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Of all the royal families living in modern world, British - the most popular. The lives of Elizabeth II, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are closely watched by residents of different parts of the world. But even under such close scrutiny, some facts may elude.

website collected answers to the most interesting questions about the Windsor family.

10. How many members are there in the British Royal Family?

In the literal sense of the word, 15 people belong to the royal family.

The corresponding titles are held by: Elizabeth II and her husband Philip, their children (Charles, Anna, Andrew, Edward), their grandchildren (William, Harry, Beatrice, Eugenie, James, Louise), great-grandchildren (Prince George and Princess Charlotte), as well as the queen's sister is Margaret.

In addition, another 15 people are directly related to the queen, although they do not wear titles and do not claim the throne. These are dukes, earls, lords and ladies.

9. How is the queen's day?

The Queen gets up at 7:30 in the morning. At this time, she is served tea without sugar and Mary's cookies with milk. Since the gastronomic tastes of the royals are not widely advertised, it is impossible to say exactly what kind of tea Elizabeth likes: some sources claim that it is Earl Grey, others that it is English Breakfast.

At 8:30 a.m., Elizabeth has breakfast with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in the dining room overlooking the gardens of Buckingham Palace. On the table are usually cornflakes, yogurt and toast with maple syrup or marmalade. At breakfast, the Queen reads newspapers, most often the Daily Telegraph and the Racing Post.

After the morning meal, the Queen holds briefings on various issues with her assistants. The mail that Elizabeth looks at personally is also discussed here - this is about 200-300 letters a day. Until late in the evening, the queen is busy with official meetings and events.

And even before going to bed, Elizabeth is exclusively engaged in matters of national importance: she reads all the documents with the main topics of the day, which are delivered to her daily in a special red box.

8. Favorite jewelry of Elizabeth II

A three-strand pearl necklace almost always adorns the queen's neck - this business card her style. When Elizabeth was 10 years old, she received such a necklace as a gift from her grandfather George V, and it became her favorite piece of jewelry.

Somewhat later, Queen Mary, Elizabeth's grandmother, gave her pearl earrings. And to this day, they, complete with a necklace, form part of the image of a modern monarch.

7. The tradition of changing the name when ascending the throne

Monarchs since ancient times different countries took for the time of their stay in power a throne name different from that which was given to them at birth. In Britain, this tradition was also maintained. So, Queen Victoria before the coronation was Princess Alexandrina, and King George bore the name Albert. Elizabeth II chose not to change her name, because this is only acceptable, but not mandatory for the monarch.

Of course, many connoisseurs of traditions still remember this choice of the queen. In 2002, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, several letters were sent to the Queen on behalf of veterans of the nationalist Scottish National Party. The letters talked about the fact that it would be time for the queen to take the throne name. But, as we see many years later, Elizabeth II is firm in her decision.

6. Misconceptions about titles

Elizabeth is often referred to as the Queen of England, but this is incorrect. Firstly, she is the monarch of the entire United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and England is just a part of it.

And secondly, other countries are subject to the British monarch: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint -Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. So Elizabeth II is the queen of 16 states.

Misconceptions about princesses are no less common. Lady Di after her marriage to Prince Charles began to be called a princess. However, she was not a princess by birth, so by all rights, her title should have been "Her Royal Highness The Princess Charles of Wales", however strange it may sound.

As for the chosen one of their eldest son William, Kate Middleton is not a princess either. She married the Duke of Cambridgeshire, and therefore her official title is the Duchess of Cambridge.

5. What do princes do in their free time from royal affairs?

William has worked for the East Anglian Air Ambulance for the past two years. The prince's work shift lasted 9.5 hours, which is about 20 hours a week. The duke transferred the entire salary to the charitable foundation of the medical service. On March 27, 2017, the Duke of Cambridge left his post as an ambulance pilot.

William began his career as a pilot in 2008 when he joined the RAF's search and rescue service. He worked there until 2014. Now, at the age of 35, and second in line to the throne, the Duke of Cambridge intends to devote himself fully to the royal house and the future of the British monarchy.

Prince Harry also had a good military career. He graduated from the academy at Sandhurst and, like his older brother, joined the cavalry regiment.

Prince Harry has been to Afghanistan twice, once as a military helicopter pilot. He was later awarded a medal for his participation in these hostilities.

He also took part in the anti-terrorism exercises of the armed forces of Australia. When, for security reasons, the prince was recalled from the army, he organized sports competitions in Britain for soldiers who were injured during the hostilities.

4. What is the usual way of addressing Elizabeth among members of the royal family?

According to the official, different members of the family have their own privileges in addressing the Queen. So, the husband of Elizabeth II calls her Lilibet. This is the name she called herself future queen when she was very young, and could not pronounce "Elizabeth".

The rest of the adult family members are required to say "Your Majesty" when they meet. Even his own son, Charles, must comply with this formality before calling the queen with the informal word Mommy (“mommy”).

The limits for great-grandchildren are less strict. Prince George has his own address to Elizabeth II - Gan-Gan. So he pronounces the word "great-grandmother" (Great-Grandmother).

3. The Queen is an example of housekeeping

Elizabeth II is very frugal and sets an excellent example in this for her subjects. So, it is known that she always turns off the light when leaving the room, and requires this from all the inhabitants of the palace. The queen wears the same dresses for a long time.

And for many years now, the Queen prefers to use inexpensive nail polish. Back in 1989, Elizabeth discovered a lacquer called Ballet Shoes from Essie.

An elegant gray-haired woman with a kind look and a welcoming smile has been representing the monarchy in the United Kingdom for the British for sixty years. Almost all segments of the British population sympathize with her: the prestige of the House of Windsor, and with it the English monarchy, is unshakable.

The full title of Queen Elizabeth II of 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."

Her Majesty the Queen was born on 21 April 1926 in London. The birth of a charming baby did not cause a stir at court. No one could have imagined that this young creature would eventually occupy the royal throne. At that time, Elizabeth's grandfather George V reigned. The eldest son Edward was considered the heir to the throne. The girl's father was Prince Albert, the second son of the king. He did not even think that he would become a crowned person.

Everyone thought that the eldest son would soon marry, acquire heirs and, after the death of his father, assume royal duties.

Lilibet, as everyone called Elizabeth in childhood, loved her grandfather very much, and he paid her affection in return, although by nature he was a very harsh and tough person. The king had no good feelings for his sons.

He brought them up in the Spartan style and often went too far. The result of such upbringing was the stuttering of the girl's father, from which he never got rid of until the end of his life.

