousand ships and boats took place on the Thames. It is believed to be the grandest river procession in history;
On June 4, 2012, a concert was held 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 event was organized by 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 British Commonwealth countries in Sri Lanka. Britain at the summit will be represented by Prince Charles, which indicates the gradual transfer of power from Elizabeth to her son.

In the same year, Britain celebrated the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II, but on a smaller scale.

Role in political and public life
In accordance with the British tradition of constitutional monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, with little or no influence on the government of the country. However, during her reign, she successfully maintained the authority of the British monarchy. Her duties include visiting various countries on diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking officials (especially with the prime minister), reading annual messages to parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc. with the help of servants to some letters that are sent to her in huge quantities (200-300 pieces daily).

Throughout her tenure on the throne, the Queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers. At the same time, she always remained faithful to the tradition of the English kings of modern times - to be above political battles.

Also, Elizabeth II is actively involved in charity work. She is a trustee of over 600 different community 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 the candidacy of the prime minister (which she finds unsuitable), etc.
Financial expenses
Certain funds are spent on the maintenance of the queen from the so-called civil list, which is controlled by the government.

So, according to data from Buckingham Palace, in the 2008-2009 financial year for the maintenance of the monarchy, every Briton spent $ 1 14 cents, which amounted to $ 68.5 million.
In 2010-2011, due to the new economic program of the government, the queen was forced to cut her spending to $ 51.7 million.
But starting in 2012, Elizabeth's income began to grow again (at an approximate rate of 5% per year).

Such figures cause discontent among the republican-minded part of the UK 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 of Duke of Edinburgh.
Four children were born in their family:
Name Date of birth Marriage Children Grandchildren
Prince Charles,
prince of Wales 14 November 1948 Lady Diana Spencer 29 July 1981
(divorce: 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" 15 August 1950 Mark Phillips 14 November 1973
(divorce: April 28, 1992) Peter Phillips Savannah Phillips

Isla Elizabeth Phillips
Zara Phillips
Timothy Lawrence 12 December 1992
Prince Andrew,
duke of York 19 February 1960 Sarah Ferguson 23 July 1986
(divorce: 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 sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, 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 adopted according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as the head of this particular state (English) Russian, regardless of their titles in Great Britain itself or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries the title of the queen sounds in the same way, with the replacement of the name of the state. In some countries, the words “defender of the faith” have been removed 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, on the Isle of Man - the title of "Lord of Maine".
States, the head of which was or is Elizabeth II
Member countries of the Commonwealth are marked on the map (Fiji's membership is suspended)

Upon accession to the throne in 1952, Elizabeth became queen of seven states: Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.

During her reign, some of these countries became republics. At the same time, as a result of the 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 she did not.

The abolition of the monarchy in the original possessions of Elizabeth II:

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

States in which the monarchy is preserved are marked in blue

Newly independent states that retained the monarchy:

Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Grenada
Papua New Guinea
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Solomon islands
Tuvalu
Jamaica

Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy:

Guyana
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Mauritius
Malawi
Malta
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanganyika
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Fiji

Awards
Main article: Titles and awards of Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries, as well as in other states, is the head of a number of orders of knighthood, and also has military ranks, numerous honorary titles, and academic degrees. In addition, she is the recipient of various British domestic awards, as well as a number of various foreign awards.

Coats of arms at different times 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 for Scotland)

Royal coat of arms in Scotland

Royal coat of arms in Canada

Public perception

At the moment, the majority of Britons positively assess the activities of Elizabeth II as a monarch (approximately 69% believe that the country would be worse without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy contributes to raising the country's image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).

Criticism

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

In 1963, when a political crisis broke out in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for having personally appointed Alexander Douglas-Hume 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 anger of the British public, but even by many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death while hunting with a cane, a wave of indignation from environmental organizations about the monarch's actions swept across the country.

