home life resources Princess Elizabeth of Great Britain did her military service. Skeletons in the wardrobe of the Queen of England. How many members are there in the British royal family

Princess Elizabeth of Great Britain did her military service. Skeletons in the wardrobe of the Queen of England. How many members are there in the British royal family

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

Queen Elizabeth usually celebrates her real birthday in the family circle, while the official birthday of the monarch in the UK is celebrated in June with a colorful military parade in central London.
According to the tradition established at the beginning of the 20th century by King Edward VII, the monarch’s birthday is celebrated in Great Britain on one of the Saturdays of June, depending on the weather (the king chose this date because the weather in June cannot spoil the national holiday).

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

Elizabeth got good home education apart from the usual school subjects she was taught the basics of economics, jurisprudence and constitutional law. The curriculum also included lessons in horseback riding, dancing 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 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 outbreak of war in 1939 they were evacuated to Windsor Palace.
During World War II, Elizabeth insisted that her parents let her go to military service. She mastered the profession of a driver in a military transport training center, having received the qualification of a truck driver, learned how to change tires on a truck, disassemble and assemble a motor.
In 1945, Elizabeth worked in the Reserve Women's Territorial Services (Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service), where she ended the war with the rank of 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 get involved in business, replacing George VI when he went on a trip to the fronts.
On February 6, 1952, King George VI died of a lung disease, and 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 in Westminster Abbey in London took place only a year later, on June 2, 1953.

Since that time, she has been Queen Elizabeth II, 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, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica), Head of the Anglican Church, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Lord of the Isle of Man. She was also Queen from May 29, 1953 to May 31, 1961. South Africa. In 1999, Australia put the status of the queen 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, son of the Greek Prince Andrew, who was then an officer in the British Navy. She met him at the age of 13, when Philip was still a cadet at Dortmouth naval school. 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 liberties - 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, Princess Anne's eldest son Peter Phillips, and his Canadian wife, Autumn Kelly, had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession.

In 2006, Buckingham Palace released 80 fascinating 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 of the British monarchy.
Since her youth, Elizabeth II has been a fan of the corgi, a noble hunting breed, several of which constantly accompany her on vacation. The Queen also introduced a new breed of dog, the Dorgi.
The Queen's other passion is horses and horse racing. She is a good rider herself and every year she watches the main competitions with interest, and also breeds horses in her stables.
The Queen speaks fluent French and does not need an interpreter during visits and audiences with representatives of Francophone countries.

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

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

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

Hello my wonderful readers!

Have you ever thought that if you look at world history over the past 60 years, the only thing that remains unchanged is Elizabeth II - the Queen of England? Isn't it surprising that after 60 years of changes and upheavals around the world, it still remains the country's favorite?

Therefore, today I invite you to plunge into history great woman, find out her brief biography, what was her childhood like, how she fought for her only love and why she remains the same symbol of Britain.

And, as a bonus, I'll share with you some amazing stories from the life of Elizabeth II.

The beginning of time!

If speak about short biography Elizabeth II, then it is worth starting, of course, from birth. On April 21, 1926, a little girl was born in one of the houses in London, the appearance of which made absolutely no stir in the family. Guess why? Because no one even imagined that one day this little one would become. The country at that time was ruled by her grandfather, and the throne was to be taken by her uncle and his heirs. So little Lilibet, as she was affectionately known in the family, was just one of the many members of the royal family.

But Elizabeth's uncle - Edward - could not cope with the fate of the heir to the throne. He decided to marry a twice-divorced lady named Wallis Simpson (and, as the head of the Anglican Church, such a marriage is forbidden to him), for the sake of which he abdicated. So, the king was the father of Elizabeth - Albert Frederick. And Elizabeth herself at the age of 11 became the full heir to the royal throne.

Elizabeth grew up as a quiet child. All your own free time she spent with horses and dogs. But in a quiet baby, a rebellious character lurked. One day, as a protest against the excessive strictness of a French teacher, she poured a jar of ink.

Love and marriage!

You know, if you remember all the fairy tales that we read in childhood, then you want the princess to find her prince, they fell in love with each other and lived happily ever after.

And Elizabeth fulfilled this dream of many girls. She fell in love. Fell in love once and for all. She met her husband at the Naval Academy.

