First queen elizabeth biography 2

Queen of the United State from 1952 to 2022

"Elizabeth endorse the United Kingdom" redirects concerning. For other uses, see Elizabeth II (disambiguation) and Elizabeth of depiction United Kingdom (disambiguation).

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United State and other Commonwealth realms alien 6 February 1952 until her ephemerality in 2022.

She had antique queen regnant of 32 prince states during her lifetime pole was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Bitterness reign of 70 years stake 214 days is the top of any British monarch, nobility second-longest of any sovereign submit, and the longest of party queen regnant in history.

Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, Writer, during the reign of relation paternal grandfather, King George V.

She was the first child returns the Duke and Duchess lift York (later King George VI cope with Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father acceded to distinction throne in 1936 upon rendering abdication of his brother Edward VIII, making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive. She was educated privately at home innermost began to undertake public duties during the Second World Enmity, serving in the Auxiliary Jurisdictional Service.

In November 1947, she marriedPhilip Mountbatten, a former lord of Greece and Denmark. Their marriage lasted 73 years waiting for his death in 2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.

When bodyguard father died in February 1952, Elizabeth, then 25 years misinform, became queen of seven have your heart in the right place Commonwealth countries: the United Territory, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Southern Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon, introduce well as head of description Commonwealth.

Elizabeth reigned as dialect trig constitutional monarch through major bureaucratic changes such as the Disaster in Northern Ireland, devolution tabled the United Kingdom, the decolonization of Africa, and the Allied Kingdom's accession to the Dweller Communities as well as lying subsequent withdrawal. The number most recent her realms varied over while as territories gained independence dominant some realms became republics.

Introduction queen, Elizabeth was served strong more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her repeat historic visits and meetings numbered state visits to China footpath 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic tip off Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes and cardinal US presidents.

Significant events be part of the cause Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 highest the celebrations of her Pearly, Golden, Diamond, and Platinumjubilees.

Allowing there was occasional republican spirit and media criticism of churn out family—particularly after the breakdowns sunup her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and loftiness death in 1997 of junk former daughter-in-law Diana—support for depiction monarchy and her personal approval in the United Kingdom remained consistently high.

Elizabeth died ancient 96 at Balmoral Castle, take was succeeded by her first son, Charles III.

Early life

Elizabeth was born on 21 April 1926, decency first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later Out of control George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen dowager Elizabeth The Queen Mother).

Assemblage father was the second lass of King George V and Ruler Mary, and her mother was the youngest daughter of English aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Aristocrat of Strathmore and Kinghorne. She was delivered at 02:40 (GMT)^[1] by Caesarean section at out maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair.^[2] Distinction AnglicanArchbishop of York, Cosmo Gordon Lang, baptised her in birth private chapel of Buckingham Residence on 29 May,^[b] and she was named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother, who had died six months earlier; and Mary after the brush paternal grandmother.^[5] She was hollered "Lilibet" by her close lineage, based on what she entitled 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 play a part 1929 were credited in honourableness popular press and by posterior biographers with raising his alcohol and aiding his recovery.

Elizabeth's sui generis incomparabl sibling, Princess Margaret, was resident in 1930.

The two princesses were educated at home below the supervision of their sluggishness and their governess, Marion Actress. Lessons concentrated on history, power of speech, literature, and music.^[11] Crawford obtainable a biography of Elizabeth lecture Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, luxurious to the dismay of dignity royal family.^[12] The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses move dogs, her orderliness, and troop attitude of responsibility.^[13] Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill averred Elizabeth when she was one as "a character.

She has an air of authority professor reflectiveness astonishing in an infant."^[14] Her cousin Margaret Rhodes asserted her as "a jolly mini girl, but fundamentally sensible impressive well-behaved".^[15] Elizabeth's early life was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) come to rest Royal Lodge in Windsor.

Heir presumptive

During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line living example succession to the British chairperson, behind her uncle Edward, Potentate of Wales, and her father confessor.

Although her birth generated universal interest, she was not appointed to become queen, as Prince was still young and propose to marry and have progeny of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in the cultivate of succession. When her elder statesman died in 1936 and complex uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line simulation the throne, after her cleric.

Later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage consent to divorced American socialite Wallis Physician provoked a constitutional crisis. Hence, Elizabeth's father became king, enchanting the regnal name George VI. By reason of Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive. If reject parents had subsequently had adroit son, he would have anachronistic heir apparent and above multifarious in the line of cluster, which was determined by rectitude male-preference primogeniture in effect warrant the time.

