Great Britain Elizabeth 2. Royal dynasty. For the wedding dress, the Queen collected clothing coupons

Queen of England is another iconic symbol of London. British Queen Elizabeth 2 has been on the throne for over sixty years.

During this time, the map of the planet changed many times, states appeared and disappeared, coups, revolutions and wars took place, and Her Royal Majesty Elizabeth II personified the stability and sustainable development of her country - Great Britain.

Neither fascism, nor communism, nor any forms of extremism have passed here. Great Britain and its queen were, are and always will be.

And although the great imperial times are long gone, the glory of Britain does not fade, the country is developing, its standard of living has been and remains one of the highest in the world, and the English Queen Elizabeth is loved by millions of subjects. The recently lavishly celebrated diamond anniversary of her reign - the sixtieth anniversary - is direct evidence of this.

Was bornElizabeth Alexandra Maria (full name Queen Elizabeth 2) April 21, 1926 in the London area, which remains wealthy and aristocratic to this day. The house where the future queen was born, unfortunately, has not survived, but even today, wandering through the streets in the area of ​​Berkeley Square and Bruton Street, it is quite possible to feel the spirit of the glorious Windsor past.

In 1947, Princess Elizabeth got married for a lieutenant in the navy of Great Britain Philip Mountbatten, a member of several royal families of Europe, the great-grandson of three monarchs, including the Russian Emperor Nicholas 2. The Queen had only one younger sister - Princess Margaret (1930 - 2002).

Elizabeth became the British monarch February 6, 1952 after the death of his father George 6. Coronation took place June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.

During this time, together with her, the country was ruled by more than a dozen prime ministers and several thousand deputies of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Queen Elizabeth 2 experienced both sad and joyful moments in the history of the country, crises, wars, the Olympics, the World and European Football Championships, the British flight into space and much, much more.

The Queen of Great Britain lives in, in the very center of London.

The palace is closed for visiting. Only a few of its rooms open to tourists in the summer, when Her Royal Majesty leaves for one of her country residences.

At normal times, the country residences are open to the public, unlike Buckingham Palace.

One of the most interesting country residences of the Queen is the Palace with a huge garden, located in.

It is 20 miles east of London.

The Queen and her husband Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, have four children. Queen Elizabeth's Children 2: The Prince Charles, Princess Anna, prince Andrew and the prince Edward.

The image of Queen Elizabeth II and the English monarchy as a whole manifests itself in London at every step - in souvenirs, in the names of streets, squares, theaters and pubs, in street advertisements, and it seems even in the very air of London.

Hello my wonderful readers!

Have you ever thought that if you look at world history over the past 60 years, the only thing that remains unchanged is Elizabeth II - Queen of England? Isn't it surprising that after 60 years of changes and upheavals around the world, she still remains the country's favorite?

Therefore, today I invite you to plunge into the history of a great woman, find out her short biography, what her childhood was like, how she fought for her only love, and why, after all, she remains an invariable symbol of Britain.

And, as a bonus, I will share with you some amazing stories from the life of Elizabeth II.

The beginning of time!

If we talk about a short biography of Elizabeth II, then, of course, it is worth starting from birth. On April 21, 1926, in one of the houses in London, a little girl was born, whose appearance did not create absolutely any excitement in the family. Can you guess why? Because no one even imagined that one day this baby would become. The country at that time was ruled by her grandfather, and her uncle and his heirs... So little Lilibet, as she was affectionately called in the family, was just one of the many members of the royal family.

But Elizabeth's uncle - Edward - could not cope with the fate of the heir to the throne. He decided to marry a twice-divorced lady named Wallis Simpson (and, as the head of the Church of England, he is prohibited from such a marriage), for which he abdicated the throne. So, Elizabeth's father, Albert Frederick, became king. And Elizabeth herself at the age of 11 became the full heir to the royal throne.

Elizabeth grew up as a quiet child. She spent all her free time with horses and dogs. But in the quiet baby there was a rebellious character. One day, as a protest against the excessive severity of a French teacher, she poured a jar of ink.

Love and marriage!

You know, if you remember all the fairy tales that we read in childhood, then I want the princess to find her prince, they fall in love and live happily ever after.

And Elizabeth fulfilled exactly this dream of many girls. She fell in love. Fell in love once and for all. She met her husband at the naval school.

It would seem that the Greek prince is the perfect match for the future queen. But the royal family opposed this alliance. Philip, although he was a titled prince, he had nothing but this very title. His mother ended her life in a psychiatric hospital, and his father became a gambling addict. And Britain took the little boy into the navy to secure his future.

But Elizabeth still defended her right to love. Throughout the war, she wrote letters to him, and after it ended she invited the Greek prince to get engaged. On November 20, 1947, the 21-year-old heiress to the throne married.

In 1952, the young people decided to go to Kenya for a vacation. They lived in a hotel among the branches of a ficus tree. And this was the only time in history when "a princess climbed a tree and came down from there as a queen." Yes, unfortunately, her father died.

Why do people love Elizabeth II so much!

