Childhood and family
Elizabeth II is the eldest daughter of Prince Albert, born on April 21, 1926 at Mayfair Manor on Brewton Street during the reign of George V, who was her grandfather. The full name of the royal person is Elizabeth Alexandra Maria, the girl received the name in honor of her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.
Elizabeth II in childhood
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, an American divorcee, 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 the story that brought Elizabeth's father to the British throne, who was crowned George VI in May 1937.
Elizabeth with her parents (center)
George VI's brother Henry was considered the next contender for the throne, but he abandoned the role of heir to the throne in favor of Princess Elizabeth, who was barely 11 years old at that time.
As befits a princess, Elizabeth studied the humanities and exact sciences, but paid special attention to law, including international law, and received a decent education without leaving the palace. The princess's pride was her excellent knowledge of French, which she learned on her own.
During World War II, the future queen drove and repaired cars.
In 1940, Princess Elizabeth made her first radio appearance: a thirteen-year-old girl from Buckingham Palace supported children affected by Nazi bombing. Princess Elizabeth's sincere words instilled hope in the British people, and she won sympathy even among some of the most critical citizens of the crown.
In 1943, the princess officially assumed the position of adviser. Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth did not serve in the military, but she was a member of the women’s self-defense unit and learned to drive an ambulance, thereby setting an example for the women of Britain.
In 1947, on her birthday, Elizabeth again spoke on the radio, assuring the British people that her whole life would be dedicated to Britain. In the same year, her marriage to Philip, Prince of Denmark took place.
Elizabeth II in her youth
The gradually deteriorating health of the father and the unfavorable prognosis of the 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 months were counting, and Elizabeth unofficially began to fulfill the duties of the monarch.
Queen Elizabeth with her husband in her youth
Prince Harry (36 years old) - son of Prince Charles
Source: Legion-Media
Harry, like his older brother, attended boarding school and then continued his studies at Eton College. But the younger heir, Prince Charles, was not very obedient and often received negative evaluations, and the press dubbed him a “crazy child” for his constant antics.
Despite this, Harry always strived to do good deeds: after college, he went to Africa, where he lived for several months and made a film about the difficult life of orphans in Lesotho. After studying at the Royal Military Academy, the heir to the British throne was sent to serve in Afghanistan, where he often risked his life to carry out combat operations.
Source: Legion-Media
No less than Harry’s merits, the press was also attracted to his personal life. He was known to the public as a real ladies' man, but in 2016, after meeting American actress Megan Mark, his life changed a lot. Three years later, the couple married in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, and a year later the couple had a son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
At the beginning of 2021, the Dukes of Sussex announced that they were going to step down from all royal duties and renounce their titles. They got their wish and left the UK. It recently became known that the couple are expecting a second child.
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 sources, on February 7, 1952, an entry appeared in the hotel guest register that for the first time in the history of civilization, a princess climbed a tree, but came down from it as a queen.
Coronation of Elizabeth II
The coronation of the young queen took place on June 2, 1953 in the ancient cathedral of Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was broadcast on British national television, which contributed to the growing popularity of the new monarch. Millions of British people literally froze in front of their televisions, trying not to miss the slightest detail of the most spectacular and beautiful event in the history of Britain.
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 clovers, as well as other flowers that have a symbolic meaning for Britain.
Elizabeth II with her husband Philip
In a golden open ceremonial carriage drawn by eight gray horses, the queen and her husband proceeded to Westminster Abbey, where the solemn coronation service took place.
Solving Royal Problems
One palace insider said bluntly when speaking to reporters: “Charles has been a stabilizing force in a time of chaos. He is brilliant in dealing with such matters and has finally decided to take action, dealing with many problematic situations. "Her Majesty is now fully confident that the Prince of Wales will make a brilliant King."
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Apparently, now that Prince Charles is 71 years old, he has finally gained attention and received the final seal of approval from his royal mother. She reportedly ceded many of her responsibilities to him, so that a “transition period” has now gradually begun.
When the Queen decided that Andrew, her so-called favorite son, should be removed from the royal family list, it was Charles who cast the deciding vote in favor - in what was for many a stunning sign of a shift in power behind palace walls.
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 around the world.
Elizabeth II - Queen of Britain
In the spring of 1956, the Queen received Nikita Khrushchev, who served as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU of the USSR, who arrived in Britain with Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikolai Bulganin. The top officials of the Soviet state presented memorable gifts to Elizabeth and family members, among which was 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, major entrepreneurs, scientists and cultural figures. Among the celebrities who were honored to visit Buckingham Palace over the years were Elizabeth Taylor, Yuri Gagarin and The Beatles, as well as presidents of various states.
In 1994, Elizabeth visited Moscow and St. Petersburg, and in 2003 hosted a reception in honor of President Vladimir Putin.
