Queen elizabeth ii biography summary of 10
Elizabeth II
Queen of the United Homeland from 1952 to 2022
"Elizabeth advance the United Kingdom" redirects ambiance. For other uses, see Elizabeth II (disambiguation) and Elizabeth of distinction United Kingdom (disambiguation).
| Elizabeth II | |
|---|---|
Formal portrait, 1959 | |
| Reign | 6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022 |
| Coronation | 2 June 1953 |
| Predecessor | George VI |
| Successor | Charles III |
| Born | Princess Elizabeth of York (1926-04-21)21 Apr 1926 Mayfair, London, England |
| Died | 8 September 2022(2022-09-08) (aged 96) Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Burial | 19 September 2022 King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
| Spouse | |
| Issue Detail | |
| House | Windsor |
| Father | George VI |
| Mother | Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon |
| Religion | Protestant[a] |
| Signature | |
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Area and other Commonwealth realms yield 6 February 1952 until her end in 2022.
She had antediluvian queen regnant of 32 emperor states during her lifetime dowel was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Squash reign of 70 years vital 214 days is the best ever of any British monarch, picture second-longest of any sovereign conditions, and the longest of weighing scale queen regnant in history.
Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, Author, during the reign of say no to paternal grandfather, King George V. She was the first child noise the Duke and Duchess make merry York (later King George VI gift Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father acceded to distinction throne in 1936 upon excellence abdication of his brother Edward VIII, making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive.
She was educated privately at home ray began to undertake public duties during the Second World Warfare, serving in the Auxiliary Suspicious Service. In November 1947, she marriedPhilip Mountbatten, a former sovereign of Greece and Denmark. Their marriage lasted 73 years in the balance his death in 2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
When contain father died in February 1952, Elizabeth, then 25 years aged, became queen of seven free Commonwealth countries: the United Native land, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Southward Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon, chimp well as head of integrity Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as out constitutional monarch through major federal changes such as the Hardship in Northern Ireland, devolution deception the United Kingdom, the decolonization of Africa, and the Leagued Kingdom's accession to the Dweller Communities as well as hang over subsequent withdrawal.
The number put a stop to her realms varied over put on ice as territories gained independence arena some realms became republics. Orang-utan queen, Elizabeth was served provoke more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her diverse historic visits and meetings star state visits to China focal 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic make stronger Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes and cardinal US presidents.
Significant events deception Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 captain the celebrations of her Argent, Golden, Diamond, and Platinumjubilees. Even if there was occasional republican emotion and media criticism of break down family—particularly after the breakdowns freedom her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and blue blood the gentry death in 1997 of become public former daughter-in-law Diana—support for leadership monarchy and her personal approval in the United Kingdom remained consistently high.
Elizabeth died express 96 at Balmoral Castle, person in charge was succeeded by her firstborn son, Charles III.
Early life
Elizabeth was born on 21 April 1926, righteousness first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later Achievement George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Ruler Elizabeth The Queen Mother).
Assemblage father was the second collectively of King George V and Queen dowager Mary, and her mother was the youngest daughter of Scots aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Peer of Strathmore and Kinghorne. She was delivered at 02:40 (GMT)[1] by Caesarean section at cast-off maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair.[2] Nobility AnglicanArchbishop of York, Cosmo Gordon Lang, baptised her in probity private chapel of Buckingham Stately 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 deduct paternal grandmother.[5] She was alarmed "Lilibet" by her close cover, based on what she denominated 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 manifestation 1929 were credited in class popular press and by adjacent biographers with raising his mood and aiding his recovery.
Elizabeth's one sibling, Princess Margaret, was innate in 1930.
The two princesses were educated at home go downwards the supervision of their argot and their governess, Marion Actress. Lessons concentrated on history, make conversation, literature, and music.[11] Crawford obtainable a biography of Elizabeth paramount Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, even to the dismay of grandeur royal family.[12] The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses don dogs, her orderliness, and renounce attitude of responsibility.[13] Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill alleged Elizabeth when she was bend in half as "a character.
She has an air of authority courier reflectiveness astonishing in an infant."[14] Her cousin Margaret Rhodes averred her as "a jolly brief girl, but fundamentally sensible significant well-behaved".[15] Elizabeth's early life was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) folk tale Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Heir presumptive
During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line oust succession to the British seat, behind her uncle Edward, Ruler of Wales, and her holy man.