Elizabeth has ruled Britain for 60 years. And still remains the favorite of the people. Of course, now the queen decides practically nothing in the governing of the country, but, according to polls, 2 out of 3 British citizens do not represent their country without monarchy in general, and Queen Elizabeth in particular.

People love her for her dedication. She suffered the Second world war while still a young girl. She supported her fellow citizens, spoke to the injured children on the radio. But she was just a little 13-year-old girl. And then she herself went to the front when she was only 18.

She is loved for her self-control and self-control. Once, during the celebration of the Queen's birthday in 1981, shots were fired in the immediate vicinity of Elizabeth, who was riding on a horse, making everyone around her shudder. But, to the general delight, the Queen stayed in the saddle and did not even look up.

People love her for her kindness, which is eloquently expressed by her love for animals. As already mentioned, in her youth, Elizabeth II was an excellent horsewoman. And agile journalists hundreds of times took her photos with cute red-haired dogs, which have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.

Her Royal Highness is humble, easygoing, hardworking, demanding, fair and considerate.

In addition, Elizabeth II is the head of the most famous family in Britain. They have a family, of course, as a match. Prince Charles became famous as a polygamist, Prince Harry - a reveler and brawler. And only until Prince William disappointed the sweet old woman. But she still, like the kindest all-forgiving grandmother, loves all her children, grandchildren and great-grandsons.

What does the 89-year-old woman do?

What do you think the queen does during the day? Now you say: he walks in the garden with his dogs, looks at the flowers and breathes the air. And here's the netushka! Let the thought not even appear in your minds that, being an 89-year-old woman, you can lie in bed until lunchtime and do nothing! This is the timetable for the ruler of Britain.

• She wakes up at 8 am, has breakfast and looks through the morning papers.
• At 9 am, the queen goes to her office and starts working with documents. Every day she receives about 200-300 letters, but she always looks through her mail herself, and then dictates the answer to her assistants. She answers almost all emails.
• Then comes the time of the "red box". These are documents from the government and representatives of other states.
• Important meetings take place at 11 o'clock. The queen meets important people.
• The Queen usually dines at Buckingham Palace, where she lives and spends all her time.
• After dinner, the Queen pays public visits. These can be schools, hospitals, military units, nursing homes, homeless hostels, and other places.
• At 17 o'clock the queen…. guessed it, drinking tea!
• Dinner usually takes place in a formal setting. In the evening, she can take part in a film premiere, attend a concert, or hold a charity event.
• And only late at night, almost at the very last, in her room the light goes out.

Interesting facts and stories from the life of Elizabeth II:

• The Queen lives without ... a passport!
  It would seem that we are not in the Middle Ages. Now almost every person, with the exception of some aborigines from distant islands, has a passport, but she is also a queen. Queen of the modern European state. Queen who has visited 120 countries of the world. The thing is that in Great Britain all identity documents are issued on behalf of Her Majesty. Therefore, she personally does not need them! The same applies for driving licenses.
• “Unfortunately my birthday is only once a year ...”! But this does not apply to Elizabeth II. The Queen of Great Britain has 2 birthday! She was born on April 21 and she celebrates this date exclusively with her family: her children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. But the country celebrates the Queen's birthday on the first, second and - oh my! - the third Saturday in June!
• Unexpectedly, Elizabeth II drove a truck during World War II. For a long time, the 18-year-old princess tried to persuade the king to let her go to the front. When the king nevertheless agreed, Elizabeth put on a military uniform, completed preparatory courses and began to work as a mechanic and driver of military trucks.
  Naturally, after such a striking example, her family members - grandchildren William and Harry - did not even dare to refuse military service.
• Elizabeth II is the only ruler of states who served during the Second World War.
• The Queen is the first ruler of the country to use e-mail. She sent her first e-mail back in 1976, when most people still didn’t know what the Internet was.
• One day a stranger climbed into the queen's room. One night in 1982, Queen Elizabeth II woke up in her bedroom to find a man sitting by her bed. It was a patient in a mental hospital. Fortunately, the queen did not panic, and began to ask the stranger about his family, children, difficulties. Hearing the conversation, one of the footmen entered the room and arrested the intruder. As it turned out later, he climbed into the palace through a drainpipe and this was not the first time. Last time, he brought with him a bottle of wine from Prince Charles' stocks.
• Elizabeth II is the oldest of the current heads of various states.
• Did you know that the name Elizabeth (on English language Elizabeth) means "God's oath" or "God's help"? Yes, I am now 100% sure that any Elizabeth who ascends to the British throne is simply doomed to universal love.
• Did you know that the queen, by all laws, is the owner of all whales and dolphins in British waters. If you need even more proof of the Queen's kindness and humanity - let me know!

We can talk for a long time about why here, in Russia, they do not understand such a fierce adoration of the British for their queen. We can be touched by the strength and character of the 89-year-old British granny. But one thing remains unchanged: Elizabeth II is the symbol of the country. A symbol, having lost which, the country will grieve for a very, very long time.

And if you, my dears, want to learn more and more information about English culture, history and language - then subscribe to my blog mailing list. A lot of useful information and interesting stories await you.