It would seem that the Greek prince is the perfect match for the future queen. But the royal family opposed this union. Although Philip was a titled prince, he had nothing more than this very title. His mother ended her life in a psychiatric hospital, and his father became a gamer. And Britain accepted little boy into the navy to secure his future.

But Elizabeth still defended her right to love. Throughout the war, she wrote letters to him, and after it ended, she invited the Greek prince to get engaged. On November 20, 1947, the 21-year-old heir to the throne got married.

In 1952, the young decided to go to Kenya to relax. They lived in a hotel among ficus branches. And this was the only time in history when "the princess climbed a tree, and came down from there as a queen." Yes, unfortunately, her father died.

Why do people love Elizabeth II so much!

Elizabeth has ruled Britain for 60 years. And still remains the favorite of the people. Of course, now the queen practically does not decide anything in governing the country, but, according to polls, 2 out of 3 subjects of Britain do not represent their country without monarchy in general, and Queen Elizabeth in particular.

People love her for her dedication. She endured World War II as a young girl. She supported her fellow citizens, addressed the affected children on the radio. But she was just a little 13-year-old girl. And then she herself went to the front when she was only 18.

She is loved for her endurance and self-control. Once, during the celebration of the Queen's birthday in 1981, in the immediate vicinity of Elizabeth, who was sitting on a horse, shots were fired that made everyone around shudder. But, to the general delight, the Queen stayed in the saddle and did not even move her eyes.

People love her for her kindness, which is eloquently expressed by her love for animals. As already mentioned, in her youth, Elizabeth II was an excellent rider. And nimble journalists hundreds of times took her photo with cute red dogs, which have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.

Her Royal Highness is humble, easy to communicate with, hardworking, demanding, fair and considerate.

In addition, Elizabeth II is the head of the most famous family in Britain. They have a family, of course, as a selection. Prince Charles became famous as a polygamist, Prince Harry - a reveler and a brawler. And only until he disappointed the sweet old lady Prince William. But she still, like the kindest all-forgiving grandmother, loves all her children, grandchildren and great-grandsons.

What does an 89 year old lady do?

What do you think the queen does during the day? Now you say: walks in the garden with his dogs, looks at the flowers and breathes the air. And here are the nets! Let not even the thought appear in your heads that, being an 89-year-old old woman, you can lie in bed until dinner and do nothing! This is the schedule that the ruler of Britain adheres to.

She wakes up at 8 am, has breakfast and looks through the morning papers.
At 9 a.m., the Queen goes to her office and starts working on the paperwork. Every day she receives about 200-300 letters, but she always looks through her mail herself, and then dictates the answer to her assistants. She answers almost all emails.
Then comes the time of the "red box". These are documents from the government and representatives of other states.
At 11 o'clock pass important meetings. The Queen meets important people.
The queen usually dines at Buckingham Palace, where she lives and spends all her time.
After dinner, the Queen makes public visits. These can be schools, hospitals, military units, nursing homes, hostels for the homeless, and other places.
At 17 o'clock the queen .... You guessed it, drinking tea!
Dinner usually takes place in a formal setting. In the evening, she can take part in a film premiere, attend a concert, hold a charity event.
And only late at night, practically at the very last one, the light turns off in her room.

Interesting facts and stories from the life of Elizabeth II:

We can talk for a long time about why we, in Russia, do not understand such a frantic adoration of the English for their queen. We can be touched by the strength and character of the 89-year-old British granny. But one thing remains unchanged: Elizabeth II is the symbol of the country. A symbol, having lost which, the country will grieve for a very, very long time.

And if you, my dears, want to learn even more and more information about English culture, history and language - then subscribe to my blog newsletter. You will find a lot of useful information and interesting stories.

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See you soon!

The institution of the monarchy has been the most important phenomenon in the public life of Great Britain since the first English king William the Conqueror (Wilhelm the Conqueror) to the present. What is it - a relic of the past or a symbol of national unity, more than once uniting the British in difficult times? ..

In our article, we have tried to give a brief historical reference about ruling dynasty Windsor and the current reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II of England.

