Elizabeth 2 became Queen c. The Queen takes over

The modern Queen of England Elizabeth 2, whose biography is a description of the life of a person who has witnessed various eras, has been on the throne since 1952. Her reign is the longest in British history.

Family and childhood

On April 21, 1926, the future Queen of England, Elizabeth 2, was born. It is difficult to imagine a biography of a member of the ruling dynasty without her pedigree. The girl was the daughter of a duke and his wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The child's father was the son of King George V.

When the monarch died in 1936, the throne passed by inheritance to his eldest son, Edward VIII (Elizabeth's uncle). However, he ruled for only a few months. According to the laws of the state, he had to marry a person equal to him in belonging to an aristocratic family. However, the king preferred to tie the knot with a divorced woman from a non-royal circle - Bessie Simpson. It was the fact that she had already been married twice that angered the government, which suggested that Edward abdicate. He really gave up power, and the throne unexpectedly passed to his younger brother, who took the crown name

This castling made ten-year-old Elizabeth the heir to the world's largest British Empire. If George had had a boy, then the title would have passed to him, but this did not happen. The future Queen Elizabeth 2 in childhood was in the public eye as a representative of a new generation of the ruling Windsor dynasty.

heir to the throne

The early biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England matched her status as Princess of York. She lived with her parents in Kensington. One of her main hobbies since childhood was horseback riding. The queen was faithful to this hobby throughout her youth. At the same time, the girl was taught a full range of sciences. Widespread knowledge was a mandatory attribute for members of the Windsor dynasty, as they personified all the best that the monarchy could give to the state. Particular emphasis in the education of Elizabeth was placed on the humanities: religious studies, jurisprudence and art history. The child showed a remarkable interest in the French language, which was encouraged by teachers.

The biography of Elizabeth 2 took a sharp turn when she became the heiress of her father, the king. Together with her parents, she moved to Buckingham Palace. Three years later, the Second World War began, and a carefree life ended with the first volleys of German guns on the continent.

Great Britain supported Poland and, together with its main ally France, declared war on the Third Reich. Despite the fact that the main political decisions were made by the government and parliament, it became an important symbol of the unity of the nation in the face of the growing Nazi threat. Elizabeth 2 in her childhood faced completely unchildish dangers and impressions that all her peers had to endure.

During World War II

Despite the fact that Hitler did not dare to send ground troops to the British Isles, his aircraft carried out regular bombardments of English cities. Particularly stubborn and frequent raids were in the first years of the war, when the Wehrmacht victoriously occupied almost all of Europe. Elizabeth's father regularly visited the troops. Already in 1940, the heiress first spoke to her compatriots with a public speech addressed to the children of the country.

In such an atmosphere, the future Queen of England, Elizabeth 2, grew up. The biography of the child became an indicative cast of the era. In 1943, she visited the troops for the first time, visiting a grenadier regiment. A few months before the surrender of Germany, Elizabeth joined the army and became a driver of an auxiliary ambulance in the women's self-defense squad. The princess received the rank of lieutenant, and since she is the current monarch today, her military rank remains in force. This means that Elizabeth is the last non-military veteran of World War II in the entire world.

Wedding with Philip

With the advent of peace, the future Queen of England, Elizabeth 2, returned to her standard duties. The biography of the princess in 1947 was marked by her wedding to Philip Mountbatten.

In the first half of the 20th century, all the ruling European dynasties were closely intertwined. Philip was the grandson of the Greek King George I, as well as a member of the Danish royal family and a descendant of the British Queen Victoria. The newlyweds met in childhood in the 30s. After his marriage, Philip received the honorary title of Duke of Edinburgh. Despite the fact that he was born back in 1921, he is still in good health and regularly fulfills his dynastic duties. Interestingly, the queen's husband did not accept the title of prince consort, which was customary for his position, and remained the Duke of Edinburgh.

Philip and Elizabeth had four offspring: Charles, Anna, Andrew, and Edward. All of them today have children and grandchildren, who, in turn, make up the vast royal family of Great Britain. Charles, as the eldest son, became his mother's heir in 1952, when she took the royal throne, and remains so to this day.

Coronation

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne under unusual circumstances. In 1952, she and her husband traveled to Kenya, then a British colony, for a holiday. It was in this exotic country that the heir to the throne received the sad news of the death of her father, George V, who ruled the country for sixteen years.

It took several months to organize the coronation, which would become a symbol of the beginning of the reign of the new monarch. The solemn ceremony was held in its traditional place - Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth 2 became the new queen. When the young 25-year-old ruler ascended the throne, the eyes of the whole world were turned in her direction in the literal sense of the word, because it was then that cameras broadcasting the event were used for the first time at such an event.

First years of government

The British Queen Elizabeth II traveled a lot in her youth. She did not leave this habit from the first days of her reign. With her accession to the throne, the ruler visited the countries that were part of the Commonwealth of British Colonies. In the 50s and 60s, the process of granting independence to these states, located in all parts of the world, began. Most of them were in Africa. In addition, for the first time in history, a British monarch visited Australia and New Zealand. This person turned out to be Queen Elizabeth 2. The fascinating biography of the ruler was superimposed on her unique status, which attracted the attention of the whole world to her person.

The Queen did not forget about internal affairs at home. She met regularly with representatives of Parliament and discussed the agenda. In 1957, the first political crisis broke out in the ruling party in the era of its being on the throne. Then it was the conservatives. Prime Minister Anthony Eden has resigned. Since the party did not have well-established mechanisms for electing its leader, the queen had to take responsibility into her own hands.