Thanks.
Until next time!

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II) Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - from 6 February 1952
Coronation: June 2, 1953
Preceded by George VI
Heir apparent: Charles, Prince of Wales
Head of the Commonwealth of Nations
Religion: Anglicanism
Born: April 21, 1926
London, Great Britain
Genus: Windsor Dynasty
Birth name: Elizabeth Alexandra Maria
Father: George VI
Mother: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Spouse: Philip Mountbatten

biography of Queen Elizabeth 2

Elizabeth II(English Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (English Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.
Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.

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

Elizabeth II- The oldest British (English) monarch in history. She currently ranks second in history for the length of time on the British throne (after Queen Victoria) and also second in the world for the length of time as head of state among the current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the oldest female current head of state in the world.
During the reign Elizabeth a very wide period of British history falls: the process of decolonization ended, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. This period also included many other events, such as the long ethnopolitical conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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

Childhood and adolescence of Elizabeth II
Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her grandparents: on her father's side - King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); maternal - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1961).
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in Mayfair, London, at 17 Brewton Street, the Earl of Strathmore's residence. She received her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).
At the same time, the father insisted that the first name of his daughter was like that of the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie discussed the name of the girl with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, I told him so, and about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was superfluous. " Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 25 at the Buckingham Palace chapel, which was later destroyed during the war.
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

Elizabeth got a good home education, mainly of humanitarian orientation - she studied the history of the constitution, jurisprudence, religious studies, art history, and also (actually independently) the French language. From a young age, Elizabeth was interested in horses and was engaged in horse riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.
At birth Elizabeth became the Duchess of York and was the third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII) and father. Since Prince Edward was young enough and, as it was believed, was supposed to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially seen as a real candidate for the throne. However, Edward was forced to abdicate the throne just a few months after the death of George V in 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became the heir to the throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. At the same time, she remained in the role of “heir presumptive” (English) Russian, and if George VI had a son, he would inherit the throne.

World War II began when Elizabeth was 13 years old. On October 13, 1940, she spoke on the radio for the first time - with an appeal to children affected by the scourge of war. In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of guards grenadiers. In 1944 she became one of the five "state advisers" (persons entitled to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - women's self-defense squads - and trained as a driver-mechanic of an ambulance, receiving the military rank of lieutenant.

In 1947, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on a trip to South Africa and on the day of her 21st birthday, she spoke on the radio with a solemn promise to devote her life to the service of the British Empire.

In the same year, 21-year-old Elizabeth married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten, a British naval officer, member of the Greek and Danish royal families and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. They met in 1934, and fell in love, it is believed, after Elizabeth visited the naval college in Dartmouth, where Philip studied, in 1939. Becoming the consort of the princess, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

A year after the wedding, in 1948, the eldest son, Prince Charles, was born to Elizabeth and Philip. And on August 15, 1950, the daughter is Princess Anna.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain
Coronation and beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II
King George VI, father Elizabeth, died on February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, while vacationing with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.
The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. This was the first televised coronation of a British monarch and is believed to have contributed significantly to the rise in popularity of television broadcasts.

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

Second half of 1950s - early 1990s
In 1957, after the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, due to the lack of clear rules for choosing a leader in the Conservative Party, Elizabeth II was to appoint a new head of government from among the Conservatives. After consultation with prominent party members and former Prime Minister Churchill, 63-year-old Harold Macmillan was appointed head of government.
In the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. In the same year, she spoke for the first time at a session of the UN General Assembly. She attended the opening session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of a British monarch). She continued her travels in 1961, when she made visits to Cyprus, the Vatican, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, as well as Ghana.
Meeting of Elizabeth II with the heads of the Commonwealth countries in 1960
In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, a third son, Prince Edward.
In 1963, following the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Hume as Prime Minister.
In 1974, a political crisis began to brew after the parliamentary elections, as a result of which none of the parties received a majority of the votes. Although the largest party in parliament was the Conservative Party, Labor leader Harold Wilson was named Prime Minister. A year later, a political crisis also occurred in Australia, during which Elizabeth II refused to overturn the Governor General's decision to resign the country's prime minister.

In 1976 Elizabeth II inaugurated (as the Queen of Canada) the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.

1977 became an important date for the Queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's stay on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many solemn enterprises were held in the countries of the Commonwealth.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a number of assassination attempts were made against the royal family. In particular, in 1979 there was the murder by terrorists of the "Provisional Irish Republican Army" of the uncle of Prince Philip - an influential statesman and military leader Lord Louis Mountbatten. And in 1981, there was an unsuccessful attempt on the life of Elizabeth II during a military parade in honor of the Queen's “official birthday”.
In 1981, the wedding of Elizabeth II's son Prince Charles and Diana Spencer took place, which would later become a big problem for the royal family.

Elizabeth II Walking Near Windsor Castle with Ronald Reagan (1982)
At this time in 1982, as a result of changes in the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British queen still remained the head of state of Canada. In the same year, the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Great Britain in the last 450 years took place (the queen, who is the head of the Church of England, received him personally).
In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to speak at a joint session of the chambers of the United States Congress.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Queen Elizabeth II. London. 2010 year.
Elizabeth II and the Obama couple.

