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Queen Elizabeth II - Queen | Mini Bio | BIO

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Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 - 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and 15 at the time of her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch, the longest recorded of any female head of state in history, and the second-longest verified reign of any sovereign in history.

Significant events include Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively. She faced occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family, particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death of her former daughter-in-law Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. She was served by more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Throughout her lifetime, support for the monarchy in the United Kingdom remained consistently high, as did her personal popularity. Elizabeth died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, on 8 September 2022, and was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III.

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 - 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and of 14 other sovereign countries from 6 February 1952 until her death. Her reign of 70 years and seven months was the longest of any British monarch.

Significant events include Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively. Elizabeth was the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the oldest and longest-serving incumbent head of state, and the second-longest verifiable reigning sovereign monarch in world history. She faced occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family, particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death of her former daughter-in-law Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. However, support for the monarchy in the United Kingdom remained consistently high, as did her personal popularity. Elizabeth died on 8 September 2022.

Elizabeth was born at 02:40 ( GMT) on 21 April 1926, during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V. Her father, the Duke of York (later King George VI), was the second son of the King. Her mother, the Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother), was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, at whose London home (17 Bruton Street, Mayfair) she was delivered by Caesarean section. She was baptised by the Anglican Archbishop of York, Cosmo Gordon Lang, in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 29 May, and named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother, who had died six months earlier; and Mary after her paternal grandmother. Called "Lilibet" by her close family, based on what she called herself at first, she was cherished by her grandfather, George V, whom she affectionately called "Grandpa England", and her regular visits during his serious illness in 1929 were credited in the popular press and by later biographers with raising his spirits and aiding his recovery.

Elizabeth's only sibling, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930. The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford. Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature, and music. Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to the dismay of the royal family. The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, and her attitude of responsibility. Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant." Her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved".

Heir presumptive

Elizabeth received private tuition in constitutional history from Henry Marten, Vice-Provost of Eton College, and learned French from a succession of native-speaking governesses. A Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company, was formed specifically so she could socialise with girls her own age. Later, she was enrolled as a Sea Ranger.

In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the United States. As in 1927, when they had toured Australia and New Zealand, Elizabeth remained in Britain, since her father thought her too young to undertake public tours. She "looked tearful" as her parents departed. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made the first royal transatlantic telephone call on 18 May.

Second World War

In September 1939, Britain entered the Second World War. Lord Hailsham suggested that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent aerial bombings of London by the . This was rejected by their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave." The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, until Christmas 1939, when they moved to Sandringham House, Norfolk. From February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle, where they lived for most of the next five years. At Windsor, the princesses staged pantomimes at Christmas in aid of the Queen's Wool Fund, which bought yarn to knit into military garments. In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC's Children's Hour, addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities. She stated: "We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers, and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well."

In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public appearance on a visit to the Grenadier Guards, of which she had been appointed colonel the previous year. As she approached her 18th birthday, parliament changed the law so she could act as one of five Counsellors of State in the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, such as his visit to Italy in July 1944. In February 1945, she was appointed as an honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service with the service number of 230873. She trained as a driver and mechanic and was given the rank of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at the time) five months later.

At the end of the war in Europe, on Victory in Europe Day, Elizabeth and Margaret mingled incognito with the celebrating crowds in the streets of London. Elizabeth later said in a rare interview, "We asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief."

Princess Elizabeth went on her first overseas tour in 1947, accompanying her parents through southern Africa. During the tour, in a broadcast to the British Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, she made the following pledge: "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong." The speech was written by Dermot Morrah, a journalist for .

Main page: Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten

The engagement was not without controversy; Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born (though a British subject who had served in the Royal Navy throughout the Second World War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links. Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about the union initially, and teased Philip as "The Hun". In later life, however, the Queen Mother told biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman".

Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, officially converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the surname of his mother's British family. Shortly before the wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style His Royal Highness. Elizabeth and Philip were married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey. They received 2,500 wedding gifts from around the world. Elizabeth required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown (which was designed by Norman Hartnell) because Britain had not yet completely recovered from the devastation of the war. In post-war Britain, it was not acceptable for Philip's German relations, including his three surviving sisters, to be invited to the wedding. Neither was an invitation extended to the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII.

Following their wedding, the couple leased Windlesham Moor, near Windsor Castle, until July 1949, when they took up residence at Clarence House in London. At various times between 1949 and 1951, the Duke of Edinburgh was stationed in the British Crown Colony of Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer. He and Elizabeth lived intermittently in Malta for several months at a time in the hamlet of Gwardamanġa, at Villa Guardamangia, the rented home of Philip's uncle, Lord Mountbatten. Their two children remained in Britain.

Accession and coronation

Main page: Coronation of Elizabeth II

George VI's health declined during 1951, and Elizabeth frequently stood in for him at public events. When she toured Canada and visited President Harry S. Truman in Washington, D.C., in October 1951, her private secretary, Martin Charteris, carried a draft accession declaration in case of the King's death while she was on tour. In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by way of Kenya. On 6 February 1952, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, after a night spent at Treetops Hotel, when word arrived of the death of George VI and Elizabeth's consequent accession to the throne with immediate effect. Philip broke the news to the new queen. She chose to retain Elizabeth as her regnal name; thus she was called Elizabeth II, which offended many Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to rule in Scotland. She was proclaimed queen throughout her realms and the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace.

With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed probable that the royal house would bear the Duke of Edinburgh's name, in line with the custom of a wife taking her husband's surname on marriage. Lord Mountbatten advocated the name House of Mountbatten. Philip suggested House of Edinburgh, after his ducal title. The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth's grandmother, Queen Mary, favoured the retention of the House of Windsor, so Elizabeth issued a declaration on 9 April 1952 that Windsor would continue to be the name of the royal house. The Duke complained, "I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do not carry royal titles.

Amid preparations for the coronation, Princess Margaret told her sister she wished to marry Peter Townsend, a divorcé‚ 16 years Margaret's senior and with two sons from his previous marriage. The Queen asked them to wait for a year; in the words of her private secretary, "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Princess, but I think she thought-she hoped-given time, the affair would peter out." Senior politicians were against the match and the Church of England did not permit remarriage after divorce. If Margaret had contracted a civil marriage, she would have been expected to renounce her right of succession. Margaret decided to abandon her plans with Townsend.

Despite the death of Queen Mary on 24 March 1953, the coronation went ahead as planned on 2 June, as Mary had requested before she died. The coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, with the exception of the anointing and communion, was televised for the first time. On Elizabeth's instruction, her coronation gown was embroidered with the floral emblems of Commonwealth countries.

Continuing evolution of the Commonwealth

From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the British Empire continued its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. By the time of her accession in 1952, her role as head of multiple independent states was already established. In 1953, the Queen and her husband embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometres) by land, sea and air. She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations. During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her. Throughout her reign, the Queen had made hundreds of state visits to other countries and tours of the Commonwealth; she was the most widely travelled head of state.

In 1956, the British and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet, discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community, the precursor to the European Union. In November 1956, Britain and France invaded Egypt in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture the Suez Canal. Lord Mountbatten said the Queen was opposed to the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later.

The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first major personal criticism of the Queen. In a magazine, which he owned and edited, Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch". Altrincham was denounced by public figures and slapped by a member of the public appalled by his comments. Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised the Queen to appoint the Earl of Home as prime minister, advice she followed. The Queen again came under criticism for appointing the prime minister on the advice of a small number of ministers or a single minister. In 1965, the Conservatives adopted a formal mechanism for electing a leader, thus relieving her of involvement.

Elizabeth gave birth to her third child, Prince Andrew, on 19 February 1960, which was the first birth to a reigning British monarch since 1857. Her fourth child, Prince Edward, was born on 10 March 1964.

In addition to performing traditional ceremonies, the Queen had also instituted new practices. Her first royal walkabout, meeting ordinary members of the public, took place during a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1970.