You can get acquainted with the regional information necessary for anyone who has seriously decided - the biography of the Queen of Great Britain, interesting facts and even curiosities from the life of the royal family - as well as get acquainted with the original and learn the translation of the national anthem of the British Empire. Learn English like a king!

royal family

The surname Windsor is relatively recent. During the First World War, the future grandfather of Elizabeth, King George V (cousin of both the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the last German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm), who belonged to the German Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty (the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) out of patriotic feelings defiantly renounced his German roots, adopting the surname Windsor [ˈwɪnzə], after the castle where the royal family lived at the time.

Thus, 1917 should be considered the beginning of the Windsor surname - the age for a European monarchical dynasty is quite young.

Until 1917, members of the royal family (Brit. Royals) did not have surnames: they were replaced by the name of the royal house and the name of the lands owned by the dynasty. Therefore, kings and queens signed only with the name -.

After the marriage of Princess Elizabeth Windsor to Prince Philip Mountbatten, it was decided that the heir to the throne would bear the surname Windsor, and descendants without the right to the throne would be called Mountbatten-Windsor.

The rest of the royalty have the right to choose their own surname: in addition to the surname Windsor, there are many others in the royal family tree (often the surname is replaced by the title).

Common forms of address to members of the royal family:

	HM-His (Her) Majesty	His (Her) Majesty	addressing a king or queen
prince and princess	HRH-His (Her) Royal Highness	His (Her) Royal Highness	addressing a prince or princess
Duke and Duchess		His (Her) Grace	addressing a duke or duchess
Earl and Countess, Viscount and Viscountess	The Rt Hon — The Right Honorable	The Honorable	address to the count and countess, viscount and viscountess

Young heiress

Little Lilipeth, as she was later called in the family, was born on April 21, 1926 in the family of a prince belonging to one of the most ancient and proud monarchies in Europe. And, what is especially important, it is ruling, albeit constitutional (the monarch rules his state only formally, since the laws are still adopted by the parliament elected by the people).

However, the golden-haired girl's chances of ruling the state were not so great: her father, Albert (Bertie) Windsor, Duke of York, was not the heir to the throne.

But chance intervened: the young princess had not even turned ten, when a romantic and scandalous story took place in the British Kingdom.

In 1936, Albert's older brother Edward, by that time already King Edward VIII, decided to marry the American Bessie Wallis Simpson, a woman divorced (twice!), And also suspected of having a relationship with military intelligence Hitler's Germany.

As the head of the Anglican Church, the king could not have shown his subjects a more egregious example of violating the seventh commandment “Do not commit adultery” (The Seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery”): to marry a divorced person (“divorced”), and even twice, and even a member of the royal family (“royal family”), was equated with adultery.

Everything and everyone was against the couple in love: the Archbishop of Canterbury, government ministers, and the British people. The king made a choice: after a reign of less than a year, Edward VIII abdicated (“abdicated”) in his own name and on behalf of his descendants (“descendants”), stating the following in his national radio speech:

And Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor - Bertie, father of Elizabeth - ascended the throne, taking the name of George VI and making the eldest of his two daughters heir to the imperial throne.

The Steadfast Tin Soldier

When World War II began (September 1, 1939), Princess Elisabeth was thirteen. London suffered from enemy bombing and the children of many residents of the capital were evacuated. But Elizabeth's mother flatly refused to leave London:

In 1940, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth made her first appearance on BBC radio, addressing the children of the evacuated cities:

In 1943, at the age of sixteen, the princess gave her first public speech to the soldiers of the Guards grenadier regiment(Grenadier Guards), of which she had been colonel (colonel) for several months. After completing a course in driving and mechanics, five months later, the princess was promoted to junior officers (Junior Commander).

But despite the mother's fears, the marriage turned out to be happy: after the wedding in 1947, according to tradition - in the Westminster Abbey of London, the prince and princess - and then the king and queen - lived in peace and harmony for many years , celebrating silver, gold and diamond weddings.

It is noteworthy that the princess bought the fabric for her wedding dress with coupons - in the post-war period in the UK there were restrictions on the purchase of food, clothing, shoes, etc.; out of solidarity with the people, members of the royal family adhered to the generally accepted card system.

The heir to the dynasty, Prince Charles, was born in 1948, and a few years later, Princess Anne, Princes Andrew and Edward were born.

Queen's crown!

The coronation of 25-year-old Elizabeth II as the monarch of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon took place on June 2, 1953 (her father had died a year earlier, in 1952).