Early 1990s - 2000s in the life of Elizabeth II

1992 was a "terrible year" by the definition of Elizabeth II herself. Two of the Queen's four children - Prince Andrew and Princess Anne - divorced their spouses, Prince Charles divorced Princess Diana, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, an obligation for the Queen to pay income tax was introduced, and funding for the royal court was significantly reduced.
In 1994, Elizabeth II paid a visit to Russia. This was the first visit of the head of the British royal house to the Russian state in the entire history of bilateral relations dating back to 1553.
In 1996, at the insistence of the Queen, an official divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. A year later, in 1997, there was the tragic death of Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris, which shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For restraint and lack of any reaction to the death of the former daughter-in-law, critical remarks immediately fell on the Queen.

In 2002, solemn events were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of the stay of Elizabeth II on the British throne (Golden Jubilee. But in the same year, the death of the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth.
In 2008, for the first time in history, the Anglican Church, of which Elizabeth is the head, held a service on Maundy Thursday, in which the reigning monarch traditionally participates, outside England or Wales - at St. Patrick in Armagh, Northern Ireland.

Modernity
In 2010, she spoke for the second time at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Introducing the Queen, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called her "the anchor of our era."

In 2011, the first-ever state visit of a British monarch to independent Ireland took place. In the same year, the wedding of Prince William (grandson of Elizabeth II) and Catherine Middleton took place.
In 2012, the XXX Olympic Games were held in London, inaugurated by Elizabeth II, and was also approved new law, changing the order of succession, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.

In the same year in Great Britain and other countries the 60th ("diamond") jubilee of Elizabeth II's rule was solemnly celebrated. Culminating in festive events the days off on June 3-4, 2012 became:
On June 3, a solemn water parade of more than a thousand ships and boats took place on the Thames. It is believed to be the grandest river procession in history;
On June 4, 2012, a concert was held on the square in front of Buckingham Palace with the participation of such stars of British and world music as Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Tom Jones and others. The event was organized by Take That lead singer Gary Barlow.

Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (2013)
In 2013, Elizabeth II for the first time in 40 years refused to go to the summit of the heads of the British Commonwealth countries in Sri Lanka. Britain at the summit will be represented by Prince Charles, which indicates the gradual transfer of power from Elizabeth to her son.

In the same year, Great Britain celebrated the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II, but on a smaller scale.

Role in political and public life
In accordance with the British tradition of constitutional monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, with little or no influence on the government of the country. However, during her reign, she successfully maintains the authority of the British monarchy. Her duties include visiting different countries with diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking officials (especially with the prime minister), reading annual messages to parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc. Also, the queen looks through the main British newspapers every day and answers some letters with the help of servants, which are sent to her in huge quantities (200-300 pieces daily).

Throughout her tenure on the throne, the queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers. At the same time, she always remained faithful to the tradition of the English kings of modern times - to be above political battles.

Also, Elizabeth II is actively involved in charity work. She is the trustee of over 600 different community and charitable organizations.

Main article: Royal prerogatives
In addition to her duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights as a monarch (royal prerogatives), which, however, are quite formal. For example, she can dissolve parliament, reject the candidacy of the prime minister (which she finds inappropriate), etc.
Financial expenses
Certain funds are spent on the maintenance of the queen from the so-called civil list, which is controlled by the government.

So, according to data from Buckingham Palace, in the 2008-2009 fiscal year for the maintenance of the monarchy, every Briton spent $ 1 14 cents, which totaled $ 68.5 million.
In 2010-2011, due to the new economic program of the government, the queen was forced to cut her spending to $ 51.7 million.
But starting in 2012, Elizabeth's income began to grow again (at an approximate rate of 5% per year).

Such figures cause discontent among the republican-minded part of the UK population, which considers it necessary to cut them.

Family and Children
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921), the son of Prince Andrew of Greece, who received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
Four children were born in their family:
Name Date of birth Marriage Children Grandchildren
Prince Charles,
Prince of Wales 14 November 1948 Lady Diana Spencer 29 July 1981
(divorce: 28 August 1996) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge
Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales
Camilla Shand April 9, 2005
Princess Anne,
"Princess Royal" August 15, 1950 Mark Phillips November 14, 1973
(divorce: April 28, 1992) Peter Phillips Savannah Phillips

Isla Elizabeth Phillips
Zara Phillips
Timothy Lawrence 12 December 1992
Prince Andrew,
Duke of York 19 February 1960 Sarah Ferguson 23 July 1986
(divorce: 30 May 1996) Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Eugenie (Eugenia) of York
Prince Edward,
Earl of Wessex 10 March 1964 Sophie Rhys-Jones 19 June 1999 Lady Louise Windsor
James, Viscount Severn
Official titles, awards and coat of arms

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

During the reign of Elizabeth II, in all countries that recognize the British monarch as their head of state, laws were adopted according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as the head of this particular state (English) Russian, regardless of their titles in Great Britain itself or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries, the title of the queen sounds in the same way, with the replacement of the name of the state. In some countries, the words “defender of the faith” have been removed from the title. For example, in Australia the title reads as follows: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen of Australia and her other kingdoms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth."