But to little creature female George V had the most tender feelings. He not only loved his granddaughter, but adored him, which proved to others that even in a cruel and callous soul there is always a bright corner capable of sincere and pure love.

George V left the mortal world on January 20, 1936 at the age of 70. He reigned 24 years and proved himself wise politician for the welfare of the nation.

The throne rightfully passed to Edward. He became Edward VIII, but was never crowned. The man was unable to put on his shoulders the heavy burden of the monarch. He met a twice-divorced woman named Wallis Simpson (1896-1986). She married a military pilot in 1916, but he began to beat her, and in 1927 Wallace ran away from him.

She moved to London and hooked up with a businessman named Ernst Simpson. She married him in 1928. In 1931, Wallace met the heir to the throne at a party with close friends. But the love affair of this couple began only in 1934. The feeling was so strong that Simpson divorced her husband. Edward responded with no less strong love. In order not to part with Wallace, he abdicated.

All these deeds brought Elizabeth's father Albert Frederick to the English throne. He was crowned on May 12, 1937 under the name of George VI.

The newly proclaimed king had no sons. Therefore, Henry's younger brother was declared heir to the throne. But he flatly refused such an honorable role in favor of Elizabeth. Thus, at the age of 11, Elizabeth became the legitimate heir to the royal throne of one of the most powerful countries in the world.

In 1939 the Second World War began. The girls at that time were 13 years old. In 1940, on October 13, she spoke on the radio with an appeal to the children who suffered during the German bombing. And at the age of 18 she received the rights of an ambulance driver. Before last days war, the future Queen of Great Britain turned the steering wheel, transporting sick and wounded soldiers.

As a very young girl, Elizabeth fell in love once and for the rest of her life. She met her future betrothed just before the war at the Royal Naval Academy. The king, along with both daughters (the youngest daughter Margaret), arrived in it to talk with the cadets.

It was within the walls of this institution that the heir to the English throne saw the Greek Prince Philip. He was listed as one of the cadets, and was 5 years older than Elizabeth. The young people talked for only a couple of hours, but this time was enough for Elizabeth to fall in love with the young man seriously and for a long time.

Prince Philip had the most brilliant pedigree. He was the grandson of the Greek and great-grandson of the Danish king, as well as the great-great-grandson of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. But after the revolution in Greece, the prince had nothing but a title.

Throughout the war, Princess Elizabeth wrote letters to the young officer, while he fought bravely on the destroyer.

Immediately after the end of hostilities, the heir to the throne invited the Greek prince to get engaged, trampling all existing norms and conventions. On November 20, 1947, the wedding took place at Westminster Abbey.

The time was difficult, post-war. Elizabeth had to sell some jewelry to make herself a wedding dress. Products from Australia were sent for the wedding cake. The cake turned out luxurious, 3 meters high. He was not cut with knives, but chopped with sabers. Guests got only a small piece. Everything else was sent to schools and hospitals.

At the end of January 1952, the happy young couple went on vacation to Kenya. The couple lived at the Tree Tops Hotel. It was located among the branches of a huge ficus. On February 7, an entry appeared in the registration book: “For the first time in the history of human civilization the princess climbed the tree and came down like a queen."

The reason for the recording was the death of George VI. He died on the night of 5/6 February. Elizabeth automatically became Queen of Great Britain. In many countries around the world, headlines in large print appeared on the front pages of newspapers: "The King is Dead, Long Live the Queen."

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain took place in Westminster Abbey (the traditional place for the coronation of British monarchs) on June 2, 1953, that is, a year and 5 months after the death of George VI. But the official day of accession to the throne is February 6, 1952.

The husband was not crowned. He was the first to swear allegiance to his queen and was forced to leave the fleet. Now his presence was required at all official ceremonies of the royal court.

Private life with Philip was not always like a fairy tale. In his youth, the husband often made various statements, which he probably learned while in military service. So in New Guinea, he asked a passer-by: “Listen, my dear, how have you not been eaten here yet?”

In China, he jokingly remarked to one English tourist, saying: "Look, do not stay here for a long time, otherwise your eyes will narrow." In Paraguay, at a meeting with the bloody dictator Stroessner, Philip said: "It's amazingly nice to be in a country that is not ruled by the people."

There was gossip at court about Prince Philip's love affair with Elizabeth's cousin. They talked about illegitimate children from various women. The Queen of Great Britain did everything to stop such rumors. Over the years, the prince calmed down. Age and health began to make themselves felt.

All the days of the Queen of Great Britain are similar to each other like twins. Her Majesty is awakened at exactly 8 am. Such an important task is entrusted to the maid. She brings a tray of tea into the royal chambers. In this case, the handle of the cup is always directed to the right, the spoon on the saucer lies strictly diagonally.

After placing the tray, the maid opens the curtains. sunlight penetrates into the bedroom, and gentle rays touch the face of the crowned person. At the same time, the royal dogs, who came from a walk, joyfully run into the bedroom. These are corgis, now there are two of them, these are Willow and Holly.

According to unconfirmed information, which is most likely similar to a legend, the ritual of the morning awakening of the queen takes place differently. By morning, a Scottish piper passes into the royal garden and stands opposite the window of the queen's bedroom. At exactly 8 o'clock in the morning, the piper starts playing and plays until Her Majesty wakes up. After the queen has woken, the maid opens the window of the queen's bedroom and informs the piper that Her Majesty the Queen is awake. After that, the bagpipe leaves the garden to the sound of the bagpipes.

The queen drinks morning tea, communicates with dogs, and at this time the maid fills the bath. Her Majesty takes water procedures, and at 9 o'clock leaves the bedroom and heads to the dining room. This is where Queen Elizabeth II has breakfast.

The morning meal is very modest. Toast, spread with butter and the thinnest layer of marmalade, and a cup of tea. During breakfast, the crowned lady looks through the newspapers. These are The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail, The Sporting Life. In the latest newspaper, she looks at the section on horse racing. Her Majesty loves this sport. She is well versed in horses and owns several magnificent horses herself.

At 10 o'clock the Queen of Great Britain begins her working day. She sits in her office and looks through the letters that come to her from all over the world. The information in the letters is very different. Someone asks for help, someone asks for recipes for original dishes that were served at the royal table at the last official banquet.

Then comes the turn of state papers requiring the royal signature. This is a mandatory formality, although the Queen's opinion is never asked by the Cabinet of Ministers. Elizabeth II can express her point of view on some issue, but it will not be decisive.