Hobbies and personal life
Map of visits of Elizabeth II to different countries of the world

The queen's interests include dog breeding (among them corgi, spaniels and labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as the queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively through her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries).

Since 2009, she began to engage in gardening.

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 winner in the Best Picture category. Actress Helen Mirren, who starred in the film, won Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and 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 produced the 5-episode feature mini-series The Queen, directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reems. The Queen at different periods of her life was played by 5 actresses: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.
On July 27, 2012, the television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both jump with parachutes from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the Queen was awarded the BAFTA award for the best performance as a James Bond girl.

In architecture

In honor of the Queen, Elizabeth Alley is named next to the espalanada in Singapore.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called “Elizabeth's 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

Statue of Elizabeth II in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Canada

Statue in Regina, Saskatchewan, erected in 2005

Statue in Great Windsor 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 the Canadian stamp, 1953

Australian coronation stamp

On the stamp of Northern Ireland, 1958

On a 1953 coin

On the South American 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

Elizabeth II is of interest not only to British subjects, but also to many other people interested in history. Not so long ago, Great Britain celebrated the sapphire jubilee, which marked 65 years of the Queen's reign. Elizabeth was crowned at the age of twenty-seven, while the country was still recovering from World War II. Until now, the Queen maintains the authority of the British monarchy.

Childhood and family of the future Queen of Great Britain

The biography of the English Queen Elizabeth 2 (then still a princess) began on April 21, 1926. The baby was born in the Mayfair area, in London, at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore on Bruton Street by caesarean section. Now this area has been rebuilt, and on the site of house number 17 on Bruton Street there is a Chinese restaurant with a commemorative plaque on the wall. The event did not cause a stir at the court, because no one could have thought that the girl would eventually take the royal throne.

At first they wanted to call the baby Victoria. But the princess's father, after consulting with the reigning monarch, decided to name her Elizabeth Alexandra Maria. The baby's christening took place at the chapel at Buckingham Palace on May 29. The chapel was later destroyed during the hostilities. Four years later, Elizabeth's sister Margaret was born.

At that time, Elizabeth II's grandfather George V. reigned. The cousin of the last Russian emperor Nicholas II ruled the country for more than two decades, although he also did not prepare to become king. He was the third in the chain of succession. George's older brother Albert Victor died during a flu epidemic, and his father, Edward VIII, the son of Queen Victoria, died in 1910.

It was George V who renamed the Saken-Coburg-Gotha royal house into the Windsor dynasty. During World War I, he renounced all personal and family Germanic titles. Little Elizabeth loved her grandfather very much, although by nature he was a tough and stern man, and in his upbringing he often went too far. The result was the stuttering of Prince Albert, the king's second son, whom he did not get rid of until the end of his life. But the king had the warmest feelings for his granddaughter.

George V died after a long illness in 1936 at the age of 70. It was only 50 years later that it became known that the physician, on his own initiative, committed euthanasia when the king fell into a coma after severe bronchitis. His eldest son Edward was considered the heir to the throne, and the second son of the king, Prince Albert, was the father of Elizabeth, who eventually became queen. In the biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England, there was not yet a hint of a future in the role of head of state.

After the sad event, the throne passed to Edward, but he never became king. He abdicated the throne of his own free will because of an unequal marriage with American Wallis Simpson. Prince Albert became King George VI. It went down in history as a symbol of the struggle of the British Empire against Nazi Germany. The reign of the monarch was marked by the establishment of the position of the dominions and their relationship with Great Britain. Thus, the monarch created the British Commonwealth and became the king of all dominions.

Elizabeth II was 10 years old at the beginning of her father's reign. Henry's younger brother was declared heir to the throne, because the king had no sons. But Henry turned down such an honorable role in favor of Elizabeth. So the girl became the legal heir to the British throne at such a young age. But if at this time she had a younger brother, he would inherit the throne.