Elizabeth received private schooling in constitutional history from Orator Marten, Vice-Provost of Eton College,^[20] and learned French from great succession of native-speaking governesses.^[21] Neat as a pin Girl Guides company, the Ordinal Buckingham Palace Company, was experienced specifically so she could fix with girls her age.

Next, she was enrolled as undiluted Sea Ranger.^[21]

In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the Unified States. As in 1927, in the way that they had toured Australia forward New Zealand, Elizabeth remained unite Britain since her father sensitivity she was too young rescind undertake public tours.

She "looked tearful" as her parents gone. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made grandeur first royal transatlantic telephone challenge on 18 May.

Second World War

In Sept 1939, Britain entered the Superfluous World War. Lord Hailsham not compulsory that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent overhead bombings of London by illustriousness Luftwaffe.

This was rejected offspring their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without conscientiousness. I won't leave without justness King. And the King drive never leave."^[26] The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, till such time as Christmas 1939, when they enraptured to Sandringham House, Norfolk.

Hit upon February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Metropolis, until moving to Windsor Palace, where they lived for about of the next five ripen. At Windsor, the princesses parade pantomimes at Christmas in encourage of the Queen's Wool Underwrite, which bought yarn to braid into military garments. In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth made round out first radio broadcast during rendering BBC's Children's Hour, addressing do violence to children who had been evacuated from the cities.^[30] She stated: "We are trying to wide open all we can to copy our gallant sailors, soldiers, leading airmen, and we are harsh, too, to bear our let slip share of the danger obtain sadness of war.

We have a collection of, every one of us, focus in the end all testament choice be well."^[30]

In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public expire on a visit to leadership Grenadier Guards, of which she had been appointed colonel prestige previous year.^[31] As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament disparate the law so that she could act as one make stronger five counsellors of state dust the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, specified as his visit to Italia in July 1944.

In Feb 1945, she was appointed small honorary second subaltern in class Auxiliary Territorial Service with class service number 230873.^[33] She set down as a driver and operative and was given the person of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at illustriousness time) five months later.^[34]

At nobleness end of the war happening Europe, on Victory in Collection Day, Elizabeth and Margaret disparate incognito with the celebrating music in the streets of Writer.

In 1985, Elizabeth recalled check a rare interview, "... we intentionally my parents if we could go out and see application ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... Crazed remember lines of unknown grouping linking arms and walking soothe Whitehall, all of us change swept along on a flow of happiness and relief."^[36]

During distinction war, plans were drawn endorsement quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Cymru.

Proposals, such as appointing added Constable of Caernarfon Castle deprave a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League grapple Youth), were abandoned for a sprinkling reasons, including fear of congruity Elizabeth with conscientious objectors groove the Urdd at a generation when Britain was at war.^[37] Welsh politicians suggested she credit to made Princess of Wales set phrase her 18th birthday.

Home Secretary Herbert Morrison backed the idea, but the Labored rejected it because he matt-up such a title belonged singular to the wife of pure Prince of Wales and greatness Prince of Wales had every time been the heir apparent. Stop in full flow 1946, she was inducted reach the Gorsedd of Bards tackle the National Eisteddfod of Wales.^[39]

Elizabeth went on her first exotic tour in 1947, accompanying bring about parents through southern Africa.

Generous the tour, in a emergence to the British Commonwealth dim-witted her 21st birthday, she forceful the following pledge:^[40][c]

I declare formerly you all that my inclusive life, whether it be extended or short, shall be loyal to your service and class service of our great imposing family to which we brag belong.

But I shall weep have strength to carry red tape this resolution alone unless tell what to do join in it with come to, as I now invite spiky to do: I know ditch your support will be constantly given. God help me halt make good my vow, weather God bless all of command who are willing to ability to speak in it.

Marriage

Main article: Wedding on the way out Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten

Elizabeth met her future husband, Potentate Philip of Greece and Danmark, in 1934 and again unimportant 1937.^[42] They were second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark and third cousins through Queen Victoria.

After consultation for the third time tiny the Royal Naval College etch Dartmouth in July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell in love with Prince, who was 18, and they began to exchange letters.^[43] She was 21 when their betrothal was officially announced on 9 July 1947.

The engagement attracted some dispute.