Acceleration of decolonisation

The 1960s and 1970s saw an acceleration in the decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean. More than 20 countries gained independence from Britain as part of a planned transition to self-government. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith, in opposition to moves towards majority rule, unilaterally declared independence while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth, declaring her " Queen of Rhodesia". Although the Queen formally dismissed him, and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade. As Britain's ties to its former empire weakened, the British government sought entry to the European Community, a goal it achieved in 1973.

The Queen toured Yugoslavia in October 1972, becoming the first British monarch to visit a communist country. She was received at the airport by President Josip Broz Tito, and a crowd of thousands greeted her in Belgrade.

Silver Jubilee

Press scrutiny and Thatcher premiership

During the 1981 Trooping the Colour ceremony, six weeks before the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, six shots were fired at the Queen from close range as she rode down The Mall, London, on her horse, Burmese. Police later discovered the shots were blanks. The 17-year-old assailant, Marcus Sarjeant, was sentenced to five years in prison and released after three. The Queen's composure and skill in controlling her mount were widely praised. That October the Queen was the subject of another attack while on a visit to Dunedin, New Zealand. Christopher John Lewis, who was 17 years old, fired a shot with a .22 rifle from the fifth floor of a building overlooking the parade, but missed. Lewis was arrested, but never charged with attempted murder or treason, and sentenced to three years in jail for unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. Two years into his sentence, he attempted to escape a psychiatric hospital with the intention of assassinating Charles, who was visiting the country with Diana and their son Prince William.

From April to September 1982, the Queen's son, Prince Andrew, served with British forces in the Falklands War, for which she reportedly felt anxiety and pride. On 9 July, she awoke in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace to find an intruder, Michael Fagan, in the room with her. In a serious lapse of security, assistance only arrived after two calls to the Palace police switchboard. After hosting US president Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle in 1982 and visiting his California ranch in 1983, the Queen was angered when his administration ordered the invasion of Grenada, one of her Caribbean realms, without informing her.

Intense media interest in the opinions and private lives of the royal family during the 1980s led to a series of sensational stories in the press, not all of which were entirely true. As Kelvin MacKenzie, editor of , told his staff: "Give me a Sunday for Monday splash on the Royals. Don't worry if it's not true-so long as there's not too much of a fuss about it afterwards." Newspaper editor Donald Trelford wrote in The Observer of 21 September 1986: "The royal soap opera has now reached such a pitch of public interest that the boundary between fact and fiction has been lost sight of ... it is not just that some papers don't check their facts or accept denials: they don't care if the stories are true or not." It was reported, most notably in The Sunday Times of 20 July 1986, that the Queen was worried that Margaret Thatcher's economic policies fostered social divisions and was alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots, the violence of a miners' strike, and Thatcher's refusal to apply sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The sources of the rumours included royal aide Michael Shea and Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal, but Shea claimed his remarks were taken out of context and embellished by speculation. Thatcher reputedly said the Queen would vote for the Social Democratic Party-Thatcher's political opponents. Thatcher's biographer, John Campbell, claimed "the report was a piece of journalistic mischief-making". Reports of acrimony between them were exaggerated, and the Queen gave two honours in her personal gift-membership in the Order of Merit and the Order of the Garter-to Thatcher after her replacement as prime minister by John Major. Brian Mulroney, Canadian prime minister between 1984 and 1993, said Elizabeth was a "behind the scenes force" in ending apartheid.

By the end of the 1980s, the Queen had become the target of satire. The involvement of younger members of the royal family in the charity game show It's a Royal Knockout in 1987 was ridiculed. In Canada, Elizabeth publicly supported politically divisive constitutional amendments, prompting criticism from opponents of the proposed changes, including Pierre Trudeau. The same year, the elected Fijian government was deposed in a military coup. As monarch of Fiji, Elizabeth supported the attempts of Governor-General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau to assert executive power and negotiate a settlement. Coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka deposed Ganilau and declared Fiji a republic.

Turbulent 1990s and annus horribilis

In the wake of coalition victory in the Gulf War, the Queen became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress in May 1991.

On 24 November 1992, in a speech to mark the Ruby Jubilee of her accession to the throne, Elizabeth called 1992 her annus horribilis (a Latin phrase, meaning "horrible year"). Republican feeling in Britain had risen because of press estimates of the Queen's private wealth-contradicted by the Palace-and reports of affairs and strained marriages among her extended family. In March, her second son, Prince Andrew, separated from his wife, Sarah, and Mauritius removed Elizabeth as head of state; her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced Captain Mark Phillips in April; angry demonstrators in Dresden threw eggs at the Queen during a state visit to Germany in October; and a large fire broke out at Windsor Castle, one of her official residences, in November. The monarchy came under increased criticism and public scrutiny. In an unusually personal speech, the Queen said that any institution must expect criticism, but suggested it might be done with "a touch of humour, gentleness and understanding". Two days later, Prime Minister John Major announced plans to reform the royal finances, drawn up the previous year, including the Queen paying income tax from 1993 onwards, and a reduction in the civil list. In December, Prince Charles and his wife, Diana, formally separated. At the end of the year, the Queen sued newspaper for breach of copyright when it published the text of her annual Christmas message two days before it was broadcast. The newspaper was forced to pay her legal fees and donated £200,000 to charity. The Queen's solicitors had taken action against The Sun five years earlier for breach of copyright, after it published a photograph of her daughter-in-law the Duchess of York and her granddaughter Princess Beatrice. The case was solved with an out-of-court settlement that ordered the newspaper to pay $180,000.

In January 1994, the Queen broke the scaphoid bone in her left wrist as the horse she was riding at Sandringham House tripped and fell. In October 1994, she became the first reigning British monarch to set foot on Russian soil. During the four-day visit, which is considered to be one of the most important foreign trips of the Queen's reign, she and Philip attended events in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In October 1995, the Queen was tricked into a hoax call by Montreal radio host Pierre Brassard impersonating Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien. The Queen, who believed that she was speaking to Chrétien, said she supported Canadian unity, and would try to influence Quebec's referendum on proposals to break away from Canada.

In the year that followed, public revelations on the state of Charles and Diana's marriage continued. In consultation with her husband and John Major, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, and her private secretary, Robert Fellowes, Elizabeth wrote to Charles and Diana at the end of December 1995, suggesting that a divorce would be advisable.

In October 1997, Elizabeth and Philip made a state visit to India, which included a controversial visit to the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to pay her respects. Protesters chanted "Killer Queen, go back", and there were demands for her to apologise for the action of British troops 78 years earlier. At the memorial in the park, she and the Duke paid their respects by laying a wreath and stood for a 30‑second moment of silence. As a result, much of the fury among the public softened and the protests were called off.

In November of that year, the Queen and her husband held a reception at Banqueting House to mark their golden wedding anniversary. Elizabeth made a speech and praised Philip for his role as a consort, referring to him as "my strength and stay".

Golden Jubilee

On the eve of the new millennium, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh boarded a vessel from Southwark, bound for the Millennium Dome. Before passing under Tower Bridge, the Queen lit the National Millennium Beacon in the Pool of London using a laser torch. Shortly before midnight, she officially opened the Dome. During the singing of Auld Lang Syne, the Queen held hands with the Duke and British prime minister Tony Blair.

In 2003, the Queen sued Daily Mirror for breach of confidence and obtained an injunction which prevented the outlet from publishing information gathered by a reporter who posed as a footman at Buckingham Palace. The newspaper also paid £25,000 towards her legal costs. Though generally healthy throughout her life, in 2003 the Queen had keyhole surgery on both knees. In October 2006, she missed the opening of the new Emirates Stadium because of a strained back muscle that had been troubling her since the summer.

In May 2007, citing unnamed sources, The Daily Telegraph reported that the Queen was "exasperated and frustrated" by the policies of Tony Blair, that she was concerned the British Armed Forces were overstretched in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that she had raised concerns over rural and countryside issues with Blair. She was, however, said to admire Blair's efforts to achieve peace in Northern Ireland. She became the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding anniversary in November 2007. On 20 March 2008, at the Church of Ireland St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, the Queen attended the first Maundy service held outside England and Wales.

