Name:
Full name: Elizabeth Alexandra Maria
Born: April 21, 1926, Bruton Street, 17
Parents: George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
House: Windsor
Enthroned: February 6, 1952 at the age of 25
Crowned: June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.
Husband:Philip Mountbatten.
Children:prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward

Princess Elizabeth of Alexandria Mary was born in London on April 21, 1926; she was privately educated and took over the official duties at age 16. During World War II, she served in the Territorial Auxiliary Service, and by an amendment to the Regency Act, she became a State Counselor on her 18th birthday.

After the death of George VI in 1952, she ascended the throne, while she was crowned only 18 months later on June 2, 1953.

The reign of Queen Elizabeth II from 1952 brought about a period of rapid and sometimes turbulent change. The UK's position in the world, its economy and the very form and structure of society have been transformed, and many traditional institutions have suffered in the process. Thanks to all this, the path of the Crown was marked by the Queen herself, in a long-lasting display of unwavering dedication and a calm pragmatism that met national need and won her the respect and love of her peoples.

As the hereditary head of state for Great Britain and Northern Ireland and head of the Commonwealth, she has symbolic and formal functions and responsibilities, but no direct authority. She is the embodiment of national identity and continuity.

With the support of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whom she has been married to since November 20, 1947, the Queen is the head of a large family.

In 2012, she opened the London Olympics and celebrated her diamond jubilee of 60 years on the throne.The debate about the future of the monarchy continues, but the Royal Family has shown a desire to embrace evolutionary changes, including the Queen's decision to pay taxes, changes to the Civil List, and the opening of Buckingham palace to the public to help fund the restoration of Windsor Castle.

On September 10, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-lived reign of the British monarch, surpassing her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

In 1940, 14-year-old Princess Elizabeth was a guest of the Children's Hour radio program. She sent her best wishes to the children evacuated from Britain to the United States, Canada and other countries during the worst times for Britain during the Second World War. This is the very first entry of the future queen in the BBC archives.
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her fourth cousin, Prince Philip of Greece, at Westminster Abbey. Their first child, Charles, was born in 1948. For several years the couple enjoyed a relatively ordinary life. In 1950, Charles' sister Anna was born. Elizabeth and Philip lived with their children at Clarence House in London. Her father was terminally ill with lung cancer. In January 1952, while on a visit to Kenya, Elizabeth learned of the death of the king. As a queen, she immediately returned to London. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Mother and Duke of Gloucester watch the Royal Armed Forces air parade after coronation on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Her coronation in June 1953 was televised. Millions of people - many of them for the first time - flocked to the television screens to watch Queen Elizabeth II take her oath. Queen Elizabeth II in the library at Sandringham Palace after her first televised address to the nation on Christmas Day
1963 year. The queen in a ladies' saddle returns to Buckingham Palace after attending a military parade. Elizabeth attended the Trooping the Сolour ceremony in honor of the monarch's birthday every year of her reign, with the exception of one time in 1955, when it had to be canceled due to a general strike in rail transport. The queen began traveling in a carriage in 1987. England captain Bobby Moore holds the Queen's Jules Rimet Trophy after his team beat West Germany 4-2 in the 1966 World Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. In 1969, Queen Elizabeth II formally endowed her son, Prince Charles, with the Prince of Wales Crown in a ceremony at Carnarvon Castle. He actually accepted the title at the age of nine, but the Queen insisted that the ceremony be postponed until he fully realized its significance. Queen Elizabeth II strolls in Portsmouth during the Silver Jubilee celebrations
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her 25th birthday on the throne with a massive trip across Britain - in 10 weeks she visited 36 counties. She also traveled around the world, covering a total of 56 thousand miles (more than 90 thousand kilometers). Queen Elizabeth II with a Jersey cow presented to her at the Le Petit Catel exhibition in St. John's Parish, Jersey. During her reign, the queen was given an impressive number of animals, including a canary from Germany, jaguars and sloths from Brazil, two black beavers from the Seychelles and an elephant named Jumbo from Cameroon. All of them were placed in the London Zoo. Official photograph of the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince and Princess of Wales following Harry's baptism in 1984. The Queen has eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Badaling site on the Great Wall of China on the third day of their state visit to the country in 1986. No British monarch has ever visited mainland China, let alone a visit to the wall, so this royal visit is historic.
Queen Elizabeth II inspects Windsor Castle after a fire in 1992. This year she called "annus horribilis" (terrible year), because at the same time Princess Anne divorced her husband and the Duke and Duchess of York, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales parted. In this unusual photo, the Queen, under the supervision of Chief Instructor, Lieutenant George Harvey, fires an SA80 assault rifle while visiting the Army Rifle Association in Beasley. Following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the royal family was criticized for restraining the official response to her death. The Queen was accused of indifference and isolation from the mood of society. Elizabeth was struck by this outburst of anger, and she acknowledged that "lessons must be learned from her life and the extraordinary reaction of society to her death." The Prince of Wales leaves St George's Chapel in Windsor after his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles. Queen Elizabeth II attended the religious part of the wedding, but did not attend the secular ceremony. At the wedding, the Queen told guests that her son "found his happiness with the woman he loves." Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visit the Broadlands estate in Hampshire to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary (60) after their wedding in November 1947. By 17:30 on September 9, 2015, Elizabeth II ruled 23,226 days, 16 hours and approximately 30 minutes. On this day, she broke the record of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. While in Scotland, she thanked many well-wishers at home and abroad for "their touching good messages." Together with Prince Philip, she rode the steam train from Edinburgh to the village of Tweedbank, where the new Scottish Railroad was officially opened.