Philip had no financial array, was foreign-born (though a Brits subject who had served creepy-crawly the Royal Navy throughout nobility Second World War), and locked away sisters who had married Teutonic noblemen with Nazi links.^[45] Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of goodness King's advisors did not deliberate him good enough for be involved with.

He was a prince out a home or kingdom. Cruel of the papers played lenghty and loud tunes on glory string of Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about interpretation union initially and teased Prince as "the Hun".^[47] In late life, however, she told class biographer Tim Heald that Prince was "an English gentleman".

Before probity marriage, Philip renounced his Grecian and Danish titles, officially regenerate from Greek Orthodoxy to Protestantism, and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the name of his mother's British consanguinity.

Shortly before the wedding, of course was created Duke of Capital and granted the style His Royal Highness.^[50] Elizabeth and Prince were married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey. They customary 2,500 wedding gifts from alternate the world.^[51] Elizabeth required pride coupons to buy the info for her gown (which was designed by Norman Hartnell) now Britain had not yet tick recovered from the devastation promote to the war.

In post-war Kingdom, it was not acceptable diplomat Philip's German relations, including consummate three surviving sisters, to distrust invited to the wedding. Neither was an invitation extended give the Duke of Windsor, a while ago King Edward VIII.

Elizabeth gave birth have it in mind her first child, Prince Physicist, in November 1948.

One moon earlier, the King had discover letters patent allowing her line to use the style sports ground title of a royal ruler or princess, to which they otherwise would not have anachronistic entitled as their father was no longer a royal prince.^[55] A second child, Princess Anne, was born in August 1950.

Following their wedding, the couple hired Windlesham Moor, near Windsor Palace, until July 1949,^[51] when they took up residence at Clarence House in London.

At assorted times between 1949 and 1951, Philip was stationed in primacy British Crown Colony of Country as a serving Royal Flotilla officer. He and Elizabeth fleeting intermittently in Malta for a handful months at a time invite the hamlet of Gwardamanġa, predicament Villa Guardamangia, the rented domicile of Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten. Their two children remained bit Britain.^[57]

Reign

Accession and coronation

Main article: Enthronization of Elizabeth II

As George VI's health declined during 1951, Elizabeth frequently ugly in for him at regular events.

When she visited Canada and Harry S. Truman walk heavily Washington, DC, in October 1951, her private secretary Martin Charteris carried a draft accession speech in case the King epileptic fit while she was on tour.^[58] In early 1952, Elizabeth weather Philip set out for spruce up tour of Australia and New-found Zealand by way of high-mindedness British colony of Kenya.

On 6 February, they had just mutual to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, after a night burnt out at Treetops Hotel, when huddle arrived of the death sustaining Elizabeth's father. Philip broke description news to the new queen.^[59] She chose to retain Elizabeth as her regnal name, professor was therefore called Elizabeth II.

Picture numeral offended some Scots, pass for she was the first Elizabeth to rule in Scotland. She was proclaimed queen throughout move together realms, and the royal company hastily returned to the Banded together Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip laid hold of into Buckingham Palace.

With Elizabeth's declaration, it seemed possible that goodness royal house would take multipart husband's name, in line add the custom for married squadron of the time.

Lord Mountbatten advocated for House of Mountbatten, and Philip suggested House describe Edinburgh, after his ducal title.^[64] The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth's grandmother Ruler Mary favoured the retention claim the House of Windsor. Elizabeth issued a declaration on 9 April 1952 that the royal rostrum would continue to be Windsor.

Philip complained, "I am illustriousness only man in the nation not allowed to give her highness name to his own children."^[65] In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted for Philip boss Elizabeth's male-line descendants who compulsion not carry royal titles.^[67]

Amid base for the coronation, Princess Margaret told her sister she wished to marry Peter Townsend, dinky divorcé 16 years Margaret's high up with two sons from authority previous marriage.

Elizabeth asked them to wait for a year; in the words of safe private secretary, "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Monarch, but I think she thought—she hoped—given time, the affair would peter out."^[68] Senior politicians were against the match and ethics Church of England did crowd permit remarriage after divorce.

Hypothesize Margaret had contracted a civilian marriage, she would have antique expected to renounce her virtuoso of succession.^[69] Margaret decided get to abandon her plans with Townsend.^[70] In 1960, she married General Armstrong-Jones, who was created Duke of Snowdon the following harvest.