Elizaveta received an excellent education at home. Teachers taught her manners, the humanities, horseback riding and many other disciplines that were necessary for the princess. She studied religion, art, history, law. Many sources say that the girl was drawn to knowledge and even practically independently learned French.

Elizabeth II during World War II

Not for her years, a courageous and conscientious girl appeared during the Second World War before the inhabitants of Great Britain. The biography of Elizabeth II began to resemble the life story of a member of the monarch's family. In 1940, at the age of 14, she spoke on the radio with an appeal to children who had suffered during the war. And the first independent appearance of Elizabeth in public refers to 1943. Then the girl visited the regiment of the guards grenadiers.

At the age of 18, the girl became one of five advisers - a person who has the right to perform the functions of a monarch in case of his incapacity or absence. In 1945, changes took place in the biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England (then still the Crown Princess): she joined the self-defense squad and, together with other girls, was trained as an ambulance driver.

The girl received the military rank of lieutenant. The biography of Elizabeth II during the war years was associated with the front. The girl's military service lasted five months. She became the first woman from the British royal family to serve in the military. The future husband of Elizabeth II Philip, whose biography was associated with the navy, also served at the front in those years.

Longest marriage in monarchy history

Since childhood, the girl wanted to marry a farmer, but the biography of her husband Elizabeth 2 was not associated with agriculture. The girl was distinguished by an iron character, so the plans of her parents to marry her off as a noble young man were under threat. But in the end, the girl abandoned this idea, because a sailor cadet caught her attention. By the way, according to the royal family, it was not much better than the farmer.

Cadet Philip was not of any interest to Elizabeth's family, although he was distinguished by a noble birth. The young man was the only son of six children of King George I of Greece, at birth he had the title of Prince of Denmark and Greece. Philip is the great-grandson of Queen Victoria and the last emperor of the Russian Empire, Nicholas II. After the abdication of the Greek king Constantine, the family moved to France, and little Philip was sent to London to stay with relatives.

The young people met at one of the family dinners. Then Elizabeth was only 13 years old, and the young prince - 18. The biography of Elizabeth 2 (Queen of England in the future) began to change. The girl actively took part in social events, because in the future she was to become a monarch. And the meeting with the prince marked the beginning of the love story of her whole life.

It is believed that during the war, when a young man wrote tender and passionate letters to his beloved from the front, his terminally ill father asked for the hand of Elizabeth from George VI, but was refused. The groom's family became impoverished, and during the war they almost completely sided with the Nazis, because Philip's sisters married German officers.

During the war, other applicants for marriage with the princess disappeared somewhere: someone got married, others decided to continue searching. Only Philip remained. They say that Elizabeth herself made a marriage proposal to Philip. The parents were not happy with this decision, but they were forced to agree to the marriage.

The engagement was officially announced in the summer of 1947. The wedding was scheduled for November. The wedding took place in Westminster. The groom was allowed to invite only his mother to the wedding, who had been seriously ill for several years. The father accompanied the bride to the altar. Elizabeth chose a champagne-colored satin wedding dress embroidered with pearls and crystal beads. It took the court fashion designer several months to create this outfit.

After the wedding, the young spouses led an active social life. They often appeared at social events. Elizabeth showed an iron character, and the romantic prince even fell in love with the singer Pat Kirkwood, but Philip was always devoted to his queen. Elizabeth did her best to suppress rumors. Very soon she gave birth to her first child, and then the couple left for the Philippines. Philip was sent there on duty.

Accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II

In early 1952, the royal couple went on a visit to the countries of the Commonwealth, but the trip was interrupted by the death of the king. He was diagnosed with lung cancer, but the man died of thrombosis. The newspapers reported that he had been in normal health the night before.

Then Elizabeth and her husband were on vacation in Kenya. Philip was the first to hear the news. He became the first to kneel down and swear an oath to the queen. The queen was then in despair. A controversy erupted over the fact that the ruling house should now be the Mountbatten house, where Philip comes from, and not the Windsor. But on the advice of Winston Churchill, the girl refused to take her husband's surname.