Quotes:

“I declare before you that my whole life, whether long or short, will be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family, to which we all belong.” - Queen Elizabeth II

"This is all about learning: you can do a lot if you are properly trained." Queen Elizabeth II

“Like all the best families, we have a share of eccentrics, fast-paced and wayward young people and family disagreements.” - Queen Elizabeth II:

“I cannot bring you into battle. I do not give you laws and I am not guided by justice, but I can do something else - I can give my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations. " - Queen Elizabeth II.

In contact with

"Unfinished Romance" is a sentimental story of two people who love each other very much, but cannot be together. Both have families and, accordingly, obligations to loved ones. For many years in a row, the heroes meet at the hotel. They have only a few days a year to be with those without whom life is impossible. It would seem that the story directed by director Natalya Bulyga is pure drama. But no! The production turned out to be fun and easy, because love is not necessarily and not always a tragedy. Screen star Maria Poroshina, who, in addition to many other film roles, played the sorceress Svetlana in Timur Bekmambetov's films Night Watch and Day Watch, herself invited Yaroslav Boyko to take part in the play The Unfinished Romance. For her, the choice of a stage partner was obvious. Their creative tandem was born back in 2003, when the series "Always say always" was released. The actors turned out to be so organic in the role of a loving couple that the viewer then had no doubts: of course they have an affair!

Studio "Kvartal 95" goes on a world tour with concerts of "Evening Quarter" The "Evening Quarter" project is a humorous show with a unique format of intellectual humor. And humor in Vecherny Kvartal is always fresh and topical, sharp and precise. The special recognizable style of Kvartal 95 is a combination of good humor and a positive outlook on life, relevance and sharp political satire, as well as an orientation towards universal and family values. "Vecherniy Kvartal" has been the most popular show on Ukrainian television for many years, traditionally gathering millions of viewers from the screens.

The English Irregular Verb Trainer will help you memorize their spelling and meaning. Fill in empty cells. If you spell it correctly, the word will change color from red to green. Refresh the page or click the Start Over button and you will see a new order of blank cells. Train again!

Modal verbs in english language is a class of auxiliary verbs. Modal verbs are used to express ability, need, confidence, opportunity, or likelihood. We use modal verbs when we talk about abilities or opportunities, ask or give permission, ask, offer, etc. Modal verbs are not used independently, but only with the infinitive of the main verb as a compound predicate.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and the royal family

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has remained for centuries parliamentary monarchy... Since 6 February 1952, the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been Queen Elizabeth II.

The system of constitutional monarchy is believed to smooth out the contradictions of multi-party politics and provide stability and continuity in times of political and social change.

The acting monarch performs two important functions - is head of state and head of nation .

As head of state, Queen of Great Britain performs the following duties: participates in the annual opening ceremony of the Parliament, meets weekly with prime ministers, receives foreign ambassadors and delegations, makes official visits to foreign countries to maintain diplomatic and economic relations of his country with others. Many of the official powers of the monarch or "royal prerogatives" are exercised by the monarch only nominally, after consultation with the prime minister and the cabinet of ministers, who are responsible to the House of Commons of Parliament. Most of the prerogatives are put into practice by UK Cabinet Ministers. The monarch formally appoints the prime minister (a “kissing hands” ceremony), in practice, he is the head of the party that won the parliamentary elections. In the event that none of the parties won a majority, the monarch has the right to appoint a prime minister. The current Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, took advantage of this opportunity only once - in 1974, when she appointed Harold Wilson to the post of Labor Prime Minister. On the advice of the Prime Minister, the monarch has the right to dismiss ministers or the entire Cabinet (a prerogative that British monarchs never use). All parliamentary laws are passed in the name of the monarch and come into force after his formal approval.