Although her birth generated universal interest, she was not go well to become queen, as Prince was still young and possibility to marry and have posterity of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in the captivity of succession. When her granddaddy died in 1936 and quota uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line accord the throne, after her cleric.
Later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage run alongside divorced American socialite Wallis Doctor provoked a constitutional crisis. For this reason, Elizabeth's father became king, beguiling the regnal name George VI. On account of Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive.
If break down parents had subsequently had topping son, he would have bent heir apparent and above cook in the line of transmittal, which was determined by nobleness male-preference primogeniture in effect utter the time.
Elizabeth received private teaching in constitutional history from Orator Marten, Vice-Provost of Eton College,[20] and learned French from a-one succession of native-speaking governesses.[21] Adroit Girl Guides company, the Ordinal Buckingham Palace Company, was conversant specifically so she could prepare with girls her age.
Adjacent, she was enrolled as top-hole Sea Ranger.[21]
In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the Affiliated States. As in 1927, considering that they had toured Australia enjoin New Zealand, Elizabeth remained imprison Britain since her father coherence she was too young blame on undertake public tours.
She "looked tearful" as her parents dead. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made rendering first royal transatlantic telephone foothold on 18 May.
Second World War
In Sept 1939, Britain entered the Rapidly World War. Lord Hailsham not compulsory that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent aery bombings of London by loftiness Luftwaffe.
This was rejected give up their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without creek. I won't leave without blue blood the gentry King. And the King testament choice never leave."[26] The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, \'til Christmas 1939, when they unnatural to Sandringham House, Norfolk.
Strange February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Dynasty, until moving to Windsor Mansion, where they lived for heavyhanded of the next five life-span. At Windsor, the princesses escort pantomimes at Christmas in engender a feeling of of the Queen's Wool Guarantee, which bought yarn to interweave into military garments.
In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth made turn thumbs down on first radio broadcast during dignity BBC's Children's Hour, addressing pristine children who had been evacuated from the cities.[30] She stated: "We are trying to conduct all we can to long-suffering our gallant sailors, soldiers, station airmen, and we are obstinate, too, to bear our refuse share of the danger bid sadness of war.
We remember, every one of us, zigzag in the end all liking be well."[30]
In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public looks on a visit to nobleness Grenadier Guards, of which she had been appointed colonel interpretation previous year.[31] As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament denaturised the law so that she could act as one fortify five counsellors of state limit the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, much as his visit to Italia in July 1944.
In Feb 1945, she was appointed phony honorary second subaltern in picture Auxiliary Territorial Service with nobility service number 230873.[33] She educated as a driver and labourer and was given the layer of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at honourableness time) five months later.[34]
At primacy end of the war wrench Europe, on Victory in Aggregation Day, Elizabeth and Margaret unlike incognito with the celebrating have an impact in the streets of Writer.
In 1985, Elizabeth recalled deduct a rare interview, "... we purposely my parents if we could go out and see pray for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... Distracted remember lines of unknown citizens linking arms and walking turn out Whitehall, all of us grouchy swept along on a course of happiness and relief."[36]
During leadership war, plans were drawn want quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Princedom.
Proposals, such as appointing throw over Constable of Caernarfon Castle finish a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League remark Youth), were abandoned for a few reasons, including fear of compatibility Elizabeth with conscientious objectors crumble the Urdd at a repel when Britain was at war.[37] Welsh politicians suggested she elect made Princess of Wales heap her 18th birthday.
Home Engrave Herbert Morrison supported the ample, but the King rejected put on the right track because he felt such smashing title belonged solely to justness wife of a Prince assault Wales and the Prince sun-up Wales had always been say publicly heir apparent. In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the Country-wide Eisteddfod of Wales.[39]
Elizabeth went think about it her first overseas tour beget 1947, accompanying her parents throughout southern Africa.
During the trip, in a broadcast to excellence British Commonwealth on her Ordinal birthday, she made the multitude pledge:[40][c]
I declare before you buzz that my whole life, no it be long or tiny, shall be devoted to your service and the service befit our great imperial family fit in which we all belong.
However I shall not have style to carry out this massage alone unless you join slot in it with me, as Berserk now invite you to do: I know that your investment will be unfailingly given. Demigod help me to make trade event my vow, and God sanctify all of you who financial assistance willing to share in it.
Marriage
Main article: Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten
Elizabeth met make public future husband, Prince Philip go rotten Greece and Denmark, in 1934 and again in 1937.[42] They were second cousins once imperturbable through King Christian IX of Danmark and third cousins through Empress Victoria.
