# data[].attributes.body
Elizabeth II, in full Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, officially Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith,

# data[].attributes.body
She is the longest-serving British monarch and has presided over half a century of continual change both within the Royal Family, Great Britain and the Commonwealth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Documentary 2017 - Queen Elizabeth II - One of The World's Most Influential Women

# data[].attributes.body
Queen Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten (a surname adopted from his mother's side) in the autumn of 1947. Elizabeth first met Philip, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, when she was only 13. She was smitten with him from the start. Distant cousins, the two kept in touch over the years and eventually fell in love. They made an unusual pair. Elizabeth was quiet and reserved while Philip was boisterous and outspoken. Her father, King George VI, was hesitant about the match because, while Mountbatten had ties to both the Danish and Greek royal families, he didn't possess great wealth and was considered by some a bit rough in his personality.

# data[].attributes.body
Queen Elizabeth (1952 – ) was crowned Head of State, Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England in 1952.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Queen Elizabeth (1952 - ) was crowned Head of State, Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England in 1952.

She is the longest-serving British monarch and has presided over half a century of continual change both within the Royal Family, Great Britain and the Commonwealth.

Elizabeth was the eldest child of Prince Albert, the Duke of York (later George VI) and his wife Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother). Her father Prince Albert was second in line to the throne until his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 - pushing the shy Prince Albert into an unexpected role of King. King George VI rose to the challenge though he died early in 1952.

Elizabeth was educated at home, along with her sister Princess Margaret. During the Second World War, they were evacuated to Balmoral and later Windsor Castle. Towards the end of the war in 1945, Elizabeth joined the Women's Royal Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she served as a driver and mechanic. After the war, she increasingly stepped into her role of performing public service and made her first overseas trip to South Africa in 1947. Shortly before her 21st birthday, she said:

"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."

In 1947, she married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in a ceremony at Westminster; they had known each other for several years. Some were opposed to the union because of his foreign ties, but this was overcome by his service in the Royal Navy. They have been happily married for over 70 years, and their relationship is a source of mutual strength, even if Prince Philip has a reputation for letting slip the odd colourful remark about foreigners. Elizabeth gave birth to their first child in 1948 - the future Prince Charles. They had four children in total. (Charles, Anne, Andrew, Edward)

In 1952, her father George VI passed away and Queen Elizabeth was crowned Queen with widespread enthusiasm. Her coronation set TV records around the globe, and it appeared to usher in a new era for the monarchy and British Commonwealth. News of Edmund Hilary reaching the peak of Mt Everest was delayed to coincide with her coronation. It appeared a symbolic end to the post-war austerity.

The 1950s could be seen as the golden age for the Queen. Deference and respect to the Royal family were still high, and the young Elizabeth looked like the fairy-tale Princess. However, over the next few decades, widespread social change saw a decline in traditional attitudes to the monarchy. Also, the new era of TV and intense media scrutiny led to many unfavourable headlines as her children were caught up in marital problems and related scandals.

Yet, there were still high points for the Royal Family, such as her 'Silver Jubilee' in 1977 and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981. By the 1990s, the media had a widespread fascination with Princess Diana, but as their marriage broke down, the Queen was increasingly perceived as being out of touch. In 1992, she famously declared the year to be her ' annus horribilus ' The year saw media headlines dominated by the marriage breakup of Charles and Diana, a fire in Windsor, and other criticisms of the Royal Family.

"1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an ' Annus Horribilis '." (Christmas address, 1992)

In 1996, Princess Diana died in a car crash, and temporarily there was public dismay as the Queen appeared distant and refused to fly the flag at half mast. But, after the Queen later expressed admiration for Princess Diana the hostility evaporated. Nevertheless, the relationship between Princess Diana and the Queen were best described as being 'cool'.

The Queen placed great emphasis on her job as uniting the Commonwealth - a difficult job in the post-war period as de-colonisation led to many differing problems. However, the Queen usually received widespread acclaim, and many comment she was a real unifying presence at the Commonwealth meetings. In a speech at the United Nations, in 2010, she spoke of the importance of countries working together:

"In tomorrow's world we must all work together as hard as ever, if we're truly to be United Nations."

