A lot is written about Queen Elizabeth, but her husband is always kind of in the shadows.
As a girl, she never imagined that she would become a queen. But as a result of the crisis of the British monarchy, when Edward VIII preferred to renounce the throne for the love of the objectionable American court, Wallis Simpson, in 1936 his brother George VI, Elizabeth's father, was on the throne. And on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, after the unexpected death of George, Elizabeth was proclaimed queen.
As the head of state, she is accustomed to constantly being in the public eye, protecting the age-old traditions of the country. Each of her days is scheduled to the minute, she is interested in everything that happens around, keeping her finger on the pulse of events. For most people on earth, she is a symbol of Great Britain, and they cannot imagine a country without her. But who is the person who always and everywhere accompanies Elizabeth, being one step behind her? Her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is the man who won the Queen's heart once and for all.
Elizabeth II married five years before her accession to the throne.
Her chosen one Philip Mountbatten (who later became the Duke of Edinburgh) was born on the island of Corfu and was a descendant of the Danish-Greek royal family. His grandfather was assassinated in 1913, his uncle Constantine was dethroned in 1917, and his cousin George II abdicated in 1923.
Philip's family was expelled from Greece when he was only a year old, and, according to some accounts, he came to Britain in an orange box. As an adult, Prince Philip forever gave up the opportunity to take the Greek throne, taking English citizenship.
If you imagine an ideal prince, then the image of the Duke of Edinburgh should appear before the eyes of any romantic girl. They say that his beauty possessed such an all-conquering power that women fainted from one look of him.
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark
Prince Philip with parents and sisters
The princess fell in love with the young Philip at the age of 13 - for the first time and for the rest of her life.
While traveling on their parent's yacht, Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret met an 18-year-old handsome midshipman of the Royal Naval College in Dortmoor. Philip, having played croquet with the girls, safely forgot about the acquaintance.
Philip was educated by his uncle, who paid for his studies at a private British school, and later at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. It was there that in July 1939, during the visit of George VI with the family of thirteen-year-old Elizabeth, she first managed to communicate with her second cousin, cadet Philip. The uncle of the young man, officer of the Royal Navy Dickey Mountbatten, along with his nephew were invited to tea with the royal family. Even then, the princess's governess remarked that "Lilibet could not take her eyes off him." Which, however, was not at all surprising: the 18-year-old prince was a tall, handsome blond, and even beautifully built.
But the young British princess, having played only one game with him, fell in love recklessly. She waited for her chosen one for six whole years, although the entire royal family did not approve of her falling in love. The grandfather king did not really like this candidacy for Elizabeth's chosen ones.
After all, Lieutenant Mountbatten, now His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh Philip, although he was not a commoner, but came from an impoverished and long-lost dynasty.
The party was not brilliant ... Grandfather did not like the fact that Elizabeth made a hasty choice and settled on the very first young man whom she had barely met.
And besides, the princess and the prince were second cousins - Queen Victoria was their great-great-grandmother. The royal family believed that the young Elizabeth needed to think carefully and make a more informed decision.
However, the princess had no intention of giving up her childhood dreams, she was still in love, and it was not in her nature to retreat.
According to rumors, Elizabeth, like her legendary great-great-grandmother Victoria, herself proposed to her future husband.
In any case, there is no information in the archives of the royal family confirming that the prince made a marriage proposal.
After the death of his father, Philip finally moved to London and became a frequent visitor to Buckingham Palace. During the war, he went to the front, continuing to send Elizabeth long and tender letters. And in the summer of forty-six, he proposed to the princess, which she immediately accepted, without even consulting her parents. Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) and George VI did not hide the fact that they would like a better party for their daughter. Philip's father, Prince Andrew, left his son neither a fortune nor land holdings - nothing but a pedigree and a signet ring, which the duke still wears without taking off. However, George and Elizabeth relented, blessing their daughter's marriage.
The title of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was conferred on Philip by King George V on the eve of his marriage. The wedding of Elizabeth was the first and only case in British history of the marriage of the alleged heir to the throne.
The wedding ceremony of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh took place at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947.
Eight bridesmaids were adorned with miniature wreaths of white satin and brocade with silver thread, made by Jac Ltd of London.
The wedding ceremony of Princess Elizabeth and Philip began at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947 at 11:30 GMT. Near the abbey gathered tens of thousands of people who wanted to see the princess in her wedding dress. As expected, the father accompanied the bride to the altar. She wore an ivory satin dress embroidered with thousands of pearls and crystal beads. It took the court fashion designer Sir Norman Harnell several months to create it.
The five-meter veil was carried by two pages: Princes Michael of Kent and William. The veil was adorned with lace and held on to her head by a diamond tiara that belonged to her mother. The Queen Mother received the tiara from her mother, Queen Mary, who in turn inherited it as a wedding gift from Queen Victoria. After the wedding, Philip joined the Admiralty and received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
The newlyweds began to lead an active social life. They often went to races in Ascot and Epson (horses have always been the Queen's main passion, besides, she herself is an excellent rider),
together they appeared at receptions, went to dances, without denying themselves anything.
On November 14, 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to a boy, Charles Philip Arthur George. Soon the duke was appointed first lieutenant of the mission in the Mediterranean, in Malta.
Elizabeth followed her husband. They were given to each other. The princess was engaged in the fact that she led the house, communicated with the wives of other officers, gathering with them for 5 o'clock tea with scones and orange jam. “I think she was happy just being a wife,” recalls her cousin Marguerite Rhodes. “Then she managed to feel what an ordinary life is.”
After Philip's mission ended, Elizabeth returned to London already six months pregnant. Soon she gave birth to a daughter - Anna Elizabeth Alice Louise.