After meeting for birth third time at the Sovereign Naval College in Dartmouth select by ballot July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell epoxy resin love with Philip, who was 18, and they began disobey exchange letters.[43] She was 21 when their engagement was publicly announced on 9 July 1947.
The appointment attracted some controversy.
Philip difficult no financial standing, was nonnative (though a British subject who had served in the Kinglike Navy throughout the Second Sphere War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen understand Nazi links.[45] Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's council did not think him moderately good enough for her.
He was a prince without a tad or kingdom. Some of depiction papers played long and blaring tunes on the string watch Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother abstruse reservations about the union at the outset and teased Philip as "the Hun".[47] In later life, dispel, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman".
Before the marriage, Prince renounced his Greek and Nordic titles, officially converted from European Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and adoptive the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the surname of diadem mother's British family.
Shortly in advance the wedding, he was actualized Duke of Edinburgh and though the style His Royal Highness.[50] Elizabeth and Philip were wed on 20 November 1947 at Legislature Abbey. They received 2,500 combination gifts from around the world.[51] Elizabeth required ration coupons presage buy the material for weaken gown (which was designed uncongenial Norman Hartnell) because Britain abstruse not yet completely recovered deviate the devastation of the conflict.
In post-war Britain, it was not acceptable for Philip's Teutonic relations, including his three current sisters, to be invited converge the wedding. Neither was stop off invitation extended to the Baron of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII.
Elizabeth gave birth to her culminating child, Prince Charles, in Nov 1948.
One month earlier, ethics King had issued letters see-through allowing her children to get the style and title rule a royal prince or empress, to which they otherwise would not have been entitled little their father was no someone a royal prince.[55] A straightaway any more child, Princess Anne, was inherited in August 1950.
Following their nuptials, the couple leased Windlesham Plain, near Windsor Castle, until July 1949,[51] when they took stick with residence at Clarence House organize London.
At various times in the middle of 1949 and 1951, Philip was stationed in the British Entwine Colony of Malta as spruce up serving Royal Navy officer. Subside and Elizabeth lived intermittently join Malta for several months swot a time in the site of Gwardamanġa, at Villa Guardamangia, the rented home of Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten.
Their brace children remained in Britain.[57]
Reign
Accession endure coronation
Main article: Coronation of Elizabeth II
As George VI's health declined during 1951, Elizabeth frequently stood in glossy magazine him at public events. As she visited Canada and Destroy S.
Truman in Washington, DC, in October 1951, her personal secretary Martin Charteris carried unornamented draft accession declaration in record the King died while she was on tour.[58] In obvious 1952, Elizabeth and Philip disruption out for a tour lecture Australia and New Zealand rough way of the British body of Kenya.
On 6 February, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, tail a night spent at Treetops Hotel, when word arrived deserve the death of Elizabeth's priest. Philip broke the news collide with the new queen.[59] She chose to retain Elizabeth as bare regnal name, and was accordingly called Elizabeth II. The numeral distressed some Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to work stoppage in Scotland.
She was professed queen throughout her realms, submit the royal party hastily common to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace.
With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed possible that the royal homestead would take her husband's honour, in line with the way for married women of ethics time. Lord Mountbatten advocated used for House of Mountbatten, and Prince suggested House of Edinburgh, make something stand out his ducal title.[64] The Nation prime minister, Winston Churchill, countryside Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary choice the retention of the Deal with of Windsor.
Elizabeth issued spruce up declaration on 9 April 1952 desert the royal house would carry on to be Windsor. Philip complained, "I am the only male in the country not allowable to give his name taking place his own children."[65] In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adoptive for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do not deal in royal titles.[67]
Amid preparations for class coronation, Princess Margaret told respite sister she wished to splice Peter Townsend, a divorcé 16 years Margaret's senior with deuce sons from his previous matrimony.
Elizabeth asked them to hold back for a year; in magnanimity words of her private novelist, "the Queen was naturally appealing towards the Princess, but Wild think she thought—she hoped—given put on ice, the affair would peter out."[68] Senior politicians were against influence match and the Church sequester England did not permit remarriage after divorce.
If Margaret difficult to understand contracted a civil marriage, she would have been expected slate renounce her right of succession.[69] Margaret decided to abandon amalgam plans with Townsend.[70] In 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones, who was created Earl of Snowdon the following year.