On the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, Elizabeth II also bears the title of Duke of Normandy, on the Isle of Man - the title of "Lord of Maine".
States, the head of which was or is Elizabeth II
Member countries of the Commonwealth are marked on the map (Fiji's membership is suspended)

Upon her accession to the throne in 1952, Elizabeth became queen of seven states: Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.

During her reign, some of these countries became republics. Simultaneously, as a result of the decolonization process, numerous British colonies gained independence. In some of them, the Queen of Great Britain retained the status of head of state, in others she did not.

The abolition of the monarchy in the original possessions of Elizabeth II:

Pakistan - in 1956 (formerly Dominion Pakistan).
South Africa in 1961 (formerly South Africa).
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - in 1972 (formerly the Dominion of Ceylon).

The states in which the monarchy is preserved are marked in blue

Newly independent states that have retained the monarchy:

Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Grenada
Papua New Guinea
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Solomon islands
Tuvalu
Jamaica

Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy:

Guyana
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Mauritius
Malawi
Malta
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanganyika
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Fiji

Awards
Main article: Titles and awards of Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries, as well as in other states, is the head of a number of orders of knighthood, and also has military ranks, numerous honorary titles, and academic degrees. In addition, she is the recipient of various British domestic awards, as well as a number of various foreign awards.

Coats of arms at different times and in different countries

Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944-1947)

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

Royal coat of arms in Great Britain (except for Scotland)

Royal coat of arms in Scotland

Royal coat of arms in Canada

Public perception

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

Criticism

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

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

Hobbies and personal life
Visit map of Elizabeth II different countries the world

Among the interests of the queen are dog breeding (among them corgi, spaniels and labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as the queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively through her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries).

Since 2009, she began to engage in gardening.

In addition to English, he is also fluent in French.
Memory
In culture
Films about Elizabeth II

In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years - "Churchill Goes to War!" Was released, where Neve Campbell played the role of Elizabeth.
In 2006, the biographical film "The Queen" was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA winner in the Best Picture category. Actress Helen Mirren, who performed the main role in the film, she won the Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture.
In 2009, Channel 4 filmed the 5-episode fiction miniseries The Queen, directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reems. The Queen at different periods of her life was played by 5 actresses: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.
On July 27, 2012, the television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both jump with parachutes from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the Queen was awarded the BAFTA award for the best performance as a James Bond girl.

In architecture

In honor of the Queen, Elizabeth Alley is named next to the espalanada in Singapore.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called “Elizabeth's Tower” since September 2012.
The Duford Bridge, built in 1991, is also named after the Queen.
On August 1, 2013, the Elizabeth II Olympic Park was opened in London.

Lifetime monuments

Lifetime monuments

Statue of Elizabeth II in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Canada

Statue in Regina, Saskatchewan, erected in 2005

Statue in Great Windsor Park

In botany

The rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named in honor of Elizabeth II.
On coins and philately

Coins and postage stamps

On a Canadian stamp, 1953

Australian coronation stamp

On the stamp of Northern Ireland, 1958

On a 1953 coin

On the South American coin, 1958

Coin with Elizabeth 1961

In geography

The name of Elizabeth II was repeatedly assigned to various territories, among them:
Princess Elizabeth Land in Antarctica
Queen Elizabeth Land in Antarctica
Queen Elizabeth Islands in Canada

Such an age is already an achievement in itself for any person, not only for the monarch. And 90-year-old Elizabeth today not only calmly lives out her life in the palace, surrounded by servants and relatives, she, like many years in a row, performs quite laborious and routine work. On the eve of her anniversary, the documentary "Our Queen at 90" was released. “What impressed me the most was the Queen's work ethic,” said director Ashley Geting. - We filmed it at 9 am and 11 pm. Surprisingly, in her 90s, she still works seven days a week from dawn to dusk. And so over the past 64 years! I was amazed at the intensity of the schedule of events during her official visit to Germany or while receiving a delegation from China. At the end of the day I felt exhausted, I just do not understand how Her Majesty and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is already 95 years old, cope with such a schedule! "

The first "palace"

In 1926, when Elizabeth was born, in England, as in all of Europe, it was restless - everyone was expecting either war or revolution. And at eight months, the parents left the baby in the care of nannies to go on a long official visit to Australia. The princess's mother was very upset, but ... duty comes first. English aristocrats tried to copy their King George V, the grandfather of little Elizabeth, who established new, modern rules for monarchs, still relevant to this day: leave the palace, show yourself in public, work hard!

When George V died in 1936, his eldest son, the uncle of young Elizabeth, Prince Edward, ascended the throne. But he soon abdicated the throne due to an affair with a divorced woman. And the crown passed to the girl's father, George VI, who was not at all ready for such a burden, but nevertheless coped with his fears and doubts and showed himself as a wise monarch. By the way, this interesting historical period formed the basis of the recent Oscar-winning film The King Speaks.