In her first steps in power, Elizabeth often consulted with the legendary Winston Churchill. After consultations with a venerable politician, it was decided to propose the candidacy of Harold Macmillan, which was accepted. He became the 65th British Prime Minister from 1957 to 1964.

Relations with the Commonwealth of Nations

Even in her youth, it became clear that the further fate of Queen Elizabeth 2 would be connected only with serving her native country. She became the ruler at a time when in other countries the power of monarchs was already either swept away by revolutions, or became only a decorative appendage.

In the UK, things were different. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were several empires, somewhat similar to its state structure. For example, Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary. In all these countries, the monarchical institutions of power were dismantled after bloody wars. Britain avoided this.

However, already after the Second World War it was clear that the imperial consciousness would have to be abandoned. Even under the father of Elizabeth George VI, India gained independence - the pearl of the British crown. Now the young ruler had to consistently abandon the rest of the vestiges of the past imperial era.

The most important tool for realizing this goal was British diplomacy did everything to establish friendly relations with their former colonies, while giving them a platform to talk on an equal footing. There were especially many problems in the African region, where revolutions and civil wars began after the departure of the British authorities.

Traditionally, Elizabeth devoted much of her time to her country's relations with Canada. Until 1982, the British government had a certain weight in making decisions within this country. After the reforms, such a system was left in the past, which was another step towards abandoning the previous British policy of meddling in the affairs of their former colonies. Nevertheless, Elizabeth remains the nominal queen of Canada today. In 1976, she, as a monarch, opened the Olympic Games, held in Montreal. Many years later, she will take part in the same ceremony in London. The opening of the Olympics took place in 2012.

As for the current state of the Commonwealth of Nations, Elizabeth remains the head of this system even today, although all organizational issues can be resolved without her participation, while the queen is a symbolic figure.

The tragedy of the royal family

Over the years, the personal life of the royal family, of which Elizabeth is the head, has been overgrown with more and more unpleasant and shocking news. In 1979, Irish Republican Army terrorists killed Prince Philip's uncle Louis Mountbatten. He was not only a close relative of the queen, but also an important statesman under George VI, in particular, he was the last Viceroy of India.

Mountbatten was on his yacht when a radio-controlled bomb planted by terrorists exploded on it. Several of his relatives and an Irish boy who worked on the ship died with him. On the same day, the massacre of the radicals was supplemented by their organized attack on British soldiers, which killed 18 people.

A couple of years after this terrible tragedy, the heir to the throne, the son of Elizabeth Charles, married Diana Spencer. The Princess of Wales enjoyed great popularity among the people due to her charitable and social activities.

The couple had two children, William and Harry. The eldest son is the next contender for the royal title after his father. However, the family life of Charles and Diana still failed. They had a difficult relationship. In the early 90s, the prince began dating another woman. This state of affairs was unacceptable for Elizabeth, who believed that the couple's tangled personal life cast a shadow over the entire royal family. On her initiative, in 1996, Charles and Diana divorced. This created a huge social scandal.

Before the passions subsided, in 1997 the UK was shocked by the shocking news of Diana's death in a car accident in Paris. A few years after this event, Prince Charles married his longtime girlfriend for the second time. The wedding took place in 2005, when his children from his first marriage had already grown up and lived an independent life.

80s

Despite the scandals and tragedies that shook Buckingham Palace from time to time, Elizabeth successfully coped with her royal duties for several decades. The British monarch, by tradition, was also the head of the Anglican Church, which was formed during the Reformation in the 16th century.

In the old days, a long conflict smoldered between Catholics and Protestants. In a new era, the time has come for a historic reconciliatory meeting of the heads of the two churches - the Pope and the British Queen. John Paul arrived in London in 1982. He was met by the Queen of England herself. Photos of these people spread all over the world.

Then it broke out between Great Britain and Argentina. The Queen did not make any formal decisions related to tactics and strategy. However, this conflict could not pass her by. The youngest son of Elizabeth - Andrew - served in the British army during this conflict and was a member of the helicopter crew.

The war began because of the uncertainty of the ownership of the Falkland Islands, located off the coast of Argentina. After nearly three months of naval battles, Britain was victorious and retained the archipelago.

Elizabeth and Margaret Thatcher

While Elizabeth did not make decisions related to the war, this burden fell on the shoulders of another influential British woman - Margaret Thatcher. She was the leader and prime minister of the country from 1981-1990. For her tough character and determination, the politician received the nickname "Iron Lady". Thus, in the 80s, a female tandem was formed, which was at the head of the British state.

According to the laws and traditions, the head of government held a working meeting every week, which was attended by Elizabeth 2. The Queen of Great Britain and her dynasty maintained close relations with Thatcher. From time to time, rumors spread throughout the country that fundamental differences in domestic and foreign policy were forming between the prime minister and the monarch. These conversations were actively exaggerated by the press. Despite this, Thatcher herself and the official representatives of Elizabeth each time refuted such judgments.

At the same time, in the 1980s, British society was going through difficult times. First of all, this was due to the tense social situation. Due to the policy of austerity, privatization and monetarism, of which Thatcher was an adherent, the country wandered on the verge of an economic crisis. Such measures were necessary for state reforms. The queen, due to her status, as a rule, turned out to be on the sidelines of the wave of public criticism.