Diamond Jubilee and longevity

On 3 March 2013, Elizabeth stayed overnight at King Edward VII's Hospital as a precaution after developing symptoms of gastroenteritis. A week later, she signed the new Charter of the Commonwealth. Because of her age and the need for her to limit travelling, in 2013 she chose not to attend the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting for the first time in 40 years. She was represented at the summit in Sri Lanka by Prince Charles. On 20 April 2018, the Commonwealth heads of government announced that she will be succeeded by Charles as Head of the Commonwealth, which she stated was her "sincere wish". She underwent cataract surgery in May 2018. In March 2019, she gave up driving on public roads, largely as a consequence of a car crash involving her husband two months earlier.

COVID-19 pandemic

On 19 March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United Kingdom, the Queen moved to Windsor Castle and sequestered there as a precaution. Public engagements were cancelled and Windsor Castle followed a strict sanitary protocol nicknamed "HMS Bubble". On 5 April, in a televised broadcast watched by an estimated 24 million viewers in the UK, she asked people to "take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again." On 8 May, the 75th anniversary of VE Day, in a TV broadcast at 9p.m.-the exact time at which her father George VI had broadcast to the nation on the same day in 1945-she asked people to "never give up, never despair". In October, she visited the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in Wiltshire, her first public engagement since the start of the pandemic. On 4 November, she appeared masked for the first time in public, during a private pilgrimage to the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey, to mark the centenary of his burial. In 2021, she received her first and second COVID-19 vaccinations in January and April respectively.

Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021, after 73 years of marriage, making Elizabeth the first British monarch to reign as a widow or widower since Queen Victoria. She was reportedly at her husband's bedside when he died, and remarked in private that his death had "left a huge void". Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place in England at the time, the Queen sat alone at Philip's funeral service, which evoked sympathy from people around the world. In her Christmas broadcast that year, she paid a personal tribute to her "beloved Philip", saying, "That mischievous, inquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him".

Platinum Jubilee

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee began on 6 February 2022, marking 70 years since she acceded to the throne on her father's death. On the eve of the date, she held a reception at Sandringham House for pensioners, local Women's Institute members and charity volunteers. In her Accession Day message, Elizabeth renewed her commitment to a lifetime of public service, which she had originally made in 1947.

Later that month, the Queen had "mild cold-like symptoms" and tested positive for COVID-19, along with some staff and family members. She cancelled two virtual audiences on 22 February, but held a phone conversation with Prime Minister Boris Johnson the following day. On 28 February, she was reported to have recovered and spent time with her family at Frogmore. On 7 March, the Queen met Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau at Windsor Castle, in her first in-person engagement since her COVID diagnosis. She later remarked that COVID infection "leave[s] one very tired and exhausted ... It's not a nice result."

During the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the Queen was largely confined to balcony appearances, and missed the National Service of Thanksgiving. For the Jubilee concert, she took part in a sketch with Paddington Bear, that opened the event outside Buckingham Palace. On 13 June 2022, she became the second-longest reigning monarch in history among those whose exact dates of reign are known, with 70 years, 127 days reigned-surpassing King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. On 6 September 2022, she appointed her 15th British prime minister, Liz Truss, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the first time she did not receive a new prime minister at Buckingham Palace during her reign.

The Queen did not intend to abdicate, though she took on fewer public engagements as she grew older and Prince Charles took on more of her duties.

Public perception and character

Beliefs, activities and interests

Elizabeth rarely gave interviews and little was known of her personal feelings. She did not explicitly express her own political opinions in a public forum, and it is against convention to ask or reveal the monarch's views. When journalist Paul Routledge asked the Queen for her opinions on the miners' strike of 1984-85, she replied that it was "all about one man" (a reference to Arthur Scargill), with which Routledge disagreed. Widely criticised in the media for asking the question, Routledge said he was not initially due to be present for the royal visit and was unaware of the protocols. After the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Prime Minister David Cameron stated that the Queen was pleased with the outcome. She had arguably issued a public coded statement about the referendum by telling one woman outside Balmoral Kirk that she hoped people would think "very carefully" about the outcome. It emerged later that Cameron had specifically requested that she register her concern.

Elizabeth had a deep sense of religious and civic duty, and took her Coronation Oath seriously. Aside from her official religious role as Supreme Governor of the established Church of England, she worshipped with that church and also the national Church of Scotland. She demonstrated support for inter-faith relations and met with leaders of other churches and religions, including five popes: Pius XII, John XXIII, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. A personal note about her faith often featured in her annual Christmas Message broadcast to the Commonwealth. In 2000, she said:

To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.

Elizabeth was patron of more than 600 organisations and charities. The Charities Aid Foundation estimated that Elizabeth helped raise over £1.4 billion for her patronages during her reign. Her main leisure interests included equestrianism and dogs, especially her Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Her lifelong love of corgis began in 1933 with Dookie, the first corgi owned by her family. Scenes of a relaxed, informal home life were occasionally witnessed; she and her family, from time to time, prepared a meal together and washed the dishes afterwards.

Media depiction and public opinion

In the 1950s, as a young woman at the start of her reign, Elizabeth was depicted as a glamorous "fairytale Queen". After the trauma of the Second World War, it was a time of hope, a period of progress and achievement heralding a "new Elizabethan age". Lord Altrincham's accusation in 1957 that her speeches sounded like those of a "priggish schoolgirl" was an extremely rare criticism. In the late 1960s, attempts to portray a more modern image of the monarchy were made in the television documentary Royal Family and by televising Prince Charles's investiture as Prince of Wales. Her wardrobe developed a recognisable, signature style driven more by function than fashion. She dressed with an eye toward what is appropriate, rather than what is in vogue. In public, she took to wearing mostly solid-colour overcoats and decorative hats, allowing her to be seen easily in a crowd. Her wardrobe was handled by a team that includes five dressers, a dressmaker, and a milliner.

At the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977, the crowds and celebrations were genuinely enthusiastic, but, in the 1980s, public criticism of the royal family increased, as the personal and working lives of Elizabeth's children came under media scrutiny. Her popularity sank to a low point in the 1990s. Under pressure from public opinion, she began to pay income tax for the first time, and Buckingham Palace was opened to the public. Although support for republicanism in Britain seemed higher than at any time in living memory, republican ideology was still a minority viewpoint and the Queen herself had high approval ratings. Criticism was focused on the institution of the monarchy itself, and the conduct of the Queen's wider family, rather than her own behaviour and actions. Discontent with the monarchy reached its peak on the death of the former Princess of Wales, Diana, although Elizabeth's personal popularity-as well as general support for the monarchy-rebounded after her live television broadcast to the world five days after Diana's death.

Polls in Britain in 2006 and 2007 revealed strong support for the monarchy, and in 2012, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year, her approval ratings hit 90 percent. Her family came under scrutiny again in the last few years of her life due to her grandson Harry and his wife Meghan's exit from the monarchy and subsequent move to the United States. Whilst not as universal as it once was, various polling suggested the popularity of the monarchy remained high in Great Britain during the Platinum Jubilee, with the Queen's personal popularity remaining particularly strong. As of 2021 she remained the third most admired woman in the world according to the annual Gallup poll, her 52 appearances on the list meaning she had been in the top ten more than any other woman in the poll's history.

Elizabeth's personal wealth was the subject of speculation for many years. In 1971, Jock Colville, her former private secretary and a director of her bank, Coutts, estimated her wealth at £2 million (equivalent to about £20 million in 2021 ). In 1993, Buckingham Palace called estimates of £100 million "grossly overstated". In 2002, she inherited an estate worth an estimated £70 million from her mother. The Sunday Times Rich List 2020 estimated her personal wealth at £350 million, making her the 372nd richest person in the UK. She was number one on the list when it began in the Sunday Times Rich List 1989, with a reported wealth of £5.2 billion, which included state assets that were not hers personally, (approximately £9.32 billion in today's value).

