In London in the family of the Duke and Duchess of York. Princess 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 VI (1895-1952), and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002).
Elizabeth received a good education at home; in addition to regular school subjects, she was taught the basics of economics, jurisprudence and constitutional law. The training program also included lessons in horse 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.
In preparation for political life, the future queen took classes in constitutional history and law at Eton College.
In 1940, during World War II, Elizabeth was evacuated to Windsor Palace, where she spent most of the war years.
She dedicated her first radio address to the population, which took place in October 1940, to the children of Britain and the Commonwealth who suffered from the outbreak of war.
In 1944, Elizabeth was appointed Councilor of State and from that moment on could perform part of the functions of the monarch in the absence of George VI.
At the beginning of 1945, she entered the auxiliary territorial service, qualified as a car driver at a military transport training center, and ended the war with the rank of junior commander.
Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, Prince Philip Mountbatten, the son of the Greek Prince Andrew, who was then an officer in the British navy. Having become her husband, Philip received the title Duke of Edinburgh.
On February 6, 1952, King George VI died of lung disease; Elizabeth, who was on vacation in Kenya at the time with her husband, was declared Queen of Great Britain on the same day.
On June 2, 1953, Elizabeth's official coronation ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey in London.
Since that time, she has been Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and is also the queen of 15 Commonwealth states (Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. -Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica), Head of the Church of England, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Lord of the Isle of Man. From 29 May 1953 to 31 May 1961 she was also Queen of South Africa.
Queen Elizabeth performs only representative functions, having virtually no influence on the country's politics.
She participates in the annual opening ceremony of parliament, meets with high-ranking government officials, receives foreign ambassadors and delegations, and visits foreign countries on official visits.
September 9, 2015 Elizabeth II reigns as the crown of Great Britain. She became the oldest monarch in the country's history and the longest reigning monarch.
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has: the heir to the throne is the eldest son, Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born in 1948); Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (born 1950); Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (born 1960); Prince Edward Anthony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).
In 2012, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the Big Ben clock tower at the British Parliament in London was officially renamed the "Elizabeth Tower".
The Olympic Park, named after Queen Elizabeth II, opened to visitors in London.
Queen Elizabeth usually celebrates her birthday with her family. According to the tradition established at the beginning of the twentieth century by King Edward VII, the monarch's birthday is celebrated in Great Britain on one of the Saturdays in June (the king chose this date because in June the weather cannot spoil the national holiday).
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Who in the world does not know this little woman with a beautiful smile and a 1000-year history behind her. Elizabeth II carries out the grueling royal mission with a great sense of dignity and respect for her own people. Try to live next to her for at least one day and you will understand how exhausting visits of a political, religious or social nature can be, and you must always be on top and impeccable. No matter how the world views her, two-thirds of the British people love their queen and would like the monarchy to continue in their country.
Elizabeth II - a small woman with worldwide recognition
Queen Elizabeth has 4 children, three of them she witnessed divorce, but she also endured these trials, because she simply glows with happiness when she sees her 8 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Her husband is now 90 years old and they are a true example of mutual understanding for all married couples. As people who have worked next to her for decades say: “The Queen has an excellent memory, is very insightful in her judgments, never imitates anyone, is capable of harsh actions, but still remains sweet and unusually feminine at 85 years old.” .
Sir Roy Strong decided to tell about the ten most important character traits of Queen Elizabeth in order to reveal the secret of everyone's favorite royal person.
1. The Queen is quite shy
Her Majesty has reigned for 60 years, but she is still a shy person at heart. She is quite modest and resembles her late father in character. And thus, she is a true representative of her most restrained nation in the world.
2. Her smile is sincere
It's amazing how happy the Queen looks. Her family has endured many misfortunes over the past decade, but she has proven herself to be a strong woman. Especially now she is very happy, because the Duke of Edinburgh is next to his wife, and they have wonderful grandchildren.
3. She has a sense of humor
The Queen can be quite funny, but this part of her is rarely seen. She more than once showed a sense of humor, subtle and spontaneous.
4. Faith is at the core of her life philosophy
The Queen is the head of the church. But sometimes they forget that she herself is a deeply religious person. She was a regular parishioner and found support in her faith during the difficult times of her reign.