Diamond Jubilee

In 2012, the diamond jubilee of the reign (60 years) came, which was celebrated by the Queen of England. Photos of the celebrations of the country hit the front pages of newspapers around the world. Elizabeth became the second after Queen Victoria, who managed to live up to this significant date.

The apogee of the holiday was the parade of several hundred ships descending the Thames in London. According to statistics, this is the largest water procession in history. On June 4, a solemn musical concert was held at the walls of Buckingham Palace. The Queen was personally congratulated by such legendary British performers as Paul McCartney, Elton John and others.

A year before, the biography of Elizabeth 2 and the entire royal family was marked by another joyful event. The eldest grandson of the ruler and heir William married. His wife was Catherine Middleton. In 2013, Elizabeth became a great-grandmother for the third time. William had a son and heir to the throne, George.

Modern Status of the Queen

The eventful biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England is an example of the life of a monarch who, over the years, increasingly abandoned his former privileges and became a statesman who performed representative functions. Today, the ruler continues to follow the traditions of her stay on the throne. Once a year, she organizes a speech before Parliament.

The Queen also regularly meets ambassadors and diplomatic delegations. In previous years, she often traveled to various parts of the world, but with age, the intensity of travel decreased. However, more recently, in 2011, Elizabeth traveled to Ireland. It was a historic visit. Great Britain and its western neighbor have been in conflict for many centuries. In the 20th century, the Irish struggle for independence (including in Northern Ireland) took the form of terrorist attacks, witnessed by Elizabeth II herself. England, however, overcame this crisis and improved relations with Dublin.

Over the decades of being on the throne, the ruler acquired her own style in dealing with parliament. As a rule, she tries to stay away from political fights between parties and supporters of different programs.

But it was the cold-blooded and impregnable Queen who had to make important decisions when crises occurred in Parliament. For example, this happened in 1957 and 1963. In both cases, the prime minister resigned, and the ruling party could not decide on a successor. Then the Queen herself chose the President of Parliament. Each time it allowed to defuse the situation in Downing Street.

Today, in the UK, every resident of the country knows about everything that Queen Elizabeth II of England is connected with. The biography, full name and other facts from her life are well known to everyone. She managed, despite the volatility of the modern era, to maintain the authority of the monarchy.

After the death of the king George VI On February 6, 1952, a 25-year-old mother of two becomes the de facto Queen of England. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, now known as Elizabeth II, the record holder for terms of government in the entire history of the English crown.

In February 1952, the crown princess of the great British empire (which then included much larger territories than now) was vacationing with her family in Kenya. Kenya at that time was British territory, the "African resort" of the British. There the news came from the metropolis that the king George VI died. A week before, he, already being seriously ill, came to the airport to see his daughter on vacation. I did not have time to meet - and right in Kenya, a twenty-five-year-old woman, mother of two children (three-year-old Charles and one and a half year old Anna) Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor de facto becomes reigning monarch. There will still be more than a year left before the coronation, but that is a formality. She returned to London from Africa already acting Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. And besides this, also acting. Queen of Australia, Queen of Canada, Queen of New Zealand, Queen of Pakistan, Queen of Fiji, Queen of Ceylon, Queen of the Union of South Africa. Plus - the head of the British Commonwealth, the commander-in-chief of the British army and the head of the Anglican Church with tens of millions of parishioners.

It is surprising that Elizabeth received all these titles after a long chain of accidents. She was born the daughter of a non-crown prince. Then her uncle Edward VIII falls in love with an American woman, married with a second marriage and has a number of lovers, renounces the throne for her sake and begins to travel around Europe with a visit to Hitler. Her father will become king, she will become crown princess, and all plans for a quiet family life will disappear. By 1952, most British subjects were already resigned to the fact that a woman would ascend the throne after the death of George. And, of course, they compared her with two other great queens - Elizabeth I and Victoria. If the comparison with Elizabeth was rather formal (behind the prescription of years), then great-great-grandmother Victoria was an excellent example.

Then there were still those who remembered the Victorian era and the empire, "over which the sun never sets." Immediately, the press, so influential in England, loudly wondered: would a woman cope with the dysfunctional political legacy that she had inherited? Under Victoria, the Kingdom is the most powerful expanding state, the voice of London is heard thousands of kilometers away. After 50 years, Elizabeth will get a "collapsing pie."

The Labor government is under pressure from former World War II allies, the Americans. The colonies become independent one by one, and the mother country, with all its desire, is not able to prevent this. The British Commonwealth finally becomes a formality. The economy after World War II never recovered and is being saved by American loans. The significance of the monarchy is finally reduced to representative functions, the prestige of the crown is falling.

British newspapers print front-page photographs of the Queen asking if Elizabeth II will return the greatness of England. But the English press is merciless - many articles talk about the throne as an empty formality.

Elizabeth II reverses all these ideas. A caring mother does for the monarchy what many strong men cannot do. The almighty great-great-grandmother Victoria was a recluse - Elizabeth begins a stormy activity. She makes a lot of visits. Remaining the head of Australia and New Zealand only on paper, she becomes the first English monarch to visit these (albeit already long independent) countries. The Queen travels around the countries of the British Commonwealth, visits the United States. Inside the country, she not only does not turn out to be a “paper monarch”, but rather soon begins to play a serious role in political life.