From 11 o'clock Her Majesty receives officials. These are diplomats, judges, ministers. Each of them, upon entering, gets down on one knee and takes with his right hand right hand queens. Touches her lips and then gets to his feet. Such a ceremony lasts at least 2 hours. All this time the queen stands. There is no way for her to sit down and rest.

At the end of such a physically difficult event, it's time for lunch. Queen Elizabeth II eats sandwiches with salmon, cucumbers or chicken. Leftover food is used the next day. They can go for casserole or pie. Half-eaten foods are never given to dogs.

After lunch, a short rest and an official reception. Dinner starts at 20:15. The whole family gathers at the table. In the UK, the evening meal is always heavy. It is very rare that Her Majesty dine alone. This is when all members of the royal family leave on business trips.

After dinner, the queen watches TV shows, and goes to bed closer to midnight. Elizabeth II has been living such a measured life for almost 60 years.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has four children. These are Prince Charles (born 1948), Prince Andrew (born 1960), Princess Anne (born 1950), Prince Edward (born 1964). The upbringing of children was mainly done by the father, since the queen always had many important state affairs.

The whole life of the royal court is a ritual. It has been practiced for hundreds of years. For example, Buckingham Palace has a dressmaker on staff. Her duties include darning socks and bedding. This does not mean at all that the queen does not have money for such trifles. A dressmaker costs much more than new socks and sets of underwear. It's just that the royal court pays tribute to tradition. About 500 years ago, fabric was very expensive, and crowned persons saved In a similar way. Times have changed, but the tradition remains. He is not the only one in the royal palace.

The liveries worn by the servants were made 200 years ago. Each new employee is given an old uniform and adjusted to fit. The entire service staff consists of about 300 people. The staff includes personal pages, maids, ladies-in-waiting, keepers of silverware, royal purses. There are even pages of front and rear rooms.

During official receptions, a huge table is set. It is impossible to reach its middle. The lackeys wrap their boots in rags and climb onto the table with their feet. During the meal, the first course is served to the queen. She immediately starts eating. After that, the footmen serve the dishes to the guests. When the plate of the crowned person is empty, the servants immediately take away the plates from all those present. Many guests do not even have time to try what they were served.

However, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain canceled this not very kind custom. She declared that no one should ever go hungry at her table. But this is the only concession to ancient traditions.

As for the servants, they must walk around the palace, keeping to a narrow edge near the wall. If the queen or someone from the royal family comes towards you, the servants must hide somewhere. It can be some kind of closet, a closet in the wall, that is, any shelter that is nearby. Seeing the queen, noble ladies should squat, and men bow.

These traditions have been strictly observed for centuries. For people, they are not at all a burden. On the contrary, there are many who want to serve at the royal palace. But all positions, as a rule, are inherited. Children with early years absorb the unique atmosphere of the royal palace and jealously protect its traditions and customs. It seems that time itself freezes within the walls, which for hundreds of years have been protecting the reigning persons from the vicissitudes of the external, changeable and so unpredictable world.

Queen Elizabeth II loves animals very much. She breeds horses and dogs. Her favorite dog breed is the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. The dog of this breed, which she named Susan, was given to her by her father George VI for her birthday when she was 18 years old. Elizabeth had over 30 Pembork Welsh Corgis, all descendants of Susan.

Royal dogs live in palaces and castles, travel in chauffeured limousines, fly in private jets and helicopters, and accompany their titled mistress everywhere. As beds for dogs in the castle, special wicker baskets are placed, raised above the floor by a few centimeters, which helps to avoid drafts. Dogs are allowed to roam freely in the royal apartments.

After Elizabeth II's two Pembork Welsh Corgi dogs died of cancer in early 2009, she stopped breeding puppies. Previously, puppies from royal dogs were never sold, they were given to good hands. Amid unfortunate events, in order to improve the health of her pets, she decided to cross a miniature dachshund named Pipekin with one of her Pembork Welsh Corgis and received a new designer breed of dorgi.

Now Queen Elizabeth II has two dogs of the Pembork Welsh Corgi breed, whose names are Willow and Holly; two dorgi dogs named Candy and Vulkan. Elizabeth II also has Labradors and Cocker Spaniels. After the death of all four-legged pets, they are buried in the cemetery, which is located on the territory of Sandringham, the winter residence of the queen, and each one is given a small monument with a brief obituary (for example: “HEATHER / Born May 28.1961 / Died Jan. 31.1977 / For 15 Years the / Faithful Companion / of THE QUEEN./ Great Grand Daughter of Susan").

It is believed that the first royal dog of the Pembork Welsh Corgi breed was Susan, who was given to his daughter by King George VI in 1933, but recent evidence suggests that the love of the royal family for this breed extends much further. During excavations in 2004 in Wales, where the queen's ancestors lived in the ninth century, archaeologists discovered the bone of a Welsh Corgi dog paw.

Interesting facts from the life of Her Majesty:

Elizabeth II continues a traditional family craze for carrier pigeons that dates back to 1896, when the Belgian King Leopold II presented several of these birds as a gift to the British royal family. In 1990, one of the royal pigeons, later nicknamed "Sandringham Lightning", won major international competitions in France. As a big fan of pigeon competitions, the Queen is a trustee of a number of sport pigeon societies, including the Royal Sport Pigeon Association.

The Queen has an extensive collection of jewelry, most of which is the so-called royal regalia (crowns, scepters). The rest of the jewels, including the largest pink diamond in the world, the queen received as an inheritance or as a gift. Among the most famous royal jewelery are a diamond brooch in the form of an Australian acacia twig, donated by the Australian government in 1954; necklace of large aquamarines and rectangular-cut diamonds and earrings, presented by the Ambassador of Brazil in the year of the coronation.

In 2005, the Queen claimed 88 young swans living on the Thames. The Swan Brander looks after them. And the first Royal keeper of the swans was appointed in the XII century. Formally, the Queen still owns sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the coastal waters of Great Britain. A law passed in 1324 under King Edward II reads: "The king also owns ... whales and sturgeons caught in the sea and other places within the kingdom." This law is valid in England to this day and, according to it, sturgeon, whales and dolphins are considered "royal fish". Therefore, if they are caught within a three-mile radius of the British coast, or washed ashore, dead or alive, the crown can lay claim to them. As a rule, the fishermen, returning to the port, sell the sturgeon in the usual way, and the buyer, as a show of loyalty to the throne, asks the queen to honor him and accept his modest reward.