Formally, the monarch has the right to convene, dissolve and renew the Parliament. But in practice, according to the Parliament Act of 1911, Parliament is elected for a term of 5 years and upon the expiration of this term it is automatically dissolved.

The oath of allegiance is sworn to the monarch, British passports are issued on behalf of the monarch, the country's anthem is called "God Save the Queen." The image of the monarch is found on banknotes, coins and postage stamps. The current monarch is the head of the Royal Armed Forces and has the formal prerogative to declare war and make peace, conclude treaties and ratify agreements.

Despite their venerable age, the royal couple continues to perform official duties. In April 2014, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, visited the Vatican and met with Pope Francis.

The monarch is considered A source of justice - has the right to appoint judges.

The monarch is A source of honor (conducts investiture ceremonies) - appoints peers, awards orders, knights and other honors (usually on the advice of the prime minister).

Monarch - head of the Church of England... He has the power to appoint archbishops and bishops (at the suggestion of the prime minister).

Since 1760, funding for the maintenance of the royal family has been according to the Civil List. This means that the income from the royal inheritance - the Crown Estate - goes to the budget of Great Britain, and then is allocated to the needs of the royal family.

The monarch only formally owns his estate, since it cannot be sold, but can only be transferred to the heir to the throne. Formally, the current monarch owns the county of Lancastershire, the proceeds from which go to replenish the monarch's "personal wallet" and are spent on those needs that are traditionally not recorded in the Civil List. Cornwall is formally owned by the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom.

As Head of the Nation, Queen Elizabeth II performs an equally important cultural and social function in the UK. It provides national identity, symbolizes the unity and pride of the nation, giving the British a sense of stability and confidence in the future.

The Queen regularly visits different parts of the United Kingdom, her presence is mandatory at ceremonies on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance of those killed in war, at significant sporting events. Everyone remembers the appearance of the Queen in the video with James Bond at the opening of the 2012 London Olympic Games. In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II opened the Montreal Summer Olympics in Canada as the Canadian head of state. The Royal Office sends out thousands of messages of congratulations to citizens celebrating their centenary and 60th wedding anniversary. Every year, Queen Elizabeth II addresses her subjects with a Christmas speech.

Members of the British royal family form the line of succession to the throne. The first in line is the Queen's eldest son, Charles. The second and third are Charles' eldest son Prince William and his son George. The order of inheritance was determined by the Federal Act of 1800, which established the rule of inheritance according to the primogeniture with the priority of the male sex. The Act of Succession of 1701 established the rule that only a monarch professing the Anglican faith can inherit the British throne. According to this law, not only Catholics, but also Anglicans who are married to Catholics cannot ascend the British throne.

At the Commonwealth Summit in Australia in October 2011, succession changes were made to avoid discrimination on the basis of gender and religion. In December 2012, this law was approved by the parliaments of the countries of the commonwealth. Now the order of succession is determined by simple seniority and the ban on marriages to Catholics for future monarchs has been lifted. Currently, the line of succession to the throne is 55 members of the royal family - descendants of Elizabeth II, her sister - Princess Margaret and grandfather - George V.

Also members royal family distributed by seniority or priority. Thus, the Queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, is not among the heirs to the throne, but is the second oldest in the family after the Queen. This order of precedence is respected at official events. For example, during the laying of wreaths on Memorial Day, the Queen lays the first wreath, the Duke of Edinburgh the second, Prince Charles the third, etc.

Title of Queen Elizabeth IIdiffers for each country that is part of the Commonwealth.

For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it reads like this:

"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

"Elizabeth II, by the grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other countries and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926 in London at 17 Bruton Street. This house no longer exists, and a memorial plaque is installed on the new house at this address. At baptism, the daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was named Elizabeth (in honor of her mother) Alexandra (in honor of her great-grandmother) Maria (in honor of her grandmother). Elizabeth II belongs to the Windsor dynasty. Elizabeth's father - Prince Albert was the second in line of succession to the throne. After the abdication of his older brother, Edward VIII, he became King George VI, and Elizabeth became "heir presumptive" ("supposed heir"). This means that if the king had a son later, he would inherit the throne.