The most striking example is the Commonwealth summit in 1985. In Nassau (in the Bahamas), a heated dispute erupted over sanctions against South Africa because of their policy of apartheid. A number of countries supported the sanctions. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was against. All this led the situation to a political impasse. "Iron" Thatcher was, as usual, adamant, as a result of which the African countries announced a possible withdrawal from the Commonwealth. Here, Elizabeth II once again demonstrated that she is not at all just a formal figure. She fully "activated" her title of head of the Commonwealth, taking advantage of the right to organize personal meetings with representatives of countries. So, in private (and not against the united “political front”), she was able to find out the position of each of the countries, and together with the position, strengths and weaknesses. And already at the next summit, the queen becomes the mistress of the situation. She herself begins to talk about the importance of human rights and the inadmissibility of apartheid. But at the same time avoids any criticism of Thatcher. It turns out that on the one hand, she supports the opponents of her prime minister, but at the same time makes it clear that she will not allow attacks in her direction. Thus, Elizabeth "pushed through" Thatcher, but allowed her to save face, and took over the criticism of the opponents of the sanctions. Thatcher changed her position, the Commonwealth survived, and the Queen resolved a difficult situation.

At the same time, Elizabeth is an innovator from the very beginning of her reign. Her coronation was broadcast on television, with her the monarchy becomes more open, and the activities of the royal family - as transparent as possible. The throne is experiencing serious moral blows. Children (especially Charles) get into scandals. The press “pecks” the queen for a rather cool reaction to death Diana. But even this "does not finish off" the prestige of the monarchy, which rests on the shoulders of a ninety-year-old woman. Prime ministers who have built their political activities end up listening to her advice. openly criticized the monarchy Cameron subsequently spoke of the queen with admiration, and Thatcher, in her memoirs, was amazed at the experience of Elizabeth and her vision of the situation.

The Queen made Buckingham Palace accessible to tourists, using revenue from them to reduce the budgetary costs of maintaining the symbols of the monarchy. Since 1992, members of the royal family have been taxed on capital gains. And the female monarch repeals the law of male primogeniture, which allowed princes to bypass princesses in line for the throne, even if they are younger than their sisters.

Elizabeth I and Victoria became queens at a young age. Elizabeth II - being the head of the family and at the age of 25. Now she has surpassed both predecessors in term of office. And the monarchy, which was rapidly losing popularity in the second half of the 20th century, is now (according to the poll) supported by the majority of Britons. The subjects of a woman who, 65 years ago, on vacation in Africa, shouldered an incredibly heavy load and still carries it.

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

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).

Her grandparents: George V (1865-1936), King of Great Britain

and Queen Mary (1867-1953), Princess of Teck, - by father,

Claude George Bowes-Lyon (1855–1944), Earl of Strathmore and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883–1961), by mother.

Early years of Elizabeth II

1. The Queen was born at 2:40 am on April 21, 1926 in London's Mayfair at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore on Brewton Street, house number 17.
2. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who would go on to become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

3. At the time, she was third in the line of succession to the throne after Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) and her father, the Duke of York. But no one expected her father to become a king, much less that she would become a queen.

4. Princess Elizabeth was baptized with the names of Alexander and Mary in the chapel of Buckingham Palace. She was named after her mother, and her two middle names are after her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and her paternal grandmother, Queen Mary.

5. The Princess' early years were spent at 145 Piccadilly, her parents' London home, where they moved shortly after her birth, and at the White House in Richmond Park.
6. When she was six years old, her parents received government positions at the Royal House in Windsor Great Park.
7. Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her younger sister.

8. Elizabeth was personally educated by her father, King George, and also had classes with Henry Marten, vice-rector of Eton. The Archbishop of Canterbury studied religion with her.
9. Princess Elizabeth learned French from French and Belgian governesses. This skill served the Queen well, as she was personally able to take part in conversations with ambassadors and heads of state from French-speaking countries, as well as when visiting French-speaking areas of Canada.

Princess Elizabeth in 1933

10. Princess Elizabeth became a Scout when she was eleven years old and then became a Marine Ranger.
11. In 1940, at the height of the war, the young princesses were moved for their safety to Windsor Castle, where they spent most of the war years.

1943 with sister

Women's Auxiliary Territorial Corps: Princess Elizabeth, 2nd Chief of the Department of Internal Affairs, in overalls.

royal romance

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

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

14. The engagement of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten was announced on July 9, 1947. Prince Philip at birth received the title of Prince of Greece and Denmark. He joined the Navy in 1939 and after the war, in February 1947, he became a British citizen. Prince Philip had to choose a surname in order to continue his career in the Royal Navy and he adopted the surname of his mother's British relatives, Mountbatten. At the wedding, King George VI elevated him to the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

15. Royal wedding rings were decorated with platinum and encrusted with diamonds by jeweler Philip Antrobus. He used diamonds from a diadem belonging to the mother of Prince Philip in jewelry.
16. Prince Philip had two bachelor parties before the wedding: the first - official in Dorchester, which included invited guests from the press, and the second - with close friends at the Belfrey club.
17. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947 at 11:30 am. The celebration was attended by 2000 invited guests.

Video: "Wedding"

Bridesmaid dresses were made in the same style. They were made from cheaper materials (also purchased with coupons), but due to the embroidery and interesting design, they looked decent.