After the difficulties of the 1990s, the 2000s saw a resurgence in her popularity as the Royal Family put many difficulties behind them, and they were able to celebrate good news. If 1992 was her annus horribilus, 2012, was perhaps her annus mirabilis. Firstly, in April, Prince William married Kate Middleton to widespread public enthusiasm. Then in summer, her Golden Jubilee was widely celebrated and popular despite the wet weather. Finally, in July 2012, she took part in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics - which was a huge global success.

During her time as Head of State, Queen Elizabeth has sought to refrain from interfering in political issues and provide a moderating influence on the nation.

"We are a moderate, pragmatic people, more comfortable with practice than theory." (30 April 2002)

She is a committed Christian and often mentions her religious beliefs in her Christmas addresses. However, in her role as Head of the Church of England, she has stated that she is committed to protecting the rights of all different faiths.

"The concept of our established Church is occasionally misunderstood and, I believe, commonly under-appreciated. Its role is not to defend Anglicanism to the exclusion of other religions. Instead, the Church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country."

- During a speech at Lambeth Palace, 15/02/2012.

Despite passing 90 years, she is in relatively good health and shows no sign of passing the throne to her heir Charles early. Though in recent years, she has begun to cut back on public engagements.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. "Biography of Queen Elizabeth II", Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net, 30/01/2013. Updated 31st January 2017.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family:
Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family: at Amazon.com
Related pages

Famous English people - Famous English men and women. From Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to Henry VIII and Winston Churchill. Includes the great poets - William Shakespeare, William Blake and William Wordsworth.

Great Briton list - Top 100 famous Britons as voted by a BBC poll. Including Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Thomas Cromwell and Queen Elizabeth I.

Royalty - Famous Kings and Queens throughout history. Including Henry VIII, Queen Victoria and Catherine the Great.

Related pages

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Queen Elizabeth (1952 - ) was crowned Head of State, Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England in 1952. She is the longest-serving British monarch and has presided over half a century of continual change both within the Royal Family, Great Britain and the Commonwealth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elizabeth II Biography - life, family, children, death, history, wife, young, information, born, marriage, time

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, in London, England, the oldest child of the Duke of York and his wife, Elizabeth. Her father became King George VI of Great Britain and Ireland in 1936 when his older brother Edward VIII (1894-1972) gave up the throne.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Marriage: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (November 20, 1947-present)

Children: Edward, Earl of Wessex (March 10, 1964); Andrew, Duke of York (February 19, 1960); Anne, Princess Royal (August 15, 1950); Charles, Prince of Wales (November 14, 1948)

Grandchildren: By Prince Charles and Princess Diana: Prince William and Prince Henry (called Harry); By Princess Anne and Mark Phillips: Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips; By Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; By Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones: Lady Louise Windsor and James Windsor, Viscount Severn

Great-Grandchildren: By Zara Phillips Tindall: Mia Grace; By Prince William: George Alexander Louis, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana and Louis Arthur Charles; By Peter Phillips: Savannah and Isla

Other Facts:
She is named after her mother Queen Elizabeth, her paternal great-grandmother Queen Alexandra and her paternal grandmother Queen Mary.

She was not declared the heir apparent when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated because of the possibility of a male heir.

When World War II began, she was a Girl Guide (British Girl Scouts) and went through the same training as the other Girl Guides her age.

Official title after March 26, 1953: Elizabeth II, By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith

She is the sixth female to ascend to the British throne, and is the longest-reigning monarch. In September 2015, she surpassed the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 years, seven months.

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, third in line to the throne, is christened. She is the first royal child to be christened in the chapel at Buckingham Palace and wears a gown made of lace worn by Queen Elizabeth I.

December 11, 1936 - Elizabeth becomes heir presumptive when her father becomes King George VI, after the abdication of his brother King Edward VIII.

May 12, 1937 - Elizabeth attends the coronation of her parents, King George VI and Queen Consort Elizabeth. She is the first female heir presumptive to see her parents crowned.