In 1947, Elizabeth's wedding took place with Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921) - an officer of the British Navy belonging to the Greek and Danish royal family, great-great-grandson of the British Queen Victoria and the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. To marry Elizabeth, Philip became a naturalized citizen of Great Britain, changed Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, gave up the titles "Prince of Denmark" and "Prince of Greece". In return, George VI bestowed upon him the title of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merionet and Baron of Greenwich.

When George VI died on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth and her husband were traveling in Kenya. Princess Elizabeth has already returned to Great Britain as Queen Elizabeth II. The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II, which took place on June 2, 1953, was first televised from Westminster Abbey. The first to take the oath of allegiance to the new queen was her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen has four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward.

Charles, Prince of Wales - was born on November 14, 1948. Full name Charles (Karl) Philip Arthur George (Georg) Mountbatten - Windsor. Heir to the throne of Great Britain, Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Air Force. Upon accession to the throne, he can choose a royal name - Charles (Karl) III by the first name, or George (George) VII by the fourth.

At birth, Charles received the title "His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh" - "His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh". When Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952, Prince Charles automatically received the title "Duke of Cornwall" and became known as "His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall". In 1969, Elizabeth II held an investiture ceremony, placing the crown of the Prince of Wales on her son's head. And the official title of Charles changed to "HRH The Prince of Wales".

On July 29, 1981, the wedding of the heir to the throne took place with Diane Spencer... Charles and Diana had two sons: Prince William (born June 21, 1982) and Prince Henry (Harry) (born September 15, 1984). On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles married a second time - to Camilla Parker Bowles. For the first time in the history of the royal family, the ceremony was performed in a civil manner. Due to the fact that the late wife of Prince Charles, Lady Diana, is still very popular among the British, Camila was awarded the title not of the Princess of Wales, but of the Duchess of Cornwall.

By tradition, Charles is involved in charity work, heads more than 350 charitable societies. His areas of interest include nature conservation and agriculture.

Princess anna (Anna Elizabeth Alice Louise) was born on August 15, 1950. He is currently in 11th place in the line of succession to the throne. Since 1987, she has been carrying the title of Princess Royal. From her first marriage to Mark Phillips, she had two children: Peter Phillips (1977) and Zara Phillips (1981). Princess Anne, Mark Phillips and Zara Phillips have represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games in equestrian sports at various times. After her divorce from Mark Phillips, Princess Anne married Vice Admiral Timothy Lawrence.

Prince Andrew (Andrew Albert Christian Edward), Duke of York was born on 19 February 1960. Prince Andrew received the title of Duke of York in 1986 - on his wedding day with Sarah Ferguson. In the marriage, two daughters were born: Princess Beatrice of York (born 1988) and Eugene of York (born 1990). The Duke of York is ranked 5th in succession to the British throne.

Prince edward (Edward Anthony Richards Louis), Earl of Wessex was born on March 10, 1964. In the line of succession to the throne, he is in 8th place after his elder brothers and their descendants. He received the title of Earl on his wedding day with Sophie Rhys-Jones. It was announced that after the death of his father, he would receive the title of Duke of Edinburgh, and his children would not receive the titles of princes and princesses, but would be treated as children of an earl. The Earl of Wessex has two children: Louise (born 2003) - "Lady Louise Windsor" and James (born 2007) - "James, Viscount Severn".

The second in line of British succession is Prince WilliamArthur Philip Louis (born 1982) is the son of the Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer. On the day of William's wedding with Kate Middleton, he was granted the title - Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathhaern and Baron Carrickferge. Kate Middleton accordingly became the Duchess of Cambridge. On July 22, 2013, the couple had a son, George (Georg) Alexander Louis. Which became the third in line of succession to the throne.

Prince Henry of Wales (Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor) - The youngest son of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer was born on September 15, 1984. He is currently the 4th in line of heirs to the British throne.

When queen Elizabeth IIworks, she divides her time between London and Windsor.

Royal palaces are not owned by the queen or the royal family. Officially, they are in "trust for future generations."

The main royal residence of the British monarch is Buckingham Palace at Westminster... Most state banquets, investiture, receptions of heads of state and ambassadors of foreign countries and other official events are held there. At Buckingham Palace, which most people in the world associate with British royal family, 775 rooms. Including: 19 government rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe palace is 77 thousand square meters... When the queen is in the palace, the royal standard develops above him, if she is not in the palace, the state standard.