Princess Margaret as a bridesmaid at Queen Elizabeth's wedding

Princess Alexandra of Kent as a bridesmaid at the Queen's wedding

18. Elizabeth had eight bridesmaids: Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambert, Pamela Mountbatten, Margaret Elphinstone, Diana Bowes-Lyon.
19. Also in attendance at the wedding were HRH Prince William of Gloucester (aged five) and HRH Prince Michael of Kent (also aged five).
20. The Queen's wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell.
21. The fabric for the dress was specially made by "Winterthur Silks Limited" in Dunfermline, at the Canmore factory. For its manufacture, threads of Chinese silkworms were delivered from China. Garlands of orange fleur (the emblem of virginity), jasmine (the emblem of happiness, purity, sincerity) and the white rose of York (white rose means purity) were embroidered with small pearls and crystal rhinestones located all over the dress.

22. The queen's veil was made of light sheer fabric and topped with a diamond tiara. This tiara (which can be worn as a necklace) was made for Queen Mary in 1919. The diamonds from which it is made are taken from a necklace and tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood and a wedding gift for Queen Mary in 1893. In August 1936, Queen Mary gave the tiara to Queen Elizabeth when she was still Princess Elizabeth for a future wedding.

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

23. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Abbey is the only stone that is not covered with a special cover. The day after the wedding, Princess Elizabeth, following the royal tradition begun by her mother, sent the bridal bouquet back to the abbey, where flowers were laid on the grave.
24. The bride's engagement ring was made from a Welsh gold nugget shipped from the Clogau St David mine near Dolgello.
25. About 10 thousand congratulatory telegrams were received at Buckingham Palace, and the royal couple received more than 2,500 wedding gifts from well-wishers around the world.

26. In addition to jewelry, the couple received many useful items for the kitchen and home from close relatives, including salt shakers from the Queen Mother, a bookcase from Queen Mary, and a picnic set from Princess Margaret.
27. "Wedding Breakfast" (lunch) was held after the wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey in the Round Dining Room at Buckingham Palace. The menu included filet de Sole Mountbatten, Pedro casserole, Princess Elizabeth ice cream.
28. On their honeymoon, the couple left Waterloo Station with the princess's dog, Susan.
29. The newlyweds spent their wedding night in Hampshire, at the home of Prince Philip's uncle Earl Mountbatten. The second part of the honeymoon took place in Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate.
30. In early 1948, the couple rented their first family home, Windlensham Moor, in Surrey, near Windsor Castle, where they remained until they moved into Clarence House on July 4, 1949.
31. After marrying Princess Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh continued his naval career, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander in command of the frigate HMS Magpie.
32. Although he was the husband of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh was not crowned or anointed at the coronation ceremony in 1953. He was the first to pay respect and take the oath to Her Majesty. He kissed the newly crowned Queen with the words: "I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will be your vassal in sickness and in health, I will serve you faithfully, with honor and respect, until death. May God help me."

Herbert James Gunn Coronation Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

33. Prince Philip accompanied the Queen on all her travels to Commonwealth countries and state visits, as well as to state events and meetings in all parts of the UK. The first of these was the Commonwealth Coronation Tour from November 1953 to May 1954, in which the couple visited Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, the Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar, having traveled a distance of 43.618 kilometers.

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

Sketch by Norman Hartnell for the coronation dress of Elizabeth II

Coronation dress by Norman Hartnell

Joan Hassell. Prince Charles invitation, 1953

36. The Queen and Duke Philip of Edinburgh have four children: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (b. 1948), Princess Anne (b. 1950), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (b. 1960) and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (b. 1964).
37. With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, the Queen became the first reigning monarch to have a child since Queen Victoria, whose youngest child, Princess Beatrice, was born in 1857.

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (b. 1948)

Princess Anne, (b. 1950)

The Queen with son Charles and daughter Anne, 1954

The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cornwall and Princess Anne October 1957

Prince Andrew, Duke of York (b. 1960)

Queen Elizabeth II's two youngest children, Princes Andrew and Edward.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (b. 1964)

Prince Edward and Princess Sophie

38. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh Philip have eight grandchildren -

Peter Phillips (b. 1977)

Zara Phillips (b. 1981)

Prince William (b. 1982)

Prince Harry (b. 1984),

Princess Beatrice (b. 1988),

Princess Eugenie (b. 1990),

Lady Louise Windsor (b. 2003)

and James, Viscount Severns (b. 2007),

has a great-granddaughter - Savannah (born in 2011) and great-grandson Prince George of Cambridge (2013)

The Queen and Prince Philip pose with their grandchildren (l-r) William, Harry, Zara and her brother Peter (back row) in a warm portrait sent out for Christmas 1987

Speeches of the Queen of England

39. The Queen televises a Christmas message every year except in 1969, when she decided the royals had had enough on television after an unprecedented documentary about her family. Her greeting took the form of a written address.
40. In a 1991 message, the Queen dismissed rumors of an abdication, as she pledged to continue her service.
41. The Queen issued an injunction against The Sun in 1992 after it published the full text of her speech two days before it was broadcast. She later accepted an apology and a £200,000 donation to charity.
42. The Queen's grandfather, King George V, was the first of the royal family to speak live on the radio from Sandringham on Christmas Day in 1932.
43. George V was at first against the use of wireless devices for transmitting information, but eventually agreed.

44. There was no Christmas broadcast in 1936 and 1938.
45. In 2010, the Queen's speech was broadcast from Hampton Court Palace - the first time a historic building was used.
46. ​​Each speech is written personally by the Queen, each has a strict religious framework, reflects current issues and is often based on her own experience.

