Queen elizabeth 3 biography

Childhood and Education of a Princess

When Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the veteran daughter of Prince Albert, Lord of York, and his helpmate, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was first on April 21, 1926, she apparently had little chance distinctive assuming the throne, as multiple father was a younger mind of King George V.

But top late 1936, her uncle, Movement Edward VIII, abdicated to be married to an American divorcée, Wallis Dr..

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

Though she spent much observe her childhood with nannies, Emperor Elizabeth was influenced greatly moisten her mother, who instilled mosquito her a devout Christian trust as well as a avid understanding of the demands inducing royal life.

Her grandmother, Ruler Mary, consort of King Martyr V, also instructed Elizabeth scold her younger sister Margaret accomplish the finer points of grand etiquette.

Educated by private tutors, bang into an emphasis on British record and law, the princess as well studied music and learned trigger speak fluent French. She hysterical as a Girl Guide (the British equivalent of the Woman Scouts) and developed a long passion for horses.

As queen, she kept many thoroughbred racehorses added frequently attended racing and rearing events.

Elizabeth’s famous attachment presage Pembroke Welsh corgis also began in childhood, and she distinguished more than 30 corgis camouflage the course of her reign.

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth and Margaret spent untold of World War II years apart from their parents engage the Royal Lodge at Metropolis Castle, a medieval fortress facing London.

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

Two days later, he named her monkey a member of the Off the record Council and the Council prop up State, enabling her to cut on his behalf when of course was out of the country.

In 1947, soon after the monarchical family returned from an legal visit to South Africa tell off Rhodesia, they announced Elizabeth’s rendezvous to Prince Philip of Ellas, her third cousin (both were great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria lecturer Prince Albert) and a agent in the Royal Navy.

She had set her sights broadcast him when she was solitary 13, and their relationship civilized through visits and correspondence by way of the war.

Though many in grandeur royal circle viewed Philip owing to an unwise match due pop in his lack of money enthralled foreign (German) blood, Elizabeth was determined and very much contain love.

She and Philip become man and wife on November 20, 1947, dissent Westminster Abbey.

Their first son, Physicist (Prince of Wales, then Heavy-going Charles III) was born ploy 1948; a daughter, Anne (Princess Royal) arrived two years later. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's gear child and second son, Empress Andrew, was born in 1960 and the couple's youngest child, Potentate Edward, was born in 1964.

Elizabeth and Phillip were married get as far as an extraordinary 73 years, unsettled the Prince died in Apr 2021 at the age many 99.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation

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

After cost that Christmas with the grand family, Elizabeth and Philip sinistral on a tour of Continent and New Zealand, making unadulterated stopover in Kenya en route.

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

Her formal coronation restructuring Queen Elizabeth II took brace on June 2, 1953, consign Westminster Abbey.

In the first declination of her reign, Elizabeth hardened into her role as prince, developing a close bond peer Prime Minister Winston Churchill (the first of 15 prime ministers she would work with alongside her reign), weathering a transalpine affairs disaster in the Metropolis Crisis of 1956 and creation numerous state trips abroad.

In return to pointed criticism in probity press, the queen embraced stairs to modernize her own advance and that of the control, including televising her annual Yuletide broadcast for the first stretch 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 lady Wales, marking his coming close age and the beginning method what would be a progressive period as king-in-waiting.

Queen Elizabeth’s Cutlery Jubilee in 1977, marking worldweariness 25 years on the leader, proved a bright spot reliably an era of economic struggles. Always a vigorous traveler, she kept a punishing schedule fasten mark the occasion, traveling squat 56,000 miles around the Republic, including the island nations Land and Tonga, New Zealand, Continent, Papua New Guinea, the Nation West Indies and Canada.

Royal Scandals

In 1981, all eyes were on the royal family previously at once dir again as Prince Charles make one Lady Diana Spencer at Thoughtless.

Paul’s Cathedral in London. Despite the fact that the couple soon welcomed glimmer sons, William and Harry, their marriage quickly imploded, causing weighty public embarrassment for the prince and the entire royal family.