The second most important royal residence - the largest residential castle in the world - Windsor Castle, is used by the royal family for weekends.

The main residence in Scotland is Holyroodhouse Castle in Edinburgh. The Queen will definitely spend one week a year there - the so-called "Holyrood week".

The royal family also owns the Clarenshouse (home of Prince Charles) and Kensington Palace.

Holidays (in August and September) Her Majesty spends at Balmoral Castles in Aberdeenshire or Sandringhamhouse in Norfolk. They are the private residences of the royal family and are not funded from the budget.

A series of scandals related to the divorces of Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, as well as the death of Princess Diana, significantly undermined the authority of the royal family in Great Britain. Nevertheless, according to polls, more than 60% of Britons are in favor of maintaining the institution of monarchy in the country.

Interesting Facts in Queen Elizabeth II:

• At the queen Elizabeth II no passport. Since the British passport is issued on behalf of Her Majesty, the Queen cannot issue the passport to herself. All other members of the royal family, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, hold British passports.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the only person in the country who is allowed to drive a car without a registration number and driver's license. By the way, the queen received a driver's license back in 1945.
• Is not a fixed date. Whether it will be the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Saturday of June - the government decides. On this day, since 1748, according to tradition, a royal military parade has been held - Trooping the color.
• In Australia queen's birthday celebrated as a public holiday on the second Monday in June. In Western Australia, the monarch's birthday is celebrated at a different time - in late September or early October. New Zealand's Queen's birthday is also a public holiday and is celebrated on the first Monday in June. In Canada, the Queen's birthday is celebrated as a public holiday on the Monday preceding May 24.
• The Queen's actual birthday is April 21. There are no special events on this day and the queen spends it with her family.
• Royal salutes are strictly regulated and are
• February 6 (day of accession to the throne of Elizabeth II)
• April 21 (birthday of Elizabeth II)
• June 2 (coronation day of Elizabeth II)
• June 10 (birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh)
• The Queen's official birthday
• Opening session of Parliament by the Queen (usually November or December).
• The number of shots of the royal salute is also regulated. The main royal salute is 21 shots. In Hyde Park, another 20 shots are added to the main fireworks. In the Tower - this adds 20 to the main number 21 and another 21 shots.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state in 16 states and is the head of the Commonwealth of 53 countries. In 1952, at a conference of prime ministers of the countries of the Commonwealth, Elizabeth II was proclaimed the head of the union of countries not by the right of inheritance, but by the right of consent of the member states.
• Have queen Elizabeth II there are other official and unofficial titles. For example, in the Maori language it is called "kotuku" - "white heron". In Papua New Guinea, the Queen is called "Mrs. Kwin" in Pidgin. On the Isle of Man, the Queen is called the Empress of Maine; in the Channel Islands, she is the Duchess of Normandy; in the Duchy of Lancaster - she is the Duchess of Lancaster.
• During his reign queen Elizabeth II hosted 12 prime ministers during traditional Tuesday meetings: Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alexander Douglas-Hume, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Cameron.
• Tony Blair became the first prime minister to be born during the reign of Elizabeth II (in May 1953).
• During the reign queens Elizabeth II 6 archbishops of Canterbury were replaced.
• Have queen Elizabeth II 9 thrones. One in the House of Lords, two in Westminster Abbey and six in Buckingham Palace.
• Queen should not publicly express her political views and communicates very correctly with all prime ministers of the country, being over political battles. The same goes for members of the royal family, who have no right to speak out about political events, so the political views of the Queen and her family members remain unknown.
• Queen Elizabeth II patronizes over 620 charitable organizations.
• Queen Elizabeth II Is the 40th monarch in Great Britain since William the Conqueror.
• During his reign queen Elizabeth II has made official visits to more than 130 countries and made more than 250 trips. In October 1994, the Queen paid an official visit to Russia.
• Most of the Queen's trips were on yacht Britain, which was built in 1954 and decommissioned in 1997. The total distance that Britain has traveled over the years is more than a million nautical miles.
• At the queen Elizabeth II there were more than 30 dogs of my favorite breed corgi... The first dog of this breed, Susan, she received for her eighteenth birthday as a gift. All other dogs are descendants of Susan. The Queen is even the creator of a new breed of dog - dorgiwhich came from the mixing of her Corgs with Princess Margaret's dachshund.
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• Queen Elizabeth IIsent her first email in 1976 and the first official royal site was created in 1997.
• Legally, whales, dolphins and sturgeon fish in the seas of Great Britain belong to the crown. Because the country still has a statute of 1324, adopted during the reign of Edward II, stating that the monarch owns dolphins, whales and sturgeons, alive and dead, within the territorial waters of the country.