Interests and hobbies

48. An animal lover since childhood, the Queen has a keen and very knowledgeable interest in horses. As an owner and breeder of Thoroughbreds, she often comes to watch races to see how her horses are doing on the run, and often attends equestrian events.
49. Elizabeth II took part in the derby, one of the classic races in the UK, and the Ascot summer race, which has become royal since 1911.
50. The Queen's horses have won several races at Royal Ascot. Notable was the double victory on June 18, 1954, when Landau won the Rous Memorial Stakes and a stallion named Halo won the Hardwicke Stakes, and in 1957 the Queen had four winners during the race.

Zara Philips, Princess Ahn and Elizabeth II

In her young grandchildren (children of Prince Edward), Elizabeth II also encourages horses.

51. Other interests include walks in nature and in the countryside. The Queen also loves to walk with her Labradors, which were specially bred in Sandgreenham.
52. Less well known is the Queen's interest in Scottish dance. Each year during her stay at Balmoral Castle, the Queen hosts a dance known as the "Gillis Ball" for neighbors, estate owners, castle employees and members of the local community.
53. The Queen is the only person in the UK who can drive without a license or registration number in her car. And she doesn't have a passport.
54. The Queen is the patron of over 600 charities.
55. To formally greet the queen, men should bow their heads slightly, while women make a small curtsy. When introduced to the Queen, the proper formal address is "Your Majesty" followed by "Ma'am".

Leisure Queen

56. Queen Elizabeth II is the fortieth English monarch since William the Conqueror.
57. She has traveled to Australia 15 times, Canada 23 times, Jamaica 6 times and New Zealand 10 times.
58. Her Majesty sent about 100,000 telegrams to centenarians in the UK and Commonwealth countries.
59. The Queen dined on 23 ships and interacted with five astronauts at Buckingham Palace.
60. She made her first airplane flight in July 1945.
61. Her Majesty is the only British monarch in history who knows how to change spark plugs.
62. On VE Day, the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret slipped in the crowd during the celebration.
63. For a wedding dress, the Queen collected coupons for clothes.
64. The Queen has a bank account at Coutts & Co.
65. The Queen celebrated her golden jubilee in 2002 by visiting 70 cities and towns across the UK.
66. Tony Blair was the first prime minister to be born during her reign, which has already seen nine prime ministers before him.
67. The Queen attended 91 state banquets and posed for 139 official portraits.
68. Formally, the Queen of England still owns sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the water throughout the UK, which are recognized as "King's Fish". In addition, she owns all wild flocks of swans living in open water.

69. The Queen developed a new breed of dog known as "dorgi" when one of the corgis was bred to a dachshund named Pipkin.
70. The Queen is the first British monarch to see three child divorces.
71. Her Majesty demoted a footman for serving whiskey to her corgi.
72. The Queen has nine Royal Thrones: one in the House of Lords, two in Westminster Abbey and six in the throne room at Buckingham Palace.

73. She is a patron of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association. One of the queen's birds is called the Sandringham Lightning.
74. There have been six Archbishops of Canterbury during the Queen's reign.
75. The height of the Queen is 5 feet 4 inches or 160 centimeters.

She is a woman of the 20th and 21st centuries, the ruler of the British Commonwealth of Nations and 15 independent states, the reigning queen from 1952 to the present day. Who is it? Of course, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, who also holds the title of the longest-reigning monarch in British history. What interesting facts are known about this unique and strong woman.

1. Queen's birthday

Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday twice: on April 21 (born 1926) with her family, and in early June - officially.

2. When Elizabeth ascended the throne

In 1937, Elizabeth became the heir apparent after her father George VI of the Windsor dynasty was crowned. And on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, she ascended the throne.

3. Education of the queen

During the war years, Elizabeth joined the women's self-defense units, where she was trained as a driver. No matter how strange it may sound, the queen in her younger years drove an ambulance and a truck. She later received a water lifeguard certificate.

4. Who is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II

The spouse of Elizabeth II, Philip Mountbatten, is a Greek prince in exile, as well as a senior lieutenant in the British navy. In addition, he is also the fourth cousin of Elizabeth. The couple first met when they were 8 and 13 years old. So the age difference is 5 years. The wedding took place in 1947, when Elizabeth was 21 years old. We add that the parents of the future queen opposed the marriage with Philip, since he did not have a fortune. It sounds ridiculous, but at that time, Elizabeth was given as many as 200 additional coupons for tailoring a wedding dress.

5. How many children does Elizabeth have

The Queen has four children: Prince Charles, Andrew, Edward and Princess Anne. In addition, the Queen is a grandmother of many children, great-grandmother and godmother: she has 30 godchildren and goddaughters. Here are some of the lucky ones.

6. What are the powers of Queen Elizabeth

Despite her high status, the queen reigns, but does not rule the country: she officially does not influence foreign and domestic policy in any way, but nevertheless, all decisions in the state are made on her behalf.

7. How much money does Queen Elizabeth II have?

It is not customary to talk about the Queen's property, but there are rumors that she is one of the richest people on earth. At the same time, the queen never carries money with her. In principle, why are they needed if you are the Queen. In addition, the queen does not have a passport, everyone will recognize her anyway.