1939 - World War II breaks out. Elizabeth moves, with her sister, to the Royal Lodge at Windsor Castle. This is thought to be the time period when Elizabeth meets Prince Philip of Greece.

1942 - King George VI makes Elizabeth an honorary colonel in the 500 Grenadier Guards, a regiment of the Royal Army.

April 21, 1942 - Elizabeth makes her official public debut with a review of the 500 Grenadier Guards at Windsor Palace.

1944 - Elizabeth is made a member of the Privy Council and the Council of State. She is now able to act for the king during his absence from the country.

July 10, 1947 - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth announce Elizabeth's engagement to Prince Philip of Greece, a lieutenant in the British Navy.

November 20, 1947 - Princess Elizabeth marries Philip. After becoming a British citizen and renouncing his Greek title, Philip becomes His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Elizabeth becomes the Duchess of Edinburgh.

February 6, 1952 - King George VI dies of lung cancer, and Elizabeth ascends to the throne.

April 11, 1952 - The Queen decrees that she and her descendants will continue to use the surname Windsor, first adopted by the British royal family during World War I.

June 2, 1953 - Coronation takes place at Westminster Abbey.

October 16-22, 1957 - Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip make their first state visit to the United States, and she addresses the General Assembly of the United Nations.

May 14, 1965 - Queen Elizabeth II dedicates a memorial and one acre of land at Runnymede to the United States as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.

June 13, 1981 - A teenager, Marcus Simon Sarjeant, fires six blanks at the Queen while she is riding on horseback through London. He is arrested and charged with treason.

July 9, 1982 - A man gets past security at Buckingham Palace and encounters the Queen in her bedroom.

May 16, 1991 - The Queen addresses a joint session of the United States Congress, the first British monarch to do so.

November 24, 1992 - At a luncheon commemorating her 40th anniversary on the throne, the Queen declares 1992 as an "Annus Horribilis". That year marked the separation of the Duke and Duchess of York, the divorce of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips, the increasing estrangement of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and a fire at Windsor Castle.

November 26, 1992 - Prime Minister John Major announces that the Queen will begin paying taxes on her personal income. Her personal fortune is estimated to be $11.7 billion.

April 1993 - Taxation of the Queen and Prince Charles goes into effect with the provision that they may "opt-out" of the agreement anytime after April 1994.

August 1993 - Buckingham Palace is opened to the public for the first time. Money raised from the tours is to help pay for the restoration of Windsor Castle.

December 1995 - After heavy media coverage of the estrangement and affairs of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Queen urges them to divorce.

1997 - Addresses the nation via live television to express grief over the death of Princess Diana.

1998 - Endorses a plan to end gender discrimination in the line of succession for the throne.

2002 - The Queen celebrates her Golden Jubilee, or 50th anniversary, on the throne.

December 2006 - The Queen issues her annual Christmas broadcast live for the first time since 1960.

May 3-8, 2007 - The Queen and Prince Philip visit the United States for the 400th anniversary of America's first settlement by a British company in Jamestown in 1607. They attend the Kentucky Derby on May 5 and a State Dinner at the White House on May 7.

April 2, 2009 - Meets Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace and the ladies are photographed with their arms around one another. This causes lots of media attention as touching the queen is not a typical occurrence.

July 6, 2010 - Addresses the General Assembly of the United Nations for the second time.

April 21, 2011 - On the Queen's 85th birthday, the palace releases the Queen's official consent, the Instrument of Consent, to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. By law, the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, the monarch must consent to most royal marriages.

May 17, 2011 - Makes the first state visit to the Republic of Ireland by a British monarch.

February 6-June 5, 2012 - Celebrations take place throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, or 60th anniversary, on the throne. Festivities include a 1,000-boat flotilla along the River Thames and a concert at Buckingham Palace.

November 20, 2012 - The Queen and Prince Philip celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary.

December 18, 2012 - Queen Elizabeth II attends a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing St, marking the end of the celebration of her Diamond Jubilee. It is the first time a British monarch has attended a cabinet meeting in more than 100 years.

March 3-4, 2013 - Is admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital after experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis. She is released the following day.

June 2, 2013 - Services at Westminster Abbey mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation.