But the happiness was not complete: members of the royal family were concerned about the rapidly deteriorating health of King George VI. In February 1952, he died from a blood clot in his heart. Philip was the first to know of his death. At this time, he and Elizabeth were touring Kenya, and he knew that this news would be a real shock for his wife. Philip has always been the main support for his wife. And he also became the first who, traditionally bowing the knee, swore an oath of allegiance to his queen: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your lifelong vassal and lowest servant; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you, no matter what happens. God help me!"
The coronation of Elizabeth II was the most democratic in the history of England. The Queen insisted on broadcasting on British television, arguing that "People have to see me to believe me."
Immediately after the ceremony, the couple went on a trip around the world, which lasted almost six months. In the history of the British monarchy, such a grandiose journey was the first. Philip left the service, he accompanied his wife everywhere and tried to be her faithful assistant and adviser in public affairs.
However, not everything was rosy in their family life. After the death of George VI, Philip's uncle, Dickey, raised the issue that the House of Mountbatten should henceforth be the ruling house, and not Windsore - a statement that was received with hostility by the Queen Mother Elizabeth and Queen Mary. Prime Minister Winston Churchill was also against it.
Elizabeth listened to the wise and experienced Churchill and refused to take her husband's surname. “I am the only person in the entire United Kingdom who cannot give his last name to his own children,” Philip lamented. The mockery of the courtiers pretty annoyed the duke, and he reacted to them quite sharply. Meanwhile, the young queen had less and less time for her children and her husband, and a certain detachment appeared in their relationship.
However, Philip soon managed to find a job to his liking and his place in society. He began to do charity work, and quite successfully. His focus is on sports, youth, environmental protection and education. In the spring of 1959, the Queen became pregnant again. This time she decided to reconsider the question of her last name, changing it to Mountbatten. She wanted to please her husband, whom she continued to love immensely. The result of a long discussion was that Charles and Anna would remain Windsor, while the rest of the heirs would bear the “compromise” surname Mountbatten-Windsor. So, in February 1960, the second son of the royal couple, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was born. Elizabeth, as a sign of her devotion to her husband, named the boy in honor of his father, Philip Andrey.
And in 1964 - Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, Nince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince Charles.
Being the husband of a reigning queen is an unenviable "position".
As the Duke of Edinburgh Philip himself jokes, according to English laws, he does not seem to exist.
In Great Britain, the husband of the reigning queen does not become king, but remains a prince consort.
Thus, Philip of Edinburgh has never been and never will be crowned.
He is a private person and is doomed to be in the shadows.
So what helped the Queen and Duke to keep the family together, living together until the diamond wedding, which they celebrated in 2007 in Malta? Robert Lacey, biographer of Elizabeth II, sees the secret of a successful marriage in the fact that “each of them had an unspoken right to their own private life separate from their spouse. I would call this style "family confederation". It is clear that Prince Philip should accompany his wife wherever she appears, but the queen has always had the right to her own interests.
In official life, he is always one step behind the queen. At home, however, the Prince Consort was always the head of the family. It is he who makes all the most important family decisions, it is he who decides which school to send the children to study. The late Lord Mountbatten told me a wonderful story about this. Early in their marriage, the Queen and Prince Philip came to visit him in Hampshire. Once the three of them were driving in a car driven by Philip. The Queen sat next to her husband in the front seat. Every time he took a corner where he hardly slowed down, the queen would hold her breath and then exhale loudly.
Finally, Philip got tired of this, and he said to his wife: “If you repeat this again, I will put you out of the car!”. Then Lord Mountbatten turned to her and said, "My dear, you are a queen, how can you let him treat you like that?" But this rudeness did not bother the queen: “He is my husband. I know that if I say one word, he will actually throw me out of the car.” Indeed, Philip treats Elizabeth not only as a queen, but also as a woman, wife and mother of his children. And perhaps this contrast between the position of the queen in society and the family made her so happy all this time.
As for the personal relationship of Elizabeth II with her husband, then, unfortunately, the handsome prince turned out to be not such a wonderful husband.
Queen Elizabeth's family relations were far from serene: there are rumors that the Duke of Edinburgh has illegitimate children, and Philip's relationship with the Queen's cousin Alexandra once turned into a national scandal.
However, Queen Elizabeth II never commented on her husband's actions, at least not publicly.
At one time, she showed all her tact and managed to maintain the disturbed balance in the family.
And it saved her marriage.
Elizabeth undividedly recognized the authority of her husband in family affairs, and Philip became a reliable support in the performance of her royal duties.
british royal family
In 1997, Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh Philip celebrated their golden wedding.
And on November 20, 2007, the royal couple celebrated the 60th anniversary of their marriage - a diamond wedding.
Thus, their marriage is the longest in the history of the British monarchy, and Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding.
A solemn ceremony in honor of the anniversary was held at Westminster Abbey on November 19, 2007.
The service dedicated to the celebration was attended by 2000 guests.
Among them were five choristers who sang sixty years ago at the wedding ceremony of Elizabeth and Philip, as well as 10 couples who celebrated the diamond wedding on the same day as the royal couple.
Three generations of the British royal family:
Queen Elizabeth And The Duke Of Edinburgh,
Prince of Wales Charles and Prince William
And as Antoine de Saint-Exupery says in The Planet of the People:
"To love is not to look at each other, to love is to look together in the same direction."
I really like this photo, it perfectly reflects the character of Prince Philip. The queen's husband casually dropped another branded joke and the strict policeman almost bursts with laughter, trying to stay at attention. And the Prince himself, at 91, as if nothing had happened, walks through the cold to the church after a protracted illness, when the queen went there by car. Philip is accompanied only by the groom. That's all he is.