The Queen is also not required to disclose the status of her personal accounts. In addition, despite the fact that the royal art collection is estimated at 10 billion pounds, this is not the queen's personal fortune, like the palaces, castles in which the queen and her relatives live. All of this property is owned by the state or is in the possession of the "Property of the Crown" (an independent commercial enterprise that manages royal real estate).

8. What awards does the Queen of Great Britain have?

9. What does the Queen of Great Britain drive?

You can envy the royal fleet: Bentley, Rolls-Royce Daimler, Jaguar and Land Rover. In addition, Elizabeth is a first-class driver and easily drives the wheel of a car.

10. The Queen's Pets

The Queen is very fond of dogs. She has a particular preference for the Corgi breed. There are about 30 corgis in the royal court today. Elizabeth II also loves horses: despite her age, she constantly rides horses.

11. Where Queen Elizabeth II likes to relax

But Her Majesty loves to spend her holidays in the Scottish estate of Balmoral. When the queen has breakfast, a piper walks around the castle and plays folk melodies.

12. The main residence of the British monarchs

Buckingham Palace is the main residence of all British monarchs, in which to this day Elizabeth II holds official meetings.

13. What does the Queen of Great Britain like to wear?

Elizabeth II prefers only British designers, her wardrobe has bright outfits, and the queen can only appear in black during mourning. The monarch likes to wear handbags again from the British brand Launer London with short handles. But what is contained in the royal handbag is a secret behind seven locks. The purse also serves the queen and to signal to the servants that if Her Majesty is about to leave the meal, she puts the purse on the table.

And the main highlight of the royal image is a hat, how many of them are in the wardrobe of Elizabeth II, it is difficult to calculate. Rumor has it that more than 5 thousand.

As for shoes, these are Anello & Davide shoes with a small heel with a rounded toe. The Queen is very careful about shoes and therefore tries to change shoes less often, and more often put heels. But the new shoes for the royal person are broken in by the so-called Cinderella, who has the same foot size as Elizabeth II.

And some more interesting facts about Elizabeth II:

• no one but her husband has the right to touch the queen in public. History knows only 4 violators who allowed themselves to do this: Michelle Obama, Canadian cyclist Louis Garneau and two Australian prime ministers, Paul Keating and John Howard;
• the queen never raises her voice, even when she is furious, and never gives interviews.

How long Elizabeth II will reign is an open question, since the queen is not going to give up her throne in favor of her heirs, and considers her reign to be a matter of life, and for many Britons she is the “bastion of stability” of the state.

Such an age is in itself an achievement for any person, not only for the monarch. And 90-year-old Elizabeth today is not just quietly living out her life in the palace, surrounded by servants and relatives, she, like for many years in a row, performs quite laborious and routine work. On the eve of her anniversary, the documentary Our Queen at 90 was released. “What struck me the most was the Queen’s work ethic,” said director Ashley Geting. - We filmed it at 9 am and 11 pm. It is surprising that in her 90s, she, as before, works seven days a week from dawn to dusk. And so for the last 64 years! I was struck by the intensity of the schedule of events during her official visit to Germany or during the reception of a delegation from China. At the end of the day I felt exhausted, I just don’t understand how Her Majesty and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is already 95 years old, cope with such a schedule!”

The first "palace"

In 1926, when Elizabeth was born, in England, as in all of Europe, it was restless - everyone was expecting either war or revolution. And at eight months, the parents left the baby in the care of nannies to go on a long official visit to Australia. The mother of the princess was very upset, but... duty is above all. English aristocrats tried to copy their King George V, the grandfather of little Elizabeth, who established new, modern rules for monarchs that are still relevant today: get out of the palace, show yourself to people, work hard!

When George V died in 1936, his eldest son, the uncle of the young Elizabeth, Prince Edward ascended the throne. But he soon abdicated because of an affair with a divorced woman. And the crown passed to the girl's father, George VI, who was not at all ready for such a burden, but nevertheless coped with his fears and doubts and showed himself as a wise monarch. By the way, this interesting historical period formed the basis of the recent Oscar-winning film The King's Speech.

Despite the palace problems of adults, Lilibet's childhood, as she was called in the family, up to a certain age was happy and cloudless. When the baby was four years old, she had a sister, Margaret. For her sixth birthday, Elizabeth was presented with a small house in the garden of Windsor Palace, it became a place where she could play, study and take care of her pets - corgi dogs. This small cottage was made in such a way that the girl and her little guests felt comfortable - the ceilings of the house were designed for children's growth, and adults had to bend almost twice to enter it. With plush toys scattered everywhere, soft sofas, small tea tables and the same sets, chests of drawers and cabinets, it looked like Alice's fabulous home, and Lilibet felt like a real princess in it. At the same time, the parents made sure that their daughter did not grow up as a white hand: the house was equipped with small but functional gas stoves, a sink and a washing machine. It was here that Elizabeth received her first culinary lessons and learned to keep the house clean and tidy. Later, she would keep her palaces in the same order.

This children's house later passed by inheritance to her children, and then to her grandchildren. Today, Elizabeth's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, is responsible for it, who renovated it a few years ago. “The Queen has spent many happy hours here, and she still likes to drop in from time to time,” said Princess Margaret. - It's wonderful when there is a place where your parents grew up and played, where you, your brothers and sisters grew up and played. We have been adults for a long time, but we still love our garden house, and it is ready to accept new little owners.

