Biography. Royal dynasty The story of Elizabeth 2 Queen of England

Ancestors 1. Elizabeth II Windsor, Queen of Great Britain
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She has written three books on European monarchies. Before her marriage to the prince, she was engaged in interior design. The British Parliament does not allocate funds for the existence of the family of Prince of Kent, so the couple actively earn money. They did not amass much wealth. The Queen pays £120,000 annually towards their living expenses at Kensington Palace. ()

Full title form: Her Royal Highness Princess Michael George Charles Franklin of Kent

Lord Frederick Michael George David Louis Windsor, only son of Prince Michael of Kent

Lady Gabriella Marina Alexandra Ophelia Windsor, only daughter of Prince Michael

On November 16, 2010, Buckingham Palace officials officially announcedthat Britain's Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton will probably get married in the spring or summer of 2011.

If everything goes well, the daughter of ordinary English millionaires, a commoner, will become a “acting” princess.

Elizabeth 2 is of interest not only to British subjects, but also to many other people interested in history. Not so long ago, the UK celebrated the sapphire jubilee, which marked 65 years of the Queen's reign. Elizabeth was crowned at the age of twenty-seven, when the country was still recovering from the Second World War. Until now, the Queen maintains the authority of the British monarchy.

Childhood and family of the future Queen of Great Britain

The biography of the English Queen Elizabeth 2 (then still a princess) began on April 21, 1926. The baby was born in Mayfair, London, at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore on Brewton Street by caesarean section. Now this area has been redeveloped, and on the site of the house number 17 on Brewton Street there is a Chinese restaurant, on the wall of which there is a commemorative plaque. The event did not cause a stir at the court, because no one could have thought that the girl would eventually take the royal throne.

At first they wanted to call the baby Victoria. But the princess's father, after consulting with the reigning monarch, decided to name her Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. The baby's christening took place in the chapel at Buckingham Palace on May 29. The chapel was later destroyed during the hostilities. Four years later, Elizabeth's sister Margaret was born.

At that time, the grandfather of Elizabeth II, George V, reigned. The cousin of the last Russian emperor Nicholas II ruled the country for more than two decades, although he was also not preparing to become king. He was third in the chain of succession. George's older brother Albert Victor died during an influenza epidemic, and his father, Edward VIII, son of Queen Victoria, died in 1910.

It was George V who renamed the Saken-Coburg-Gotha royal house into the Windsor dynasty. During the First World War, he renounced all personal and family German titles. Little Elizabeth loved her grandfather very much, although by nature he was a tough and stern person, and in education he often went too far. The result was the stuttering of Prince Albert, the second son of the king, from which he did not get rid of until the end of his life. But the king had the warmest feelings for his granddaughter.

George V died after a long illness in 1936 at the age of 70. Only 50 years later it became known that the life physician, on his own initiative, committed euthanasia when the king fell into a coma after severe bronchitis. His eldest son Edward was considered the heir to the throne, and the father of Elizabeth, who eventually became queen, was the second son of the king, Prince Albert. In the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England, there was still no hint of a future as head of state.

After a sad event, the throne passed to Edward, but he never became king. He abdicated of his own free will due to an unequal marriage to American Wallis Simpson. Prince Albert became King George VI. He went down in history as a symbol of the struggle of the British Empire against Nazi Germany. The reign of the monarch was marked by the establishment of the position of the dominions and their relationship with Great Britain. So, the monarch created the British Commonwealth and became the king of all the dominions.

Elizabeth II at the time of the beginning of her father's reign was 10 years old. Henry's younger brother was declared heir to the throne because the king had no sons. But Henry refused such an honorary role in favor of Elizabeth. So the girl became the rightful heir to the British throne at such a young age. But if at that time she had a younger brother, then he would have inherited the throne.

Elizabeth received an excellent home education. The teachers taught her manners, the humanities, horseback riding and many other disciplines that were necessary for the princess. She studied religion, art, history, law. Many sources say that the girl was drawn to knowledge and even learned French almost on her own.