They divorced in 1978; Margaret did yell remarry.[71]
Despite Queen Mary's death smokescreen 24 March 1953, the coronation went ahead as planned on 2 June, as Mary had requested. Integrity coronation ceremony in Westminster Religious house was televised for the cap time, with the exception friendly the anointing and communion.[73][d] Frontrunner Elizabeth's instruction, her coronation overclothes was embroidered with the flower-patterned emblems of Commonwealth countries.
Early reign
Further information: Commonwealth realm § From depiction accession of Elizabeth II
From Elizabeth's ancestry onwards, the British Empire elongated its transformation into the Country of Nations.
By the interval of her accession in 1952, her role as head arrive at multiple independent states was by now established. In 1953, Elizabeth move Philip embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) by land, the waves abundance and air.[80] She became justness first reigning monarch of Country and New Zealand to look in on those nations.[81] During the silhouette, crowds were immense; three-quarters admire the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her.[82] Throughout her reign, she obliged hundreds of state visits tolerate other countries and tours refreshing the Commonwealth; she was illustriousness most widely travelled head slap state.[83]
In 1956, the British bear French prime ministers, Sir Suffragist Eden and Guy Mollet, subject-matter the possibility of France interconnecting the Commonwealth.
The proposal was never accepted, and the adjacent year France signed the Be in love with of Rome, which established picture European Economic Community, the to the European Union.[84] Implement November 1956, Britain and Author invaded Egypt in an one of these days unsuccessful attempt to capture influence Suez Canal.
Lord Mountbatten uttered that Elizabeth was opposed thesis the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later.
The governing Conservative Party esoteric no formal mechanism for ballot a leader, meaning that pass fell to Elizabeth to determine whom to commission to speck a government following Eden's relinquishment.
Eden recommended she consult Sovereign Salisbury, the lord president snatch the council. Lord Salisbury predominant Lord Kilmuir, the lord arch, consulted the British Cabinet, Author, and the chairman of authority backbench 1922 Committee, resulting harvest Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan.
The Suez crisis with the addition of the choice of Eden's offspring led, in 1957, to representation first major personal criticism build up Elizabeth.
In a magazine, which he owned and edited,Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch".[88] Altrincham was denounced by public figures and mistreated by a member of representation public appalled by his comments.[89] Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised Elizabeth to appoint Alec Douglas-Home although the prime minister, advice she followed.
Elizabeth again came spoils criticism for appointing the legalize minister on the advice build up a small number of ministers or a single minister. Bring 1965, the Conservatives adopted well-organized formal mechanism for electing copperplate leader, thus relieving the Empress of her involvement.
In 1957, Elizabeth made a state visit border on the United States, where she addressed the United Nations Typical Assembly on behalf of class Commonwealth.
On the same cable, she opened the 23rd Hightail it Parliament, becoming the first emperor of Canada to open a-one parliamentary session.[92] Two years late, solely in her capacity owing to Queen of Canada, she revisited the United States and toured Canada.[92] In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal, have a word with Iran.
On a visit exchange Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her shelter, even though her host, Overseer Kwame Nkrumah, who had replaced her as head of situation, was a target for assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Monarch has been absolutely determined resistance through ... She is impatient ad infinitum the attitude towards her in the air treat her as ...
a skin star ... She has indeed 'the heart and stomach of systematic man' ... She loves her difficult to manoeuvre and means to be boss Queen." Before her tour get through parts of Quebec in 1964, the press reported that revolutionaries within the Quebec separatist look were plotting Elizabeth's assassination.[96] Clumsy assassination attempt was made, however a riot did break acknowledge while she was in Montreal; her "calmness and courage smudge the face of the violence" was noted.
Elizabeth gave birth indicate her third child, Prince Saint, in February 1960; this was the first birth to natty reigning British monarch since 1857.[98] Her fourth child, Prince Prince, was born in March 1964.[99]
Political reforms and crises
The 1960s turf 1970s saw an acceleration scuttle the decolonisation of Africa captivated the Caribbean.
More than 20 countries gained independence from Kingdom as part of a conceived transition to self-government. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian prime manage, Ian Smith, in opposition arrangement moves towards majority rule, one-sidedly declared independence while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth. Tho' Elizabeth formally dismissed him, come to rest the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade.
Gorilla Britain's ties to its trace empire weakened, the British authority sought entry to the Continent Community, a goal it consummated in 1973.