The biography of Elizabeth II has changed. The coronation took place in June 1953. The event was broadcast by central television in many countries around the world. The ceremony attracted thousands of people at the TV screens and contributed to the popularization of television. This day should be to change the fate of the country. At Buckingham Palace, twenty-seven-year-old Elizabeth Windsor was preparing for the coronation.

On this day, a new page began in the biography of Elizabeth II of England. The girl was expected to be crowned with the crown designed for Queen Victoria. But she insisted on wearing the traditional crown of St. Edward, which weighed over three kilograms. Her father and grandfather wore this crown only for a few hours during the coronation, while Elizabeth II turned out to be the first royal person who did not remove the sign of power during the entire ceremony.

The design of Elizabeth's coronation dress remained a secret for a long time. The white satin outfit, adorned with pearls, diamonds and amethysts, had to look especially impressive in the light of the spotlights. The skirt bore the emblems of Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries.

With this detail, there was almost a confusion. The royal tailor mistakenly drew a daffodil as the emblem of Wales. The officials insisted that the dress be covered with a leek (this is a real emblem). The tailor refined the leek based on the traditions of military uniforms. The Queen called the dress gorgeous.

Elizabeth's rehearsals were not in vain. During the ceremony, she forgot to make only one curtsy, while many mistakes were made in her father's accession to the throne. When the queen moved towards the exit from the abbey, she was covered by pages. The BBC producer decided to make a close-up, although the media were warned in advance that there should be no close-ups.

The beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II: actions and events

From that moment on, the attention of all citizens of the United Kingdom is riveted to the biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England (coronation photo above). Elizabeth at the beginning of her reign bestowed upon Prime Minister Winston Churchill the title of "sir" and went on a trip to the Commonwealth countries, the colonies of Great Britain and other states. She became the first monarch in Britain to visit New Zealand and Australia.

Second half of the fifties - early nineties

A short biography of Elizabeth 2 usually includes a dry listing of the events and actions of the monarch in office, but only the most important facts are really worth mentioning. In 1956, Elizabeth received Nikita Khrushchev and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR at Buckingham Palace. Following the meeting, the leaders of the Soviet state presented the Queen with a horse with decoration, a painting by Aivazovsky, a sable cape, a box with a portrait of the royal family. Prince Philip received a set of wines, a Tula samovar, a painting and a box with a portrait of his wife as a gift. Little Charles received a horse with decorations, a set of illustrated children's books by Soviet authors and a set of sweets. Princess Anne was even given a three-month-old teddy bear.

In the same year, Elizabeth met Marilyn Monroe at the Empire Theater in London. In the fall, the Olympic Games were held, the opening ceremony of which was led by the Queen's husband. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II was to elect the head of government. Harold Maxillan, who at that time was 63 years old, was appointed to the post. In May of the same year, the Queen received Eleanor Roosevelt, and in October she made visits to Canada and the United States. Also, Elizabeth II became the first monarch who congratulated his subjects on Christmas on television.

In 1960, the couple's second son, Prince Andrew, was born. He became the first child in the last century, which appeared at the ruling monarch. The next year, the queen continued her active travels. She has visited Nepal, Pakistan, Vatican, Ghana, Cyprus, India, Turkey, Iran and Italy.

At the same time, a new page began in the biography of Elizabeth 2's sister, Margaret. The girl married a descendant of a Welsh noble family. Margaret has been called the "rebellious princess" many times. She made frequent appearances in rocker society, attended London clubs, and constantly had romance. Since the eighties, she developed health problems, an addiction to alcohol and smoking. The biography of Elizabeth 2's sister Margaret tragically ended in 2002. She died of a stroke.

In the summer of 1961, the queen received the Kennedy couple, and in 1962 - only Jacqueline, who went on a tour on behalf of her husband. In 1965, members of the Kennedy family, along with Elizabeth, will unveil a number of John F. Kennedy memorials in the UK.