Elizabeth II during World War II

A courageous and conscious girl beyond her years appeared before the inhabitants of Great Britain during the Second World War. The biography of Elizabeth II began to resemble the life story of a member of the monarch's family. In 1940, at the age of 14, she spoke on the radio with an appeal to children who had suffered during the hostilities. And the first independent appearance of Elizabeth in public dates back to 1943. Then the girl visited the regiment of the Guards Grenadiers.

At the age of 18, the girl became one of the five advisers - a person who has the right to perform the functions of a monarch in the event of his incapacity or absence. In 1945, the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England (then crown princess) changed: she joined the self-defense squad and, along with other girls, was trained as an ambulance driver.

The girl received the military rank of lieutenant. The biography of Elizabeth II during the war years was connected with the front. The girl's military service lasted five months. She became the first woman from the British royal family to serve in the military. The future husband of Elizabeth 2, Philip, whose biography was connected with the fleet, also served at the front in those years.

The longest marriage in the history of the monarchy

Since childhood, the girl wanted to marry a farmer, but the biography of her husband Elizabeth 2 was not related to agriculture. The girl was distinguished by an iron character, so the plans of her parents to marry her off as 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.

The cadet Philip was of no interest to the Elizabeth family, although he was distinguished by a noble birth. The young man was the only son of the six children of King George I of Greece, at birth he 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.

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 English queen in the future) began to change. The girl actively took part in social events, because in the future she was to become a monarch. And meeting the prince marked the beginning of the love story of her life.

There is an opinion that during the war, when the young man wrote tender and passionate letters to his beloved from the front, his terminally ill father asked George VI for the hand of Elizabeth, but was refused. The groom's family became impoverished, and during the war they almost completely ended up on the side of the Nazis, because Philip's sisters married German officers.

During the war, other applicants for marriage with the princess disappeared somewhere: someone got married, others decided to continue the search. Only Philip remained. They say that Elizabeth herself made a marriage proposal 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 scheduled for November. The marriage took place in Westminster. The groom was allowed to invite only his mother, who had been seriously ill for several years, to the wedding. The bride was escorted to the altar by her father. Elizabeth chose a champagne-colored satin wedding dress that was embroidered with pearl and crystal beads. It took the court fashion designer several months to create this outfit.

After the marriage, the young spouses 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 the 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.

Accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II

In early 1952, the royal couple went on a visit to the Commonwealth countries, but the trip was interrupted by the death of the king. He was diagnosed with lung cancer, but the man died from thrombosis. The newspapers reported that he had been in a normal state of health the night before.

Then Elizabeth and her husband were on vacation in Kenya. Philip was the first to hear the news. He was the first to bend the knee and take an oath to the queen. The queen was then in despair. A dispute broke out that the ruling house should now be the House of Mountbatten, where Philip comes from, and not the Windsors. But on the advice of Winston Churchill, the girl refused to take her husband's surname.

The biography of Elizabeth II has changed. The coronation took place in June 1953. The event was broadcast by central television in many countries of the world. The solemn ceremony gathered thousands of people at the TV screens and contributed to the popularization of television. This day should be to change the fate of the country. Twenty-seven-year-old Elizabeth Windsor was preparing for her coronation at Buckingham Palace.

In the biography of Elizabeth II of England, a new page began that day. The girl was expected to be crowned with a crown created for Queen Victoria. But she insisted on wearing the traditional St. Edward's crown, which weighed more than three kilograms. Her father and grandfather put on this crown only for a few hours during the coronation, while Elizabeth II turned out to be the first monarch who did not remove the sign of power during the entire ceremony.

The design of Elizabeth's coronation dress remained a secret for a long time. The white satin outfit, adorned with pearls, diamonds and amethysts, was supposed to look especially impressive in the spotlight. The skirt had the emblems of Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries.