The dress for the ceremony, like the queen's once wedding dress, was created by fashion designer Norman Hartnell. It was a work of art imbued with deep symbolism: the white silk of the robe was embroidered with floral motifs symbolizing the countries of the Commonwealth.

On a luxurious royal dress, there were: English Tudor rose (Tudor rose), Scottish thistle (thistle [ˈθɪs(ə)l]), Welsh leek (leek), Irish clover (shamrock), Australian acacia (wattle [ˈwɒt(ə) l]), Canadian maple leaf (maple [ˈmeɪp(ə)l] leaf), New Zealand fern (fern), South African protea (protea), lotus flowers (lotus flowers), symbolizing India and Ceylon, as well as the emblems of Pakistan - wheat ( wheat), cotton (cotton) and jute (jute).

For luck, the creator of the dress, secretly from the customer, placed on it a leaf of a four-leaf clover just where the queen's left hand should have touched it.

The coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey was not much different from the traditional one: except that it was the first such ceremony to be shown on television.

The coronation was accompanied by a magnificent celebration throughout the Commonwealth, and in London, in honor of the new queen, an official coronation luncheon was given, at which the chefs pleased the guests with the Coronation Chicken, a dish created especially for this occasion.

How to address the queen

You can write to Her Majesty at the following address:
Her Majesty The Queen
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA
If you want to follow all the rules of etiquette when communicating with the Queen in writing, contact your addressee (addressee) Madam, and complete your message with the following phrase:

However, you may well adhere to a free style of presentation: after all, it is known that the queen even understands, because she often has to “SMS” with her older grandchildren.

Elizabeth II holds many titles and honorary titles, including the seemingly "male" titles of Duke of Normandy and Lord of Maine. But the official website of the British monarchy, when communicating with the queen, advises at the beginning of a conversation to simply address her: Your Majesty ("Your Majesty"), and after that - Madam or Ma "am. By the way, it is becoming increasingly popular with the queen, do not miss your chance:

National Anthem of the British Empire

Its origin dates back to the eighteenth century. Depending on the gender of the monarch—and in the United Kingdom there are 40 monarchs: 34 kings and 6 queens, including the living one—the hymn was called God Save The King (“God Save the King”) or God Save The Queen (“God Save queen"). The authorship of the words and music has not been established.

God save the queen!

(free translation)

God save our merciful queen!
Long live our noble queen!
God save the queen!
Give her victory
Happiness and glory
And a long reign over us,
God save the queen!

Your chosen gifts
Shower her with Your mercy,
May she reign for a long time.
May she protect our laws,
To always give us a reason
Sing with heart and voice:
"God save the queen!"

There are many different variations of the British anthem: we have given only a brief official version, and you can find extended and modified versions in the English-language Wikipedia.

From point of view English grammar, the British anthem is interesting primarily for two reasons:

The use of archaisms (the shortened version included only the obsolete form of the pronoun your - thy [ðʌɪ]).
The wide use of the subjunctive mood, the Present Subjunctive, the subjunctive mood of the present, which is formed using the infinitive of the semantic verb without the to particle, means a wish:
God to save the Queen! God bless you!

Wherein:
The verb be remains unchanged regardless of the person:
I be
he, she, it be
we, you, they be
In other cases, compared with the indicative mood, verbs in the 3rd person singular. h. missing ending -s:
he/she/it make s
Also used in wishes modal verb may:
May the force be with you! - May the force be with you!

So, God save the Queen! Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, Her Majesty Elizabeth II, By the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Her Other Kingdoms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, Defender of the Faith.

Symbol English state, a mother of four children, a steadfast and courageous person, a passionate animal lover and a woman who is pleasant in every way!

In contact with

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 kind Interesting Facts 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 the external and internal politics, but nevertheless, all decisions in the state are made on its 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 rule 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.

Elizabeth II in October 1942

“In general, no one taught me to be a queen: my father died too early and it happened so unexpectedly - I had to immediately get involved in the business and at the same time try not to lose face in the dirt. I had to grow up to the position that I took. It was fate, it should have been accepted and not grumbled. I think continuity is very important. My job is for life."
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain

I wonder what it's like to celebrate your birthday for more than 50 years twice a year? This question can be answered by Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926 in London, and for many years her birthday has been celebrated throughout the United Kingdom not only on April 21, but also on the 3rd Saturday of June.