In the summer of 1961, Elizabeth met with the world's first cosmonaut. In honor of Yuri Gagarin, a lunch was arranged, which was attended by the royal couple, their children, as well as the Queen's sister and Prince Philip's uncle. In 1969, Buckingham Palace hosted the first person to land on the moon - American Neil Armstrong.

In March 1964, the last child of Elizabeth II was born. Prince Edward will further abandon the traditional military career for boys born into the royal family. He will receive a liberal arts degree and will work for theater production companies.

In 1970, the biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England was replenished with new diplomatic meetings and visits. She met with American President Richard Nixon and toured New Zealand and Australia. During the journey, a new practice of communicating with subjects was introduced. The couple walked the streets and talked to a huge number of people.

The following year, Great Britain received the Japanese emperor, and in mid-1972, the couple and their daughter Anna paid a visit to socialist Yugoslavia. There they met with Josip Broz Tito. In September of the following year, the Queen's husband made an unofficial visit to the USSR. He met with Leonid Brezhnev, Alexei Kosygin and Nikolai Podgorny. Philip arrived in Moscow as President of the International Equestrian Federation.

In 1974, a crisis began to brew in Great Britain. This was demanded by the Queen for intervention. None of the political parties received most of the votes, but as a result, Harold Wilson was appointed prime minister.

In 1975, Elizabeth became the first monarch of Great Britain to pay an official visit to Japan; two years later, she inaugurated the Olympic Games and received American President Jimmy Carter. In 1978 the leader of socialist Romania and his wife Elena visited Great Britain. In 1980, Elizabeth met with the Pope at the Vatican. In 1982, the Pope personally visited the UK (for the first time in 450 years).

In 1986, the queen learned about the civil war in the colony of Aden. At that moment she was on her yacht "Britannia". Elizabeth II decided to enter the territorial waters and took on board more than a thousand evacuees.

The reign of Elizabeth II in the late 90s - early 2000s

By the definition of the queen herself, 1992 was a "terrible year." Then again, sad pages appeared in the biography of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. Princess Anne was going through a divorce from her husband, princes Andrew and Charles also separated from their lovers, but at that time it was still unofficial. In the same year, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, funding for the court was reduced, and the queen was subject to the obligation to pay income tax.

In 1995, the Queen paid an official visit to Russia, and the next year she received Bill Clinton and his wife at Buckingham Palace. At the same time, the divorce of Princess Diana and Prince Charles was officially announced. A year later, the princess tragically died in a car accident. This came as a shock to the ruling family and ordinary citizens.

The Queen's 50th Anniversary on the Throne

Solemn events on the occasion of fifty years of Elizabeth's stay on the throne were held in 2002. This is a golden anniversary. Unfortunately, Elizabeth's sister, Princess Margaret, passed away that same year. The biography of the mother of Queen Elizabeth 2 was tragically interrupted in the same year. Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon died at 101 from a severe cold. It was hard for the whole of England. The biography of Elizabeth 2 continued. In 2007, she became the first royal personage to celebrate a diamond wedding (sixty years of married life) and the oldest British monarch in history.

Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee

The Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in 2012 in the UK and Commonwealth countries. Today, the queen rules sixteen states (twelve of them were dominions at the time of Elizabeth's coronation). Elizabeth became the second British monarch to celebrate this anniversary. The first was Queen Victoria. Many celebrations were planned. Parliament invited the Queen to attend the meeting as an observer as an anniversary gift. This happened for the first time.

Role in political and public life

It seems that the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England (and the photos confirm this) are only receptions, visits and participation in social events. This is partly true. Elizabeth performs exclusively representative functions and has practically no visible influence on state affairs. But throughout the entire period of government, it rather strengthens the authority of the monarchy. The Queen's duties include visiting different countries on visits, meeting with high-ranking guests, reading the annual messages to ministers, knighting, presenting awards and receiving ambassadors. Every day, Elizabeth II looks through the news and personally answers several random letters that her subjects send her in huge quantities.