5. She is thrifty
The Queen has never been an extravagant person. This is probably why she loves Kate so much, who is not shy about wearing the same dress twice. They are clearly not the type to spend a lot.
6. She loves children
The way the Queen bends down to accept flowers from small children suggests that she views them as equals. At this moment she looks so touching, as if this is happening for the first time.
7. The Queen takes her duty seriously
She felt keenly the sacrifice made by her people in Afghanistan and Iraq. And, of course, it was no coincidence that she granted Wootton-Bassett a Royal Charter as a sign of her deepest appreciation.
8. She has a kind heart
It's not often mentioned, but the Queen has a good heart. Caring for others is an admirable quality in a monarch. Martin Charteris served her for many years, as her assistant private secretary and then private secretary, and did so much for her that even as a young monarch, Elizabeth visited him repeatedly until his death in 1999.
9. Elizabeth loved her “palace on the water”
The Queen was very sad as she bid farewell to Royal Yacht Britannia. She loved this yacht very much because it was the only home created especially for her. It was on this ship that Elizabeth felt true freedom.
10. Animals are very important to her
This woman is known for her love of animals, in particular her corgis. This affection for dogs may be due to her shyness, but many say that the British are the best animal lovers, and therefore their Queen is a true symbol of her nation.
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The biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England is of interest not only to British citizens, but also to many other people interested in history. Not 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. To this day, 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 a princess) began on April 21, 1926. The baby was born in the Mayfair area of London, at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore on Brewton Street, by caesarean section. The area has now been rebuilt, and on the site of 17 Brewton Street there is a Chinese restaurant with a commemorative plaque on the wall. The event did not cause a stir at court, because no one could have imagined that the girl would eventually take the royal throne.
At first they wanted to name the baby Victoria. But the princess's father, after consulting with the reigning monarch, decided to name her Elizabeth Alexandra Maria. The baby's christening took place in the chapel at Buckingham Palace on May 29. The chapel was later destroyed during hostilities. Four years later, Elizabeth's sister Margaret was born.
At that time, Elizabeth II's grandfather 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 to the throne. George's older brother Albert Victor died during the influenza epidemic, and his father, Edward VIII, Queen Victoria's son, died in 1910.
It was George V who renamed the Sacken-Coburg-Gotha royal house into the House of Windsor. 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 man, and in his upbringing he often went too far. The result was a stutter for Prince Albert, the king's second son, 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, performed 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 king's second son, Prince Albert. In the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England there was not yet a hint of a future as head of state.
After the sad event, the throne passed to Edward, but he never became king. He abdicated the throne of his own free will due to an unequal marriage with the American Wallis Simpson. Prince Albert became King George VI. He went down in history as a symbol of the British Empire's struggle 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. Thus, the monarch created the British Commonwealth and became king of all dominions.
Elizabeth II was 10 years old at the start of her father's reign. Henry's younger brother was declared heir to the throne because the king had no sons. But Henry refused such an honorable role in favor of Elizabeth. So the girl became the legal heir to the British throne at such a young age. But if at this time she had a younger brother, he would have inherited the throne.
Elizabeth received an excellent education at home. Teachers taught her manners, humanities, horse riding and many other disciplines that were necessary for the princess. She studied religion, art, history, and law. Many sources say that the girl was drawn to knowledge and even practically learned French on her own.
Elizabeth II during the Second World War
A courageous and conscientious girl beyond her years appeared before the people 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 suffered during the war. And Elizabeth’s first independent appearance in public dates back to 1943. Then the girl visited the regiment of 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 the monarch in the event of his incapacity or absence. In 1945, changes occurred in the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England (then Crown Princess): she joined a self-defense unit and, together 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 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 army. The future husband of Elizabeth 2, Philip, whose biography was connected with the navy, 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 Elizabeth 2’s husband was not related to agriculture. The girl had an iron character, so her parents’ plans to marry her to 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.
Cadet Philip was of no interest to Elizabeth’s family, although he was distinguished by noble origin. The young man was the only son of six children of King George I of Greece, and at birth 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.
The 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 future queen of England) began to change. The girl actively took part in social events, because in the future she was destined to become a monarch. And the meeting with the prince marked the beginning of the love story of her life.
It is believed that during the war, when the young man wrote tender and passionate letters to his beloved from the front, his terminally ill father asked for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage from George VI, but was refused. The groom's family became impoverished, and during the war they almost completely sided with the Nazis, because Philip's sisters married German officers.