Titles, styles, honours, and arms

Titles and styles

21 April 1926 - 11 December 1936: Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York

11 December 1936 - 20 November 1947: Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth

20 November 1947 - 6 February 1952: Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh

6 February 1952 - 8 September 2022: Her Majesty The Queen

Elizabeth held many titles and honorary military positions throughout the Commonwealth, was sovereign of many orders in her own countries, and received honours and awards from around the world. In each of her realms, she had a distinct title that follows a similar formula: Queen of Saint Lucia and of Her other Realms and Territories in Saint Lucia, Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories in Australia, etc. In the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, which are Crown Dependencies rather than separate realms, she was known as Duke of Normandy and Lord of Mann, respectively. Additional styles include Defender of the Faith and Duke of Lancaster.

When conversing with the Queen, the correct etiquette was to address her initially as Your Majesty and thereafter as Ma'am (pronounced), with a short 'a' as in jam.

From 21 April 1944 until her accession, Elizabeth's arms consisted of a lozenge bearing the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom differenced with a label of three points argent, the centre point bearing a Tudor rose and the first and third a cross of St George. Upon her accession, she inherited the various arms her father held as sovereign. The Queen also possessed royal standards and personal flags for use in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and elsewhere.

Ancestors of Elizabeth II

In Spanish: Isabel II del Reino Unido para niños

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Copie de Restaurant Menu Breakfast Brunch Flyer - Fait avec PosterMyWall (1)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM_kpc_WsFI

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How to understand the difference between the UK and Great Britain | Learn English | British Council

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ5mgwY79IQ

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Here’s the difference between Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and England

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmieAqTG1wI

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How to Make Breakfast Like a Brit - Anglophenia Ep 32

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Britain Visitor - Travel Guide To Britain

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British icons: find an A-Z listing of British cultural icons from the fields of architecture, food, literature, music, people, sport, TV and weather.

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Back to Symbols and flags Index
England is one of the countries that make up Great Britain. Each country has its own famous places, people and objects associated with them.
Many images associated with England are found on souvenirs. Most commonly depicted are the flag of England (St George's Cross), Royal Guardsmen, Double Deck Buses, Red Post Boxes, Telephone Kiosks, The Royal Family, Buckingham Palace, Houses Of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, Policemen, The London Eye, Pub Signs and Tea.

What images associated with England can you spot on the tea Cosy above?
Answers at the bottom of the page.

The Union Flag is a the symbol of the whole of the UK, not England alone

SYMBOLS OF ENGLAND

The three national symbols of England are the St. George's cross (usually seen as a flag), the red rose and the Three Lions crest (usually seen as a badge).

The red rose is widely recognised as the national flower of England.

The red rose is on the badge of the English Rugby Union team.

The oak is the national tree of England

Both the post box and telephone box have a picture of a crown on them. The crown on the postbox also has the monarchs initials underneath. We have postboxes with VR (Victoria Regina) and GR (Georgeus Rex) still in use today.
Victoria Regina is latin for Queen Victorian and Georgeus Rex is latin for King George.

Related pages

Union Flag - the symbol of the UK
What is England Famous for?
National Animal - Lion (seen on our coat of arms)

Pubs are an important part of British life. Read more
Typical English Presents (Souvenirs)
Britain's National Emblems

Landmarks of England

Symbols of England found on the tea cosy at the top of the page

Answers

Big Ben
Policeman
Tower of London
London Eye
Royal Coat of Arms

Black Taxi
Foot Guard
Buckingham Palace
Life Guard
Double Decker Bus

St Paul's Cathedral
Pint of Beer
Tower Bridge
Union Flag

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Back to Symbols and flags Index England is one of the countries that make up Great Britain. Each country has its own famous places, people and objects associated with them. Many images associated with England are found on souvenirs.

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Project Britain

Foods in Britain

by Mandy Barrow

Follow Mandy on Twitter Woodlands Homework Help new website

© Copyright Mandy Barrow 2013

- please read © Copyright
All the materials on these pages are free for homework and classroom use only. You may not redistribute, sell or place the content of this page on any other website or blog without written permission from the Mandy Barrow.

Mandy is the creator of the Woodlands Resources section of the Woodlands Junior website.
The two websites projectbritain.com and primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk are the new homes for the Woodlands Resources.

Mandy left Woodlands in 2003 to work in Kent schools as an ICT Consulatant. She now teaches computers at
The Granville School and St. John's Primary School in Sevenoaks Kent.

customs traditions britain, scotland customs and traditions, traditional british christmas dinner, christmas customs traditions, christmas traditions, british culture customs traditions, british christmas customs, british christmas carols, british christmas crackers, british christmas pudding,british christmas trees, british christmas dinner, british celebrate christmas, british royal family, chrsitmas traditions, christmas customs, england, wales, scotland, Christmas Celebrations, british traditions, british customs, british culture, December, Christmas, food, christmas dinner, mince pies, advent, christmas eve, christmas day, boxing day, 12 days of christmas, new year, christmas pudding, christmas cake, christmas carols, christmas cards, christmas stocking, pantomime, santa claus, st nicholas, christmas presents, christmas crackers, christmas trees, mistletoe, holly, ivy

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Typical English Food and also Welsh and Scottish too

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by Mandy Barrow Follow Mandy on Twitter Woodlands Homework Help new website © Copyright Mandy Barrow 2013 - please read © Copyright All the materials on these pages are free for homework and classroom use only. You may not redistribute, sell or place the content of this page on any other website or blog without written permission from the Mandy Barrow.

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History of the Union Jack Flag | Union jack, British history, History

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History of the Union Jack Flag | Union jack, British history, History

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Nov 26, 2016 - This Pin was discovered by Coco Prévost. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest

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This Was Queen Elizabeth II's First Speech

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On This Day: 21 April 1947 - Princess Elizabeth's Incredibly Powerful 21st Birthday Message

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On This Day: 21 April 1947 - Princess Elizabeth's Incredibly Powerful 21st Birthday Message

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Present Simple - The Daily Routine of the Queen

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Present Simple - The Daily Routine of the Queen

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Yesterday | The Beatles (LYRICS ON SCREEN / ORIGINAL)

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Yesterday -  "Something" Lyric Video (HD)

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The Beatles - Long and Winding Road (Plus Lyrics) (1970) [HIGH QUALITY COVER VERSION]

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The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (Lyrics)

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In My Life (I Love You More) with lyrics

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"Back In The U.S.S.R." A New Beatles music video

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The Queen’s Christmas message 2021 - BBC News

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The Queen’s Christmas message 2021 - BBC News

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James Corden's Message After the Passing of Queen Elizabeth II

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James Bond and The Queen London 2012 Performance

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The Queen with Paddington Bear and "We Will Rock You" by Queen with Adam Lambert

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The Queen with Paddington Bear and "We Will Rock You" by Queen with Adam Lambert

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‎Géopolitique : Elizabeth II, la Reine d'un empire sur lequel le soleil a fini par se coucher sur Apple Podcasts

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durée : 00:02:58 - Géopolitique - A son accession au trône, Elizabeth II régnait sur un empire de 600 millions d'âmes ; elle a été, malgré elle, la souveraine de la décolonisation, et d'un Royaume Uni cherchant sa place dans le monde après avoir choisi le Brexit.

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la reine d’un empire sur lequel le soleil a fini par se coucher

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‎Géopolitique : Elizabeth II, la Reine d'un empire sur lequel le soleil a fini par se coucher sur Apple Podcasts

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durée : 00:02:58 - Géopolitique - A son accession au trône, Elizabeth II régnait sur un empire de 600 millions d'âmes ; elle a été, malgré elle, la souveraine de la décolonisation, et d'un Royaume Uni cherchant sa place dans le monde après avoir choisi le Brexit.