Performance for children 6+. Sherlock Holmes. Theater beyond the Black River in London Mr. Sherlock Holmes is the best detective in the world. He can unravel any complex case and find the criminal without even leaving his famous room on Baker Street. Do you know what the detective's room looks like? It is filled with many intricate devices, magnifying glasses, microscopes and vials of chemical reagents. And all this helps him in investigating the incredible incidents taking place in London and its environs ... But now he is already entering the stage, which means that he has taken up another case and we are waiting for the incredible adventures of the noble Sherlock Holmes and his brave Dr. Watson.

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English simulator irregular verbs help you remember their spelling and meaning. Fill in empty cells. If you spelled correctly, the word will change color from red to green. Refresh the page or click the "Start over" button and you will see new order empty cells. Train again!

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Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been parliamentary monarchy. Since February 6, 1952, on the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is Queen Elizabeth II.

It is believed that the system of constitutional monarchy smooths out the contradictions of multi-party politics and ensures stability and continuity in a period of political and social changes.

The current monarch performs two important functions - is head of state and head of nation .

As head of state, Queen of Great Britain performs the following duties: participates in the annual opening ceremony of Parliament, meets weekly with prime ministers, receives foreign ambassadors and delegations, visits foreign countries on official visits to maintain diplomatic and economic relations of his country with others. Many of the monarch's official powers or "royal prerogatives" are exercised only nominally by the monarch, after consultation with the prime minister and cabinet, who are responsible to the House of Commons of Parliament. Most of the prerogatives are exercised in practice by British Cabinet ministers. The monarch formally appoints the prime minister (the ceremony of "kissing hands"), in practice - this is the head of the party that won the elections to Parliament. In the event that none of the parties received a majority, the monarch has the right to appoint a prime minister. The current Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, took advantage of this opportunity only once - in 1974, by appointing Laborist Harold Wilson to the post of prime minister. On the advice of the Prime Minister, the monarch has the right to dismiss ministers or the entire Cabinet (a prerogative that British monarchs never exercise). All parliamentary laws are made in the name of the monarch and come into force after his formal approval.

Formally, the monarch has the right to convene, dissolve and prolong the Parliament. But in practice, according to the Parliament Act of 1911, the Parliament is elected for a term of 5 years and after this term is automatically dissolved.

An oath of allegiance is sworn to the monarch, British passports are issued on behalf of the monarch, the country's anthem is called "God Save the Queen". The image of the monarch is present on banknotes, coins and postage stamps. The current monarch is the head of the Royal Armed Forces and has the formal prerogative to declare war and make peace, conclude international treaties and ratify agreements.

Despite their venerable age, the royal couple continues to perform official duties. In April 2014, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Vatican and met with Pope Francis.

The monarch is considered Source of justice- has the right to appoint judges.

The monarch is source of honor(conducts investiture ceremonies) - appoints peers, awards orders, knighthoods and other honors (usually on the advice of the prime minister).

Monarch - head of the Anglican church. He has the power to appoint archbishops and bishops (on the proposal of the prime minister).

Since 1760, the maintenance of the royal family has been financed according to the Civil List. This means that the proceeds from the royal inheritance - the Crown Estate - go to the UK budget, and then are allocated to the needs of the royal family.

The monarch only formally owns his estate, since it cannot be sold, but can only be transferred to the heir to the throne. Formally, the current monarch owns the county of Lancastershire, the income from which goes to replenish the monarch's "personal wallet" and is spent on those needs that, by tradition, are not recorded in the Civil List. The earldom of Cornwall formally belongs to the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom.

As Head of the Nation, Queen Elizabeth II performs an equally important cultural and social function in the UK. She provides national identity, symbolizes the unity and pride of the nation, giving the British a sense of stability and confidence in the future.

The Queen regularly visits different parts of the United Kingdom, her presence is mandatory at the ceremonies on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance of those killed in wars, at significant sporting events. Everyone remembers the appearance of the Queen in the video with James Bond at the opening of the Olympic Games in London in 2012. In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II opened the Montreal Summer Olympics in Canada as the head of state of Canada. The royal office sends out thousands of messages of congratulations to subjects celebrating their centenary and sixtieth wedding anniversaries. Every year, Queen Elizabeth II addresses her subjects with a Christmas speech.

Members of the British Royal Family form the line of succession to the throne. First in line is the Queen's eldest son, Charles. The second and third are Charles' eldest son Prince William and his son George. The order of succession was determined by the Union Act of 1800, where the rule of succession was fixed according to primogeniture with male priority. The Succession to the Throne Act 1701 established the rule that only a monarch of the Anglican faith could succeed to the British throne. According to this law, not only Catholics, but also Anglicans who are married to Catholics, cannot take the British throne.

At the Commonwealth Summit in Australia in October 2011, changes were made to the succession to the throne to avoid discrimination based on gender and religion. In December 2012, this law was approved by the parliaments of the countries that are members of the Commonwealth. Now the order of succession is determined by simple seniority and the ban on marriages with Catholics is lifted for future monarchs. Currently in line to the throne are 55 members of the royal family- descendants of Elizabeth II, her sister - Princess Margaret and grandfather - George V.

Also members royal family sorted by seniority or priority. So, the queen's husband - the Duke of Edinburgh is not among the heirs to the throne, but is the second oldest in the family after the queen. This order of precedence is followed at formal occasions. For example, during the laying of wreaths on Memorial Day, the Queen lays the first wreath, the Duke of Edinburgh the second, Prince Charles the third, and so on.

Title of Queen Elizabeth II differs for each country that is part of the Commonwealth.

For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it sounds like this:

"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

"Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other countries and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926 in London at 17 Brewton Street. This house no longer exists, and a memorial plaque has been installed on the new house at this address. At baptism, the daughter of Prince Albert, the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was named Elizabeth (after her mother), Alexandra (after her great-grandmother), Mary (after her grandmother). Elizabeth II belongs to the Windsor dynasty. Elizabeth's father, Prince Albert, was second in line to the throne. After the abdication of the throne of his elder brother - Edward VIII, he became King George VI, and Elizabeth turned into "heir presumptive" ("supposed heir"). This means that if the king later had a son, he would have inherited the throne.

In 1947, Elizabeth's wedding took place with Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921) - an officer of the British Navy, who belonged to the Greek and Danish royal families, the great-great-grandson of the British Queen Victoria and the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. To marry Elizabeth, Philip became a naturalized citizen of Great Britain, changed Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, abandoned the titles "Prince of Denmark" and "Prince of Greece". In return, George VI granted him the title of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich.

When George VI died on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth and her husband were traveling in Kenya. Princess Elizabeth has already returned to the UK as Queen Elizabeth II. Coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II, which took place on 2 June 1953, was first televised from Westminster Abbey. The first to take the oath of allegiance to the new Queen was her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen has four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward.

