Full Title: Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith
Known as: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second
Name at Birth: Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York
Date of Birth: 21/04/1926
Did you Know?... The Queen is actually the Sovereign of 15 nations
The Queen was born at her parent’s London home of 145 Piccadilly. Her parents were the Duke and Duchess of York. Her father, Albert, was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. In 1936 King George V died, and his eldest son become King Edward VIII, but later that year Edward abdicated to marry the twice divorced Mrs Wallis Simpson; Edward could not marry her and stay King because at the time royals were not allowed to marry divorcees, due to the monarch’s position as Head of the Church of England; at that time the church did not recognise divorce. The Duke and Duchess of York ascended the throne as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and their eldest daughter Princess Elizabeth became the heir presumptive; she would be the next monarch if nobody more eligible, such as a younger brother, was born; if she was a boy she would have been the heir apparent, as a son could not be displaced in the line of succession. This is different now, as in 2013 the Act of Succession was changed to allow the eldest child, regardless of gender, to be the next in line.
The new King and Queen moved to Buckingham Palace, where Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister Princess Margaret, grew up. During the Second World War (1939-1945) the princesses spent time at Windsor Castle, as it was deemed safer. In 1939 Princess Elizabeth met Prince Philip of Greece, who was living in exile, and was in the Royal Navy. The Prince was 5 years older that the young Princess, but by the end of the war, the Princess was 18, and the pair fell in love. After persuading the King and Queen that it was a good match, the couple were married in November 1947. Prior to the marriage, Philip renounced his claim to the Greek throne and his royal titles, becoming Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten RN. Upon their marriage he was given the title Duke of Edinburgh by the King, and later on the Queen made him a Prince of the United Kingdom in his own right, so he became Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The couple lived in Clarence House, and for a short time in Malta, where the Duke carried out Naval duties. They had a son, Prince Charles, later the Prince of Wales, in 1948, and a daughter, Princess Anne, later the Princess Royal, in 1950. On 6th February 1952 the King passed away, having been unwell for some time, making the 25 year old Elizabeth the new Queen. The new Queen was in Kenya at the time, carrying out a tour of the Commonwealth on behalf of the King. She returned to the UK immediately.
The Queen moved into Buckingham Palace. The Queen and Duke had two more children, Prince Andrew, later Duke of York, in 1960, and Prince Edward, later Earl of Wessex, in 1964. The Queen now has 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren!
The Queen has served the country and commonwealth, supported by her family, for many years, being the first monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee (65 years) in 2017. The Queen is the UK’s longest reigning monarch, surpassing her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, on 9th September 2015, by reigning for 63 years, 7 months, and 3 days.
The Queen’s duties are varied, ranging from opening local schools and hospitals, to receiving and visiting foreign Heads of State. The Queen has carried out her role with dedication and grace. Remarkably she has modernised the monarchy slowly over time, so that it is hard to pinpoint any one change or event that has been pivotal, instead it is more of a gradual evolution. This method has ensured decisions are made with careful thought and calculated rationality. The Queen has maintained her dignity, whilst also showing part of her character and personality when she feels it is right. Her sense of humour and fun shown when taking part in the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony is one example. The Queen keeps going each and every day with her determined sense of duty, mixed with a maturity to adapt when necessary. She has selflessly served this country and her other realms and territories, and the Commonwealth. Why has Her Majesty succeeded so well? It probably comes down to her family who understand and support her, and enable her to reach a wider group of people through their representation of her, the way the Queen surrounds herself with a few trusted friends, and loyal staff. Thirdly, her personal faith in Jesus that gives her an inner strength, evidenced in her Christmas Speeches and attendance at church every Sunday no matter where she is in the world.
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