During the war, other candidates for marriage with the princess disappeared somewhere: some got married, others decided to continue their search. Only Philip remained. They say that Elizabeth herself proposed marriage 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 planned for November. The wedding took place in Westminster. The groom was allowed to invite only his mother to the wedding, who had been seriously ill for several years. The bride was escorted to the altar by her father. Elizabeth chose a champagne-colored satin wedding dress, which was embroidered with pearl and crystal beads. It took the court designer several months to create this outfit.
After the marriage, the young couple 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 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. Newspapers reported that he was in normal health the previous evening.
Then Elizabeth and her husband were on vacation in Kenya. Philip was the first to hear the news. He became 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 came from, rather than the House of Windsor. 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 on central television in many countries around the world. The ceremony brought together thousands of people in front of their television screens and contributed to the popularization of television. This day should be to change the destiny of the country. Twenty-seven-year-old Elizabeth Windsor was preparing for her coronation at Buckingham Palace.
A new page began in the biography of Elizabeth II of England on this day. It was expected that the girl would 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 wore this crown only for a few hours during the coronation, while Elizabeth II turned out to be the first royal person who did not remove the sign of power throughout the entire ceremony.
The design of Elizabeth's coronation dress remained a secret for a long time. The white satin outfit, decorated with pearls, diamonds and amethysts, was supposed to look especially impressive in the spotlight. The skirt featured the emblems of Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries.
There was almost an embarrassment with this detail. The Royal Tailor mistakenly painted the daffodil as the emblem of Wales. The officials insisted that the dress have a leek (this is a real emblem). The tailor refined the leek based on the traditions of military uniforms. The Queen called the dress magnificent.
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. As the queen moved towards the exit of the abbey, her pages blocked her. The BBC producer decided to do a close-up, although the media were warned in advance that there should be no close-ups.
The beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II: actions and events
From now on, the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England (coronation photo above) has attracted the attention of all citizens of the United Kingdom. At the beginning of her reign, Elizabeth bestowed the title “Sir” on Prime Minister Winston Churchill and went on a tour of the Commonwealth countries, British colonies and other countries. She became the first British monarch to visit New Zealand and Australia.
Second half of the fifties - early nineties
A short biography of Elizabeth 2 usually includes a dry listing 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 horse with decorations, 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 horse with decorations, a set of illustrated children's books by Soviet authors and a set of sweets. Princess Anne was even given a three-month-old bear cub.
That same year, Elizabeth met Marilyn Monroe at the Empire Theater in London. In the fall, the Olympic Games took place, the opening ceremony of which was presided over by the queen's husband. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II had to choose the head of government. Harold Maxillan, who was 63 years old at the time, was appointed to the post. In May of the same year, the Queen received Eleanor Roosevelt, and in October she made visits to Canada and the United States. Elizabeth II also became the first monarch to wish her subjects a Merry Christmas on television.
In 1960, the couple's second son, Prince Andrew, was born. He became the first child in the last century to be born to a reigning monarch. The following year the Queen continued her active travels. She visited Nepal, Pakistan, Vatican City, Ghana, Cyprus, India, Turkey, Iran and Italy.
At the same time, a new page began in the biography of Elizabeth 2’s sister, Margaret. The girl married a descendant of a Welsh noble family. Margaret was repeatedly called the "rebel princess". She often appeared in the company of rockers, visited London clubs and constantly had affairs. Since the eighties, she has had health problems and an addiction to alcohol and smoking. The biography of Elizabeth 2's sister Margaret ended tragically in 2002. She died of a stroke.
In the summer of 1961, the Queen received the Kennedys, and in 1962, only Jacqueline, who went on tour on behalf of her husband. In 1965, members of the Kennedy family, together with Elizabeth, would 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 world's first astronaut. A lunch was held in honor of Yuri Gagarin, which was attended by the royal couple, their children, as well as the Queen's sister and Prince Philip's uncle. In 1969, the first man to land on the moon, American Neil Armstrong, was received at Buckingham Palace.