In my opinion, Philip is one of the brightest and most worthy members of the royal family. They don't make those anymore.
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II) Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - since February 6, 1952
Coronation: June 2, 1953
Predecessor: George VI
Heir apparent: Charles, Prince of Wales
Head of the Commonwealth of Nations
Religion: Anglicanism
Birth: 21 April 1926
London, Great Britain
Genus: Windsor dynasty
Birth name: Elizabeth Alexandra Maria
Father: George VI
Mother: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Spouse: Philip Mountbatten
biography of queen elizabeth 2
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 descended from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.
She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the queen of 15 independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. He is also head of the Anglican Church and supreme commander of the British armed forces.
Elizabeth II- 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 oldest female head of state in the world.
For the reign Elizabeth a very wide period of British history falls out: 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.
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.
Childhood and youth of Elizabeth II
Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her grandparents are: on her father's side - 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 (1883-1961).
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London's Mayfair at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at Brewton Street, house number 17. Now the area has been rebuilt, and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been erected on this site. She got her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).
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 name of the girl 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.
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.
Elizabeth received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities - she studied the history of the constitution, law, religious studies, art history, and also (actually independently) French. 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.
At birth Elizabeth became the Duchess of York and was third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII) and father. Since Prince Edward was young enough to be expected to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially considered a viable candidate for the throne. However, Edward was forced to abdicate just a few months after the death of George V in 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became heir to the throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. At the same time, she remained in the role of "heir presumptive" ("supposed heir") (English) Russian, and if George VI had a son, he would have inherited the throne.
World War II 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.
In 1947, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on a trip to South Africa and, on her 21st birthday, went on the radio with a solemn promise to devote her life to the service of the British Empire.
In the same year, 21-year-old Elizabeth married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten, an officer in the British Navy, a member of the Greek and Danish royal families and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. They met in 1934, and fell in love, it is believed, after Elizabeth visited the Naval College in Dartmouth, where Philip studied, in 1939. Having become the spouse of the princess, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
A year after the wedding, in 1948, the eldest son, Prince Charles, was born to Elizabeth and Philip. And on August 15, 1950, the daughter is Princess Anna.
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain
Coronation and beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II
King George VI, father Elizabeth, 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.
Second half of the 1950s - early 1990s
In 1957, after the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, due to the lack of clear rules for choosing a leader in the Conservative Party, Elizabeth II had to appoint a new head of government from among the Conservatives. After consultations with prominent members of the party and former Prime Minister Churchill, 63-year-old Harold Macmillan was appointed head of government.
In the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. In the same year, she spoke for the first time at a session of the UN General Assembly. She was present at the opening session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of the British monarch). She continued her travels in 1961 when she made visits to Cyprus, the Vatican, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, and Ghana.
Meeting of Elizabeth II with the heads of the Commonwealth countries in 1960
In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, a third son, Prince Edward.
In 1963, following the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as prime minister.
In 1974, a political crisis began to brew after parliamentary elections, in which none of the parties received a majority of votes. Although the Conservative Party turned out to be the largest party in Parliament, Labor leader Harold Wilson was appointed Prime Minister. A year later, a political crisis also occurred in Australia (English) Russian, during which Elizabeth II refused to cancel the decision of the governor general to resign the country's prime minister.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NY4CNDGu0w
In 1976 Elizabeth II solemnly opened (as Queen of Canada) the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.
1977 was an important date for the Queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's tenure on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many ceremonial enterprises were held in the Commonwealth countries.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a number of assassination attempts were made on the royal family. In particular, in 1979, the terrorists of the "Provisional Irish Republican Army" assassinated the uncle of Prince Philip, an influential statesman and military leader, Lord Louis Mountbatten. And in 1981, there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Elizabeth II during a military parade in honor of the queen's "official birthday".
In 1981, the wedding of the son of Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Diana Spencer took place, which would later become a big problem for the royal family.
Elizabeth II walking near Windsor Castle with Ronald Reagan (1982)
At this time in 1982, as a result of changes in the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British Queen still remained the head of the Canadian state. In the same year, the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Great Britain in the last 450 years took place (the Queen, who is the head of the Anglican Church, received him personally).
In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the US Houses of Congress.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Queen Elizabeth II. London. 2010
Elizabeth II and the Obamas.
Early 1990s - 2000s in the life of Elizabeth II
1992 was a "terrible year", according to the definition of Elizabeth II herself. Two of the Queen's four children - Prince Andrew and Princess Anne - divorced their spouses, Prince Charles separated from Princess Diana, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, the obligation for the Queen to pay income tax was introduced, and funding for the royal court was noticeably reduced.
In 1994, Elizabeth II visited Russia. This was the first visit of the head of the British royal house to the Russian state in the entire history of bilateral relations dating back to 1553.
In 1996, at the urging of the Queen, a formal divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. A year later, in 1997, the tragic death of Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris occurred, which shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For restraint and the absence of any reaction to the death of the former daughter-in-law, critical remarks immediately rained down on the queen.
In 2002, solemn events were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of Elizabeth II on the British throne (Golden Jubilee. But in the same year, the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, died.
In 2008, for the first time in history, the Anglican Church, headed by Elizabeth, held a Maundy Thursday service, in which the reigning monarch traditionally participates, outside of England or Wales - in the Cathedral of St. Patrick's in Armagh in Northern Ireland.
Modernity
In 2010, she spoke for the second time at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Introducing the Queen, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called her "the anchor of our era."
In 2011, the first ever state visit by a British monarch to independent Ireland took place. In the same year, the wedding of Prince William (grandson of Elizabeth II) and Catherine Middleton took place.
In 2012, the XXX Olympic Games were held in London, inaugurated by Elizabeth II, and a new law was approved that changes the order of succession, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.