Charles, Prince of Wales- was born on November 14, 1948. Charles (Karl) Philip Arthur George (Georg) Mountbatten's full name is Windsor. Heir to the Throne of Great Britain, Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Air Force. Upon accession to the throne, he can choose a royal name - Charles (Karl) III for the first name, or George (George) VII for the fourth.

At birth, Charles received the title "His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh" - "His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh." Upon ascension to the throne of Elizabeth II in 1952, Prince Charles automatically received the title "Duke of Cornwall" and became known as "His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall". In 1969, Elizabeth II held an investiture ceremony, placing the crown of the Prince of Wales on her son's head. And Charles' official title changed to "His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales".

On July 29, 1981, the wedding of the heir to the throne took place with Diana Spencer. Charles and Diana had two sons: Prince William (born June 21, 1982) and Prince Henry (Harry) (born September 15, 1984). On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles married for the second time - to Camilla Parker Bowles. For the first time in the history of the royal family, the ceremony was performed in a civil manner. Due to the fact that the late wife of Prince Charles, Lady Diana, is still very popular with the British, Camila was given the title not of the Princess of Wales, but of the Duchess of Cornwall.

By tradition, Charles is engaged in charity, heads more than 350 charitable societies. His interests include nature conservation and agriculture.

Princess Anna(Anna Elizabeth Alice Louise) was born on August 15, 1950. He is currently 11th in line to the throne. Since 1987, she has held the title of Princess Royal. From her first marriage to Mark Phillips, she had two children: Peter Phillips (1977) and Zara Phillips (1981). Princess Anne, Mark Phillips and Zara Phillips different time represented the UK Olympic Games ah equestrian. After her divorce from Mark Phillips, Princess Anne married Vice Admiral Timothy Lawrence.

Prince Andrew(Andrew Albert Christian Edward), Duke of York born February 19, 1960. Prince Andrew received the title of Duke of York in 1986, on his wedding day to Sarah Ferguson. The marriage produced two daughters: Princess Beatrice of York (born 1988) and Eugenie of York (born 1990). The Duke of York is fifth in the line of succession to the British throne.

Prince Edward(Edward Anthony Richards Louis), Earl of Wessex born March 10, 1964. In the line of succession, he is in 8th place after his older brothers and their descendants. He received the title of earl on the day of his marriage to Sophie Rhys-Jones. It was announced that after the death of his father he would receive the title of Duke of Edinburgh, and his children would not receive the titles of princes and princesses, but would be treated as children of an earl. The Earl of Wessex has two children: Louise (born 2003) - "Lady Louise Windsor" and James (born 2007) - "James, Viscount Severn".

Second in line to the British throne is Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (born 1982) is the son of the Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer. On the day of William's wedding to Kate Middleton, he was granted the title of Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergu. Kate Middleton, respectively, became the Duchess of Cambridge. On July 22, 2013, the couple had a son, George (Georg) Alexander Louis. who was third in line to the throne.

Prince Henry of Wales(Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor) - the youngest son of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer was born on September 15, 1984. He is currently 4th in line to the British throne.

When Queen Elizabeth II works, she divides her time between London and Windsor.

Royal palaces are not owned by the queen or the royal family. Officially, they are in "trust management for future generations."

The main royal residence of the British monarch is Buckingham Palace in Westminster. Most state banquets, investitures, receptions of heads of state and ambassadors of foreign states and other official events are held there. In Buckingham Palace, which most people in the world associate with british royal family, 775 rooms. Including: 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 employee bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. The total area of the palace is 77 thousand square meters. When the queen is in the palace, the royal standard develops above it, if she is not in the palace, the state one.

The second most important royal residence - the largest residential castle in the world - Windsor Castle, is used by the royal family for the weekend.

The main residence in Scotland is Holyroodhouse Castle in Edinburgh. The Queen always spends there one week a year - the so-called "week of Holyrood".

The royal family also owns Clarencehouse (home of Prince Charles) and Kensington Palace.

Holidays (in August and September) Her Majesty spends in the castles of Balmoral in Aberdeenshire or Sandringhamhouse in Norfolk. They are private residences of the royal family and are not funded from the budget.

A series of scandals related to the divorces of Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, as well as the death of Princess Diana, have significantly undermined the authority of the royal family in the UK. Nevertheless, according to polls, more than 60% of Britons are in favor of maintaining the institution of the monarchy in the country.

Interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II:

At the queen's Elizabeth II no passport. Since a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, the Queen cannot issue a passport to herself. All other members of the royal family, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, hold British passports.
Queen Elizabeth II is the only person in a country that is allowed to drive a car without a registration number and driver's license. By the way, the queen received a driver's license back in 1945.
is not a fixed date. Whether it will be the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Saturday of June is decided by the government of the country. On this day, since 1748, according to tradition, a royal military parade has been held - Trooping the Color.
In Australia queen's birthday It is celebrated as a public holiday on the second Monday in June. In Western Australia, the monarch's birthday is celebrated at a different time - in late September or early October. In New Zealand, the Queen's Birthday is also a public holiday and is celebrated on the first Monday in June. In Canada, the Queen's Birthday is celebrated as a public holiday on the Monday preceding May 24th.
The Queen's actual birthday is April 21st. On this day, there are no solemn events and the Queen spends it with her family.
Royal salutes are strictly regulated and happen
February 6 (day of accession to the throne of Elizabeth II)
April 21 (Birthday of Elizabeth II)
June 2 (the day of the coronation of Elizabeth II)
10 June (Birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh)
The official birthday of the Queen
Opening of Parliament by the Queen (usually November or December).
The number of shots of the royal salute is also regulated. The main royal salute is 21 shots. In Hyde Park, 20 more shots are added to the main salute. In the Tower, this is 20 added to the main number 21 and 21 more shots.
Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state in 16 states and is the head of the Commonwealth, consisting of 53 countries. In 1952, at a conference of prime ministers of the countries belonging to the Commonwealth, Elizabeth II was proclaimed the head of the association of countries not by inheritance, but by the right of consent of member states.
At Queen Elizabeth II there are other official and unofficial titles. For example, in the Maori language, it is called "kotuku" - "white heron". In Papua New Guinea, in the pidgin language, the Queen is called "Mrs. Quin". In the Isle of Man the Queen is called the Empress of Maine, in the Channel Islands she is the Duchess of Normandy; in the Duchy of Lancaster, she is the Duchess of Lancaster.
During his reign Queen Elizabeth II hosted 12 prime ministers during traditional meetings on Tuesdays: Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alexander Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron.
Tony Blair became the first prime minister to be born during the reign of Elizabeth II (in May 1953).
During the reign queens Elizabeth II There were 6 Archbishops of Canterbury.
At Queen Elizabeth II 9 thrones. One in the House of Lords, 2 in Westminster Abbey and 6 in Buckingham Palace.
Queen should not publicly express her political views and communicates extremely correctly with all the prime ministers of the country, being above political battles. The same applies to members of the royal family, who do not have the right to speak out about political events, so the political views of the queen and members of her family remain unknown.
Queen Elizabeth II patronizes more than 620 charities.
Queen Elizabeth II is the 40th British monarch since William the Conqueror.
During his reign Queen Elizabeth II has made official visits to more than 130 countries and made more than 250 trips. In October 1994, the Queen paid an official visit to Russia.
Most of the Queen's trips were made on the yacht Britannia, which was built in 1954 and decommissioned in 1997. The total distance that Britain has traveled over the years is more than a million nautical miles.
At the queen's Elizabeth II there were more than 30 dogs of your favorite breed corgi. She received the first dog of this breed, Susan, as a gift for her eighteenth birthday. All other dogs are descendants of Susan. The Queen is even the creator of a new breed of dog - dorgi which came from mixing her corgi with Princess Margaret's dachshund.
Queen Elizabeth II sent her first email in 1976, and the first official royal website was created in 1997.
Legally, whales, dolphins and sturgeons in the UK's seas belong to the Crown. Because the country still has a statute of 1324, adopted during the reign of Edward II, stating that the monarch owns dolphins, whales and sturgeons, living and dead, within the territorial waters of the country.