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‎Grand bien vous fasse ! : Dans la tête de la Reine Elisabeth II sur Apple Podcasts

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durée : 00:53:10 - Grand bien vous fasse ! - par : Ali Rebeihi - Pourquoi fascine-t-elle autant le monde entier et les Français, furieusement égalitaires ? Quel est son caractère ? Comment peut-elle nous inspirer au quotidien ? Vos questions sur Elisabeth II. - réalisé par : Claire DESTACAMP

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‎Grand bien vous fasse ! : Dans la tête de la Reine Elisabeth II sur Apple Podcasts

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‎durée : 00:53:10 - Grand bien vous fasse ! - par : Ali Rebeihi - Pourquoi fascine-t-elle autant le monde entier et les Français, furieusement égalitaires ? Quel est son caractère ? Comment peut-elle nous inspirer au quotidien ? Vos questions sur Elisabeth II. - réalisé par : Claire DESTACAMP

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT - 1/8. Tout ce que l’on ne vous a jamais dit sur Elizabeth II sur Apple Podcasts

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT - 1/8. Tout ce que l’on ne vous a jamais dit sur Elizabeth II sur Apple Podcasts

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‎Afficher Elizabeth II, ép RÉCIT - 1/8. Tout ce que l’on ne vous a jamais dit sur Elizabeth II - 9 sept. 2022

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT - 2/8. Pourquoi Elizabeth II n'aurait jamais dû monter sur le trône d'Angleterre sur Apple Podcasts

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Élisabeth Alexandra Mary est née le 21 avril 1926 dans la résidence londonienne de ses grands-parents maternels à Mayfair. Elle est le premier enfant du prince Albert, duc d'York (futur George VI) et de son épouse, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Elizabeth II n'était pas née pour régner.

Quand elle voit le jour, personne n'attache grande importance à cette naissance. On le voit dans les quotidiens de l'époque. Ce qui préoccupe alors le pays ce sont les tensions sociales. On s'apprête à rentrer dans la "General Strike".

RTL propose une série de huit épisodes exceptionnels consacré à la reine Elizabeth II, en partenariat avec le magazine "Point de vue".

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récit - 2/8. pourquoi elizabeth ii n'aurait jamais dû monter sur le trône d'angleterre

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT - 2/8. Pourquoi Elizabeth II n'aurait jamais dû monter sur le trône d'Angleterre sur Apple Podcasts

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Élisabeth Alexandra Mary est née le 21 avril 1926 dans la résidence londonienne de ses grands-parents maternels à Mayfair. Elle est le premier enfant du prince Albert, duc d'York (futur George VI) et de son épouse, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Elizabeth II n'était pas née pour régner. Quand elle voit le j...

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT - 3/8. Elizabeth II, la reine de la mode britannique sur Apple Podcasts

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT - 3/8. Elizabeth II, la reine de la mode britannique sur Apple Podcasts

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‎Afficher Elizabeth II, ép RÉCIT - 3/8. Elizabeth II, la reine de la mode britannique - 10 sept. 2022

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 4/8. Elizabeth II et le prince Philip, une histoire d’amour complexe sur Apple Podcasts

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 4/8. Elizabeth II et le prince Philip, une histoire d’amour complexe sur Apple Podcasts

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‎Afficher Elizabeth II, ép RÉCIT 4/8. Elizabeth II et le prince Philip, une histoire d’amour complexe - 10 sept. 2022

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 5/8. Elizabeth II, une vie au service de la couronne sur Apple Podcasts

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 5/8. Elizabeth II, une vie au service de la couronne sur Apple Podcasts

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‎Afficher Elizabeth II, ép RÉCIT 5/8. Elizabeth II, une vie au service de la couronne - 10 sept. 2022

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 6/8. Elizabeth II, véritable cheffe d'orchestre de la famille royale sur Apple Podcasts

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Elizabeth II est une mère, une grand-mère, mais aussi une arrière-grand-mère comblée. Elle donne naissance à Charles le 14 novembre 1948.

Elle est alors jeune mariée, mais pas encore reine. La naissance de l'héritier de l'héritière est l'assurance d'une continuité dynastique. C'est un événement.

RTL propose une série de huit épisodes exceptionnels consacré à la reine Elizabeth II, en partenariat avec le magazine "Point de vue".

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véritable cheffe d'orchestre de la famille royale

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 6/8. Elizabeth II, véritable cheffe d'orchestre de la famille royale sur Apple Podcasts

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Elizabeth II est une mère, une grand-mère, mais aussi une arrière-grand-mère comblée. Elle donne naissance à Charles le 14 novembre 1948. Elle est alors jeune mariée, mais pas encore reine. La naissance de l'héritier de l'héritière est l'assurance d'une continuité dynastique. C'est un événement. R...

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 7/8. Les petits secrets et grands plaisirs d'Elizabeth II sur Apple Podcasts

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Elizabeth II a plusieurs passions, certaines secrètes, d'autres un peu moins. Sans oublier de petits plaisirs. Son hobby le plus connu est sa passion pour les chevaux. C'est presque une obsession. Car elle a débuté les cours d'équitation dès son plus jeune âge, à 3 ans.

La souveraine a reçu son premier poney, qui s'appelait Peggy, à l'âge de 4 ans. Elle a gagné 23 courses majeures à Ascot, le sommet des courses au Royaume-Uni. Elizabeth II adore également les chiens, c'est une amoureuse des corgi.

RTL propose une série de huit épisodes exceptionnels consacré à la reine Elizabeth II, en partenariat avec le magazine "Point de vue".

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récit 7/8. les petits secrets et grands plaisirs d'elizabeth ii

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 7/8. Les petits secrets et grands plaisirs d'Elizabeth II sur Apple Podcasts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Elizabeth II a plusieurs passions, certaines secrètes, d'autres un peu moins. Sans oublier de petits plaisirs. Son hobby le plus connu est sa passion pour les chevaux. C'est presque une obsession. Car elle a débuté les cours d'équitation dès son plus jeune âge, à 3 ans. La souveraine a reçu son pre...

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 8/8. Elizabeth II, icône de la pop culture sur Apple Podcasts

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Elizabeth II est bien plus qu'une monarque, c'est une marque. La reine d'Angleterre est une icône de la pop culture. Après 70 ans de règne, la souveraine a dépassé le stade du personnage historique, elle est devenue une forme d'emblème. On la retrouve partout : sur les billets de banque, la monnaie, etc.

La National Gallery recense 967 portraits de la Reine. Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, Chris Levine... Les plus grands artistes ont signé des portraits remarquables.

RTL propose une série de huit épisodes exceptionnels consacré à la reine Elizabeth II, en partenariat avec le magazine "Point de vue".

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‎Elizabeth II : RÉCIT 8/8. Elizabeth II, icône de la pop culture sur Apple Podcasts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Elizabeth II est bien plus qu'une monarque, c'est une marque. La reine d'Angleterre est une icône de la pop culture. Après 70 ans de règne, la souveraine a dépassé le stade du personnage historique, elle est devenue une forme d'emblème. On la retrouve partout : sur les billets de banque, la monnaie,...

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The King's Speech trailer (english subtitles)

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It's too long-winded! What George VI's adviser thought of early draft of the King's Speech

Document, announcing the outbreak of World War II, shows Britain was ready to declare war on Germany a week before Hitler invaded Poland

Famous address was depicted in Colin Firth's 2010 film, The King's Speech

Document, uncovered after 74 years, is to be auctioned next month

An early version of the 'King's Speech' reveals Britain was preparing to declare war on Germany before Hitler invaded Poland.

George VI's address to the nation, depicted in the 2010 movie starring Colin Firth as the stammering monarch, had been written at least nine days beforehand.

The three-page document that has come to light is entitled 'Draft King's Speech' and is dated August 25, 1939.

The document, which was written on August 25, 1939 - seven days before Germany's invasion of Poland - has come to light after 74 years.

The typed document, the second draft of the speech, was retained by civil servant Harold Vale Rhodes, who had previously written a first attempt.