In the same year, the 60th (“diamond”) anniversary of Elizabeth II on the throne was solemnly celebrated in Great Britain and other countries. The culmination of the festive events was the weekend of June 3-4, 2012:
On June 3, a solemn water parade of more than a thousand ships and boats took place on the Thames. It is believed that this is the most grandiose river procession in history;
On June 4, 2012, a concert took place on the square in front of Buckingham Palace with the participation of such stars of British and world music as Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Tom Jones and others. The evening was hosted by Take That lead singer Gary Barlow.
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (2013)
In 2013, for the first time in 40 years, Elizabeth II refused to go to the summit of the heads of the countries of the British Commonwealth, held in Sri Lanka. Britain at the summit will be represented by Prince Charles, which indicates the gradual transfer of powers of Elizabeth to her son.
In the same year, the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II was celebrated in Great Britain, but on a smaller scale.
Role in political and public life
In accordance with the British tradition of a constitutional monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, with little or no influence on the government of the country. However, during her reign, she successfully maintains the authority of the British monarchy. Her duties include visiting various countries on diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking government officials (especially the Prime Minister), reading annual messages to Parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc. The Queen also looks through the main British newspapers daily and answers with the help of servants for some letters, which are sent to her in huge quantities (200-300 pieces daily).
Throughout her time on the throne, the Queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers. At the same time, she always remained true to the tradition of the English kings of modern times - to be above political fights.
Elizabeth II is also actively involved in charity work. She is a trustee of over 600 different public and charitable organizations.
Main article: Royal prerogatives
In addition to duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights, like a monarch (royal prerogatives), which, however, are quite formal. For example, she can dissolve the parliament, reject the candidacy of the prime minister (which seems unsuitable to her), etc.
Financial expenses
Certain funds are spent on the maintenance of the queen from the so-called civil list, which is controlled by the government.
So, according to data from Buckingham Palace, in the 2008-2009 financial year, each Briton spent $ 1.14 on the maintenance of the monarchy, which amounted to $ 68.5 million in total.
In 2010-2011, due to the government's new economic program, the Queen was forced to cut her spending to $51.7 million.
But, starting in 2012, Elizabeth's income began to grow again (at an approximate rate of 5% per year).
Such figures cause dissatisfaction among the Republican-minded part of the British population, which considers it necessary to cut them.
Family and Children
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921), the son of the Greek Prince Andrew, who received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
Four children were born in their family:
Name Date of birth Marriage Children Grandchildren
Prince Charles,
Prince of Wales 14 November 1948 Lady Diana Spencer 29 July 1981
(divorced: 28 August 1996) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge
Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales
Camille Shand April 9, 2005
Princess Anna,
"Princess Royal" August 15, 1950 Mark Phillips November 14, 1973
(divorced: April 28, 1992) Peter Phillips Savannah Phillips
Isla Elizabeth Phillips
Zara Phillips
Timothy Lawrence December 12, 1992
Prince Andrew
Duke of York 19 February 1960 Sarah Ferguson 23 July 1986
(divorced: 30 May 1996) Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Eugenie (Eugenie) of York
Prince Edward
Earl of Wessex 10 March 1964 Sophie Rhys-Jones 19 June 1999 Lady Louise Windsor
James, Viscount Severn
Official titles, awards and coat of arms
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 that recognize 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 (English) Russian, 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".
States whose head was or is Elizabeth II
Member countries of the Commonwealth are marked on the map (Fiji membership is suspended)
Upon accession to the throne, in 1952, Elizabeth became queen of seven states: Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.
During her reign, some of these countries became republics. At the same time, as a result of the process of decolonization, numerous British colonies gained independence. In some of them, the Queen of Great Britain retained the status of head of state, in others she did not.
Abolition of the monarchy in the original possessions of Elizabeth II:
Pakistan - in 1956 (former Dominion of Pakistan).
South Africa - in 1961 (former South Africa).
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - in 1972 (former Dominion of Ceylon).
Blue indicates states that retain the monarchy
Newly independent states that retained the monarchy:
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Grenada
Papua New Guinea
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Solomon islands
Tuvalu
Jamaica
Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy:
Guyana
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Mauritius
Malawi
Malta
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanganyika
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Fiji
Awards
Main article: Titles and honors of Elizabeth II
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 the holder of various domestic British awards, as well as a number of various awards from foreign countries.
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
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).
Criticism
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.
Hobbies and personal life
Map of visits by Elizabeth II around the world
The Queen's interests include dog breeding (including Corgis, Spaniels and Labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige of the Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively in her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits 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.
Memory
In culture
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
In honor of the queen, Elizabeth Avenue is named next to the espalana in Singapore.
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
Lifetime monuments
Statue of Elizabeth II in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Canada
Statue in Regina, Saskatchewan, erected in 2005
Statue in Windsor Great Park
In botany
In honor of Elizabeth II, the rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named.
On coins and in philately
Coins and postage stamps
On a Canadian stamp, 1953
On an Australian coronation stamp
On a Northern Ireland stamp, 1958
On a 1953 coin
On a South African coin, 1958
Coin with Elizabeth 1961
In geography
The name of Elizabeth II was repeatedly assigned to various territories, among them:
Princess Elizabeth Land in Antarctica
Queen Elizabeth Land in Antarctica
Queen Elizabeth Islands in Canada
Elizabeth II (eng. Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (eng. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London, UK) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of twenty-five, after the death of her father, King George VI. He is the longest reigning monarch in British history.
Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty.
She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the queen of fifteen independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint 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.
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).
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London's Mayfair at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at Brewton Street, house number 17. Now the area has been rebuilt, and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been erected on this site. She got her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).