With this detail almost came out of embarrassment. The royal tailor mistakenly painted the daffodil as the emblem of Wales. The officials insisted that the dress had a leek (this is a real emblem). The tailor ennobled the leek, based on the traditions of military uniforms. The Queen called the dress gorgeous.

Elizabeth's rehearsals were not in vain. During the ceremony, she forgot to make only one curtsey, while many mistakes were made during her father's accession to the throne. When the queen moved to the exit from the abbey, she was closed by pages. The BBC producer decided to make a close-up, although media representatives were warned in advance that there should not be any close-ups.

The beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II: actions and events

Since then, the attention of all citizens of the United Kingdom has been riveted to the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England (photo of the coronation above). At the beginning of her reign, Elizabeth granted the title of "sir" to Prime Minister Winston Churchill and went on a trip to the Commonwealth countries, the colonies of Great Britain and other states. She became the first monarch in Britain to visit New Zealand and Australia.

Second half of the fifties - early nineties

A short biography of Elizabeth 2 usually includes a dry enumeration 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 decorated horse, 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 decorated horse, a set of illustrated children's books by Soviet authors, and a set of sweets. Princess Anna was even given a three-month-old bear cub.

That same year, Elizabeth met Marilyn Monroe at London's Empire Theatre. In autumn, the Olympic Games were held, the opening ceremony of which was led by the Queen's husband. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II had to choose the head of government. Harold Maxillan, who at that time was 63 years old, was appointed to the post. In May of that year, the Queen received Eleanor Roosevelt, and in October she made visits to Canada and the United States. Also, Elizabeth II became the first monarch who congratulated his subjects on Christmas on television.

In 1960, the couple's second son, Prince Andrew, was born. He became the first child in the last century who appeared with a reigning monarch. The following year, the queen continued her active travels. She has visited Nepal, Pakistan, the Vatican, Ghana, Cyprus, India, Turkey, Iran and Italy.

At the same time, a new page began in the biography of Elizabeth II's sister, Margaret. The girl married a descendant of a Welsh noble family. Margaret was repeatedly called the "rebellious princess". She often appeared in the company of rockers, visited London clubs and constantly twisted novels. Since the eighties, she had health problems, an addiction to alcohol and smoking. The biography of sister Elizabeth 2 Margaret was tragically cut short in 2002. She died of a stroke.

In the summer of 1961, the Queen received the Kennedy couple, and in 1962, only Jacqueline, who went on tour on behalf of her husband. In 1965, members of the Kennedy family, together with Elizabeth, will 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 first cosmonaut in the world. In honor of Yuri Gagarin, a luncheon was held, which was attended by the royal couple, their children, as well as the queen's sister and uncle Prince Philip. In 1969, the first man to land on the moon, American Neil Armstrong, was hosted at Buckingham Palace.

In March 1964, the last child of Elizabeth II was born. Prince Edward will continue to abandon the traditional military career for boys born into the royal family. He will earn 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 the UK, and in mid-1972, the couple and their daughter Anna paid a visit to socialist Yugoslavia. There they met with Josip Broz Tito. In September of the following year, the queen's husband unofficially paid a 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 the UK. This demanded intervention from the queen. No political party received the majority of the vote, but as a result, 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 Great Britain. In 1980, Elizabeth met with the Pope in the Vatican. In 1982, the Pope personally visited Great Britain (for the first time in 450 years).

In 1986, the queen learned about the civil war in the colony of Aden. At that moment she was on her yacht "Britain". Elizabeth II decided to enter the territorial waters and took on board more than a thousand evacuees.

The reign of Elizabeth II in the late 90s - early 2000s

By the definition of the Queen herself, 1992 was a "terrible year." In the biography of the Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II, then the next sad pages really appeared. Princess Anne was going through a divorce from her husband, Princes Andrew and Charles also separated from their lovers, but at that time still unofficially. In the same year, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, the court's funding was reduced, and the queen became liable to pay income tax.