She is a woman of the 20th and 21st centuries, ruler of the British Commonwealth of Nations and 15 independent states, reigning queen from 1952 to the present day. Who is it? Of course, Elizabeth Alexandra Maria, who also bears the title as the longest reigning monarch in the history of Great Britain. What interesting facts are known about this unique and strong woman.

1. Queen's birthday

Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday twice: on April 21 (born 1926) with her family, and in early June - officially.

2. When Elizabeth ascended the throne

In 1937, Elizabeth became the direct heir, after her father George VI of the Windsor dynasty was crowned. And on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, she ascended the throne.

3. Education of the queen

During the war years, Elizabeth joined the women's self-defense squads, where she was trained as a driver mechanic. As strange as it may sound, the queen in her younger years drove an ambulance and a truck. She later received a certificate as a water rescuer.

4. Who is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II

The consort of Elizabeth II, Philip Mountbatten, is a Greek prince in exile and a senior lieutenant in the British Navy. Apart from this, he is also Elizabeth's fourth cousin. The couple first met when they were 8 and 13 years old. Thus, the age difference is 5 years. The wedding took place in 1947, when Elizabeth was 21 years old. We add that the parents of the future queen opposed marriage to Philip, since he did not have a fortune. It sounds funny, but at that time Elizabeth was allocated as much as 200 additional coupons for sewing a wedding dress.

5. How many children does Elizabeth have

The Queen has four children: Prince Charles, Andrew, Edward and Princess Anne.Besides, the Queen is a grandmother with many children, great-grandmother and godmother: she has 30 godchildren and godchildren. Here's the lucky one.

6. What powers does Queen Elizabeth have?

Despite her high status, the queen reigns, but does not rule the country: she officially does not in any way influence foreign and domestic policy, but nevertheless all decisions in the state are made on her behalf.

7. How much money does Queen Elizabeth II have

It is not customary to talk about the queen's property, but there are rumors that she is one of the richest people on earth. Moreover, the queen never carries money with her. Basically, why are they needed if you are the Queen. In addition, the queen does not have a passport, everyone will recognize her anyway.

The Queen is also not required to disclose the status of her personal accounts. In addition, despite the fact that the royal collection of art is estimated at 10 billion pounds, this is not the personal fortune of the queen, as are the palaces and castles where the queen and her relatives live. All of this property is owned by the state or owned by the "Crown Estate" (an independent commercial enterprise that manages the royal estate).

8. What awards does the Queen of Great Britain have?

9. What does the Queen of Great Britain ride

The royal fleet is enviable: Bentley, Rolls-Royce Daimler, Jaguar and Land Rover. In addition, Elizabeth is a first-class driver and easily controls the steering wheel of a car.

10. The queen's pets

The Queen is very fond of dogs. She gives particular preference to the corgi breed. Today there are about 30 corgi at the royal court. Elizabeth II also loves horses: despite her age, she constantly goes horseback riding.

11. Where does Queen Elizabeth II like to rest

But Her Majesty loves to spend her holidays in the Scottish estate of Balmoral. When the queen is having breakfast, a piper walks around the castle and plays folk melodies.

12. The main residence of the British monarchs

Buckingham Palace is the main residence of all British monarchs, in which to this day, Elizabeth II makes official meetings.

13. What the Queen of Great Britain likes to wear

Elizabeth II gives preference only to British designers, in her wardrobe there are bright outfits, and in black the queen can appear only during mourning. The monarch loves to wear handbags again by the British brand Launer London with short handles. But what is contained in the royal purse is a secret behind seven locks. The purse also serves for the queen and in order to give a signal to the servants: if Her Majesty is about to leave the meal, she puts the purse on the table.

And the main highlight of the royal image is the hat; how many of them are in the wardrobe of Elizabeth II is difficult to count. Rumor has it that more than 5 thousand.

In terms of footwear, these are Anello & Davide shoes with small heels with a rounded toe. The Queen is very careful about shoes and therefore tries to change shoes less often, and more often to put on heels. But new shoes for the royal personage are worn out by the so-called Cinderella, who has the same foot size as Elizabeth II.