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 name of the girl 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.
is the current ruling royal family in Great Britain.
The House of Windsor was established on July 17, 1917 by King George V in order to rid the ruling dynasty of the former German name of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha during the First World War. The name "Windsor" refers to Windsor Castle - one of the main residences of the British monarch.
Monarchs of the Windsor dynasty.
King George VI in full dress.
since 1952: Elizabeth II.
Genealogy.
The Windsor dynasty is a British branch of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty (and thus a branch of the House of Wettin), to which Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert belonged (Victoria herself came from the Hanoverian dynasty).
The only king of Great Britain who belonged to the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty is officially considered Edward VII (reigned from 1901-1910).
From the point of view of traditional genealogy, in which kinship is considered through the male line, the Windsor dynasty should have ended with Elizabeth II.
Prince Charles and his descendants would have to belong to the Glücksburg branch of the House of Oldenburg, from which the husband of Elizabeth II Prince Philip comes (the Russian Emperor Peter III and all his descendants in the male line also belonged to this house). However, in view of the aforementioned 1952 proclamation, just as Russian tsars called themselves Romanovs, Charles and his descendants continue to be called Windsors.
The Oldenburgs are in Russia: the executed impostors: the "Romanovs", in Germany: the "Holstein-Gottorp", the Jews of Holstein, who in 1854 served the Prussian nobility together with the Jew Rothschild. Nikolaev Jewish soldiers of the old Red (Prussian) guard of Elston-Sumarokov.
The executed impostors of the Romanovs were not any "tsars" and even more so "Russians". They were Germans, bandits and ruffians. Just the same bandits as the Bolsheviks. For this they were shot. So, the reference to the executed impostors of the Romanovs (Jews of Holstein) is not appropriate, and for the Battenberg-Mountbattens it has shades of black humor. The Holstein-Gottorps ended badly in the Russia they captured.
George VI.
George VI (eng. George VI, baptismal names Albert Frederick Arthur George; December 14, 1895, York Cottage, Sandringham, Norfolk, England - February 6, 1952, Sandringham) - King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia and South Africa since December 11, 1936. From the Windsor dynasty.
He ascended the throne after the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII. It went down in history primarily as a symbol of the struggle of Great Britain and the countries of the British Empire against Nazi Germany in World War II.
The reign of George is marked by the collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. He was the last emperor of India (from December 12, 1936 to August 15, 1947) and the last king of Ireland (until April 18, 1949). He bore the title of head of the Commonwealth of Nations (Eng. Head of the Commonwealth) from April 29, 1949.
That is, not the king. :(
On the father of Mary of Teck: Duke of Teck Farancisk - there is no data on the Internet. Although, it would seem: the oldest royal family. And some relatives are all either beggars, or impostors, or generally rootless people who could not be found for a hundred years. No data. This is strange.
Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Cambridge (Eng. Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Cambridge; November 27, 1833, Hanover - October 27, 1897, White Lodge, Richmond Park, London) - a member of the British royal family, granddaughter of George III. Daughter of Adolf Frederick, Duke of Cambridge and Augusta of Hesse-Kassel; wife of Francis, Duke of Teck and mother of Mary of Teck, Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India, wife of George V.
Mother-in-law is awesome! I like her! What you? Gorgeous!
Her paternal grandparents were King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953);
Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (Eng. Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon; August 4, 1900, London - March 30, 2002, Windsor) - wife of King George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II, queen consort of the United Kingdom in 1936-1952 as Queen Elizabeth (eng. Queen Elizabeth), the last Empress of India (1936-1950), Lord Keeper of the Five Harbors (1978-2002). Since 1952, she was known as Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, not to be confused with the queen's daughter.
Bowes-Lyon, Claude George.
Claude George Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne - British aristocrat father of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, The Queen Mother, grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II.
Lord Charles Cavendish-Bentinck
by Lafayette (Lafayette Ltd)
sepia-toned proof print, 1900s
National Portrait Gallery, London
Claude was born in Lounds Square in the London Borough of Belgravia, the eldest of eleven children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and his wife, Frances Dora Smith. One of his younger brothers, Patrick, was a tennis player and in 1887 won the Wimbledon doubles tournament.
After graduating from Eton College, Claude George was drafted into the 2nd Life Guards, where he served for six years until 1882. He was an active member of the Territorial Army and served as an honorary colonel in the 4th/5th Black Watch Battalion.
On the death of his father on February 16, 1904, he inherited the earldom and extensive estates in Scotland and England, including Glamis Castle. He was also appointed to the post of Lord Lieutenant of Angus, which he left in 1936 when his daughter Elizabeth became queen consort.
Claude George had a keen interest in forestry and was one of the first growers in the UK to grow larch from seed. On his estates, Bowes-Lyon had many small landowners and earned a brilliant reputation with his tenants. He was described by his contemporaries as an unassuming man who could often be seen wearing "an old mackintosh girded with a piece of fishing line". He worked on his lands and enjoyed manual labor on his estates. Visitors might mistake him for a simple worker.
Despite the earl's reserved attitude towards the royal family, in 1923 his youngest daughter married the second son of King George V, Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Lord Strathmore himself, to commemorate the marriage, was knighted in the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Five years later, he was knighted in the Thistle.
In 1936, Edward VIII abdicated and his brother, Lord Strathmore's son-in-law, became king. As the father of the King's consort, Claude George was knighted in the Garter. Also, as a coronation award, in 1937 Bowes-Lyon was created Earl of Stutmore and Kinghorne in the Peerage of Great Britain, which allowed him to enter the House of Lords.
With age, Claude George began to rapidly lose his hearing. Lord Strathmore died of bronchitis on November 7, 1944 at the age of 89 at Glamis Castle.
Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorn "- the father of the grandfather of Elizabeth II, from whom money, land and the title came to Elizabeth's grandfather: information on the Internet - not available. And this is the monarchy family of the Second (Third) Reich - Prussia on the whole planet. Also very strange. The origin is obtained from the lower (democratic) strata of the population of Greater Germany 1871-1946.
Born in Lounds Square in the London Borough of Belgravia, Claude was the eldest of eleven children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and his wife, Frances Dora Smith.
"Bose-Lyon, Francis" - information on the Internet is also missing . The origin of money, title and lands is not confirmed by the biographers of the English queen.
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the youngest daughter and ninth of ten children of Claude George Bowes-Lyon (later 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne), and his wife Cecilia Nina Cavendish-Bentinck
Cecilia Nina Cavendish-Bentinck Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne , and grandmother and godmother of Queen Elizabeth II.
Cecilia was born September 11, 1862 in the London Borough of Belgravia and was the eldest of three daughters of Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck and his second wife Caroline Louise Barnaby.
On July 16, 1881, Cecilia married the Scottish nobleman Claude George Bowes-Lyon (1855-1944) in Petersham. On the death of his father on 16 February 1904, Cecilia's husband inherited the earldom and extensive holdings in Scotland and England; Cecilia herself became Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne.
Information on Elizabeth's maternal grandmother is also missing. But we are talking about the parents of Elizabeth I: the mother of Elizabeth II and the wife of George VI.
Cecilia Nina Cavendish-Bentinck, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorn - September 11, 1862, London - June 23, 1938, ibid) - mother of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Queen Mother, and grandmother and godmother of Queen Elizabeth II.
But - the vaunted English aristocracy, lords, earls, rich people. Yes, and she was born in 1862, when photography in the United States was in full bloom. If photos of the parents of the English Queen Mother are not shown to anyone, then someone needs it. Simply put, they simply cannot be shown so as not to compromise the English royal family from the German occupiers of the Red Army of the Jewish Cossacks of Elston-Sumarokov.
The parents of the English Queen Mother Elizabeth II are not for you to arrange a theatrical show with Queen Victoria, this is a close time where stubborn journalists and paparazzi can unearth a true biography and make a scandal in the press worse than Diana Spencer and Camilla Parker-Bowles with Mr. Tampex.
If Philip's genealogy ends at great-grandfathers, then Elizabeth's is generally at her grandparents. Here you will inevitably post photographs of Queen Victoria in order to inspire your subjects with the idea of the great Hanoverian dynasty of good Germans of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, in Russia: Holstein-Gottorp. And all together: the Jews of Holstein, who in 1854 served the Prussian nobility together with the Jew Rothschild.
For this, such an information curtain was needed from the impostors of the Romanovs, proteges of Germany, who were shot in Russia: the Jews of Holstein, who in 1854 served themselves the Prussian nobility together with the Jew Rothschild, so that they would not climb to check the genealogy of Elizabeth and Philip Battenberg on the Mountbatten's mother?
While everyone will be busy thinking about the photoshop of the good Germans Romanovs, in Germany: Holstein-Gottorp, Mountbattens and Rothschilds will quietly manage the captured centralized mega-state Czartoryski-Conde Army: Rome, Russia, Byzantium - the Novgorod Republic, the Federative State on the whole planet 1352- 1921
Democracy is called. The power of the Jews of the Rothschilds, who in 1854 served themselves the Prussian nobility together with the Jew Holstein (Romanov), in the Novgorod Republic of Russia captured by the red (Jewish) army - Rome - Byzantium on the banks of the Neva.
The date is incorrect. It is necessary for 1352 years less: in the summer of 567 from the Creation of the World (Rome, Russia, Byzantium, the Novgorod Republic) St. Michael the Archangel on the Palace Square of St. Petersburg-Petrograd-Leningrad.
Elizabeth II is one of the most influential women in the world, the head of the Windsor dynasty, who has been the Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for more than 65 years. A flexible politician who knows how to defend her opinion, she is a symbol of her country and is especially popular and loved by the people.Childhood and family
Elizabeth II is the eldest daughter of Prince Albert, born April 21, 1926 at the Mayfair mansion on Brewton Street during the reign of George V, who was her grandfather. The full name of the royal person is Elizabeth Alexandra Maria, the girl received the name in honor of her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. 
In 1936, after two decades of reign, King George, who loved his granddaughter very much, died. The throne passed to Edward VIII. In the name of love for the beautiful Wallis Simpson, a divorced American, he abdicated. The story of Edward and Miss Simpson is considered one of the greatest love stories of the 20th century, and it was she who brought Elizabeth's father to the British throne, who was crowned in May 1937 as George VI.
George VI's brother Henry was considered the next contender for the throne, but he refused the role of heir to the throne in favor of Princess Elizabeth, who at that time was barely 11 years old.
As befits a princess, Elizabeth studied the humanities and exact sciences, but paid special attention to law, including international law, and received a decent education without leaving the palace. The princess was proud of her excellent knowledge of the French language, which she learned on her own.
In 1940, Princess Elizabeth made her first radio appearance: a thirteen-year-old girl from Buckingham Palace supported children affected by Nazi bombings. Princess Elizabeth's sincere words have given hope to the British people, and she has won sympathy from even some of the most critical of the crown.
In 1943, the princess officially assumed the position of councillor. Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth did not serve in the military, but was in the women's self-defense unit, learned to drive an ambulance, thereby setting an example for the women of Britain.
In 1947, on her birthday, Elizabeth again spoke on the radio, assuring the British people that her whole life would be dedicated to Britain. In the same year, she was married to Philip, Prince of Denmark.