In 1995, the Queen paid an official visit to Russia, and the following year she received Bill Clinton and his wife at Buckingham Palace. At the same time, the divorce of Princess Diana and Prince Charles was officially announced. A year later, the princess tragically died in a car accident. This came as a shock to the ruling family and ordinary citizens.

The Queen's 50th Anniversary

Solemn events on the occasion of the fifty years of Elizabeth's stay on the throne were held in 2002. This is the golden anniversary. Sadly, that same year, Elizabeth's sister Princess Margaret passed away. The biography of the mother of Queen Elizabeth 2 was tragically interrupted in the same year. The Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, died at the age of 101 from a severe cold. It was hard for all of England. The biography of Elizabeth 2 continued. In 2007, she became the first monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding (sixty years of marriage) and the oldest British monarch in history.

Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth

The Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in 2012 in the UK and Commonwealth states. To date, the Queen rules sixteen states (twelve of them were dominions at the time of Elizabeth's coronation). Elizabeth became the second British monarch to celebrate this anniversary. The first was Queen Victoria. Many celebrations were planned. Parliament, as an anniversary gift, invited the queen to the meeting as an observer. It happened for the first time.

Role in political and public life

It seems that the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England (and the photos confirm this) is only receptions, visits and participation in social events. Partly it is. Elizabeth performs exclusively representative functions and has practically no visible influence on state affairs. But during the entire period of her reign, she rather strengthens the authority of the monarchy. The duties of the queen include visiting different countries with visits, meeting with high-ranking guests, reading annual messages to ministers, knighting, awarding awards and receiving ambassadors. Every day, Elizabeth II looks through the news and personally answers a few random letters that her subjects send in huge quantities.

Family and succession to the throne

In short, the biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England has been focused all her life on maintaining the authority of the monarchy and performing representative functions. At the same time, she managed to give birth to two children while on the throne. In total, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, have four children: Charles, Anna, Andrew, Edward. The Queen has nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. First in line of succession is Charles, followed by his son, Prince William, and his grandchildren (George, Charlotte, Louis).

Of particular interest is the biography of the daughter of Elizabeth 2. Princess Anna survived several assassination attempts, she is acting as a member of the royal house of Britain. After leaving school, the royal princess constantly organized meetings, participated in the work of several funds to help those in need. The daughter of Queen Elizabeth II visited Russia more often than other members of the royal seven. She also officially represented her state at the Olympic Games in the Russian Federation.

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of the Windsor dynasty was born April 21, 1926 in London to the Duke and Duchess of York. Her father, Prince Albert, was the younger brother of the heir to the throne, Prince Edward. Edward was single and childless, and Elizabeth was the third in line to the British throne, but no one expected that she would become queen. When King George V died in 1936, the princess's uncle succeeded to the throne as Edward VIII. However, his reign was short-lived, and he never produced an heir to the throne. In 1937, Edward preferred the crown to marry a divorced American, Wallis Simpson. After his abdication, Prince Albert succeeded to the throne and became King George VI.

From that moment on, Elizabeth's life changed radically. She became the direct heir to the British throne and could only lose this status in one case - if the king had a son. However, this did not happen. The future queen was brought up at court, but then, preparing for political life, she began to attend classes in constitutional history at Eton College. After the outbreak of World War II, Elizabeth wished to share the burden of defense of the kingdom with her subjects. The King's father did not allow her to become a nurse in bombarded London, but in 1945 she enlisted in the women's auxiliaries of the royal armed forces. There she qualified as a truck driver and ended the war with the rank of junior commander.

Elizabeth's close acquaintance with royal duties began in 1944. She stood in for George VI when he went on a tour of the fronts. In 1947, the Princess made her first official visit outside the British Isles: she visited South Africa. Speaking there, the heir to the throne swore allegiance to the peoples of the Commonwealth.