In a pencilled note in the left-hand margin, Mr Rhodes criticised the length of some of the sentences in the second draft and hinted that his should be used.

It would appear his advice was followed - the final speech read to the nation and the Commonwealth by the King on September 3 contained shorter, more concise sentences.

Although the tone remained the same, some of the content was significantly different. For instance, it did not mention Germany or Hitler by name but merely 'our enemies'.

The early draft accused Germany of being a bully that wanted to dominate the world by brute force and stressed that 'we are fighting for the principles of freedom and justice'.

In the Oscar-winning film, Colin Firth's royal character was given little time to prepare for his defining address to the nation but in reality it appears the speech was being readied for him more than a week beforehand.

The rejected draft was acquired by the unnamed owner in a load of paperwork from Mr Rhodes' estate following his death in 1970.

It has now been put up for sale at auction with a pre-sale estimate of £4,000.

Dr Gabriel Heaton, of Sotheby's, which is selling the speech, said: 'This is a fascinating document for a number of reasons.

'It brings to life not just the speech, but a pivotal moment in British history.

'It was written before Poland had been invaded but at a time when it was clear we were moving towards war with Germany.

'It shows that something was being prepared days in advance of the declaration of war so that the monarch had a speech ready in order to speak to the nation and the Commonwealth.'

He added: 'You get a sense of the preparations for the speech and the struggle to find the right words to prepare the nation for the terrible fight that lay ahead.

'There would have been a group of people writing this speech and Rhodes was one of them.

'He had provided a first draft and was sent this revised version. His note in the margin is saying that his original is better than this one and that the wording should be shorter.

'The final version was a lot clearer. The sentences were shorter and the structure was simpler and that is what you want for public speaking, especially when the speaker has a speech impediment.'

Nigel Steel, a historian at the Imperial War Museum, said: 'When it happened, war wasn't out of the blue.

'There had been a number of political crises involving Germany going on for over a year before.

'The idea that this speech was prepared in advance of war is not a huge surprise, especially as the King had difficulties in delivering speeches.'

The auction takes place at Sotheby's in London on December 10.

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George VI adviser said King's Speech early draft was too long-winded

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Document, announcing the outbreak of World War II, shows Britain was ready to declare war on Germany a week before Hitler invaded Poland Famous address was depicted in Colin Firth's 2010 film, The King's Speech Document, uncovered after 74 years, is to be auctioned next month An early version of the 'King's Speech' reveals Britain was preparing to declare war on Germany before Hitler invaded Poland.

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Here comes the sun with lyrics The Beatles

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The Beatles were one of the most successful and influential pop-music groups of the 1960s. This quartet of British musicians were rhythm guitarist John Lennon (October 9,…

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John Lennon became famous as part of the 1960s pop group the Beatles. After their split he enjoyed a successful solo career, but it was cut short by his early death in 1980....

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Il y a un plus de trois semaines j’avais décidé de me rendre à Abbey Road, cela faisait bien plus de 15 ans que je n’y avais pas mis les pieds et c’était aussi un prétexte de promenade puisque je suis partie à pieds de Baker street (le métro étant trop anxiogène en période de Covid, if you know what…

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Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, which owned it until Universal Music Group (UMG) took control of part of it in 2013. It is ultimately owned by UMG subsidiary Virgin Records Limited (until 2013 by EMI Records Limited, nowadays known as Parlophone Records and owned by UMG's competitor Warner Music Group).

The studio's most notable client was the Beatles, who used the studio - particularly its Studio Two room - as the venue for many of the innovative recording techniques that they adopted throughout the 1960s. In 1976, the studio was renamed from EMI in honour of their final recorded album, .

In 2009, Abbey Road came under threat of sale to property developers. In response, the British Government protected the site, granting it English Heritage Grade II listed status in 2010, thereby preserving the building from any major alterations.

1920s-1940s

Originally a nine-bedroom Georgian townhouse built in 1831 on the footpath leading to Kilburn Abbey, the building was later converted to flats where the best-known resident was Maundy Gregory, who was famous (or infamous) for selling political honours.

In 1929, the Gramophone Company acquired the premises. The property benefited from a large garden behind the townhouse, which permitted a much larger building to be constructed to the rear; thus, the Georgian façade belies the true dimension of the building. Three purpose-built studios were constructed and the existing house was adapted for use as administration offices. Pathé filmed the opening of the studios in November 1931 when Edward Elgar conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in recording sessions of his music. In 1934, the inventor of stereo sound, Alan Blumlein, recorded Mozart's Jupiter Symphony which was conducted by Thomas Beecham at the studios.

The neighbouring house is also owned by the studio and used to accommodate musicians. During the mid-20th century, the studio was extensively used by British conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent, whose house was located near the studio building.

The Gramophone Company merged with Columbia Graphophone Company to form Electric and Musical Industries (EMI) in 1931, and the studios later became known as EMI Recording Studios. In 1936 cellist Pablo Casals became the first to record Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suites No. 1 & 2 at the command of EMI head Fred Gaisberg. The recordings went on to spur a revolution among Bach aficionados and cellists alike. "Fats" Waller played the Compton organ there.

Glenn Miller recorded at the Abbey Road studios during the war, when he was based in the United Kingdom.

1950s-1970s

In 1958, Studio Two at EMI became a centre for rock and roll music when Cliff Richard and the Drifters (later Cliff Richard and the Shadows) recorded " Move It" there, and later pop music material.

EMI is closely associated with the Beatles, who recorded almost all of their albums and hits there between 1962 and 1970 using the four-track REDD mixing console designed by Peter K. Burkowitz. The Beatles named their 1969 album . Iain Macmillan took the album's cover photograph outside the studios, with the result that the nearby zebra crossing has become a place of pilgrimage for Beatles fans. It has been a tradition for visitors to pay homage to the band by writing on the wall in front of the building even though it is painted over every three months. In December 2010, the zebra crossing at Abbey Road was given a Grade II listed status.

After becoming the studio's general manager in 1974, Ken Townsend began a rebranding effort to capitalise on the studio's connection with the Beatles. To emphasise the studio's independence, Townsend commissioned artist Alan Brown to design a unique logo and in 1976 the facility officially changed names from EMI Studios to Abbey Road Studios. Having previously been mostly restricted to UK-based EMI acts, the studio's name-change served the added purpose of encouraging non-EMI acts to record at the studio.

Notable producers and sound engineers who have worked at Abbey Road include Fred Gaisberg (who had first recorded Enrico Caruso in Milan in 1902, and had set up the first recording studio in London at Maiden Lane in 1898), Walter Legge, George Martin, Geoff Emerick, Norman "Hurricane" Smith, Ken Scott, Mike Stone, Alan Parsons, Peter Vince, Malcolm Addey, Peter Bown, Richard Langham, Phil McDonald, John Kurlander, Richard Lush and Ken Townsend, who invented the studio effect known as automatic double tracking (ADT). The chief mastering engineer at Abbey Road was Chris "Vinyl" Blair, who started his career as a tape deck operator.

In 1979, EMI commissioned the British jazz fusion band Morrissey-Mullen to record Britain's first digitally recorded single record at Abbey Road Studios.

1980s-2010s

Abbey Road Studios got its start in the film scoring business in 1980 when Anvil Post Production formed a partnership with the studio, called Anvil-Abbey Road Screen Sound. The partnership started when Anvil was left without a scoring stage when Denham Studios were demolished. It ended in 1984 when EMI merged with Thorn Electrical Industries to become Thorn EMI. Abbey Road's success in the scoring business continued after the partnership ended.[citation needed ]

From 18 July to 11 September 1983, the public had a rare opportunity to see inside the Studio Two room, where the Beatles made most of their records. While a new mixing console was being installed in the control room, the studio was used to host a video presentation called The Beatles at Abbey Road. The soundtrack to the video had a number of recordings that were not made commercially available until the release of The Beatles Anthology project over a decade later.