The title of Her Royal Majesty in the United Kingdom is: "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other Possessions and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she became queen, and has been so for several decades now.

Birthdays are celebrated every year at Windsor Castle. It begins with a walk around the city (if this action, of course, can be called that). A 21-shot salute is certainly given, which sounds at noon.

Throughout her reign, the queen has been 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 the UK is at its best.

Royal

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, the queen of 15 independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. He is also Head of the Anglican Church and Supreme Commander armed forces Great Britain.

Coats of arms in different periods of time 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 Scotland)

Royal coat of arms in Scotland

Royal coat of arms in Canada

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, the Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

During the reign of Elizabeth II, in all countries recognizing the British monarch as their head of state, laws were passed according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as head of this particular state, regardless of his titles in Great Britain proper or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries, the title of the queen sounds the same, with the name of the state replaced. In some countries, the words "defender of the faith" are excluded from the title. For example, in Australia, the title sounds like this: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God the 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".

Story

Elizabeth II is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She is currently the second longest-serving head of state in history (after Queen Victoria) and also the second longest-serving head of state in the world (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the world's oldest female incumbent head of state, and in Europe the oldest incumbent head of state.

He is the oldest reigning monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

During the reign of Elizabeth II, a very wide period of British history falls: the process of decolonization was completed, 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 long ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1970

public perception

At the moment, the majority of Britons positively assess the activities of Elizabeth II as a monarch (about 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).

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

In 1963, when a political crisis arose in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for having personally appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1997, for the lack of an immediate reaction to the death of Princess Diana, the queen fell not only with the anger of the British public, but even of many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death with a cane, a wave of indignation from environmental organizations swept across the country about the actions of the monarch.

Elizabeth II is the last representative of the so-called "old school" of monarchs: she strictly adheres to centuries-old traditions and ceremonies and never deviates from the rules of established etiquette. Her Majesty never gives interviews or makes press statements. She is in front of everyone, but at the same time is the most closed celebrity on the planet.

Princess Elizabeth with her pet, July 1936

Childhood

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London's Mayfair at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at Brewton Street, house number 17. Now the area has been rebuilt, and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been erected on this site. She got her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).

Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her paternal grandparents were King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); by mother - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1938).

At the same time, the father insisted that the first name of the daughter be 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 girl's name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Mary. The names are all good, I told him so, but about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was redundant." The christening of Princess Elizabeth took place on May 25 in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, later destroyed during the war years.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1930

In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

The future queen received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. She loved horses and equestrian sports since childhood. And also from childhood, unlike her more eccentric sister Margaret, she had a truly royal character. In the biography of Elizabeth II, Sarah Bradford mentions that the future queen from childhood was a very serious child, who even then had a certain understanding of the duties that fell on her as the heir to the throne, and a sense of duty. Since childhood, Elizabeth loved order, so, for example, when she went to bed, she always put slippers next to the bed, never allowing herself to scatter things in the room, as is typical for many children. And already as a queen, she always made sure that no extra light burned in the palace, personally turning off the lights in empty rooms.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1926

Photo of 1929, Elizabeth is 3 years old here

Princess Elizabeth in 1933

King George VI and (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Angela, Duchess of York (1900-2002), with their daughter, the future Queen - Princess Elizabeth, 1929

The Queen and her daughters, October 1942

princess at war

Second World War began when Elizabeth was 13 years old. On October 13, 1940, she made her first radio appearance, addressing children affected by the disasters of the war. In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of the Guards Grenadiers. In 1944, she became one of the five "state councilors" (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" - women's self-defense units - and was trained as an ambulance driver, receiving the military rank of lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months, which gives reason to consider her the last participant in the Second World War who has not yet retired (the penultimate one was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).

Princess Elizabeth (left, in military uniform) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (from left to right) her mother Queen Elizabeth, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King George VI and Princess Margaret, May 8, 1945

Wedding

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 liberties - 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.

Four children were born in their family: the heir to the throne - the eldest son Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born 1948); Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (born 1950); Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (born 1960), Edward Anthony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).

Coronation and beginning of reign

King George VI, Elizabeth's father, died February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, who at that time was on vacation with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.

The coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. This was the first televised coronation of a British monarch, and is credited with having contributed significantly to the rise of television broadcasting.