Elizabeth's chosen one was her distant relative (like her, the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria), Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. As Lieutenant of the Royal Navy, Philip Mountbatten, he served in the war, and shortly before his marriage he renounced his foreign titles and became Duke Philip of Edinburgh. The wedding of Philip and Elizabeth took place on November 20, 1947. They had known each other for a long time, and according to popular belief, it was a love match. Philip and Elizabeth's first child, Prince Charles, was born in 1948, and Princess Anne was born in 1950.

In 1952, King George died, and Elizabeth ascended the throne, and on June 2, 1953, the coronation took place. In 1960, the Queen's third child, Prince Andrew, was born, and in 1964, the fourth and youngest of her children, Prince Edward. In 1960, Elizabeth II and the Prince Consort decided to change the personal surname of their heirs, without changing the surname of the Windsor dynasty (which is carried by other descendants of King George V, who approved it in 1917 as a personal and dynastic instead of the former Saxe-Coburg-Gotha). Since then, all the Queen's children bear the personal surname Mountbatten-Windsor (Mountbatten-Windsor). Members of the British royal family rarely use a personal surname, only in certain cases, for example when entering into marriage.

At the insistence of Elizabeth, the offspring of the royal family were brought up not at court, but in public educational institutions. Prince Charles became a pioneer: he studied at the privileged Scottish school of Gordonstown, and then at Cambridge.

The beginning of Elizabeth's reign was marked by a rise in optimism in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries: subjects linked their hopes for the future with the new young monarch. In the 1960s, the situation began to change, the value of the institution of the monarchy was increasingly questioned, but the prestige of the queen and her family still remained high. Elizabeth sought to make the British monarchy as "popular" as possible. The life of the Windsor family was deliberately made open to the eyes of the public, which gave rise to numerous favorable publications in the press.

In the 1980s, press coverage of the life of the royal family remained, as before, intent, but increasingly became scandalous. When Prince Charles of Wales married a young aristocrat, Lady Diana Spencer, in 1981, their union seemed almost perfect to the public. In 1982, Charles's heir, Prince William, was born, and in 1984, his second son, Prince Harry. Meanwhile, illusions about the marriage of the heir to the throne dissipated, and media publications reported a growing discord between the spouses. The private life of the younger generation of Windsors has become a constant source of concern for the Queen. Along with Charles and Diana, the personal life of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whose marriage to Sarah Ferguson, concluded in 1986, also turned out to be unsuccessful, has become a popular topic for publications.

Best of the day

The situation around the royal family reached its maximum intensity by 1992, which the queen herself called annus horribilis - "a terrible year." In March 1992, Andrew and Sarah announced their separation, in April the marriage of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips broke up, and in December, Charles and Diana officially broke up. In addition, in November, a severe fire broke out at Windsor Castle. The greatest harm to the prestige of the royal family was caused by the separation of the Prince of Wales from his wife. Princess Diana enjoyed tremendous popularity both in Britain and abroad, and public opinion often considered the Queen and other members of the Windsor family as her enemies and persecutors.

In 1996, against the backdrop of incessant scandalous publications in the media, at the insistence of Elizabeth, Charles and Diana officially divorced. After Diana died in a car accident in 1997, her many fans started talking about Charles not being worthy of the British throne, some suggested making Prince William the heir – bypassing his father. The queen was accused of isolating the princess from her children during Diana's lifetime. The dissatisfaction of the British was also caused by the behavior of Elizabeth in the period after the death of Diana - the queen refrained from public expressions of grief for some time. At the same time, according to the researchers, the death of Diana and the upheavals associated with it served to bring the members of the royal family closer together.

In 2002, Elizabeth II experienced two losses: in February, her younger sister Princess Margaret died, and in March, the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother left Elizabeth a considerable fortune, which was not subject to inheritance tax. This again drew the attention of the press and society to the state of the royal family. This was previously discussed in the early 1990s, and in the notorious "terrible year" Elizabeth approved new legislation that made the Windsors' property taxable.