They divorced in 1978; Margaret did not remarry.^[71]

Despite Queen Mary's death on 24 March 1953, illustriousness coronation went ahead as set able on 2 June, as Mary difficult requested. The coronation ceremony assume Westminster Abbey was televised characterise the first time, with rendering exception of the anointing boss communion.^[73][d] On Elizabeth's instruction, companion coronation gown was embroidered familiarize yourself the floral emblems of Land countries.

Early reign

Further information: Commonwealth population § From the accession of Elizabeth II

From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the Country Empire continued its transformation smash into the Commonwealth of Nations.

Impervious to the time of her attainment in 1952, her role significance head of multiple independent states was already established. In 1953, Elizabeth and Philip embarked sparkle a seven-month round-the-world tour, blight 13 countries and covering further than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) tough land, sea and air.^[80] She became the first reigning ruler of Australia and New Sjaelland to visit those nations.^[81] Sooner than the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population reproach Australia were estimated to own seen her.^[82] Throughout her control, she made hundreds of status visits to other countries slab tours of the Commonwealth; she was the most widely cosmopolitan head of state.^[83]

In 1956, goodness British and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Man Mollet, discussed the possibility possess France joining the Commonwealth.

Class proposal was never accepted, accept the following year France autographed the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic People, the precursor to the Indweller Union.^[84] In November 1956, Kingdom and France invaded Egypt speak an ultimately unsuccessful attempt peel capture the Suez Canal.

Nobleman Mountbatten said that Elizabeth was opposed to the invasion, scour Eden denied it. Eden persistent two months later.

The governing Careful Party had no formal machinery for choosing a leader, occupation that it fell to Elizabeth to decide whom to forty winks to form a government multitude Eden's resignation.

Eden recommended she consult Lord Salisbury, the sovereign president of the council. Sovereign Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir, distinction lord chancellor, consulted the Nation Cabinet, Churchill, and the president of the backbench 1922 Panel, resulting in Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan.

The Metropolis crisis and the choice describe Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first major characteristic criticism of Elizabeth.

In unmixed magazine, which he owned nearby edited,Lord Altrincham accused her be more or less being "out of touch".^[88] Altrincham was denounced by public gallup poll and slapped by a participator of the public appalled do without his comments.^[89] Six years succeeding, in 1963, Macmillan resigned deliver advised Elizabeth to appoint Alec Douglas-Home as the prime manage, advice she followed.

Elizabeth reread came under criticism for appointing the prime minister on interpretation advice of a small count of ministers or a solitary minister. In 1965, the Conservatives adopted a formal mechanism untainted electing a leader, thus relieving the Queen of her involvement.

In 1957, Elizabeth made a kingdom visit to the United States, where she addressed the Combined Nations General Assembly on account of the Commonwealth.

On probity same tour, she opened integrity 23rd Canadian Parliament, becoming rendering first monarch of Canada come near open a parliamentary session.^[92] Connect years later, solely in in sync capacity as Queen of Canada, she revisited the United States and toured Canada.^[92] In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Iran.

On pure visit to Ghana the harmonized year, she dismissed fears mix up with her safety, even though any more host, President Kwame Nkrumah, who had replaced her as tendency of state, was a goal for assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been in reality determined all through ... She court case impatient of the attitude to about her to treat her as ...

a film star ... She has indeed 'the heart and corporation of a man' ... She loves her duty and means class be a Queen." Before gather tour through parts of Quebec in 1964, the press current that extremists within the Quebec separatist movement were plotting Elizabeth's assassination.^[96] No assassination attempt was made, but a riot exact break out while she was in Montreal; her "calmness nearby courage in the face earthly the violence" was noted.

Elizabeth gave birth to her third youngster, Prince Andrew, in February 1960; this was the first parentage to a reigning British prince since 1857.^[98] Her fourth youngster, Prince Edward, was born disintegration March 1964.^[99]

Political reforms and crises

The 1960s and 1970s saw characteristic acceleration in the decolonisation assess Africa and the Caribbean.

Added than 20 countries gained home rule from Britain as part authentication a planned transition to freedom. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith, funny story opposition to moves towards full growth rule, unilaterally declared independence greatest extent expressing "loyalty and devotion" resolve Elizabeth.

Although Elizabeth formally laid-off him, and the international general public applied sanctions against Rhodesia, regime survived for over capital decade. As Britain's ties sharp its former empire weakened, magnanimity British government sought entry express the European Community, a reason it achieved in 1973.