In March 1964, the last child of Elizabeth II was born. Prince Edward will later abandon the traditional military career for boys born into the royal family. He will pursue 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 Great Britain, and in mid-1972 the couple and their daughter Anna visited socialist Yugoslavia. There they met with Josip Broz Tito. In September of the following year, the queen's husband made an unofficial 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 Great Britain. This required intervention on the part of the queen. No single political party received a majority of the votes, but the result was that 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 the UK. In 1980, Elizabeth met with the Pope at the Vatican. In 1982, the Pope visited Great Britain in person (for the first time in 450 years).
In 1986, the Queen learned of civil war in the colony of Aden. At that moment she was on her yacht Britannia. Elizabeth II decided to enter territorial waters and took on board more than a thousand evacuees.
The reign of Elizabeth II in the late 90s and early 2000s
According to the Queen herself, 1992 was a “terrible year.” In the biography of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, then, indeed, new sad pages 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. That same year, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, funding for the court was reduced, and the queen began to be required to pay income taxes.
In 1995, the Queen visited Russia on an official visit, and the following year 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 died tragically in a car accident. This came as a shock to the ruling family and ordinary citizens.
The Queen's fiftieth anniversary on the throne
Ceremonial events marking Elizabeth's fifty years on the throne were held in 2002. This is the golden anniversary. Unfortunately, Elizabeth's sister Princess Margaret died that same year. The biography of the mother of Queen Elizabeth 2 was tragically interrupted in the same year. Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon died at 101 from a severe cold. All of England took this hard. The biography of Elizabeth 2 continued. In 2007, she became the first royal to celebrate a diamond wedding (sixty years of marriage) and the oldest British monarch in history.
Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee
The Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in 2012 in the UK and Commonwealth countries. Today, 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 celebratory events were planned. Parliament, as an anniversary gift, invited the Queen to attend the meeting as an observer. This happened for the first time.
Role in political and social 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. This is partly true. Elizabeth performs exclusively representative functions and has virtually no visible influence on state affairs. But throughout the entire period of her reign, she quite strengthens the authority of the monarchy. The Queen's duties include visiting different countries, meeting high-ranking guests, reading annual messages to ministers, knighting, presenting awards and receiving ambassadors. Every day, Elizabeth II watches the news and personally responds to several random letters that her subjects send to her in huge quantities.
Family and succession to the throne
In short, the biography of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England throughout her life was focused 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, Anne, 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).
The biography of the daughter of Elizabeth 2 is of some interest. Princess Anne survived several assassination attempts; she serves as a member of the royal house of Britain. After graduating from school, the royal princess constantly organized meetings and participated in 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 officially represented her state at the Olympic Games in the Russian Federation.
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 change and upheaval throughout the world, she still remains the country's darling?
Therefore, today I invite you to plunge into the history of the great woman, find out her short biography, what her childhood was like, how she fought for her only love and why she still remains an unchanging symbol of Britain.
And, as a bonus, I will share with you some amazing stories from the life of Elizabeth II.
The beginning of time!
If we talk about a short biography of Elizabeth II, then we should start, naturally, from birth. On April 21, 1926, a little girl was born in one of the houses in London, whose appearance did not create any excitement in the family. Can you guess why? Because no one even imagined that one day this little one would become. Her grandfather ruled the country at that time, and the throne was to be taken by her uncle and his hairs. So little Lilibet, as she was affectionately known in the family, was simply one of 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 Church of England, he was prohibited from such a marriage), for whom he abdicated the throne. So, Elizabeth's father, Albert Frederick, became king. And Elizabeth herself, at the age of 11, became the rightful heir to the royal throne.
Elizabeth grew up as a quiet child. She spent all her free time with horses and dogs. But the quiet little girl harbored a rebellious character. One day, as a protest against the excessive severity of her 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, you want the princess to find her prince, they fall in love with each other and live happily ever after.
And Elizabeth fulfilled exactly 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 an ideal 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 gambling addict. And Britain accepted the little boy into the navy to secure his future.
But Elizabeth still defended her right to love. She wrote letters to him throughout the war, and after it ended, she proposed engagement to the Greek prince. On November 20, 1947, the 21-year-old heir to the throne got married.
In 1952, the young people decided to go to Kenya to relax. They lived in a hotel among the branches of a ficus tree. And this was the only time in history when “a princess climbed a tree and came down as a queen.” Yes, unfortunately, her father died.
Why do people love Elizabeth II so much!