Family and order of succession to the throne

In short, the biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England was all her life focused on maintaining the authority of the monarchy and performing representative functions. At the same time, she managed to give birth to two children while on the throne. In total, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, have four children: Charles, Anna, Andrew, Edward. The queen has nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. First in line of succession is Charles, followed by his son, Prince William, his grandchildren (George, Charlotte, Louis).

Of particular interest is the biography of the daughter of Elizabeth 2. Princess Anne survived several assassination attempts, she is acting as a member of the royal house of Britain. After leaving school, the royal princess constantly organized meetings, participated in the work of several funds to help those in need. The daughter of Queen Elizabeth II visited Russia more often than other members of the royal family. She also officially represented her state at the Olympic Games in the Russian Federation.

Elizabeth II is one of the most influential women in the world, the head of the Windsor dynasty, who has been Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for over 65 years. A flexible politician who knows how to defend her opinion, she is a symbol of her country and enjoys particular popularity and love of the people.

Childhood and family

Elizabeth II is Prince Albert's eldest daughter, born April 21, 1926 at the Mayfair Mansion on Brewton Street during the reign of George V, her grandfather. The full name of the monarch is Elizabeth Alexandra Maria, the girl received the name in honor of her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.

In 1936, after two decades of reign, King George, who loved his granddaughter very much, died. The throne passed to Edward VIII. In the name of love for the beautiful Wallis Simpson, a divorced American woman, he abdicated the throne. The story of Edward and Miss Simpson is considered one of the greatest love stories of the 20th century, and it was she who brought Elizabeth's father to the British throne, who was crowned in May 1937 as George VI.

The next contender for the throne was considered the brother of George VI, Henry, but he gave up the role of heir to the throne in favor of Princess Elizabeth, who at that time was barely 11 years old.

As befits a princess, Elizabeth studied the humanities and exact sciences, but she paid special attention to law, including international law, and received a decent education without leaving the palace. The princess was proud of her excellent knowledge of French, which she learned on her own.

In 1940, Princess Elizabeth spoke on the radio for the first time: a thirteen-year-old girl from Buckingham Palace supported children who suffered from Nazi bombing. Princess Elizabeth's sincere words gave hope to the British people, and she won the sympathy of even some of the most critical of the crown.

In 1943, the princess officially took office as an advisor. Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth did not do military service, but was in the women's self-defense squad, learned to drive an ambulance, thereby setting an example for women in Britain.

In 1947, on her birthday, Elizabeth again spoke on the radio, assuring the British people that her whole life would be devoted to Britain. In the same year, she was married to Philip, Prince of Denmark.

The gradually deteriorating health of the father and the unfavorable forecasts of doctors required the almost constant presence of the future queen during official receptions, meetings and negotiations. By the beginning of 1951, no one had any doubts that the count was going on for months, and unofficially Elizabeth took up the duties of monarch.

Coronation

The news of the death of George VI overtook the princess in Kenya, where she and her husband spent several days at the Tree Tops hotel, located among the branches of a huge century-old tree. According to some reports, on February 7, 1952, a record appeared in the hotel guest registration book that for the first time in the history of civilization a princess climbed a tree, but came down from it as a queen.

The coronation of the young queen took place on June 2, 1953 in the ancient cathedral of Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was broadcast on national British television, which helped to boost the popularity of the new monarch. Millions of Britons literally froze in front of their televisions, trying not to miss the slightest detail of the most spectacular and beautiful event in British history.

Despite the fact that in the post-war years the economy had just begun a long period of recovery, a huge amount was allocated from the treasury for the festive decoration of the streets. The dress of snow-white satin for the coronation ceremony was made by the court tailor Norman Hartnell, it was embroidered with the national emblems of Britain and the Commonwealth countries - English roses, Canadian maple leaves and Irish clover, as well as other flowers that have symbolic meaning for Britain.