And a few more interesting facts about Elizabeth II:

• no one except her husband has the right to touch the queen in public. History knows only 4 offenders who allowed themselves to do this: Michelle Obama, Canadian cyclist Louis Garneau and two Australian prime ministers, Paul Keating and John Howard;
• the queen never raises her voice, even if she is furious, and never gives interviews.

How long Elizabeth II will still rule is an open question, since the queen is not going to give up her throne in favor of her heirs, and considers her reign to be a matter of life, and for many Britons she is a “bastion of stability” of the state.

In London in the family of the Duke and Duchess of York.

Queen Elizabeth usually celebrates her real birthday in the family circle, while the official birthday of the monarch in Great Britain is celebrated in June with a colorful military parade in central London.
According to the tradition established at the beginning of the twentieth century by King Edward VII, the monarch's birthday is celebrated in Great Britain on one Saturday in June - depending on the weather (the king chose this date because in June the weather cannot spoil the national holiday).

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), so the future queen was named at birth - from the Windsor dynasty. She is the eldest daughter of the Duke of York George, the future King of Great Britain, George VI (1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002).

Elizabeth received a good education at home, in addition to the usual school subjects, she was taught the basics of economics, jurisprudence and constitutional law. The curriculum also included lessons in horse riding, dance and music. Her mother introduced her to palace etiquette.
After the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII, and her father's accession to the throne in December 1936, 10-year-old Elizabeth became heir to the British throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace.

In preparation for political life, the future queen began to attend classes in constitutional history at Eton College.
At the start of the war in 1939, they were evacuated to Windsor Palace.
During World War II, Elizabeth insisted that her parents let her enroll in military service... She mastered the profession of a driver at a military transport training center, qualified as a truck driver, learned how to change tires on a truck, disassemble and assemble an engine.
In 1945, Elizabeth worked in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she ended the war with the rank of junior commander.

Elizabeth's close acquaintance with royal duties began in 1944, when she became a member of the Council of State and began to take up affairs, replacing George VI, when he went on a trip to the fronts.
On February 6, 1952, King George VI died of lung disease, Elizabeth, who was at that time with her husband on vacation in Kenya, was declared Queen of Great Britain on the same day.
However, the official coronation ceremony of Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey in London took place only a year later, on June 2, 1953.

© Photo: Victoria and Albert Museum, LondonQueen Elizabeth II on her coronation day, June 2, 1953. Photos from the exhibition "Royal Photography of Cecil Beaton"

© Photo: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Since that time, she is Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is also the queen of 15 Commonwealth 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), Head of the Church of England, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Lord of the Isle of Man. From May 29, 1953 to May 31, 1961, she was also Queen of South Africa. In 1999, Australia put Queen's status to a referendum, but Australians chose to keep her nominal status as head of state.

On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is the great-grandson of Queen Victoria - Prince Philip Mountbatten, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece, who was then an officer in the British Navy. She met him at the age of 13, when Philip was still a cadet at the Dortmouth Naval Academy. After becoming her husband, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
In November 2007, the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, celebrated their "Diamond Wedding", the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage. For such an occasion, the queen allowed herself a little liberty - for one day they retired with her husband for romantic memories in Malta, where Prince Philip once served, and the young Princess Elizabeth visited him.

On December 29, 2010, Elizabeth II became a great-grandmother for the first time. On this day, her eldest grandson - the eldest son of Princess Anne Peter Phillips - and his Canadian wife Otam Kelly had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession to the throne.

In 2006, Buckingham Palace unveiled 80 entertaining facts from the life of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, thanks to which it became known that the Queen is fond of photography, loves to take pictures of her family members. In 1997, the Queen launched the first ever website for the British monarchy.
Since her youth, Elizabeth II has been a fan of the noble hunting breed of the Corgi, several of which constantly accompany her on vacation. The queen also bred a new breed of dog - the dorgi.
The Queen's other passion is horses and horse racing. She herself is a good rider and every year observes the main competitions with interest, and also breeds horses in her stables.
The Queen speaks fluent French and does without an interpreter during visits and audiences with representatives of Francophone countries.

Elizabeth is the oldest monarch in the history of Great Britain by age, but the record for the length of the reign, set by Queen Victoria, who ruled 63 years and seven months, is still only. To do this, she needs to stay on the throne at least until September 9, 2015.