Elizabeth has ruled Great Britain for 60 years. And she still remains a favorite of the people. Of course, now the queen decides practically nothing in governing the country, but, according to polls, 2 out of 3 British citizens cannot imagine their country without monarchy in general, and Queen Elizabeth in particular.
People love her for her dedication. She survived World War II while still a young girl. She supported her fellow citizens and addressed the affected children on the radio. But she was just a little 13-year-old girl. And then she went to the front herself when she was only 18.
She is loved for her endurance and self-control. Once, during the Queen's birthday celebrations in 1981, shots were fired in close proximity to Elizabeth, who was sitting on a horse, causing everyone around to flinch. But, to everyone’s delight, the Queen stayed in the saddle and didn’t even bat an eyelid.
People love her for her kindness, which is eloquently demonstrated by her love for animals. As already mentioned, in her youth Elizabeth II was an excellent horsewoman. And agile journalists hundreds of times took photos of her with cute red dogs, which turned into one of the symbols of the British monarchy.
Her Royal Highness is modest, easy-going, hardworking, demanding, fair and considerate.
In addition, Elizabeth II is the head of the most famous family in Britain. Their family, of course, is a natural fit. Prince Charles became famous as a polygamist, Prince Harry as a reveler and brawler. And only until Prince William disappointed the dear old lady. But she still, like the kindest all-forgiving grandmother, loves all her children, grandchildren and great-grandsons.
What does an 89-year-old woman do?
What do you think the Queen does during the day? Now you say: he walks in the garden with his dogs, looks at the flowers and breathes the air. And here are the netushkas! Don’t even let the thought appear in your head that, being an 89-year-old woman, you can lie in bed until lunchtime and do nothing! This is the schedule the ruler of Britain adheres to.
- She wakes up at 8 am, has breakfast and looks through the morning newspapers.
- At 9 am the Queen goes to her office and begins to work on documents. Every day she receives approximately 200-300 letters, but she always looks through her mail herself and then dictates the answer to her assistants. She answers almost all letters.
- Then comes the time of the “red box”. These are documents from the government and representatives of other states.
- Important meetings take place at 11 o'clock. The Queen meets important people.
- The Queen usually dines at Buckingham Palace, where she lives and spends all her time.
- After lunch, the Queen makes public visits. These could be schools, hospitals, military units, nursing homes, homeless hostels and other places.
- At 17 o'clock the Queen... You guessed it, he drinks tea!
- Dinner usually takes place in a formal setting. In the evening, she can take part in a film premiere, attend a concert, or hold a charity event.
- And only late at night, almost at the very last one, the light in her room turns off.
Interesting facts and stories from the life of Elizabeth II:
- The Queen lives without... a passport!
It would seem that we are not in the Middle Ages. Now almost every person, with the exception of some natives from distant islands, has a passport, but she is the queen. Queen of a modern European state. The queen who has visited 120 countries. The thing is that in Great Britain all identity documents are issued in the name of Her Majesty. Therefore, she personally does not need them! The same applies to driver's licenses. - “Unfortunately, birthdays only come once a year...”! But this does not apply to Elizabeth II. The Queen of Great Britain has 2 birthdays! She was born on April 21 and she celebrates this date exclusively with her family: her children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. But the country celebrates the Queen's first, second and - oh my God! - third Saturday in June!
- Unexpectedly, Elizabeth II drove a truck during World War II. For a long time, the 18-year-old princess persuaded the king to let her go to the front. When the king finally agreed, Elizabeth put on a military uniform, completed preparatory courses and began working as a mechanic and driver of military trucks.
Naturally, after such a striking example, members of her family - grandchildren William and Harry - did not even dare to refuse military service. - Elizabeth II is the only ruler of states who served during World War II.
- The Queen is the first ruler of the country to use email. She sent the first email back in 1976, when most people still had no idea what the Internet was.
- One day a stranger entered the queen's room. One night in 1982, Queen Elizabeth II woke up in her bedroom to find a man sitting next to her bed. It was a patient in a psychiatric hospital. Fortunately, the queen did not panic and began asking the stranger about his family, children, and difficulties. Hearing the conversation, one of the lackeys entered the room and arrested the intruder. As it turned out later, he climbed into the palace through a drainpipe and this was not the first time he had done this. Last time he took with him a bottle of wine from Prince Charles's reserves.