The Queen's peace was invariably disturbed by the scandals surrounding the younger Windsors - the baton from Charles, who in 2005 finally married his longtime mistress Camilla Parker-Bowles, was accepted by his youngest son Prince Harry, who became a frequent figure in British tabloid publications.

In 2006, the Queen celebrated her eightieth birthday. Mass celebrations on this occasion, which took place in the UK and the Commonwealth countries, demonstrated that Elizabeth II is still loved by her subjects. The Queen has two birthdays every year - one actual, which she celebrates with her family, and the other official, which is solemnly celebrated on June 17th.

Elizabeth II is the head of the British Commonwealth, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as fifteen other states: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Keats and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu. In 1999, Australia put the status of the queen to a referendum, but the Australians preferred to keep her nominal status as head of state.

As the researchers wrote, over the years, the queen began to devote more time to her hobbies. Among them is the breeding of racehorses and dogs. The Queen's favorite pets are Corgis.

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, 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 of the British armed forces.

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 the London district of Mayfair in 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

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

Wedding

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 the 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 life together. 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).

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.

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 1960s, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin at the height of the Cold War, and also invited 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, which necessarily cover 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 in ivory and embellished with silver threads is also by Norman Hartnell, however, as is 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 around her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits to her credit (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). I have been gardening since 2009. In addition to English, he is also fluent in 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: in the vicinity of 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 evade 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.

Elizabeth II Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor , Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Saint Kitts and Nevis. In all of these countries, except the United Kingdom, she is represented by governors-general appointed by her.

In addition, Elizabeth II also rules the British Overseas Territories, but not as their queen, but as the queen of the United Kingdom.

Chairman of the Commonwealth of Nations, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Lord of the Isle of Man, Supreme Steward of the Church of England, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Normandy.

Formally, Elizabeth II is the most powerful monarch in the world.

Place of Birth. Education. Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on April 21, 1926 in the London district of Mayfair at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at Brewton Street, house number 17 in the family of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and his wife, the Duchess of York (Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the future Queen Mother) . Her christening in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace was performed by Cosmo Langa, Archbishop of York on May 29 of that year. The princess' godparents were: George V, Queen Mary, Princess Mary, Earl of Strathmore, Duke of Connaught and Lady Elphinstone. She received her names in honor of her mother, Queen Alesandra - her paternal great-grandmother and Queen Mary - grandmother. In the family, she was called by the affectionate name "Lilibet" (Lilibet).

As the king's granddaughter in the male line, she received the title of British princess and was called - Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York. At the time of her birth, she was third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, the Prince of Wales and her father, the Duke of York, and her younger brother, the Prince of Wales. At that time, no one considered her a future queen.

She grew up surrounded by the love and care of her family. The future queen was educated at home, mainly with a humanitarian focus. Her governess was Marion Crawford, known as "Crawfie". She studied history under S. G. K. Merten of Eton and studied modern languages, especially French. Religious instruction was provided by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Heir to the Throne. On December 11, 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated and Elizabeth's father became king, he took the name George VI. Thus, Princess Elizabeth became the heiress presumptive, and if George VI had a son, he would have inherited the throne.

World War II began when Princess Elizabeth was thirteen years old. She and her younger sister Margaret were evacuated to Windsor. Plans were also being made to evacuate the princesses to Canada, but their mother, Queen Elizabeth, is known to have stated: "Children can't go anywhere without me, I will never leave the king, and the king will never leave his country.! » . At the time, the Princess was organizing pantomimes with the children of the Royal Household staff at Windsor, and in 1940 she made her first radio address during the BBC Children's Hour, in which she addressed evacuated children. At the age of thirteen, she met Philip Mountbatten, a cadet at the Dortmund Naval School, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece, and fell in love with him. They corresponded constantly during his service in the Royal Navy.