The future queen did not go to school, the family invited teachers, and the mother selected literature for her daughter. The first adult books of Elizabeth were the novels of the popular British humorist Pelham Woodhouse. The father, on the other hand, considered it his duty to share with his eldest daughter, and, consequently, with the future queen, his own opinion about history, politics and the modern structure of the world.

Youth under the bombs

The period of growing up of Elizabeth fell on the Second World War. When Great Britain entered the war with Nazi Germany, Lilibet and her sister remained at Windsor Castle, while King George and his wife were in London - from there the monarch and parliament led the defense of the country. London was regularly and intensively bombed: in September 1940, one of the bombs landed right in the courtyard of Buckingham Palace - the king and queen miraculously escaped death. If they had been a few meters closer to the epicenter of the explosion, they would have died. Elizabeth recalled that parents in conversations with children constantly came up with jokes about that German bomb, as if they had experienced some kind of fun adventure. In this way they tried to calm the children and teach them to face danger with dignity. In 1940, 14-year-old Lilibet, following the example of her father's monarch, who strengthened the spirit of the British with his radio messages, broadcast radio programs for young Englishmen from Windsor Castle.

Elizabeth's childhood passed among people in uniforms who were used to serving and knew what a sense of duty was. When she ascended the throne, it was precisely these qualities that she wanted to see in her subjects and herself sought to live up to the high standards held by her father, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the British military.

Toward the end of the war, the young princess, as was customary at the English court, herself went into service. She was assigned to one of the London units as a mechanic. Elizabeth learned to drive and maintain heavy army trucks. When Germany surrendered and the streets of London began to rejoice, the princesses, in the company of several of their cousins, quietly slipped out of Buckingham Palace and joined the jubilant crowds of Londoners.

According to historians, it was during the war years that Elizabeth truly became close to her father. She saw what a burden lies on the shoulders of the king, how much strength and health it takes away, and she understood that the day would come when she herself would have to do the same work. George VI was the only and the best teacher. “It all depends on training. You can do a lot if we prepare you well, ”the father soothed the princess, who doubted her abilities, because she knew well what was required of her. When a crown was put on her head at the age of 27, she approached her duties as seriously as her father. “When my grandmother took the throne, she was much younger than I am now. It was a time when men ruled the world. It’s hard for me at my age to always remain serious, and it’s even hard to imagine how heavy the burden was that she had to shoulder,” William, Duke of Cambridge recently shared.

The best choice

In the summer of 1939, in preparation for the upcoming war, King George and his family visited the Royal Naval College, where Elizabeth met the Greek prince. Philip was an 18-year-old tall, handsome cadet, and the naval uniform suited him very well. For Elizabeth it was love at first sight, the future officer also liked the young English princess. True, the family of Philip became impoverished and was in exile, which made the guy's chances of success very vague. But he did not think to give up. When the royal yacht left the port, the cadet waited for the ship at the exit of the bay on a boat to wave goodbye to the princess and her relatives. Since it was hot, Philip was shirtless, and, apparently, made an indelible impression on the young Elizabeth, since since then she did not want to hear about the English aristocrats whom her mother wanted to marry the girl.

Philip, as part of the British naval forces, took part in the battles with the Germans, and the princess was worried not only about her parents, but also about her lover. After the end of the war, she showed character and convinced her father to agree to the marriage. In 1947, Elizabeth and Philip were married in London's Westminster Abbey. This wedding was the first big post-war celebration and was enthusiastically received by the English society. The princess was adored, and the fact that she chose not some nondescript noble aristocrat as her husband, but a poor, but handsome military officer, only strengthened her popularity.

Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh. A year later, the newlyweds had their first child, Charles. At this time, the happy father served ... in Malta, where his military unit was stationed. These are the incomprehensible English royal families. Duty above all is not just a beautiful phrase, but a rule of life. Following Charles, Elizabeth and Philip had a daughter, Anna, and then sons, Andrew and Edward. Charles, Prince of Wales, is first in line to the throne, followed by his eldest son William, Duke of Cambridge.

Looking at the long marriage of the queen, it becomes clear that Elizabeth was not mistaken when she fought for her husband with her relatives. All the time, Philip was a support for her, and, importantly, he remains so to this day at his 95 years old! “My husband has been my strength all these years, and I owe him a lot more than he could ask for,” the Queen admitted.

Tradition lives on

Elizabeth was taught that the main thing for a person is his duty, and personal life and feelings are in the background. That is why she did not allow Charles to marry the divorced Camille Parker-Bowles, whom he loved. And the son was forced to conclude the right marriage from the point of view of the court with Lady Diana. As a result, neither he nor Diana were happy, it all ended in a scandalous breakup, and then the death of the princess.

However, in England, it is believed that the queen has been successfully ruling Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries for so long because she has the ability to change and learn from her mistakes. She was very upset by the breakup between Charles and Diana and the scandals that accompanied this breakup. The tabloids began to write about the intimate life of Elizabeth's heirs, and it seemed that the royal family would never again have the level of adoration and trust in society that it had after the war. But years passed, the foam subsided, Prince Charles married the love of his life, Camilla, and the young Prince William chose a non-royal girl, Kate Middleton, as his wife.

Today, the rating of the royal family is higher than ever, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, can safely claim the title of the most popular royal couple on the planet. Prince Harry does not lag behind his older brother - he is the most desirable bachelor in England. And above all of them, as before, towers the small but very important figure of their grandmother, who, even at 90, remains the living embodiment of the great British traditions.

Yaroslav Stepanenko