“In general, no one taught me to be a queen: my father died too early and it happened so unexpectedly - I had to immediately get involved in the business and at the same time try not to lose face in the dirt. I had to grow up to the position that I took. It was fate, it should have been accepted and not grumbled. I think continuity is very important. My job is for life."
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain

I wonder what it's like to celebrate your birthday for more than 50 years twice a year? This question can be answered by Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926 in London, and for many years her birthday has been celebrated throughout the United Kingdom not only on April 21, but also on the 3rd Saturday of June.

The title of Her Royal Majesty in the United Kingdom is: "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other Possessions and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she became queen, and has been so for several decades now.

Birthdays are celebrated every year at Windsor Castle. It begins with a walk around the city (if this action, of course, can be called that). A 21-shot salute is certainly given, which sounds at noon.

Throughout her reign, the queen has been criticized more than once, not only by the British Republicans, but also by various British media as well as the common public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy, and her popularity in the UK is at its best.

Royal

Elizabeth II (English Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (English Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.

Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.

Is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the Queen 15 independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. He is also Head of the Anglican Church and Supreme Commander armed forces Great Britain.

Coats of arms in different period time and in different countries

Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944-1947)

Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (1947-1952)

Royal coat of arms in Great Britain (except Scotland)

Royal coat of arms in Scotland

Royal coat of arms in Canada

The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, the Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

During the reign of Elizabeth II, in all countries recognizing the British monarch as their head of state, laws were passed according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as head of this particular state, regardless of his titles in Great Britain proper or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries, the title of the queen sounds the same, with the name of the state replaced. In some countries, the words "defender of the faith" are excluded from the title. For example, in Australia, the title sounds like this: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God the Queen of Australia and her other kingdoms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth."

On the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, Elizabeth II also bears the title of Duke of Normandy, on the Isle of Man - the title of "Lord of Maine".

Story

Elizabeth II is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She is currently the second longest-serving head of state in history (after Queen Victoria) and also the second longest-serving head of state in the world (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the world's oldest female incumbent head of state, and in Europe the oldest incumbent head of state.

He is the oldest reigning monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of the king Saudi Arabia Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud.

During the reign of Elizabeth II, a very wide period of British history falls: the process of decolonization was completed, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. This period also included many other events, such as the long ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1970

public perception

At the moment, the majority of Britons positively assess the activities of Elizabeth II as a monarch (about 69% believe that the country would be worse without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy contributes to raising the country's image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).

Despite the positive attitude of most of her subjects, the queen was repeatedly criticized throughout her reign, in particular:

In 1963, when a political crisis arose in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for having personally appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1997, for the lack of an immediate reaction to the death of Princess Diana, the queen fell not only with the anger of the British public, but even of many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death with a cane, a wave of indignation from environmental organizations swept across the country about the actions of the monarch.

Elizabeth II is the last representative of the so-called "old school" of monarchs: she strictly adheres to centuries-old traditions and ceremonies and never deviates from the rules of established etiquette. Her Majesty never gives interviews or makes press statements. She is in front of everyone, but at the same time is the most closed celebrity on the planet.

Childhood

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).

Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her paternal grandparents were King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); by mother - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1938).

At the same time, the father insisted that the first name of the daughter be like that of the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie discussed the girl's name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Mary. The names are all good, I told him so, but about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was redundant." The christening of Princess Elizabeth took place on May 25 in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, later destroyed during the war years.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1930

In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

The future queen received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. She loved horses and equestrian sports since childhood. And also from childhood, unlike her more eccentric sister Margaret, she had a truly royal character. In the biography of Elizabeth II, Sarah Bradford mentions that the future queen from childhood was a very serious child, who even then had a certain understanding of the duties that fell on her as the heir to the throne, and a sense of duty. Since childhood, Elizabeth loved order, so, for example, when she went to bed, she always put slippers next to the bed, never allowing herself to scatter things in the room, as is typical for many children. And already as a queen, she always made sure that no extra light burned in the palace, personally turning off the lights in empty rooms.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1926

Photo of 1929, Elizabeth is 3 years old here

Princess Elizabeth in 1933

King George VI and (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Angela, Duchess of York (1900-2002), with their daughter, the future Queen - Princess Elizabeth, 1929

The Queen and her daughters, October 1942

princess at war

The Second World War began when Elizabeth was 13 years old. On October 13, 1940, she made her first radio appearance, addressing children affected by the disasters of the war. In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of the Guards Grenadiers. In 1944, she became one of the five "state councilors" (persons entitled to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - women's self-defense units - and was trained as an ambulance driver, receiving military rank lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months, which gives reason to consider her the last participant in the Second World War who has not yet retired (the penultimate one was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).

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

Wedding

On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria - Prince Philip Mountbatten, son of the Greek Prince Andrew, who was then an officer in the British Navy. She met him at the age of 13, when Philip was still a cadet at Dortmouth naval school. Becoming her husband, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

In November 2007, the Queen and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their "diamond wedding" - the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage. For the sake of such an occasion, the Queen allowed herself a little liberties - for one day they retired with her husband for romantic memories in Malta, where Prince Philip once served, and the young Princess Elizabeth visited him.