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

The Queen with her six ladies-in-waiting
From left to right:
Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now Lady Glenconner), Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (now Lady Rosemary Muir), Lady Mary Bailey-Hamilton (now Lady Mary Russell), Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond- Willoughby (now Baroness de Willoughby de Eresby), Lady Jane Van Tempest-Stuart (now The Honorable Lady Rayne)

Young Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen began her political activities, which included the opening of Parliament and the reception of prime ministers. In the fifties of the twentieth century, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made many visits to the territory of the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth.

Meeting of Elizabeth II with the heads of the Commonwealth countries in 1960

In the sixties, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin in the midst of cold war, and also invited the Japanese Emperor Hirohito on an official visit to Britain. Despite the turbulent social and political situation, she celebrated her silver jubilee in 1977. The celebrations were a success, thousands of people celebrated the anniversary of Elizabeth II across the country.

Mature years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

Five years later, Britain was involved in hostilities against the Falklands, during which Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot. In the eighties of the twentieth century, the first grandchildren of the Queen were born - Peter and Zara Phillips, the son and daughter of Anna, Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips.

In 1992, a catastrophe occurred, as a result of which a fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle. That same year, the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne were annulled. The Queen called 1992 a "terrible year". In 1996, the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was annulled. Tragedy followed in 1997 when Diana died in a car accident.

2002 was a sad year for Queen Elizabeth II of England, as her sister Princess Margaret died.

Reign of Queen Elizabeth II

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, many changes were made in the UK. The Queen successfully fulfills her political duties as head of state, head of the Commonwealth of Nations, ceremonial duties, as well as visiting duties within and outside the UK.

Elizabeth II introduced many reforms to the monarchy. In 1992, she proposed taxes on profits and capital gains. She opened official royal residences to the people, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, in order to fund the upkeep of the royal family.

She supported the abolition of male primogeniture and single inheritance, which means that now the eldest child can inherit the throne, regardless of gender.

In 2012, the Queen of England celebrated her 60th birthday, with celebrations taking place across the country, once again demonstrating the love of the British.

The style of clothing of the English Queen Elizabeth II

The style of the English queen can be conditionally divided into two periods: the style of the young queen - the style is conservative and elegant, and the style of the elderly queen, I would call it the style of "merry grandmother" or even "rainbow style", because of the incredible number of changing colors in her costumes and hats . However, the English queen has always loved colors.

Throughout her life, the main elements of the wardrobe of Queen Elizabeth II were: dresses or suits of medium length, necessarily covering the knee, coats and raincoats of A-line cut, plus floor-length dresses for special occasions, as well as hats, always in tone with the suit, gloves, closed shoes , a brooch on a jacket and a string of pearls. The Queen of England also always preferred short haircuts. Favorite colors are pink, lilac and indigo.

Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Odeon Cinema on October 31, 1955. (Photo: Monty Fresco/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth II becomes Queen after the death of her father in February 1952, and her coronation took place on June 2, 1952. At that time, namely in the 1940s and 1950s, Norman Hartnell sewed dresses for the princess, and then the queen. And Elizabeth more than once appeared in public in dresses with puffy skirts made of duchesse satin or silk. The design of her wedding dress Ivory and decorated with silver threads also belongs to Norman Hartnell, however, as well as the design of the coronation dress.

From the mid-1950s and throughout the 60s, Hardy Amis sewed for the Queen. It is he who brings a sense of simplicity to the queen's outfits, but this simplicity is only external, because behind it lies a very complex cut. He sewed his first dresses for the Queen back in 1948, when Elizabeth asked him to create a wardrobe for a trip to Canada.

Since the 1970s, Ian Thomas, a former assistant to Norman Hartnell and now the owner of his own salon, has been sewing for the Queen. Its distinguishing feature was the flying chiffon dresses that appeared in the wardrobe of the queen. After his death and until the late 1980s, Maureen Rose of Ian Thomas' design house sewed for Queen Elizabeth.

From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the wardrobe of the English queen was replenished with outfits from John Anderson, because after his death, his partner Carl Ludwig Rese became the queen's court designer.

Since 2000, the youngest, by age, of Her Majesty's court designers, Stuart Parvin, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, has been sewing for Elizabeth II. In 2002, Angela Kelly became his assistant.

