LONDON — Days after the funeral of her husband of 73 years, Queen Elizabeth II turned 95 Wednesday, marking a milestone birthday without Prince Philip by her side. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. Working backwards in time, the tie can be traced: Elizabeth's father was George VI (1895 to 1952). Privately, she became a keen horsewoman; she keeps racehorses, frequently attends races, and periodically visits the Kentucky stud farms in the United States. Current monarch: Queen Elizabeth II The elder of King George VI's two children (both girls), Elizabeth became queen in 1952. https://www.biography.com/royalty/queen-elizabeth-ii. Elizabeth II in her coronation robes, photograph by Cecil Beaton, 1953. Having dealt with several physical setbacks in recent years, Philip, who had been Elizabeth’s husband for more than seven decades, died in April 2021. However, she confers regularly with her prime ministers. She continued making more than 400 engagements per year, maintaining her support of hundreds of charitable organizations and programs. In 1945, Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to help in the war effort. The Princess Elizabeth became an honorary colonel of the Grenadier Guards regiment in 1942. She became a leading public health activist during her lifetime. She is also a great-grandmother to 10. Queen Elizabeth was the Queen consort of King George VI until his death in 1952. At the time of their wedding, Great Britain was still recovering from the ravages of World War II, and Elizabeth collected clothing coupons to get fabric for her gown. In 1981 32-year-old Charles wed 19-year-old Diana Spencer (best known as Princess Diana), with later rumors surfacing that he was pressured into the marriage from his family. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth does not weigh in on political matters, nor does she reveal her political views. Elizabeth II, queen of the United Kingdom from February 6, 1952, the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Elizabeth has worked tirelessly to protect the image of the monarchy and to prepare for its future. DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S QUEEN ELIZABETH II FACT CARD. Elizabeth married her distant cousin Philip Mountbatten and had four children: Prince Charles (heir apparent), Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward. She had another vivid experience outside of the monarchy when she and Margaret were allowed to mingle anonymously among the citizenry on Victory in Europe Day. Elizabeth was grounded in history by C.H.K. In 1542 the Scottish throne went to Mary, Queen of Scots, a controversial monarch who became France's queen consort and claimed the English crown. Despite having lived her life in front of the camera for decades, Her Majesty is an intensely private woman who believes in maintaining the mystery of the monarchy and who has kept her personal preferences and private life largely under wraps. In 1973 she attended the Commonwealth Conference in Ottawa, Canada, and in 1976 traveled to the United States for the 200th anniversary celebration of America’s independence from Britain. In the wake of Diana's death in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, Elizabeth experienced intense media scrutiny. Elizabeth II is Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. She enjoyed a father-figure relationship with the iconic Winston Churchill and was later able to loosen up a bit and be somewhat informal with Labour leaders Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. On May 6, 2019, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and his wife, Meghan Markle, gave the queen another great-grandchild with the birth of their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. On their 50th wedding anniversary, in 1997, Elizabeth had said of Philip, “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years.”. Appointed colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards by her father, Elizabeth made her first public appearance inspecting the troops in 1942. linktr.ee/theroyalfamily Omissions? When Elizabeth became queen, post-war Britain still had a substantial empire, dominions and dependencies. The event changed the course of her life, making her the heir presumptive to the British crown. Sir Gerald Wollaston reading the official proclamation of Elizabeth being queen of England, February 8, 1952. Okay, technically they’re called Girl Guides in England, but it’s essentially the same thing. Elizabeth has had 14 prime ministers placed into power during her reign, with queen and PM having a weekly, confidential meeting. On July 22, 2013, Elizabeth's grandson William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, welcomed their first child, George Alexander Louis — a successor to the throne known officially as "His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.". Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been married to her husband, Prince Philip, for over 70 years. Early in 1947 Princess Elizabeth went with the king and queen to South Africa. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reportedly spoke with Queen Elizabeth II after Prince Philip’s funeral over the weekend, despite not being able to attend the service. Later, Conservative leader David Cameron, who is Elizabeth's fifth cousin removed, enjoyed a warm rapport with the queen. She celebrated 65 years on the throne in February 2017 with her … When Charles and Camilla wed in 2005, Elizabeth and Prince Philip did not attend the civil ceremony but attended a religious blessing and held a reception in their honor at Windsor Castle. Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, served as empress of Russia for more than three decades in the late 18th century after overthrowing her husband, Peter III. Also in May, Elizabeth made a historic trip to Ireland, becoming both the first British monarch to visit the Irish republic and the first to set foot in Ireland since 1911. She was then laid up until converted and since 18 April 2018 has been operating as a floating hotel in Dubai. Queen Elizabeth II greeting children at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center during a visit to the United States, May 2007. These attempts were met with mixed success. However, in late 2017 the monarchy took what was considered a major step toward transitioning to the next generation: On November 12, Charles handled the traditional Remembrance Sunday duty of placing a wreath at the Cenotaph war memorial, as the queen watched from a nearby balcony. Philip passed away on April 9, 2021, at age 99. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Royal family portrait, August 22, 1951. Hundreds of millions of people tuned in to see the ceremony on television. The Duchy of Lancaster, which holds assets for the queen, confirmed that some of its investments were overseas accounts, but insisted they were all legitimate. Elizabeth II with (from left) Princess Anne, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, and Prince Charles. In addition, as the country struggled with a recession, resentment over the royals’ lifestyle mounted, and in 1992 Elizabeth, although personally exempt, agreed to pay taxes on her private income. She became Queen when her father, King George VI, died on 6 February 1952. Updates? For much of her life, the queen has surrounded herself with dogs. In the summer of 1951 the health of King George VI entered into a serious decline, and Princess Elizabeth represented him at the Trooping the Colour and on various other state occasions. Queen Elizabeth II's birth name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, after the names of her mother, Elizabeth, her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and … Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died at … (Elizabeth has also met about a quarter of all the U.S. presidents in history, most recently receiving Donald Trump for a state visit in June 2019.). (From left) Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, the duke of Edinburgh, King George VI, and Princess Elizabeth. Elizabeth is known to favour simplicity in court life and is also known to take a serious and informed interest in government business, aside from the traditional and ceremonial duties. Although the author insisted that "the book doesn’t contain anything naughty," the queen responded in early 2018 by revoking Rigby & Peller's royal warrant. As part of her “Golden Jubilee,” events were held throughout the Commonwealth, including several days of festivities in London. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are both related to Queen Victoria. The IRA (Irish Republican Army), which opposed British rule in Northern Ireland, took responsibility for the attack. [1] The Queen’s full official title is “Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other realms and territories Queen, … Elizabeth was born to Prince Albert and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and had a younger sister, Princess Margaret. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. In April 2011 Elizabeth led the family in celebrating the wedding of Prince William of Wales—the elder son of Charles and Diana—and Catherine Middleton. She was smitten with him from the start. After her return there was an announcement of her betrothal to her distant cousin Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten of the Royal Navy, formerly Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. As Britain's longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II is a worldwide symbol of nobility, grace, and duty. In 2019, following years of scandal surrounding his controversial business pursuits and friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew was forced to step down from public duties, following a media firestorm. More than a week later she was in Montreal, Canada, to open the Summer Olympics. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. When the press got wind of the fact that Prince Philip was nowhere to be seen during this incident, they speculated about the state of the royal marriage. On September 9, 2015, she surpassed Victoria’s record reign of 63 years and 216 days. In 1982, Elizabeth worried about her second son, Prince Andrew, who served as a helicopter pilot in the British Royal Navy during the Falklands War. The family took on the name Windsor, a move pushed by her mother and Prime Minister Winston Churchill which caused tension with her husband. Known to be a stickler for ceremony and tradition, she eventually started to show signs of softening her stance over the years. Actress Elizabeth Taylor starred in films like 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' and 'Butterfield 8' but was just as famous for her violet eyes and scandalous love life. She enjoys reading mysteries, working on crossword puzzles and, reportedly, even watching wrestling on television. As the child of a younger son of King George V, the young Elizabeth had little prospect of acceding to the throne until her uncle, Edward VIII (afterward duke of Windsor), abdicated in her father’s favour on December 11, 1936, at which time her father became King George VI and she became heir presumptive. Royal Family. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The once-revered institution has weathered a number of storms, including death threats against the royal family. During World War II she and her sister, Princess Margaret Rose, perforce spent much of their time safely away from the London blitz and separated from their parents, living mostly at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, and Windsor Castle. In 1961 she made the first royal British tour of the Indian subcontinent in 50 years, and she was also the first reigning British monarch to visit South America (in 1968) and the Persian Gulf countries (in 1979). As queen, Elizabeth has modernized the monarchy, dropping some of its formalities and making certain sites and treasures more accessible to the public. Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, to Prince Albert, Duke of York (later known as King George VI), and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The queen chose to spend the day quietly at Sandringham, her country estate north of London, where she attended a church service. In 2002 Elizabeth celebrated her 50th year on the throne. In line with her earlier attempts at modernizing the monarchy, the queen subsequently sought to present a less-stuffy and less-traditional image of the monarchy. She is known to favor simplicity in court life and is also known to take a serious and informed interest in government business, aside from traditional and ceremonial roles. In 1992, another of Elizabeth’s children, Prince Andrew, ended up in the tabloids, after photos emerged of his wife Sarah Ferguson and another man engaged in romantic activity. For the first time ever, the coronation ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the pomp and spectacle of the event. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Queen Elizabeth II participated in her first public engagement on Tuesday since the funeral of her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip. Elizabeth is a direct descendant of Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother. Queen Elizabeth II serves 25,000 days on British throne. Elizabeth had assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch on February 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI, died. With her legacy of era-defining looks, Queen Elizabeth II is indisputably a style icon. Her financial and property holdings have made her one of the world’s richest women. In London, there were royal gun salutes at Green Park and at the Tower of London to mark the occasion. Princess Anne is in the baby carriage. The surname Windsor proudly retained by Queen Elizabeth II was first assumed by the British royals during World War I. In the 1990s, however, the royal family faced a number of challenges. From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926) is the Queen of the United Kingdom, and the other Commonwealth realms. Elizabeth II, in full Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, officially Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, (born April 21, 1926, London, England), queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from February 6, 1952. Elizabeth is also a horse enthusiast who bred thoroughbreds and attended racing events for many years. She has ruled for longer than any other monarch in British history. He and three others, including one of his grandsons, were killed. On May 2, 2015, William and Kate welcomed their second child, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, the queen's fifth great-grandchild. Elizabeth had two more children — sons Andrew and Edward — in 1960 and 1964, respectively. She is best known for her moral support to the British people during WWII and her longevity. Her British ancestors include Queen Victoria (ruled 1837 to 1901) and King George III (ruled 1760 to 1820). She is also a descendant of Queen Victoria. However, during the 1950s and 1960s, many of these possessions achieved independence and the British Empire evolved into the Commonwealth of Nations. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The couple divorced soon after. In November 2017, the media reported the queen had some $13 million invested in offshore accounts. The 39 … Queen Elizabeth II reading a speech from the throne at the state opening of Parliament, 1958. The news came following the leak of the so-called "Paradise Papers" to a German newspaper, which shared the documents with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Elizabeth was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey, at the age of 27. Despite the occasional call to step aside for Charles, Elizabeth remained steadfast in her royal obligations as she passed her 90th birthday. The two kept in touch over the years and eventually fell in love. The queen’s other children were Princess Anne (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise), born August 15, 1950, and created princess royal in 1987; Prince Andrew (Andrew Albert Christian Edward), born February 19, 1960, and created duke of York in 1986; and Prince Edward (Edward Anthony Richard Louis), born March 10, 1964, and created earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn in 1999. In 1957, after state visits to various European nations, she and the duke visited Canada and the United States. Elizabeth assumed the title of queen upon her father’s death in 1952. Queen Elizabeth II became queen on February 6, 1952, and was crowned on June 2, 1953. Elizabeth II and coronation guests, June 2, 1953. Elizabeth was born into royalty as the daughter of the second son of King George V. 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