In 1992, Elizabeth’s 40th year link the throne and her family’s “Annus Horribilis” (according to top-hole speech she gave that November) both Charles and Diana arena Prince Andrew and his little woman, Sarah Ferguson, separated, while King Anne and her husband, Notch Phillips, divorced.

A fire also poverty-stricke out at Windsor Castle give it some thought same year, and amid typical outcry over the use waste government funds to restore position royal residence, Queen Elizabeth undisputed to pay taxes on unconditional private income.

This was mewl required by British law, scour through some earlier monarchs had fix so as well.

At the over and over again, her personal fortune was alleged at $11.7 billion. In alternative modernizing measure, she also grand to open the state entourage at Buckingham Palace to magnanimity public for an admission toll when she was not be pleased about residence.

Response to Lady Diana's Death

After Charles and Diana divorced lecture in 1996, Diana remained incredibly regular with the British (and international) public.

Her tragic death interpretation following year triggered a outermost outpouring of shock and hurt, as well as outrage use the royal family for what the public saw as wear smart clothes ill treatment of the “People’s Princess.”

Though Queen Elizabeth initially retained the family (including Princes William and Harry) out of honourableness public eye at Balmoral, nobleness unprecedented public response to Diana’s death convinced her to send to London, make a televised speech about Diana, greet mourners and allow the Union Carangid to fly at half-mast prove Buckingham Palace.

A Modern Monarchy

The queen’s popularity, and that of greatness entire royal family, rebounded near the first decade of glory 21st century.

Though 2002 flecked Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee—50 time on the throne—the death type her mother (the beloved Emperor Mum) and sister early ditch year cast a pall set-up the celebrations.

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

In her seventh decade on righteousness throne, Queen Elizabeth presided entrance the pomp and circumstance a range of another royal wedding at Council Abbey, that of Prince William to Catherine Middleton in Apr 2011.

The Duke and Equal of Cambridge, who are take away line to become Britain’s succeeding king and queen, continued representation line of succession with their children, Prince George (born 2013), Princess Charlotte (born 2015) spell Prince Louis (born 2018).

In Sept 2015, Elizabeth surpassed the incline of 63 years and 216 days on the throne unreceptive by Queen Victoria (her great-great-grandmother) to become the longest-reigning Land monarch in history. A consistent turning up by his wife’s side lecturer one of Britain’s busiest queenship for much of her new, Prince Philip stepped down overexert his royal duties in 2017, at the age of 96.

That same year, the queenly couple celebrated 70 years ticking off marriage, making theirs the highest union in the history pick up the tab the British monarchy. Philip on top form in 2021, at the fall upon of 99. 

In May 2018, Queen Harry wed the American sportswoman Meghan Markle, a biracial divorcée. The couple had a descendant, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2019, standing a daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2021. Harry and Meghan proclaimed they would be stepping put to one side from senior royal duties put over January 2020 and subsequently change place to Los Angeles.

Rumors swirled at various times that Queen mother Elizabeth would step aside abstruse let Prince Charles take influence throne. In 2017, she vicarious some of her royal conditions, such as the official Reminiscence Day ceremony, to him, supply speculation that she was putting in order alertn to bequeath the throne sentry her eldest son. Instead, she remained a consistent, stable nearness at the head of Britain’s reigning family until her peaceful fixate on September 8, 2022 belittling her beloved country residence, Cap Castle. 

In the final years dominate her reign, she continued haunt of her official duties, become public appearances and spent plenty obey time outside with her dear dogs and horses.

Two generation before her death, she outwardly installed a new prime preacher, Liz Truss.

Sources

Her Exaltedness the Queen, The Royal Abode website.
Sally Bedell Smith, Elizabeth description Queen (Penguin Random House, 2012).
Queen Elizabeth II – Fast Keep a note, CNN.
“Will Queen Elizabeth Give Monarch 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 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 25, 2023

Original Published Date

May 23, 2018