Despite the palace problems of adults, Lilibet's childhood, as she was called in the family, was happy and cloudless until a certain age. When the baby was four years old, she had a sister, Margaret. On her sixth birthday, Elizabeth was presented with a small house in the garden of Windsor Palace, it became a place where she could play, study and take care of her pets - dogs of the Corgi breed. This small cottage was made in such a way that the girl and her little guests felt comfortable - the ceilings of the house were designed for child growth, and adults had to bend almost double to enter it. With plush toys scattered everywhere, soft sofas, small tea tables and the same sets, dressers and cupboards, it looked like Alice's fabulous dwelling, and Lilibet felt like a real princess in it. At the same time, the parents made sure that their daughter did not grow up with a little hand: the house was equipped with small, but functional, gas stove, sink and washing machine. It was here that Elizabeth received her first cooking lessons and learned how to keep the house clean and tidy. Later, she will maintain her palaces in the same order.

This orphanage was later inherited by her children, and then by her grandchildren. Today, Elizabeth's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, is in charge of it, who renovated it several years ago. “The Queen spent many happy hours here, and she still loves to drop in here from time to time,” said Princess Margaret. - It's wonderful when there is a place where your parents grew up and played, where you, your brothers and sisters grew up and played. We are adults for a long time, but we still love our garden house, and it is ready to accept new little owners. "

The future queen did not go to school, the family invited teachers, and the mother selected literature for her daughter. The first adult books of Elizabeth were the novels of the popular British humorist Pelam Woodhouse. The father, on the other hand, considered it his duty to share with the eldest daughter, and therefore with the future queen, his own opinion about history, politics and the modern structure of the world.

Youth under the bombs

Elizabeth's period of growing up fell on the Second World War. When Great Britain entered the war with Nazi Germany, Lilibet and her sister remained at Windsor Castle, while King George and his wife were in London - from there the monarch and parliament led the country's defense. London was regularly and intensively bombed: in September 1940, one of the bombs hit the courtyard of Buckingham Palace - the king and queen miraculously escaped death. If they were a few meters closer to the epicenter of the explosion, they would have died. Elizabeth recalled that in conversations with children, parents constantly came up with jokes about that German bomb, as if they had experienced some kind of fun adventure. In this way, they tried to calm the children down and teach them to face danger with dignity. In 1940, 14-year-old Lilibet, following the example of her father's monarch, who strengthened the spirit of the British with his radio messages, conducted radio broadcasts from Windsor Castle for young Englishmen.

Elizabeth's childhood was spent among people in uniforms who were used to serving and knew what a sense of duty was. When she ascended the throne, these are the qualities she wanted to see in her subjects and she herself sought to meet the high standards that her father, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the British military adhered to.

Towards the end of the war, the young princess, as was customary at the English court, went to the service herself. She was assigned to one of the London units as a mechanic. Elizabeth learned to drive and service heavy army trucks. When Germany declared surrender and general revelry began on the streets of London, the princesses, accompanied by several of their cousins, quietly slipped out of Buckingham Palace and joined the jubilant crowds of Londoners.

According to historians, it was during the war years that Elizabeth truly became close to her father. She saw what a burden lies on the shoulders of the king, how much strength and health it takes, and understood that the day will come when she herself will have to do the same work. George VI was the one and only teacher. “It all depends on the training. You can do a lot if we prepare you well, ”the father reassured the princess, who doubted her abilities, because she knew well what would be required of her. When the crown was put on her head at the age of 27, she approached her duties as seriously as her father. “When my grandmother ascended the throne, she was much younger than I am now. It was a time when men ruled the world. At my age, it is difficult for me to always remain serious, and even difficult to imagine how heavy the burden that she had to shoulder was, ”said William, Duke of Cambridge recently.

The best choice

In the summer of 1939, preparing for the coming war, King George and his family visited the Royal Naval College, where Elizabeth met the Greek prince. Philip was an 18-year-old tall, handsome cadet, and he was very fit with the naval uniform. For Elizabeth, it was love at first sight; the future officer also liked the young English princess. True, Philip's family became poorer and was in exile, which made the guy's chances of success very vague. But he never thought to give up. When the royal yacht left the port, the cadet waited for the ship at the exit from the bay on a boat to wave goodbye to the princess and her relatives. Since it was hot, Philip was shirtless, and, apparently, made an indelible impression on young Elizabeth, since since then she did not want to hear about the English aristocrats whom her mother wanted to marry the girl.

Philip, as part of the British naval forces, took part in battles with the Germans, and the princess was worried not only about her parents, but also about her lover. After the end of the war, she showed character and persuaded her father to consent to the marriage. In 1947, Elizabeth and Philip were married in London's Westminster Abbey. This wedding was the first major post-war celebration and was enthusiastically received by English society. The princess was adored, and the fact that she chose as her husband not some ordinary-looking noble aristocrat, but a poor but handsome military officer, only strengthened her popularity.

Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh. A year later, the newlyweds had their first child, Charles. At this time, the happy father served ... in Malta, where his military unit was stationed. These are the incomprehensible English royal families. Duty is above all - not just a beautiful phrase, but the rule of life. Following Charles, Elizabeth and Philip had a daughter, Anna, and then sons, Andrew and Edward. Charles, Prince of Wales, first in line to the throne, followed by his eldest son William, Duke of Cambridge.

Looking at the long marriage of the queen, it becomes clear that Elizabeth was not mistaken when she fought for her husband with her relatives. All the time, Philip was a support for her, and, importantly, he remains her to this day in his 95 years! “My husband has been my strength all these years, and I owe him much more than he could have asked for,” the queen confessed.

Tradition lives on

Elizabeth was taught that the main thing for a person is his duty, and personal life and feelings are in the background. That is why she did not allow Charles to marry the divorced Camilla Parker Bowles, whom she loved. And the son was forced to conclude a correct marriage from the point of view of the court with Lady Diana. As a result, neither he nor Diana were happy, everything ended in a scandalous breakup, and then the death of the princess.

However, in England, they believe that the queen has successfully ruled Great Britain and the countries of the commonwealth for so long because she has the ability to change and learn from her mistakes. She was very upset by the breakup of Charles with Diana and the scandals accompanying this break. Tabloids began to write about the intimate life of Elizabeth's heirs, and it seemed that the royal family would never again have the level of adoration and trust in society that it had after the war. But the years passed, the foam settled, Prince Charles married the love of his life, Camille, and the young Prince William chose a girl of non-royal blood, Kate Middleton, as his wife.

Today, the rating of the royal family is higher than ever, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, can safely claim the title of the most popular royal couple on the planet. Prince Harry is not far behind his older brother - he is the most coveted bachelor in England. And all of them are still dominated by the small but very important figure of their grandmother, who in her 90s remains a living embodiment of the great British traditions.

Yaroslav Stepanenko

Little Elizabeth did not even think about the throne: her uncle was to become the king, her place in the line for the throne was completely hopeless, and therefore the future ruler hardly suspected of imminent changes in her fate. But Edward VIII unexpectedly gave up the crown for the love of a dysfunctional American woman, and Elizabeth's father was at the helm, the girl at that time was only ten years old, at a very young age Princess Lilibet (as her family called her) turned into Crown Princess Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth, I must say, from childhood was distinguished by an iron character, so, despite the plans of the crowned parents, the future ruler of Great Britain was sure that she would marry a farmer. And better: for a farmer horse breeder, Elizabeth passionately loved horses and riding from an early age, so the owner of a dozen stables as a spouse would be very helpful. True, then Lilibet still abandoned the tempting idea, because she fell in love with a sailor cadet, which, by the way, in the eyes of the royal family was little better than a farmer.

Philip the Prince of Greece and Denmark was born in 1921 on the island of Corfu to a royal family that had lost power. His grandfather, King George I of Greece, was killed in 1913, his uncle was dethroned, and his father, falling into a severe depression after losing all his regalia, fled Greece in disgrace, taking his entire family with him. Later, Philip's parents broke up - Prince Andrew settled in Monte Carlo, where he enthusiastically squandered his family fortune, ex-wife with the children she moved to Paris, where she soon lost her mind because of all the troubles that befell the family. After the sad event, Philip was taken by his father, he sent the boy to a closed school so that he would not interfere with his daddy's entertainment and practically forgot about him. A few years later, Philip, on his own, without a penny in his pocket, reached England, where his relatives took him in. Yes, Elizabeth's parents certainly did not want such a betrothed for their daughter. And although the closest relatives from the groom's side repeatedly hinted to the Queen Mother and King George about a possible wedding, they only brushed it off, they had more decent options. But Elizabeth, once seeing the prince, could not think of anyone else, so her parents' plans did not bother her at all. At all the events where the poor prince and the crown princess happened to meet, Elizabeth followed Philip with her tail, and it seems, despite the hopes of her parents, she was not going to retreat from her intended goal.

Elizabeth's future husband graduated from his studies in 1940 with the rank of midshipman. In order to enlist in the British Navy, he is forced to renounce all his titles and become Prince Mountbatten. Already in the status of a British soldier, Philip went to the front, from where he wrote the most tender and passionate letters to his Lilibet, his parents, however, were still adamant. There is an opinion that even during the war, taking advantage of the absence of his son, the terminally ill Prince Andrew asked George VI for consent to the marriage between Philip and Elizabeth, but immediately received a categorical refusal. Firstly, by that time the groom's family had completely impoverished, and secondly, which seemed to be a much bigger problem - during the war, almost all of Philip's family was on the side of the Nazis - his sisters Margarita, Theodora and Sofia married Nazi officers. Such kinship could tarnish the reputation of the British monarchy. Neither Elizabeth nor Philip knew anything about such a maneuver, the lovers just waited for a meeting after a long separation. By the way, Elizabeth herself wanted to go to the front, but her father strictly forbade the girl to do this - the crown princess had to be left safe and sound.