In a golden open ceremonial carriage drawn by eight gray horses, the queen and her husband proceeded to Westminster Abbey, where the solemn wedding service was held.

Governing body

In strict accordance with the existing tradition of parliamentary monarchy, the queen performs functions that are exclusively representative in nature, and has no right to influence the government of the country. After her coronation, Elizabeth II made a six-month tour of the British colonies, Commonwealth countries and many countries of the world.

In the spring of 1956, the Queen received Nikita Khrushchev, who served as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU of the USSR, who arrived in Britain with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikolai Bulganin. The top officials of the Soviet state presented memorable gifts to Elizabeth and family members, including a brooch with a royal blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds, as well as a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky and a sable cape.

During her reign, the Queen met with politicians, business leaders, scientists and cultural figures. Among the celebrities who have been honored to visit Buckingham Palace over the years were Elizabeth Taylor, Yuri Gagarin and The Beatles, as well as presidents of different states.

In 1994, Elizaveta visited Moscow and St. Petersburg, and in 2003 hosted a reception in honor of President Vladimir Putin.

Fearing that the reputation of the British royal house would be damaged by rumors that overgrown the unhappy marriage of Elizabeth's son Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, and also concerned about the happiness of her son, the Queen insisted on a divorce, the procedure of which began in 1996. Some part of British society did not approve of the queen's act, but later the British were forced to admit her rightness.

Elizabeth II has been repeatedly called the queen of human hearts in the media. The humanity and kindness of this woman, who remains true to her oath, which she took back in 1953, is the key to her popularity among the people.

Personal life of Elizabeth II

In his youth, Prince Philip, the grandson of the King of Greece, a tall, slender blond, was distinguished by amazing beauty. At a tea party in Dartmoor in 1937, the young man did not immediately notice the thirteen-year-old girl, who did not take her enthusiastic eyes from him. After the reception ended, this little girl, Princess Elizabeth, locked herself in her room and wrote a letter to the handsome prince.

The friendship that began with the correspondence grew into love. King George did not approve of his daughter's choice: it is known that he did not like the friendship of Philip's father, Prince Andrew of Greece, with Adolf Hitler. In addition, the prince was poor, and apart from the title, blue blood and tender love for Elizabeth, he had nothing.

In early 1940, Elizabeth and Philip became engaged in secret, and the king had to give in and allow the marriage, which was destined to be one of the happiest and longest marriages in modern history. The relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Duke Philip is considered standard, but few people think that for the sake of his queen, Philip renounced the royal title and changed the Orthodox faith, in which he was baptized, to Catholicism.

In 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles. The second child was Princess Anna, who was born 2 years later. The third child of the royal family, Prince Andrew, was born in 1960, and the fourth, Prince Edward, in 1964.

From her youth, the queen's main hobbies are horse riding and dog breeding; she has a special love for the corgi breed, which is considered the royal dog throughout Europe.

Queen Elizabeth II now

In 2018, the Queen turned 92 years old, 65 of which she was a monarch. There are regular headlines in the media about the Queen's failing health; in 2017, she skipped Christmas services for the first time, citing a cold.

As the head of the Windsor dynasty, the Queen remembers the sad events associated with the marriage of Prince Charles to an unloved girl, and, according to her, is personally responsible for the well-being of her family members. That is why she did not give permission for the wedding of Prince Harry Ivar Mountbatten and James Coyle for so long.

Despite her age, Elizabeth continues to fulfill her duties and represent the interests of Britain around the world. Defending the right to her own opinion, in 2017 she openly condemned the inappropriate behavior of Mr Trump, as well as the militant policies of Kim Jong-un, and in 2018 expressed the hope that she will wait until the time when Russia will be ruled not by Mr Putin, but by another man who did not lose touch with reality.