Elizabeth II and Vladimir Putin
Fearing that the reputation of the British royal house would suffer from rumors surrounding the unhappy marriage of Elizabeth's son Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, as well as caring for the happiness of her son, the Queen insisted on a divorce, the procedure for which began in 1996. Some part of British society did not approve of the queen's act, but subsequently the British were forced to admit that she was right.
Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II has been repeatedly called in the media the queen of people's hearts. The humanity and kindness of this woman, who remains faithful to her oath, which she took back in 1953, is the key to her popularity among the people.
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 decorations, a painting by Aivazovsky, a sable cape, and a box with a portrait of the royal family. Prince Philip received as a gift a set of wines, a Tula samovar, a painting and a box with a portrait of his wife. Little Charles was given 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.
That same year, Elizabeth met Marilyn Monroe at the Empire Theater in London. In the fall, the Olympic Games took place, the opening ceremony of which was presided over by the queen's husband. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II had to choose the head of government. Harold Maxillan, who was 63 years old at the time, 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. Elizabeth II also became the first monarch to wish her subjects a Merry Christmas on television.
In 1960, the couple's second son, Prince Andrew, was born. He became the first child in the last century to be born to a reigning monarch. The following year the Queen continued her active travels. She visited Nepal, Pakistan, Vatican City, 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 was repeatedly called the "rebel princess". She often appeared in the company of rockers, visited London clubs and constantly had affairs. Since the eighties, she has had health problems and an addiction to alcohol and smoking. The biography of Elizabeth 2's sister Margaret ended tragically in 2002. She died of a stroke.
In the summer of 1961, the Queen received the Kennedys, and in 1962, only Jacqueline, who went on tour on behalf of her husband. In 1965, members of the Kennedy family, together with Elizabeth, would open a number of memorial sites in the UK dedicated to the memory of John F. Kennedy.
In the summer of 1961, Elizabeth met the world's first astronaut. A lunch was held in honor of Yuri Gagarin, which was attended by the royal couple, their children, as well as the Queen's sister and Prince Philip's uncle. In 1969, the first man to land on the moon, American Neil Armstrong, was received at Buckingham Palace.
In March 1964, the last child of Elizabeth II was born. Prince Edward will later abandon the traditional military career for boys born into the royal family. He will pursue a liberal arts degree and 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 traveled to New Zealand and Australia. During the journey, a new practice of communicating with subjects was introduced. The couple walked the streets and talked with a huge number of people.
The following year, the Japanese Emperor was received in Great Britain, and in mid-1972 the couple and their daughter Anna visited 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 required intervention on the part of the queen. No single political party received a majority of the votes, but the result was that Harold Wilson was appointed Prime Minister.
In 1975, Elizabeth became the first British monarch 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 the UK. In 1980, Elizabeth met with the Pope at the Vatican. In 1982, the Pope visited Great Britain in person (for the first time in 450 years).
In 1986, the Queen learned of civil war in the colony of Aden. At that moment she was on her yacht Britannia. Elizabeth II decided to enter territorial waters and took on board more than a thousand evacuees.
Personal life of Elizabeth II
In his youth, Prince Philip, the grandson of the King of Greece, a tall, slender, blond man, was distinguished by his amazing beauty. At a tea party in Dartmoor in 1937, the young man did not immediately notice the girl who did not take her rapturous eyes off him. After the reception ended, this girl, Princess Elizabeth, locked herself in her room and wrote a letter to the handsome prince.
Wedding of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
The friendship that began with 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, the Greek Prince Andrew, with Adolf Hitler. Besides this, the prince was poor, and apart from his title, blue blood and tender love for Elizabeth, he had nothing.
Prince Charles and Princess Anne with their parents
In early 1940, Elizabeth and Philip became engaged in secret, and the king had to give in and allow what was to become one of the happiest and longest marriages in modern history. The relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Duke Philip is considered exemplary, but few people think that for the sake of his queen, Philip renounced his royal title and changed the Orthodox faith in which he was baptized to Catholicism.
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
In 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles. The second child was Princess Anna, born 2 years later. The third child of the royal family, Prince Andrew, was born in 1960, and the fourth, Prince Edward, in 1964.
Elizabeth II with her husband Philip and children
Since her youth, the queen’s main hobbies have been horse riding and dog breeding; she has a special love for the corgi breed, which is considered the royal dog throughout Europe.
The longest marriage in the history of the monarchy
Since childhood, the girl wanted to marry a farmer, but the biography of Elizabeth 2’s husband was not related to agriculture. The girl had an iron character, so her parents’ plans to marry her to a noble young man were in jeopardy. But in the end, the girl abandoned this idea because a sailor cadet attracted her attention. By the way, according to the royal family, it was not much better than a farmer.
Cadet Philip was of no interest to Elizabeth’s family, although he was distinguished by noble origin. The young man was the only son of six children of King George I of Greece, and at birth 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 live with relatives.
The young people met at one of the family dinners. Then Elizabeth was only 13 years old, and the young prince was 18. The biography of Elizabeth 2 (the future queen of England) began to change. The girl actively took part in social events, because in the future she was destined to become a monarch. And the meeting with the prince marked the beginning of the love story of her life.
It is believed that during the war, when the young man wrote tender and passionate letters to his beloved from the front, his terminally ill father asked for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage 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 candidates for marriage with the princess disappeared somewhere: some got married, others decided to continue their search. Only Philip remained. They say that Elizabeth herself proposed marriage to Philip. The parents were not happy with this decision, but were forced to agree to the marriage.
The engagement was officially announced in the summer of 1947. The wedding was planned 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 bride was escorted to the altar by her father. Elizabeth chose a champagne-colored satin wedding dress, which was embroidered with pearl and crystal beads. It took the court designer several months to create this outfit.
After the marriage, the young couple 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 singer Pat Kirkwood, but Philip was always devoted to his queen. Elizabeth did everything to stop the rumors. Very soon she gave birth to her first child, and then the couple left for the Philippines. Philip was sent there on duty.
Queen Elizabeth II now
In 2021, the Queen turned 95, 68 of which she has been monarch. Headlines regularly appear in the media about the Queen's failing health. So, in 2021, she missed the Christmas service for the first time, citing a cold.
Queen Elizabeth II
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, bears personal responsibility for the well-being of her family members. That is why she did not give permission for so long for Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle, who, firstly, is an actress (which is not the most acceptable profession for a princess), and secondly, was already legally married.
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
After the controversial interview that Harry and Meghan gave to Oprah, accusing the royal family of racism and constant insults towards Meghan, the Queen admitted that she was very saddened to learn how difficult it was for her grandson and his wife in recent years.
The news about the first same-sex marriage in the history of the royal family between Ivar Mountbatten, Duke Philip's cousin, and his lover James Coyle, caused a lot of noise. The wedding ceremony took place in 2021 in Devon, but neither the queen nor her husband were present.
Ivar Mountbatten and James Coyle
Despite her age, Elizabeth continues to fulfill her duties and represent the interests of Britain in different countries of the world. Defending the right to her own opinion, in 2021 she openly condemned the inappropriate behavior of Mr. Trump, as well as the belligerent policies of Kim Jong-un, and in 2021 she expressed hope that she would wait until the time when Russia would be ruled not by Mr. Putin, but by another person who have not lost touch with reality.
As is enshrined in the traditions of a 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 influential woman in the world, but, as many researchers note, she has never used her influence for personal gain.
In January 2021, the Queen and her husband were vaccinated against Covid-19. In February, Philip was hospitalized, but the press service of Buckingham Palace emphasized that this was not about coronavirus. The prince is on the mend, but apparently health problems and age have taken their toll. On April 9, 2021, Queen Elizabeth became a widow. The Duke of Edinburgh was only two months shy of his 100th birthday.
Her Majesty and Art
The Royal National Theater in London staged Peter Morgan's play The Audience. The audience reads dialogues between Queen Elizabeth II and all the prime ministers of Great Britain. And during her lifetime there were 14 of them. The play was first shown in London in 2012, the main role went to actress Helen Mirren. One of the reviews of the production even wrote: “Politicians come and go, but the queen remains waiting for the next prime minister.”
Elizabeth II herself appeared in a mini-film about James Bond. The Queen made a cameo in the six-minute humorous video with actor Daniel Craig. The video was recorded specifically for the 2012 London Olympics.
Another film starring Elizabeth II is the Netflix series The Crown with a budget of £100 million. True, here the monarch was played by actress Claire Foy, for her work she received a statuette at the 74th ceremony of the prestigious Golden Globe film awards. At the same event, The Crown was named Best Serial Drama.
The Queen also appeared in 129 portraits. Her facial features were drawn by different artists. John Wonnacott worked on portraits of the monarch family in 2000. He admitted that drawing the queen, although honorable, was not so easy. “Any artist will tell you that the Queen does not like to sit still. And you can’t say to her: “Ma’am, would you please just stay still!” was his memory of his collaboration with Her Majesty.
The outfits of the symbol of the British crown were included in the book “The Inside Out: The Queen, the Valet and the Wardrobe” by Angela Kelly. The designer and personal assistant to the Queen of Great Britain has an important job: sometimes the Queen wore five dresses a day. She keeps a separate diary for each season. A royal clothing diary is needed to ensure that outfits are not repeated too often.