In September 2012, with the takeover of EMI, the studio became the property of Universal Music. It was not one of the entities that were sold to Warner Music as part of Parlophone and instead the control of Abbey Road Studios Ltd was transferred to Virgin Records.

On 17 February 2010, it was reported that EMI had put the studios up for sale because of increasing debts. There was reported interest by property developers in redeveloping the site into luxury flats. It had also been reported there was a possibility the studios could be purchased by the National Trust to preserve what was in effect a historical building. A Save Abbey Road Studios campaign attempted to ensure the premises remained a working studio.

On 21 February 2010, EMI stated it planned to keep the studio and was looking for an investor to help finance a "revitalization" project. Meanwhile, the British government declared Abbey Road Studios a Grade II listed building which protected it from major alteration. The following December, the pedestrian crossing at Abbey Road was listed on the National Heritage List.

Paul McCartney, speaking to BBC on 16 February 2010, said there had been efforts to save Abbey Road by "a few people who have been associated with the studio for a long time," although he did not name them or include himself among them. "I have so many memories there with the Beatles," McCartney said, "It still is a great studio. So it would be lovely for someone to get a thing together to save it."

In March 2015, Abbey Road Institute was founded as a school for music production and audio engineering. In addition to the London location, Abbey Road Institute offers education globally with schools in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Miami, Paris and Sydney. All of the campuses offer the same course, the Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering, which has been developed in collaboration with industry leaders and the team at Abbey Road Studios. Some campuses offer additional short courses, including Portfolio Preparation, Song Production Masterclass, Music theory Fundamentals for Producers amongst others. In April 2021, Abbey Road Institute London announced it would be expanding and moving into the currently closed Angel Recording Studios in the summer of 2021.

If These Walls Could Sing

If These Walls Could Sing is a 2023 British documentary film directed by Mary McCartney, in her feature documentary debut, about the history of Abbey Road Studios in London and the experiences and memories of the musicians who have played there.

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Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, which owned it until Universal Music Group (UMG) took control of part of it in 2013.

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Paul McCartney (born June 18, 1942, Liverpool, England) is a British vocalist, songwriter, composer, bass player, poet, and painter whose work with the Beatles in the 1960s helped lift popular music from its origins in the entertainment business and transform it into a creative, highly commercial art form. He is also one of the most popular solo performers of all time in terms of both sales of his recordings and attendance at his concerts.

Early life

McCartney's father, James, worked in the Liverpool Cotton Exchange, and his mother, Mary, was a midwife, out at all hours on her bicycle to deliver babies. Her death from breast cancer in October 1956, when McCartney was age 14, had a profound effect on his life and was the inspiration for his ballad "Let It Be" (1970). His younger brother, Michael, later changed his name to Mike McGear and had a number of hits in the satirical rock group Scaffold. Like fellow Beatles George Harrison and Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), McCartney grew up in a traditional north of England working-class society, with an extended family frequently visiting the house at 20 Forthlin Road in the Allerton area of Liverpool (the house is now owned by the National Trust). His father had been the leader of Jim Mac's Jazz Band, and in the evenings the family often gathered around the piano, an experience McCartney drew upon for such sing-along songs as "When I'm 64" (1967).

The Beatles

On July 6, 1957, he met John Lennon at Woolton Village Fete and joined his skiffle group, the Quarrymen, which, after several name changes, became the Beatles. When Lennon's mother was killed by a speeding police car in 1958, McCartney, with his own mother's death still fresh in his memory, was able to empathize with the distraught 17-year-old, creating a bond that became the basis of their close friendship. McCartney and Lennon quickly established themselves as songwriters for the group, and, by the time the Beatles signed with EMI-Parlophone in 1962, they were writing most of their own material. By their third album the group stopped recording covers. Lennon and McCartney's songwriting partnership was very important to them, both financially and creatively; even in 1969, when they were estranged over business matters and supposedly not on speaking terms, Lennon brought McCartney his song "The Ballad of John and Yoko" and they worked together on the "middle eight" (the stand-alone section that often comes midway in a song). Their music transcended personal differences.

Though usually associated with ballads and love songs, McCartney also was responsible for many of the Beatles' harder rock songs, such as " Lady Madonna," "Back in the USSR," and "Helter Skelter" (all 1968), but above all he has an extraordinary gift for melodies and sometimes tags an entirely new one on to the end of a song, as he did with "Hey Jude" (1968). This facility extends to his bass playing, which is famously melodic though often overlooked. A multi-instrumentalist, McCartney also played drums on some Beatles tracks and played all the instruments on some of his solo albums, as well as lead guitar at concerts.

Wings and solo career

The Beatles ceased playing live shows in 1966. After their breakup in 1970, McCartney recorded two solo albums, McCartney (1970) and Ram (1971), before forming the band Wings with his wife Linda (formerly Linda Eastman), an American photographer and musician whom he had married in 1969. He wanted her with him at all times, and having her on stage solved many of the problems that befall marriages in the world of popular music. Wings toured the world and became the best-selling pop act of the 1970s, with an astonishing 27 U.S. Top 40 hits (beating Elton John's 25) and five consecutive number one albums, including the highly acclaimed Band on the Run (1973) and Wings at the Speed of Sound (1976).

Security problems caused by Lennon's murder in 1980 prevented McCartney from touring for a decade, and he concentrated instead on studio recording and on writing and starring in the 1984 film Give My Regards to Broad Street, which was poorly received. Nevertheless, critics loved his 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt, which coincided with his return to live performance, and Flaming Pie (1997) was even more highly praised. In 1997 McCartney was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II "for services to music." The next year Linda died of cancer. (In the 2000s McCartney married and divorced actress and activist Heather Mills. In 2011 he married Nancy Shevell.)

In 1999 McCartney released a well-received collection of mostly early rock-and-roll songs, Run Devil Run, which he recorded with Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, to more positive reviews. His pop albums in the early 21st century included Driving Rain (2001), Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (2005), Memory Almost Full (2007), New (2013), and Egypt Station, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in September 2018.

Other work and assessment

McCartney had interests beyond popular music. Inspired by a meeting with Willem de Kooning in the late 1970s, he began painting, and by the late 1980s he was devoting much of his time to it. His work was first shown publicly in May 1999 at a retrospective held in Siegen, Germany. McCartney branched out in other areas too: his semiautobiographical classical composition Liverpool Oratorio, written in collaboration with American composer Carl Davis, was first performed in 1991 by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at Liverpool's Anglican cathedral, where McCartney once failed his audition as a choirboy. He subsequently oversaw the recording of his other classical compositions, including Standing Stone (1997), Working Classical (1999), and Ecce Cor Meum (2006). In 2001 a volume of his poetry, Blackbird Singing, which also included some song lyrics, was published. In addition, he composed the score for Peter Martins's ballet Ocean's Kingdom (2011). McCartney authored several children's books, including Hey Grandude! (2019).

With some 60 gold records and sales of more than 100 million singles in the course of his career, McCartney is arguably the most commercially successful performer and composer in popular music. The 1965 Beatles track " Yesterday" (wholly written by McCartney and performed alone with a string quartet) has been played some six million times on U.S. radio and television, far outstripping its nearest competitor. Moreover, with over 3,000 cover versions, it is also the most-recorded song ever. In 2010 McCartney received the U.S. Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, and later that year he was named a Kennedy Center honoree. He was made a Companion of Honour in 2018.

McCartney is a strong advocate of vegetarianism and animal rights and is engaged in active campaigns to relieve the indebtedness of less-developed countries, to eliminate land mines, and to prevent seal culling. More than a rock musician, McCartney is now regarded as a British institution; an icon like warm beer and cricket, he has become part of British identity.
Barry Miles The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Paul McCartney | Biography, Beatles, Wings, Songs, & Facts

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Paul McCartney, British vocalist, songwriter, composer, and bass player whose work with the Beatles in the 1960s helped lift popular music from its origins in the entertainment business and transform it into a creative, highly commercial art form. Learn more about his life and career in this article.