The gradually deteriorating health of the father and the unfavorable prognosis of doctors required the almost constant presence of the future queen during official receptions, meetings and negotiations. By the beginning of 1951, no one had any doubts that the bill was going on for months, and unofficially, Elizabeth took up the duties of the monarch.
Coronation
The news of the death of George VI overtook the princess in Kenya, where, together with her husband, she spent several days at the Tree Tops Hotel, located among the branches of a huge century-old tree. According to some reports, on February 7, 1952, an entry appeared in the guest registration book of the hotel that for the first time in the history of civilization, a princess climbed a tree, but descended from it as a queen. 
The coronation of the young queen took place on June 2, 1953 in the ancient cathedral of Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was broadcast on national British television, which contributed to the growth of the popularity of the new monarch. Millions of Brits literally froze in front of their TVs, trying not to miss the slightest detail of the most spectacular and beautiful event in the history of Britain.
Despite the fact that in the post-war years the economy had just begun a long period of recovery, a huge amount was allocated from the treasury for the festive decoration of the streets. The white satin dress for the coronation ceremony was made by the court tailor Norman Hartnell, it was embroidered with the national emblems of Britain and the Commonwealth countries - English roses, Canadian maple leaves and Irish clover, as well as other colors that have a symbolic meaning for Britain.
In a golden open front carriage drawn by eight gray horses, the queen, along with her husband, proceeded to Westminster Abbey, where a solemn wedding service was held for the kingdom.
Governing body
In strict accordance with the existing tradition of a parliamentary monarchy, the queen performs functions that are exclusively representative in nature and does not have the right to influence the government of the country. After the coronation, Elizabeth II made a six-month tour of the British colonies, the Commonwealth countries and many countries of the world. 
In the spring of 1956, the Queen received Nikita Khrushchev, who served as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU of the USSR, who arrived in Britain with Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikolai Bulganin. The first persons of the Soviet state presented memorable gifts to Elizabeth and family members, among which was a brooch with a royal blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds, as well as a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky and a sable cape.
During her reign, the Queen met with politicians, big businessmen, scientists and cultural figures. Among the celebrities who were honored to visit Buckingham Palace in different years were Elizabeth Taylor, Yuri Gagarin and The Beatles, as well as presidents of different states.
In 1994, Elizabeth visited Moscow and St. Petersburg, and in 2003 hosted a reception in honor of President Vladimir Putin.
Fearing that the reputation of the British royal house would suffer from rumors that overgrown with the unhappy marriage of Elizabeth's son Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, as well as caring for the happiness of her son, the Queen insisted on a divorce, the procedure of which was launched in 1996. Some part of British society did not approve of the queen's act, but subsequently the British were forced to admit that she was right.
Elizabeth II has been repeatedly called the queen of human hearts in the media. The humanity and kindness of this woman, who remains true to her oath, which she uttered back in 1953, is the key to her popularity among the people.
Personal life of Elizabeth II
In his youth, Prince Philip, the grandson of the King of Greece, was a tall, slender blond, distinguished by amazing beauty. At a tea party on Dartmoor in 1937, the young man did not immediately notice a thirteen-year-old girl who did not take her enthusiastic eyes off him. After the reception ended, this girl, Princess Elizabeth, locked herself in her room and wrote a letter to the handsome prince. 
The friendship that began with correspondence grew into love. King George did not approve of the choice of his daughter: it is known that he did not like the friendship of Philip's father, Prince Andrew of Greece, with Adolf Hitler. In addition, the prince was poor, and apart from the title, blue blood and tender love for Elizabeth, he had nothing.
In early 1940, Elizabeth and Philip became secretly engaged, and the king had to relent and allow a marriage that was destined to be one of the happiest and longest marriages in modern history. The relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Duke Philip is considered exemplary, but few people think that for the sake of his queen, Philip renounced the royal title and changed the Orthodox faith in which he was baptized to Catholicism.
In 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to their first child, Prince Charles. The second child was Princess Anna, who was born 2 years later. The third child of the royal family, Prince Andrew, was born in 1960, and the fourth, Prince Edward, in 1964.
Since her youth, the Queen's main hobbies have been horse riding and breeding dogs, she has a special love for the Corgi breed, which is considered the royal dog throughout Europe.
Queen Elizabeth II now
In 2018, the Queen turned 92 years old, 65 of which she has been a monarch. Headlines regularly appear in the media about the Queen's failing health, in 2017 she missed the Christmas service for the first time, citing a cold. 
As the head of the Windsor dynasty, the Queen remembers the sad events associated with the marriage of Prince Charles to an unloved girl, and, according to her, is personally responsible for the well-being of her family members. That is why she did not give permission for the wedding of Prince Harry Ivar Mountbatten and James Coyle for so long
Despite her age, Elizabeth continues to fulfill her duties and represent the interests of Britain in different countries of the world. Defending the right to her own opinion, in 2017 she openly condemned the inappropriate behavior of Mr. Trump, as well as the militant policies of Kim Jong-un, and in 2018 she expressed the hope that she would wait until the time when Russia was ruled not by Mr. Putin, but by another person who lost touch with reality.
As enshrined in the traditions of a constitutional monarchy, the queen should not interfere in politics, however, the authority of Elizabeth II and her long reign allowed her to influence the course of events in a certain way. Queen Elizabeth II is the most powerful woman in the world, but, as many researchers note, she has never used her influence for personal gain.
In honor of the anniversary of Elizabeth II, we present a selection of photographs taken in different years from the archives of the Press Association.
Princess Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926 in London. She was the first child of Duke Albert of York and his wife, nee Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.
Princess Elizabeth at the entrance to the Olympia Exhibition Center, where the Royal Tournament was held. Close relatives called the little princess Elizabeth Lilibet. Her cousin Margaret Rhodes said she was "a cheerful little girl, yet very intelligent and obedient."
In this photograph, the Princess shakes hands with a military officer during the Royal Tournament, which she arrived with her family in 1936.
In 1940, 14-year-old Princess Elizabeth was a guest on the Children's Hour radio program. She sent her best wishes to the children evacuated from Britain to the US, Canada and other countries during the worst times for Britain during the Second World War. This is the very first recording of the future queen in the BBC archives.
Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) driving a military vehicle
The royal family was offered to leave Britain for Canada for security purposes, but the king and queen refused. The children were moved to Windsor Castle. “We left for the weekend and stayed for five years,” they later said. In the last year of the war, Elizabeth herself tried on a military uniform, joining the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Corps (ATS). She spent three weeks with other hand-picked recruits, learning basic auto mechanics and driving a truck.
On November 20, 1947, she married her fourth cousin, Prince Philip of Greece, at Westminster Abbey.
Their first child Charles was born in 1948. For several years, the couple enjoyed a relatively ordinary life. Charles' sister Anna was born in 1950.
Elizabeth and Philip lived with their children at Clarence House in London. Her father was terminally ill with lung cancer. In January 1952, while on a visit to Kenya, Elizabeth learned of the king's death. Already queen, she immediately returned to London.
Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen Mother and the Duke of Gloucester watch the air parade of the Royal Armed Forces after the coronation on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Her coronation in June 1953 was televised. Millions of people - many of them for the first time - gathered at the television screens to watch Queen Elizabeth II take the oath.
Queen Elizabeth II in the library at Sandringham Palace after her first televised address to the nation on Christmas Day
In this photo taken in 1957, the Queen is seen sitting in the library at Sandringham Palace after her first televised address to the nation on Christmas Day. Elizabeth is holding a book, The Pilgrim's Progress to the Heavenly Land, from which she read a few lines in the course of her speech.
1963 The queen in a side saddle returns to Buckingham Palace after attending a military parade. Elizabeth has attended Trooping the Color to celebrate the monarch's birthday every year of her reign, with the exception of once in 1955, when it had to be canceled due to a general rail strike. The Queen began traveling by carriage in 1987.
England captain Bobby Moore holds the Queen's Jules Rimet Trophy after his team beat West Germany 4-2 in the World Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in 1966.
In 1969, Queen Elizabeth II formally invested her son, Prince Charles, with the Prince of Wales Crown in a ceremony at Caernarvon Castle. In fact, he took the title at the age of nine, but the queen insisted that the ceremony be postponed until a time when he was fully aware of its significance.
Queen with her corgis
In this picture, the Queen sits with her Corgis in the village of Virginia Water during the Royal Windsor Horse Show. In total, the Queen has had over 30 Corgis, many of whom are descendants of her first dog, Susan. Now she only has two - Holly and Willow - and she does not plan to have more.
Queen Elizabeth II walks in Portsmouth during the Silver Jubilee celebrations
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her 25th birthday on the throne with a large-scale tour of Britain - in 10 weeks she visited 36 counties. She also traveled the world, covering a total of 56 thousand miles (more than 90 thousand kilometers).
Queen Elizabeth II with a Jersey cow given to her at an exhibition at Le Petit Catel in Saint John Parish, Jersey
Queen Elizabeth II with a Jersey cow given to her at an exhibition at Le Petit Catel in Saint John Parish, Jersey. Over the years, the queen has been given an impressive number of animals, including a canary from Germany, jaguars and sloths from Brazil, two black beavers from the Seychelles, and an elephant named Jumbo from Cameroon. All of them were placed in the London Zoo.
Queen with a Rollei camera
The Queen often photographs herself. She is photographed here with a Rollei camera during a visit to Tuvalu in 1982.
An official photo of The Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince and Princess of Wales following Harry's christening in 1984. The Queen has eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Badaling site on the Great Wall of China on the third day of their state visit to the country in 1986. No British monarch has ever traveled to mainland China, let alone visited the wall, so this royal visit is historic.
1991 Queen Elizabeth II invites Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers to sit in an empty seat in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace ahead of the G7 leaders' meeting.
Queen Elizabeth II inspects Windsor Castle after the fire in 1992. She called this year "annus horribilis" (terrible year), since at the same time Princess Anne divorced and the Duke and Duchess of York, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales, parted.
After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the royal family was criticized for the restraint of the official reaction to her death. The queen was accused of indifference and isolation from the mood of society. This outburst of anger struck Elizabeth, and she admitted that "there is a need to learn from her life and the extraordinary reaction of society to her death."
In this photograph taken in 1999, the Queen is seen drinking tea at Susan McCarron's home in Glasgow. Her visit was part of a new, more personal and informal approach for the royal family to communicate with subjects. Elizabeth II prefers to drink Earl Gray tea with milk and without sugar.
The Prince of Wales leaves St George's Chapel, Windsor after marrying Camilla Parker-Bowles. Queen Elizabeth II attended the religious part of the wedding, but did not attend the secular ceremony. At the wedding celebration, the queen told the guests that her son "found his happiness with the woman he loves."
The Queen on stage outside Buckingham Palace with Charles, Camilla and pop stars at her Diamond Jubilee concert.
Elizabeth on a steam-powered train in Scotland
By 5:30 p.m. on September 9, 2015, Elizabeth II had ruled for 23,226 days, 16 hours, and approximately 30 minutes. On this day, she broke the record of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. While in Scotland, she thanked many well-wishers at home and abroad for "their touching messages of kindness". Together with Prince Philip, she rode a steam-powered train from Edinburgh to the village of Tweedbank, where she officially opened the new Scottish Railway.
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