- Elizabeth the Second is the oldest of the current heads of state.
- Did you know that the name Elizabeth (in English Elizabeth) means “God’s oath” or “God’s help”? Yes, I am now 100% sure that any Elizabeth who ascends to the British throne is simply doomed to universal love.
- Did you know that the Queen is by all rights the owner of all whales and dolphins in British waters. If you need even more proof of the Queen's kindness and humanity - let me know!
We can talk for a long time about why we, in Russia, do not understand such a frantic adoration of the British for their queen. We can admire the strength and character of the 89-year-old British granny. But one thing remains unchanged: Elizabeth the Second is a 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. A sea of useful information and interesting stories awaits you.
Thank you.
See you again!
Elizabeth II is confidently approaching her centenary (and we are sure that in 2026 she will celebrate it surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren). We invite you to remember the brightest moments from the life of the living Queen of Great Britain.
The current British monarch was born in 1926, and when she was born the baby was named Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. The princess then inherited such a complex, triple name from her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, although initially the parents planned to name the girl Victoria. At that time, one could not even dream of her ascension to the throne - her father was the youngest son of the king, that Elizabeth was third in line to the Crown after her uncle and dad, and this wait could last a lifetime. The princess's fate was changed by Love. Her uncle, the well-known King Edward, without waiting for the official coronation, abdicated the throne, wanting to marry a divorced commoner, and Elizabeth's father George VI, and then she herself, ended up on the throne. On the day of her father's death, 25-year-old Elizabeth was approached by her younger sister, Princess Margaret, and said: “Does this mean you will become queen? Poor thing!
By the way, the queen was very friendly with her sister Margaret. The sister quickly came to terms with the fact that she could not see the throne like her ears and plunged headlong into various kinds of entertainment events. Elizabeth treated the youngest’s antics favorably and supported the princess, who was not very successful in her personal life, until her death in 2002.
If Margaret shone with beauty, then Elizabeth shone with intelligence. Since childhood, the future queen was distinguished by an unprecedented thirst for knowledge and perseverance; in her arsenal already in her youth there were several foreign languages, including French, which Elizabeth knows perfectly. The princess's schedule also included constitutional history, religious studies and jurisprudence. Not so bad for a pretty and very young girl, would you agree? Not to mention, at the age of just eleven, Elizabeth became a Scout and then a Sea Ranger.
With the beginning of World War II, Elizabeth without further ado decided to go to the front as a nurse, but her father strictly forbade the girl to even think about it; the first-line heir to the throne was not supposed to expose her life to danger. Without thinking twice, the future queen enlisted in the women's auxiliary units of the royal armed forces, where she qualified as a truck driver and even managed to achieve the rank of junior commander by the end of the war.
In general, any earthly woman could envy the life of the English queen - everything turned out more than successfully for Elizabeth, no tragedies, no catastrophes. She even met her future husband in deep childhood, or rather at the age of 8 years. Philip, the son of a Greek prince, was forced to leave his native country when he was very young - he had to travel the way to England in an orange box. Elizabeth's father did not approve of marriage with an impoverished aristocrat, but the girl always had an iron will - not only did she, according to rumors, propose to Philip herself, but she also convinced her adamant father of the need for this marriage. From her lover, Elizabeth, even before ascending the throne, gave birth to Prince Charles in 1948, and Princess Anne in 1950. Ten years later, the royal couple had two more children - sons Edward and Andrew.
Hard times came for Elizabeth much later, when the children had already grown up, had their own children and, it would seem, were fully adapted to adult independent life. However, the offspring refused to obey their mother unquestioningly. Anna divorced her husband, Andrew also did not want to continue his relationship with his wife, and Charles publicly had an affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, instead of enjoying family life with Diana. Despite the iron nature of the mother, her children turned out to be very romantic in nature. However, passions subsided, life returned to its usual rut.
In 2002, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of her time on the throne, Elizabeth almost overnight lost both her mother and sister, who, according to the official version, died of old age, and according to rumors, from prolonged alcoholism.
In 2005, Elizabeth came to terms with the stubbornness of her eldest son and gave her royal consent to his marriage to the woman he had loved for almost 35 years. The son's wedding took place in April, shortly before Elizabeth's birthday.