The Queen of England is 86 years old. But she still steadily fulfills all the duties assigned to her and appears in public, invariably following her style.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Prince Andrew (center), Princess Anne (left) and Charles, Prince of Wales near Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Queen Victoria's husband purchased Balmoral Castle in 1846. Queen Victoria visited Scotland frequently with her family, especially after the death of her husband in 1861, and Balmoral is still a favorite holiday destination for the royal family. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). September 9, 1960

Hobby

The Queen's interests include dog breeding (including Corgis, Spaniels and Labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige of the Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively in her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits on her account (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). I have been gardening since 2009. In addition to English, he is also fluent French

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Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were photographed with penguins at the London Zoo. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Around 1938

Interesting Facts

Elizabeth II does not give interviews. Nevertheless, interesting facts about this outstanding woman periodically flash in the press, which allow us to look at the most famous reigning lady of our time from an unexpected angle, we have chosen the most striking, in our opinion, moments.

The celebration of the royal birthday in 1981 was overshadowed by an unpleasant event: near the horse on which Elizabeth was sitting, taking the parade, shots rang out, making everyone around shudder. The queen, to the delight of the public, did not even raise an eyebrow and managed to stay in the saddle.

Her self-control came in handy a year later, when, while waiting for the police, for several minutes she had to conduct a conversation with a madman who managed to get into the chambers.

In 1945, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, the future Queen of England, served as a mechanic in a reserve battalion of the British army with the rank of junior officer. Obviously, the example of a "combat" grandmother inspired the young princes William and Harry, who also did not shirk military service.

Family values for Elizabeth II is not an empty phrase. For the sake of her son's happiness, she stepped over rigid rules and blessed the second marriage of the Prince of Wales Charles to socialite Camilla Parker-Bowles, despite the hype about this.

On April 17, 2013, for the second time in the history of her reign, the Queen attended the funeral of a British politician: she said goodbye to Margaret Thatcher.

Despite the solid image, the queen is not alien to female coquetry and small weaknesses. Rogue paparazzi more than once caught the moment when she at social events, not embarrassed by the crowd and her high position, publicly corrected her makeup. Etiquette is etiquette, and a real queen should look gorgeous!

The Queen's passion is horses and Corgi dogs. In her youth, Elizabeth rode well, but now she pays more attention to charming red dogs, which, thanks to her, have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.

Elizabeth II is the oldest English monarch in history and the second longest-serving British monarch. She is also the oldest female current head of state.

In honor of Elizabeth II, the rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named.

Films about Elizabeth II

In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years was released - "Churchill Goes to War!", Where the role of Elizabeth was played by Neve Campbell.

In 2006, the biopic The Queen was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA winner in the Best Film category. Actress Helen Mirren, who played the title role in the film, won the Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar as Best Picture.

In 2009, the 4th channel of British television (Channel 4) filmed a 5-episode fictional mini-series "The Queen" ("The Queen", directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reams). 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 parachute 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 of the role of a James Bond girl.

In architecture

The Queen Elizabeth Avenue in Esplanade Park in Singapore is named after the Queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called the "Elizabeth Tower" since September 2012.
A bridge in Duford, completed 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 Windsor Great Park

Photo gallery

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose (1930-2002) with their parents at the Boy Scout parade at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. (Photo: / Getty Images). 1932

King George and Queen Elizabeth with Princesses Elizabeth (center) and Margaret and members of the royal family in full uniform on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their coronation, May 12, 1937.

The Queen, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose and Royal Archers, 1937

Princess Elizabeth with a pony in Windsor Park, Berkshire. Photo taken April 21, 1939

King George VI with his wife, Queen Elizabeth and children, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at Royal Lodge, Windsor, April 11, 1942. (Photo: Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Getty Images)

Princess Elizabeth travels from Buckingham Palace in London to the Horse Guards parade wearing a military hat with the emblem of the Grenadier Guards. (Photo: Getty Images). June 12, 1947

Queen Elizabeth II parade in Central London, June 7, 1952. (Photo: William Vanderson/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth in the park of Buckingham Palace. 1939

Princess Elizabeth, March 1945

With newborn Prince Charles, December 1948

Princess Elizabeth with her son Prince Charles. September 1950

Queen Elizabeth II on her way to Westminster to preside over the Opening of Parliament after her accession to the throne, November 4, 1952

Princess Anne at her mother's coronation

The Queen with her newborn son Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace. March 1960

In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, a third son, Prince Edward.