In 1945, Elizabeth was able to persuade her father to allow her to make her direct contribution to the victory. She joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - Women's Self-Defense Squads, where she was known as No. 230873 Lieutenant Elizabeth Windsor, and trained as a driver. She was trained as an ambulance driver and received the military rank of lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months. This was the first time in the history of the royal family that a woman served in a military unit.

Elizabeth made her first foreign visit in 1947, when she visited South Africa with her father. In honor of her coming of age, which came when she was 21 years old, she made a radio address to the commonwealth and empire with the words: "I proclaim before you that all my life,be it longorshort, shouldAbe dedicatedAserving you and our great imperial seveneto which we all belong".

Ascension to the throne. 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.

Residence. The Queen's official residence is Buckingham Palace, but she reportedly prefers Windsor Castle. In addition, her residences are the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh, Balmoral and Sandringham Palace.

Popularity. Today, the Queen is one of the most popular faces in the UK. According to the latest polls, it is supported by about 80% of citizens. Although Princess Diana's case shook the Queen's popularity and the authority of the monarchy for a while, in the long run, according to public opinion studies, it did not affect her.

Length of reign. From 5:30 pm on September 9, 2015, Elizabeth II became the second longest-reigning monarch in British history. Longer than her, the crown belonged only to Queen Victoria, who ruled the country for 63 years, 226 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes from 1837 to 1901.

Visits. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as the Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively in her possessions, and also happens in other countries of the world.

In February 1961, she visited Turkey at the invitation of President Kemal Gürsel, and later India and Pakistan for the first time. Elizabeth II visited most European countries and many non-European ones. In 2011, she became the first British monarch to visit independent Ireland.

She has more than 325 foreign visits to her credit (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries).

role in government. Formally, the Queen has legislative, executive and judicial power in the states she leads, but in fact her role is rather ceremonial due to the fact that she always acts on the advice of the Cabinet of Ministers, and most often appoints the chairman of the party who wins the election as prime minister. .

British premiers meet with the Queen on a weekly basis, which is taken very seriously. One of the prime ministers even said that he prepares more seriously for meetings with the queen than for parliamentary meetings, because the queen is aware of most issues. In addition, the Queen has regular meetings with other Commonwealth ministers and prime ministers when they are in the UK. Also, during her stay in Scotland, she meets with the First Minister of Scotland. British ministries and diplomatic missions send her regular reports.

Although it is customary that the queen does not interfere in politics, but because during her long reign she had the opportunity to work with many prime ministers and leaders of other countries, her advice is always taken seriously. In her memoirs, Margaret Thatcher wrote about her weekly meetings with Queen Elizabeth : “Everyone who thinks that they [meetings] are a mere formality or social convention is deeply mistaken. In fact, they are held in a relaxed business atmosphere, and Her Majesty always demonstrates her ability to cover a wide range of issues and her wide experience.

Awards. Elizabeth II in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries, as well as in other states, is the head of a number of knightly orders, and also has military ranks, numerous honorary titles, academic degrees. In addition, she is a holder of various domestic British awards, as well as a number of various awards from foreign countries.

Interests. From a young age, Elizabeth was interested in horses and was engaged in horseback riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades. The Queen's interests include dog breeding (including Corgis, Spaniels and Labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. I have been gardening since 2009.

Family. At the age of thirteen, she met Philip Mountbatten, a cadet at the Dortmund Naval School, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece, and fell in love with him. They corresponded constantly during his service in the Royal Navy. On the eve of the wedding with the princess, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh. On 20 November 1947, she married the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip (born Prince of Greece and Denmark), who is her fourth cousin (they are both great-great-grandsons of King Christian IX of Denmark) and he is also a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

On November 14, 1948, she gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles. Earlier, by a special open letter, the king granted the right to the children of the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh to be called princes. On August 15, 1950, their second child, Princess Anne, was born.

On February 19, 1960, the Queen's third child was born - Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and on March 10, 1964 - Prince Edward, Earl of Essex.