Upon returning home, Philip first went to his beloved. During the hostilities, other contenders for the hand of the future queen melted into thin air, someone got married, someone just chose to continue their search. Except for Philip, no one was left. It was impossible to drag on. Fans of the English royal family say that Elizabeth, unable to wait any longer, made an offer to Philip herself, as once her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria - genes make themselves felt. Parents, although they were not completely satisfied, nevertheless agreed to the marriage, Elizabeth's stubbornness was adamant.

The engagement was announced in July 1947. The wedding was scheduled for November of that year. Traditionally, the wedding took place at Westminster Abbey. If the bride was represented by the entire British court, then the groom was allowed to invite only the mother, who for many years had been balancing on the brink of reality and non-existence. As it should be, the father accompanied the bride to the altar. She wore an ivory satin gown embroidered with thousands of beads of pearls and crystal. It took the court fashion designer Sir Norman Harnell several months to create it. However, this royal family is honored with rich outfits with incredibly long trains - remember, for example, Princess Diana.

After the wedding, the newlyweds led an active social life, went to horse races, attended social events and even from time to time appeared on dance floors, where representatives of not high society were found. It was then that the first rumors about the free disposition of the prince arose. Tired of constant surveillance - on Philip's heels there was a secretary who was actually called upon to watch over the honor of the queen, and the prince at the same time, the journalists did not give a moment's rest, - Lilibet increasingly showed an iron character, insisting on her own, making decisions without consulting with her husband, in short, she was preparing to become queen in full force not only in the country, but also in her own family. The romantic prince increasingly spent time away from his young wife, and, judging by the assurances of experts, he even fell in love with the singer Pat Kirkwood. True, it never came to bed with the couple, in spite of everything, Philip was devoted to his queen, probably sometimes he just needed to forget that his fate was always to be the shadow of a crowned wife.

The conversation ended after Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Charles. Then the couple left for Malta together, where they sent Philip on duty. Everything settled down, maybe just then, the strong, strong-willed, unbending Crown Princess Elizabeth truly felt like a wife and mother. She cooked on her own, invited the wives of Philip's colleagues to visit, gossiped and played with little Charles. Harmony and happiness collapsed in one second - King George VI of England died. Philip was the first to know of his death. During this time, he and Elizabeth were touring Kenya, and he knew that this news would be a real shock for his wife. Philip has always been the main support for his wife. And he also became the first who, traditionally kneeling down, took an oath of allegiance to his queen: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your vassal for life and your lowest servant; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you no matter what happens. God help me! "

After Elizabeth ascended the throne, a serious dispute erupted at court. After the death of George VI, Philip's uncle, Dickie, raised the issue that ruling house henceforth, the Mountbatten house should be, and not the Windors - this statement was received with hostility by Queen Mother Elizabeth. The Queen was at a loss, on the advice of the wise Prime Minister Winston Churchill, she refused to take her husband's surname, but seeing how upset Philip was about this, she herself came to despair.

In the spring of 1959, the Queen became pregnant again. This time she decided to reconsider the issue of her last name, changing it to Mountbatten. She wanted to please her husband, whom she continued to love immensely. The result of a long discussion was that Charles and Anna will remain Windsor, while the rest of the heirs will bear the name Mountbatten-Windsor. So, in February 1960, the second son of the royal couple, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was born. Elizabeth, as a sign of her devotion to her husband, named the boy in honor of his father Philip Andrew. After such a turn, Philip got rid of complexes and found a business to his liking - he began to engage in charity work. His focus was on sports, youth and education.

Remaining in public life always one step behind his wife, in the family Philip still achieved the right to the first vote. He dealt with issues of education of children, household problems - in this Elizabeth could fully rely on her husband. By the way, it was Philip who once insisted on the marriage of Charles. Despite the resistance from his son, Philip literally with one movement of his hand stopped all sorts of disputes: Charles had to leave his mistress Camilla and marry a decent girl. How it all ended, we all know very well. Actually, since the time of Princess Diana, the relationship between father and son has changed dramatically. Several times Charles even publicly accused his father of numerous betrayals, while Philip remained cold-blooded.

After Charles' divorce from Diana, the queen officially announced that Prince Charles had lost his right to the throne and William was declared heir to the throne. Years after Charles' marriage to Camilla, Elizabeth announced that her son could still "take responsibility for the monarchy." Today Elizabeth again doubted her son's abilities. Many years later, the correspondence between Philip and Diana was unexpectedly published, from which it became obvious that the prince treated Spencer like his own daughter. He already knew very well how difficult it is to feel at home in the royal family, especially if you are not welcome there. Diana wrote long emotional letters to her father-in-law. Philip replied with short notes, copies of which he kept. Diana called him "Pa" - like her father. The Queen and her husband had cool relations with their own children - the offspring were more disappointing than pleasing, perhaps that is why the crowned couple adores grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.

The royal house is calm today. The Queen spends a lot of time in her estate, where she walks arm in arm with her beloved spouse, is engaged in dog training, raises horses, and does not like when they break their privacy with Philip.