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Ringo Starr, British musician, singer, songwriter, and actor who was the drummer for the Beatles from 1962 to 1970 and also found success in a solo career, notably as the ringmaster of Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. Learn more about Starr’s life and career.

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George Harrison (born February 25, 1943, Liverpool, England-died November 29, 2001, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) was a British musician, singer, and songwriter, who gained fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles, one of the most important and influential bands in the history of rock music. Harrison was the youngest of the "Fab Four" and was known as "the quiet Beatle." He later achieved singular success as a songwriter and performer.

Harrison was born the youngest of four children in a working-class family. His father was a steward in the merchant navy before becoming a bus conductor, and his mother was a clerk in a grocery store. Harrison began playing guitar in secondary school. He later met Paul McCartney, who invited Harrison to join the Quarrymen, the rock band he and John Lennon had formed. The group underwent several name and lineup changes before becoming the Beatles and settling on Harrison as lead guitar, Lennon as vocalist and rhythm guitar, McCartney as vocalist and bass, and Ringo Starr as drummer.

Although Lennon and McCartney wrote and sang most of the songs the Beatles performed, Harrison also contributed original works, beginning with "Don't Bother Me" (1963). A few of his later songs came to be regarded as some of the Beatles' finest, including "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (1968), "Here Comes the Sun" (1969), and "Something" (1969). In 1965 Harrison studied the sitar with Ravi Shankar and first featured his skills in " Norwegian Wood" (1965). Harrison's interest in Indian culture grew, and in 1968 he and the Beatles, as well as a number of other celebrities, explored transcendental meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India. The trip influenced dozens of subsequent Beatles songs, but Harrison was the only member to make these religious practices part of his life.

Harrison released his first solo work in 1968 with the soundtrack to the psychedelic film Wonderwall. Following the breakup of the Beatles in 1970, he continued to put out solo recordings-notably the highly successful triple album All Things Must Pass (1970), which included the memorable "My Sweet Lord." Other popular songs included "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)," on Living in the Material World (1973), and "Got My Mind Set on You", on Cloud Nine (1987). In 1971 Harrison staged two concerts to raise money to fight starvation in Bangladesh, which later became the prototype for star-studded fund-raising events. In 1979 he ventured into film production as a founder of Handmade Films. Among the company's efforts were the Monty Python film Life of Brian (1979), Time Bandits (1981), and Mona Lisa (1986). Harrison was a frequent collaborator and often appeared on the albums of his former bandmates and other musicians. In the late 1980s he recorded and performed with the Traveling Wilburys, a musical group featuring Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne.

After the murder of Lennon in 1980, Harrison maintained a low public profile. He was attacked in his home by an intruder in 1999 but survived with multiple stab wounds. Harrison was also treated for throat cancer in 1997 and for lung cancer and a brain tumour in 2001. He died at the age of 58 that year.

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George Harrison | Life, Death, & The Beatles

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George Harrison, British musician, singer, and songwriter, who gained fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles, one of the most important and influential bands in the history of rock music. Harrison was known for the songs 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps,' 'Here Comes the Sun,' and 'Something.'

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John Lennon (born October 9, 1940, Liverpool, England-died December 8, 1980, New York, New York, U.S.) was a leader or coleader of the British rock group the Beatles, author and graphic artist, solo recording artist, and collaborator with Yoko Ono on recordings and other art projects.

Lennon's fun-loving working-class parents married briefly and late and declined to raise their quick, sensitive, gifted son. Separated traumatically from each of them by age five, he was raised strictly (in Woolton, a Liverpool suburb) by his maternal aunt, Mimi Smith, whose husband died during Lennon's adolescence, as did his biological mother, who had taught him to play the banjo. Such circumstances were not uncommon in the wake of World War II, but in Lennon they generated anger that he sublimated with brilliance and difficulty and an intense need for human connection. At age 21 he married the supportive, traditional Cynthia Powell, whom he divorced in 1968. At age 28 he married the independent, unconventional Yoko Ono. And much earlier, at age 16, he founded a skiffle band that evolved into the Beatles, the most important musical group of the second half of the 20th century.

The Beatles were essentially a joint venture between practical pop adept Paul McCartney and alienated rock-and-roll rebel Lennon, but, as a disruptive cultural force, they always bore Lennon's stamp. Musically, just two of countless examples are the forthright candour his vocal added to Smokey Robinson's vulnerable "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" in 1964 and the "I used to be cruel to my woman" bridge he added to McCartney's positive-thinking " Getting Better" in 1967. Culturally too, Lennon assumed the role of the candid provocateur. All four Beatles were witty, all four irreverent. But only Lennon would have observed "We're more popular than Jesus now" or boiled the story of youth culture down to "America had teenagers and everywhere else just had people."

Lennon's genius encompassed writing and the visual arts, the only field in which he received formal training. His natural gifts in both were considerable, but in the end he proved a minor humorist and a casual if indelible cartoonist. In music, he had less inborn facility, though his paternal grandfather worked for years as a blackface minstrel. But music was where he put his substance. Lennon was one of the great rock rhythm guitarists, his signature a nervous rest-one-two-and-rest that complicated his foursquare attack, and his strong, nasal singing overshadowed McCartney's more physically capable rocking and crooning. Declarative where the rockabilly singers he admired were frantic, almost a blues shouter in spirit if not in timbre, Lennon often undercut the masculinity of this approach with a canny, playful high voice deployed to humorous and even campy effect.

Such layered, contradictory meanings typified the Beatles, part of whose power lay in the multiplicity and collectivity they projected. But as Lennon began to withdraw from the Beatles, a process accelerated as of 1968 by his relationship with Ono, his declarative side took over. This dovetailed with the artistic ideas of Ono, a well-born Japanese avant-gardist seven years his senior. Lennon was first fascinated and then influenced by her terse, sometimes paradoxical directives, such as: "Count all the words in the book instead of reading them" ("Number Piece 1," from the book Grapefruit [1964]). Much of the music Lennon recorded after 1968-from "Yer Blues" and "I'm So Tired" on The Beatles (1968) through the solo debut Plastic Ono Band (1970) through his half of Double Fantasy (1980)-reflects Ono's belief in art without artifice. Whether or not they actually eschewed artifice, that was one impression they strove to create.

Until Double Fantasy, most of the films and recordings Lennon created with Ono were of limited public usefulness. But the stark Plastic Ono Band is generally considered a masterpiece, and the more conventional Lennon album that followed, Imagine (1971), is a major work keynoted by its beloved title track, a hymn of hope whose concept he attributed to Ono. Like the earlier "Give Peace a Chance," " Imagine" is living proof of the political orientation that dominated Lennon's public life with Ono, which came to a head in 1972 with the failed agitprop album Some Time in New York City and the defeat of Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern by incumbent Pres. Richard Nixon, whose administration was attempting to deport Lennon, a vocal and adamant opponent of the Vietnam War.

Lennon's most enduring political commitment was to feminism. When he and Ono separated in the fall of 1973, he spent a "lost weekend" of more than a year drinking and making highly uneven music in Los Angeles. When the couple reunited, they soon conceived a son, Sean, born on Lennon's birthday in 1975. Lennon retreated from music and became a reclusive househusband, leaving his business affairs to Ono. The details of this very private period are unclear, although it is unlikely that the couple's domestic arrangements were as idyllic as they pretended. Nevertheless, as a piece of art, their marriage projected as powerful an image as their activism had. It ended as fact when Lennon was shot to death by a deranged fan, Mark David Chapman, in front of his Manhattan apartment building on December 8, 1980. But it continues as part of Lennon's legend, which remains undiminished.

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John Lennon | Biography, Songs, Albums, Death, & Facts

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John Lennon (1940−80) was the coleader of the British rock group the Beatles, solo recording artist, and collaborator with Yoko Ono on various art projects.

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English Language Day is celebrated on 23 April. Read about where English came from, how it came to be spoken all over the world and how it is changing.