Four children were born in their family: the heir to the throne - the eldest son Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born 1948); Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (born 1950); Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (born 1960), Edward Anthony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).

On December 29, 2010, Elizabeth II became a great-grandmother for the first time. On this day, her eldest grandson, Princess Anne's eldest son Peter Phillips, and his Canadian wife, Autumn Kelly, had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession.

With newborn Prince Charles, December 1948

Coronation and beginning of reign

King George VI, Elizabeth's father, died February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, who at that time was on vacation with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.

The coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. This was the first televised coronation of a British monarch, and is credited with having contributed significantly to the rise of television broadcasting.

After that, in 1953-1954. The queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth, British colonies and other countries of the world. Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.

Elizabeth II after her coronation in 1953

The Queen with her six ladies-in-waiting
From left to right:
Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now Lady Glenconner), Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (now Lady Rosemary Muir), Lady Mary Bailey-Hamilton (now Lady Mary Russell), Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond- Willoughby (now Baroness de Willoughby de Eresby), Lady Jane Van Tempest-Stuart (now The Honorable Lady Rayne)

Young Queen Elizabeth II

The queen began her political activity, which included the opening of Parliament and the reception of prime ministers. In the fifties of the twentieth century, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made many visits to the territory of the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth.

In the sixties, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin in the midst of cold war, and also invited the Japanese Emperor Hirohito on an official visit to Britain. Despite the turbulent social and political situation, she celebrated her silver jubilee in 1977. The celebrations were a success, thousands of people celebrated the anniversary of Elizabeth II across the country.

Mature years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

Five years later, Britain was involved in hostilities against the Falklands, during which Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot. In the eighties of the twentieth century, the first grandchildren of the Queen were born - Peter and Zara Phillips, the son and daughter of Anna, Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips.

In 1992, a catastrophe occurred, as a result of which a fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle. That same year, the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne were annulled. The Queen called 1992 a "terrible year". In 1996, the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was annulled. Tragedy followed in 1997 when Diana died in a car accident.

2002 was a sad year for Queen Elizabeth II of England, as her sister Princess Margaret died.

Reign of Queen Elizabeth II

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, many changes were made in the UK. The Queen successfully fulfills her political duties as head of state, head of the Commonwealth of Nations, ceremonial duties, as well as visiting duties within and outside the UK.

Elizabeth II introduced many reforms to the monarchy. In 1992, she proposed taxes on profits and capital gains. She opened official royal residences to the people, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, in order to fund the upkeep of the royal family.

She supported the abolition of male primogeniture and single inheritance, which means that now the eldest child can inherit the throne, regardless of gender.

In 2012, the Queen of England celebrated her 60th birthday, with celebrations taking place across the country, once again demonstrating the love of the British.

The style of clothing of the English Queen Elizabeth II

The style of the English queen can be conditionally divided into two periods: the style of the young queen - the style is conservative and elegant, and the style of the elderly queen, I would call it the style of "merry grandmother" or even "rainbow style", because of the incredible number of changing colors in her costumes and hats . However, the English queen has always loved colors.

Throughout her life, the main elements of the wardrobe of Queen Elizabeth II were: dresses or suits of medium length, which necessarily cover the knee, coats and raincoats of A-line cut, plus floor-length dresses for special occasions, as well as hats, always in tone with the suit, gloves, closed shoes , a brooch on a jacket and a string of pearls. The Queen of England also always preferred short haircuts. Favorite colors are pink, lilac and indigo.

Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Odeon Cinema on October 31, 1955. (Photo: Monty Fresco/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth II becomes Queen after the death of her father in February 1952, and her coronation took place on June 2, 1952. At that time, namely in the 1940s and 1950s, Norman Hartnell sewed dresses for the princess, and then the queen. And Elizabeth more than once appeared in public in dresses with puffy skirts made of duchesse satin or silk. The design of her wedding dress Ivory and decorated with silver threads also belongs to Norman Hartnell, however, as well as the design of the coronation dress.

From the mid-1950s and throughout the 60s, Hardy Amis sewed for the Queen. It is he who brings a sense of simplicity to the queen's outfits, but this simplicity is only external, because behind it lies a very complex cut. He sewed his first dresses for the Queen back in 1948, when Elizabeth asked him to create a wardrobe for a trip to Canada.

Since the 1970s, Ian Thomas, a former assistant to Norman Hartnell and now the owner of his own salon, has been sewing for the Queen. His hallmark flying chiffon dresses that appeared in the wardrobe of the queen began. After his death and until the late 1980s, Maureen Rose of Ian Thomas' design house sewed for Queen Elizabeth.

From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the wardrobe of the English queen was replenished with outfits from John Anderson, because after his death, his partner Carl Ludwig Rese became the queen's court designer.

Since 2000, the youngest, by age, of Her Majesty's court designers, Stuart Parvin, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, has been sewing for Elizabeth II. In 2002, Angela Kelly became his assistant.

The Queen of England is 86 years old. But she still steadily fulfills all the duties assigned to her and appears in public, invariably following her style.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Prince Andrew (center), Princess Anne (left) and Charles, Prince of Wales near Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Queen Victoria's husband purchased Balmoral Castle in 1846. Queen Victoria visited Scotland frequently with her family, especially after the death of her husband in 1861, and Balmoral is still a favorite holiday destination for the royal family. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). September 9, 1960

Hobby

The Queen's interests include dog breeding (including Corgis, Spaniels and Labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige of the Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively around her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits to her credit (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). I have been gardening since 2009. In addition to English, he is also fluent in French.

Interesting Facts

Elizabeth II does not give interviews. Nevertheless, the press periodically flashes Interesting Facts about this extraordinary woman, which allow us to look at the most famous reigning person of our time from an unexpected angle, we have chosen the most striking, in our opinion, moments.

The celebration of the royal birthday in 1981 was overshadowed by an unpleasant event: near the horse on which Elizabeth was sitting, taking the parade, shots rang out, making everyone around shudder. The queen, to the delight of the public, did not even raise an eyebrow and managed to stay in the saddle.

Her self-control came in handy a year later, when, while waiting for the police, for several minutes she had to conduct a conversation with a madman who managed to get into the chambers.

In 1945, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, the future Queen of England, served as a mechanic in a reserve battalion with the rank of junior officer. English army. Obviously, the example of a "combat" grandmother inspired the young princes William and Harry, who also did not evade military service.