As it is enshrined in the traditions of the constitutional monarchy, the queen should not interfere in politics, but the authority of Elizabeth II and her long reign allowed her to influence the course of events in a certain way. Queen Elizabeth II is the most powerful woman in the world, but, as many researchers note, she has never used her influence for personal gain.

In London in the family of the Duke and Duchess of York.

Queen Elizabeth usually celebrates her real birthday with the family, while the official birthday of the monarch in Great Britain is celebrated in June with a colorful military parade in central London.
According to the tradition established at the beginning of the twentieth century by King Edward VII, the monarch's birthday is celebrated in Great Britain on one Saturday in June - depending on the weather (the king chose this date because in June the weather cannot spoil the national holiday).

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), so the future queen was named at birth, - from the Windsor dynasty. She is the eldest daughter of the Duke of York George, the future King of Great Britain, George VI (1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002).

Elizabeth received a good education at home, in addition to the usual school subjects, she was taught the basics of economics, jurisprudence and constitutional law. The curriculum also included lessons in horse riding, dance and music. Her mother introduced her to palace etiquette.
After the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII, and her father's accession to the throne in December 1936, 10-year-old Elizabeth became the heir to the British throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace.

In preparation for political life, the future queen began attending constitutional history classes at Eton College.
At the start of the war in 1939, they were evacuated to Windsor Palace.
During World War II, Elizabeth insisted that her parents allow her to enter the military. She mastered the profession of a driver at a military transport training center, qualified as a truck driver, learned how to change tires on a truck, disassemble and assemble an engine.
In 1945, Elizabeth worked in the Women 's Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she ended the war as a junior commander.

Elizabeth's close acquaintance with royal duties began in 1944, when she became a member of the Council of State and began to take up business, replacing George VI, when he went on a trip to the fronts.
On February 6, 1952, King George VI died of lung disease, Elizabeth, who was at that time with her husband on vacation in Kenya, was declared Queen of Great Britain on the same day.
However, the official coronation ceremony of Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey in London took place only a year later, on June 2, 1953.

Since that time, she is Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is also the queen of 15 Commonwealth states (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, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Lord of the Isle of Man. From May 29, 1953 to May 31, 1961, she was also Queen of South Africa. In 1999, Australia put Queen's status to a referendum, but the Australians chose to keep her nominal status as head of state.

On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria - Prince Philip Mountbatten, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece, who was then an officer in the British Navy. She met him at the age of 13, when Philip was still a cadet at the Dortmouth Naval Academy. After becoming her husband, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
In November 2007, the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, celebrated their "Diamond Wedding", the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage. For the sake of such an occasion, the queen allowed herself a little liberty - for one day they retired with her husband for romantic memories in Malta, where Prince Philip once served, and the young princess Elizabeth visited him.

On December 29, 2010, Elizabeth II became a great-grandmother for the first time. On this day, her eldest grandson - the eldest son of Princess Anne Peter Phillips - and his Canadian wife Otam Kelly had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession to the throne.

In 2006, Buckingham Palace unveiled 80 entertaining facts from the life of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, thanks to which it became known that the Queen is fond of photography, loves to take pictures of her family members. In 1997, the Queen launched the first ever website for the British monarchy.
Since her youth, Elizabeth II has been a fan of the noble hunting breed of the corgi, several of which constantly accompany her on vacation. The queen also bred a new breed of dog - the dorgi.
The Queen's other passion is horses and horse racing. She herself is a good rider and every year she watches with interest the main competitions, and also breeds horses in her stables.
The Queen speaks fluent French and does without an interpreter during visits and audiences with representatives of Francophone countries.

Elizabeth is the oldest monarch in the history of Great Britain in terms of age, but the record for the length of the reign set by Queen Victoria, who ruled 63 years and seven months, is still only. To do this, she needs to stay on the throne at least until September 9, 2015.

In 2012, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the famous Big Ben clock tower at the British Parliament building in London was officially opened.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources