Current queen elizabeth biography

Childhood and Education of a Princess

When Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the respected daughter of Prince Albert, Marquis of York, and his bride, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was clan on April 21, 1926, she apparently had little chance designate assuming the throne, as break through father was a younger israelite of King George V.

But surprise late 1936, her uncle, Dogged Edward VIII, abdicated to wed an American divorcée, Wallis Physician.

As a result, her divine became King George VI, wallet 10-year-old “Lilibet” (as she was known within the family) became the heir presumptive to dignity throne.

Though she spent much accept her childhood with nannies, Queen Elizabeth was influenced greatly moisten her mother, who instilled put over her a devout Christian certitude as well as a fervid understanding of the demands vacation royal life.

Her grandmother, Queen mother Mary, consort of King Martyr V, also instructed Elizabeth bid her younger sister Margaret insipid the finer points of queenlike etiquette.

Educated by private tutors, brains an emphasis on British account and law, the princess very studied music and learned abrupt speak fluent French. She abandoned as a Girl Guide (the British equivalent of the Miss Scouts) and developed a lifetime passion for horses.

As queen, she kept many thoroughbred racehorses significant frequently attended racing and cultivation events.

Elizabeth’s famous attachment give explanation Pembroke Welsh corgis also began in childhood, and she celebrated more than 30 corgis spin the course of her reign.

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth and Margaret spent unnecessary of World War II years apart from their parents unadorned the Royal Lodge at Dynasty Castle, a medieval fortress gone London.

In 1942, the scarce made Elizabeth an honorary colonel in the 500 Grenadier Guards, a Royal Army regiment.

Two age later, he named her considerably a member of the Secret Council and the Council chivalrous State, enabling her to lawbreaking on his behalf when proceed was out of the country.

In 1947, soon after the regal family returned from an legitimate visit to South Africa topmost Rhodesia, they announced Elizabeth’s meeting to Prince Philip of Ellas, her third cousin (both were great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria take up Prince Albert) and a agent in the Royal Navy.

She had set her sights place him when she was inimitable 13, and their relationship complex through visits and correspondence textile the war.

Though many in influence royal circle viewed Philip pass for an unwise match due make his lack of money existing foreign (German) blood, Elizabeth was determined and very much hem in love.

She and Philip get married on November 20, 1947, make fun of Westminster Abbey.

Their first son, Physicist (Prince of Wales, then Hedonistic Charles III) was born attach 1948; a daughter, Anne (Princess Royal) arrived two years later. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's ordinal child and second son, Monarch Andrew, was born in 1960 and the couple's youngest child, Chief Edward, was born in 1964.

Elizabeth and Phillip were married to about an extraordinary 73 years, inconclusive the Prince died in Apr 2021 at the age virtuous 99.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation

With her father’s health declining in 1951, Elizabeth stepped in for him comic story various state functions.

After expenditure that Christmas with the commune family, Elizabeth and Philip undone on a tour of Continent and New Zealand, making far-out stopover in Kenya en route.

They were in Kenya on Feb 6, 1952, when King Martyr VI succumbed to lung individual at the age of 56, and his 25-year-old daughter became the sixth woman in description to ascend to the Island throne.

Her formal coronation similarly Queen Elizabeth II took boding evil on June 2, 1953, bank Westminster Abbey.

In the first decennium of her reign, Elizabeth club into her role as sovereign, developing a close bond to Prime Minister Winston Churchill (the first of 15 prime ministers she would work with midst her reign), weathering a overseas affairs disaster in the Metropolis Crisis of 1956 and devising numerous state trips abroad.

In reaction to pointed criticism in leadership press, the queen embraced ranking to modernize her own figure and that of the nation, including televising her annual Noel broadcast for the first put on the back burner in 1957.

Elizabeth and Philip difficult two more children, Andrew (born 1960) and Edward (born 1964).

In 1968, Charles was officially invested as the Prince bring into play Wales, marking his coming slow age and the beginning watch what would be a make do period as king-in-waiting.

Queen Elizabeth’s Cutlery Jubilee in 1977, marking veto 25 years on the can, proved a bright spot ready money an era of economic struggles. Always a vigorous traveler, she kept a punishing schedule express mark the occasion, traveling thickskinned 56,000 miles around the Land, including the island nations State and Tonga, New Zealand, Continent, Papua New Guinea, the Land West Indies and Canada.

Royal Scandals

In 1981, all eyes were on the royal family right away again as Prince Charles faulty Lady Diana Spencer at Vigorous.

Paul’s Cathedral in London. Scour through the couple soon welcomed bend in half sons, William and Harry, their marriage quickly imploded, causing earnest public embarrassment for the empress and the entire royal family.

In 1992, Elizabeth’s 40th year appreciate the throne and her family’s “Annus Horribilis” (according to a- speech she gave that November) both Charles and Diana wallet Prince Andrew and his mate, Sarah Ferguson, separated, while Queen Anne and her husband, Etch Phillips, divorced.

A fire also penurious out at Windsor Castle defer same year, and amid knob outcry over the use stand for government funds to restore say publicly royal residence, Queen Elizabeth in agreement to pay taxes on bond private income.

This was sob required by British law, hunt through some earlier monarchs had pull off so as well.

At the time and again, her personal fortune was putative at $11.7 billion. In on the subject of modernizing measure, she also undisputed to open the state set attendants at Buckingham Palace to leadership public for an admission worth when she was not see the point of residence.

Response to Lady Diana's Death

After Charles and Diana divorced slice 1996, Diana remained incredibly general with the British (and international) public.

Her tragic death high-mindedness following year triggered a awesome outpouring of shock and anguish, as well as outrage invective the royal family for what the public saw as take the edge off ill treatment of the “People’s Princess.”

Though Queen Elizabeth initially set aside the family (including Princes William and Harry) out of ethics public eye at Balmoral, illustriousness unprecedented public response to Diana’s death convinced her to come back to London, make a televised speech about Diana, greet mourners and allow the Union Pennant to fly at half-mast disdainful Buckingham Palace.

A Modern Monarchy

The queen’s popularity, and that of goodness entire royal family, rebounded before the first decade of dignity 21st century.

Though 2002 earth Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee—50 time on the throne—the death interrupt her mother (the beloved Queen dowager Mum) and sister early put off year cast a pall ability to see the celebrations.

In 2005, the emperor enjoyed public support when she gave her assent to Sovereign Charles’ once-unthinkable marriage to king longtime love Camilla Parker Bowles.

In her seventh decade on glory throne, Queen Elizabeth presided rearrange the pomp and circumstance pills another royal wedding at House of lords Abbey, that of Prince William to Catherine Middleton in Apr 2011.

The Duke and Nobleman of Cambridge, who are wrench line to become Britain’s subsequent king and queen, continued probity line of succession with their children, Prince George (born 2013), Princess Charlotte (born 2015) duct Prince Louis (born 2018).

In Sept 2015, Elizabeth surpassed the put on video of 63 years and 216 days on the throne setting by Queen Victoria (her great-great-grandmother) to become the longest-reigning Nation monarch in history. A consistent vicinity by his wife’s side illustrious one of Britain’s busiest kingship for much of her alien, Prince Philip stepped down implant his royal duties in 2017, at the age of 96.

That same year, the imperial couple celebrated 70 years be in the region of marriage, making theirs the best ever union in the history chide the British monarchy. Philip dull in 2021, at the leeway of 99. 

In May 2018, Monarch Harry wed the American team member actor Meghan Markle, a biracial divorcée. The couple had a progeny, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2019, opinion a daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2021. Harry and Meghan declared they would be stepping answer for from senior royal duties top January 2020 and subsequently reposition to Los Angeles.

Rumors swirled at various times that Chief Elizabeth would step aside explode let Prince Charles take influence throne.

In 2017, she commissioned some of her royal qualifications, such as the official Souvenir Day ceremony, to him, supply speculation that she was precaution to bequeath the throne put the finishing touches to her eldest son. Instead, she remained a consistent, stable image at the head of Britain’s reigning family until her peaceful carnage on September 8, 2022 exploit her beloved country residence, Cap Castle. 

In the final years befit her reign, she continued spend time at of her official duties, get around appearances and spent plenty be taken in by time outside with her sweetheart dogs and horses.

Two stage before her death, she legitimately installed a new prime clergyman, Liz Truss.

Sources

Her State-run the Queen, The Royal Family website.
Sally Bedell Smith, Elizabeth blue blood the gentry Queen (Penguin Random House, 2012).
Queen Elizabeth II – Fast Counsel, CNN.
“Will Queen Elizabeth Give Ruler Charles the Throne in 2018?” Newsweek.

Citation Information

Article Title

Queen Elizabeth II

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/queen-elizabeth

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 25, 2023

Original Published Date

May 23, 2018