Family values for Elizabeth II is not an empty phrase. For the sake of her son's happiness, she stepped over rigid rules and blessed the second marriage of the Prince of Wales Charles to socialite Camilla Parker-Bowles, despite the hype about this.

On April 17, 2013, for the second time in the history of her reign, the Queen attended the funeral of a British politician: she said goodbye to Margaret Thatcher.

Despite the solid image, the queen is not alien to female coquetry and small weaknesses. Rogue paparazzi more than once caught the moment when she at social events, not embarrassed by the crowd and her high position, publicly corrected her makeup. Etiquette is etiquette, and a real queen should look gorgeous!

The Queen's passion is horses and Corgi dogs. In her youth, Elizabeth rode well, but now she pays more attention to charming red dogs, which, thanks to her, have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.

Elizabeth II is the oldest English monarch in history and the second longest-serving British monarch. She is also the oldest female current head of state.

In honor of Elizabeth II, the rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named.

Films about Elizabeth II

In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years was released - "Churchill Goes to War!", Where the role of Elizabeth was played by Neve Campbell.

In 2006, the biopic The Queen was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA winner in the Best Film category. Actress Helen Mirren, who played the title role in the film, won the Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar as Best Picture.

In 2009, the 4th channel of British television (Channel 4) filmed a 5-episode fictional mini-series "The Queen" ("The Queen", directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reams). The Queen at different periods of her life was played by 5 actresses: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.

On July 27, 2012, the television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both parachute from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the Queen was awarded the BAFTA Award for the best performance of the role of a James Bond girl.

In architecture

The Queen Elizabeth Avenue in Esplanade Park in Singapore is named after the Queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called the “Elizabeth Tower” since September 2012.
A bridge in Duford, completed in 1991, is also named after the Queen.
On August 1, 2013, the Elizabeth II Olympic Park was opened in London.

Lifetime monuments

culture

The British constitutional monarchy is a complex undertaking, there are clear rules to follow and a lot of things to remember. Many Britons do not fully understand what the British Monarchy is, so many misconceptions arise. We invite you to learn about the most common misconceptions about the queen, kings, kingdom and monarchy.

1) Queen of England

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is often mistakenly called Queen of England. In fact, she is the queen of 16 states. Moreover, one should call her the Queen of Great Britain, but do not forget that in every country that submits to the English crown, Elizabeth II is also called differently. For example, in New Zealand it is officially called "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of New Zealand and her other kingdoms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

2) Princess Diana

Diana, being a member of the royal family, was never really princess although she was the wife of a prince. People also often refer to Princess Catherine Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge. Diana held the title Princess of Wales, not being a princess by right, since only members of royal families by birth can be princesses and princes. The wives of royals who were not members of the royal family by birth before marriage should be named after their husbands. For example, Katherine should be called according to the rules HRH Princess William of Wales, no matter how strange it may sound.

3) Prince Philip is king

Despite the fact that Prince Philip is the spouse of the ruling person, according to the old royal tradition, he is not considered a king. This is due to the fact that in the UK a woman who marries a king is given a title. Queen, but not vice versa. Titles are almost always inherited through the male line, and Philip's parents were never royalty, although he is a distant relative of his legal wife.

4) The Queen pays no taxes

Queen Elizabeth II's father, King George VI, fought to avoid paying taxes, as he considered it a royal prerogative. When the debate in Parliament began on this matter (Royal revenues are calculated every few years), it was ultimately decided by Her Majesty that she would pay taxes, but at a minimum rate, and would not pay stamp duty, inheritance tax and income tax. Currently, the Queen pays a tax on private property.

5) Queen Elizabeth has two birthdays

Queen Elizabeth II was born April 21, 1926 into the royal family and immediately received the title of Princess Elizabeth of York. This event is celebrated on the first Saturday of June as part of the holiday "Bringing out the banner", which is also called "Queen's Birthday". King Edward VII (Elizabeth's grandfather) set the date for the celebrations in June, as at this time the best weather for such events, and his own birthday was in November, when the weather in England is not the most beautiful. Since then, the monarch's birthday parade has taken place in early summer, regardless of when the royal's actual birthday is. On April 21, the Queen celebrates her birthday in a narrow circle of relatives and friends, but not without salute from 41 guns.

5) Driving without a driver's license

During World War II, then Princess Elizabeth decided to enroll in Women's Auxiliary Territorial Corps, that is, the women's army, where she learned to repair cars and drive. Some believe that royals do not need to obtain a driver's license (although she has a license, she never passed the exam), a license plate (the queen's car is JGY 280, like her very first car, given by her father) or a passport (since technically the whole country belongs to her). Other members of the royal family must have all of these documents, including Prince Philip. The Queen very rarely drives with her seatbelt on.

6) The Queen really reigns

Ever since King John signed the Magna Carta liberties, no king or queen has ruled Britain or England. To rule or reign means to have absolute control, and the queen always works together with the government of the country, which is a constitutional monarchy.

7) The Queen wears the crown all the time

Her Majesty has many headdresses for every occasion. However, she usually puts on one crown once, maximum twice a year. This is about Crown of the British Empire, which is officially worn by the queen on the opening ceremony of Parliament, symbolizing the power of the queen as a monarch. This crown is very heavy, so Elizabeth tries to avoid it as much as possible. A few days before the opening of Parliament, she has to wear it to get used to its weight. Prince Charles once said that one of his most vivid childhood memories was when his mother bathed him in the bath with a crown on her head, as she prepared for the opening of Parliament. He said it was funny.

8) "We are not funny"

Queen Victoria (great-great-grandmother of Elizabeth II) was without a doubt one of the most popular queens in the UK. She is credited with many inventions and trends, including the fashion to wear a white dress for a wedding. But one thing that the queen definitely never said was: "We are not funny". Most likely, it was said by one of the ladies-in-waiting. Queen Victoria has been reported to have uttered this phrase in reference to herself, referring to herself as "We", which is not uncommon for royalty. For centuries "Royal We" or Majestic plural used to emphasize the power of the monarch.

Charles is not going to be king

According to the constitution, the eldest son of Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, cannot simply say: "I don't want to be king, let my eldest son be William". Although it is said that William is more popular today than Charles, who has been preparing for 60 years for him to inherit the royal title, Charles will still have to become king after Elizabeth. The only thing is that Charles can abdicate, then William can become king, but it should be noted that in the history of the British crown, only King Edward VIII, the uncle of Elizabeth II, abdicated to marry a non-royal American. It is unlikely that Charles will follow his example, already having a faulty biography.