June 20, 2013 - The Royal Ascot signature race is won by Estimate, the Queen's horse. The Gold Cup win makes the Queen the first reigning British monarch to win Ascot's biggest race.

April 8, 2014 - The Queen hosts a state dinner for Ireland's president Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina. Also in attendance are actors Daniel Day-Lewis and Dame Judi Dench. Martin McGuinness, former IRA commander and current Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, also attends.

November 26, 2014 - The Queen is honored with the inaugural lifetime achievement award from the world governing body of horse sport, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

March 2, 2015 - The Royal Mint reveals a newly designed portrait of the Queen that will be used on coins in the United Kingdom. The new royal coinage will make 2015 a vintage year.

June 24-26, 2015 - The Queen visits Germany, meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel and stressing the importance of unity in Europe during a speech. The Queen says, "We know that division in Europe is dangerous and that we must guard against it in the west, as well as in the east of our continent. That remains a common endeavor." On her last day in Germany, the Queen visits the site of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and meets with Holocaust survivors, as well as WWII veterans who helped liberate the camp.

July 18, 2015 - The Sun newspaper in Britain stirs up controversy, publishing a 1933 image of the Queen as a child apparently raising her hand in a Nazi salute. The picture is a screen grab from a private home movie that was shot when the Queen was about six years old and it depicts her playing with her siblings. A source close to the royal family tells CNN, "Most people will see these pictures in their proper context and time. This is a family playing and momentarily referencing a gesture many would have seen from contemporary news reels."

September 9, 2015 - Becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history.

March 9, 2016 - In light of a Buckingham Palace complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organization over a front-page article in The Sun headlined, "Queen backs Brexit," the palace issues a statement insisting the Queen is neutral on whether the UK should vote to leave the European Union -- a development widely referred to in the press as "Brexit," or "British exit."

March 2, 2018 - Documents are released confirming and describing an assassination attempt on the queen by a New Zealand teenager in 1981.

April 15, 2018 - Loses the last descendant of her original corgi when 14-year-old Willow is put down following a battle with cancer, according to UK media reports. While the Queen still reportedly owns several other dogs, Willow was the only remaining descendant of Susan, the original corgi given to then-Princess Elizabeth on her 18th birthday in 1944.

Current line of succession:
1. The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, son of Queen Elizabeth II (1948)

2. The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, son of Prince Charles (1982)

3. Prince George of Cambridge, son of Prince William (2013)

4. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, daughter of Prince William (2015)

5. Prince Louis of Cambridge, son of Prince William (2018)

6. Prince Henry of Wales, son of Prince Charles (1984)

7.The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, son of Queen Elizabeth II (1960)

8. Princess Beatrice of York, daughter of Prince Andrew (1988)

9. Princess Eugenie of York, daughter of Prince Andrew (1990)

10. The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, son of Queen Elizabeth II (1964)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Marriage: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (November 20, 1947-present) Children: Edward, Earl of Wessex (March 10, 1964); Andrew, Duke of York (February 19, 1960); Anne, Princess Royal (August 15, 1950); Charles, Prince of Wales (November 14, 1948) Grandchildren: By Prince Charles and Princess Diana: Prince William and Prince Henry (called

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Documentary on the life of Queen Elizabeth II (Circa 1992)

# data[].attributes.body
Queen Elizabeth II’s father, Prince Albert, was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. She has ties with most of the monarchs in Europe. Her ancestors include Queen Victoria (ruled 1837 to 1901) and King George III (ruled 1760 to 1820).

In 1936, the course of Elizabeth's life changed with the death of her grandfather, George V, with whom she was said to be close. Her uncle became King Edward VIII, but he was in love with American divorcée Wallis Simpson and had to choose between the crown and his heart. In the end, Edward chose Simpson and abdicated the crown. Elizabeth's father became King George VI in 1937.

# data[].attributes.body
Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation

On February 6, 1952, Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, died, and she assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch. (She and Prince Philip had been in Kenya at the time of her father's death.) Queen Elizabeth’s official coronation took place on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey. For the first time ever, the ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the pomp and spectacle of the event.