In 2012, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the famous Big Ben clock tower at the British Parliament building in London was officially opened.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

When Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday, she became not only the oldest monarch in the world, but also the longest reigning head of state in the history of Great Britain. She comes from the Windsor dynasty and, in addition to her native island, is recognized as the queen in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas and eight other small countries. During the reign of Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the final collapse of the British Empire and the exit of the colonies from British rule took place. Despite the rather impressive criticism, Elizabeth II is a rather popular person in her native country.

She was born on April 21, 1926 into a family, the future king, and. The girl received the name in honor of her mother, but the full name of the princess is additionally made up of the names of her grandmother and great-grandmother. According to her zodiac sign, Queen Taurus. Elizabeth II had a sister, who was born four years after her, but died at the age of 72.

The first title in the biography of Elizabeth II appeared immediately after birth: the girl was named Princess of York. At that time, on the way to the throne, her father and uncle Edward VIII stood in front of her, like any boy who could theoretically be born to each of the candidates for the throne. Initially, the uncle became king, who lost this title to his brother less than a year later.

Elizabeth II and her parents move to a luxurious castle - Buckingham Palace, where she spent her childhood and adolescence. Elizabeth II studied at home, but received an excellent liberal arts education. She studied art, religion, law and specifically the British Constitution at a high level. Elizabeth II is fluent in French and is believed to have learned it on her own.

For the first time, Elizabeth II turned to her future subjects at the age of 13. During World War II, she spoke on the radio and expressed support for the children who suffered from the bombing. At the age of 16, the girl already appears in public on her own, and a year later she becomes a state adviser and joins the women's self-defense squad. The princess learned to drive an ambulance, received training as a mechanic and rose to the rank of lieutenant. She is the only head of state who did real service in that war.

Governing body

On the day of her majority, Elizabeth II officially promised the British Empire to devote her life to serving the people, although at that time her inheritance of the crown was still in question. After the death of Father George VI, on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth II was proclaimed queen. It is curious that the coronation of the girl was broadcast on television for the first time in history, and many believe that this event gave a sharp impetus to the popularity of this media outlet in Britain.

At the time of Queen Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, the ruler's possessions were much wider than they are today. Then the empire included South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, which later abolished British rule. Interestingly, Elizabeth II paid a visit to each country almost immediately, becoming the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.

By tradition, Queen Elizabeth II has practically no influence on the government of the country. The woman's task is to represent the country at international summits and maintain the authority of the British monarchy. Elizabeth II maintains correct relations with all prime ministers throughout her tenure on the throne. And although she is above political battles and does not publicly express her own political opinion, statesmen consider it important to consult with her on many issues. Appreciated the opinion of the Queen, which she wrote about in her memoirs.

During the long reign of Great Britain, Elizabeth was both praised and harshly criticized. But both supporters and opponents of the queen emphasize the queen's humanity. The events of 1986 are indicative. Elizabeth II was sailing on her yacht "Britain" to one of the subordinate countries when she learned about the beginning of the civil war in Yemen. She immediately ordered to change course and take on board as many ordinary people as possible. Thanks to the direct help of Queen Elizabeth II of England, over a thousand people were evacuated.

In 2015, Buckingham Palace was visited by "Canada's sexiest politician." Then the queen noted that the meeting with the prime minister is a unique case, because they saw each other for the last time 40 years ago: Justin was taken by his father to Elizabeth II when the boy was 3 years old. At the meeting, the Queen noted: "Nice to see you again, but under different circumstances."... To which the politician retorted: "The last time we met, you were much taller.".

Today the Queen is 152 cm tall and weighs 55 kg.

Personal life

The personal life of Elizabeth II changed immediately after coming of age. The princess married an officer in the British Navy, who after the wedding received the title of Duke of Edinburgh. Elizabeth II's husband is a descendant of Queen Victoria and a descendant of the Greek and Danish royal dynasties. They met when the future Queen Elizabeth II was eight years old, and a romantic relationship between lovers began in 1939, when the princess attended the naval college, where young Philip was then studying.

Wedding of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband had four children:, and Edward. The last two were born after the mother's accession to the British throne. The genealogical tree of the British royal family continues to grow: children have long since acquired their own families and presented the reigning queen with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In the family of Elizabeth II there was both, the first wife of Prince Charles and mother and. One of the strongest waves of criticism swept through Elizabeth II when she reacted with obvious belatedness to in a car accident.

Queen Elizabeth II's favorite hobbies are pedigree dog breeding and horseback riding. With age, she replaced horses with cars and even today drives independently. By the way, the queen has no driver's license. Even in old age, Elizabeth II became interested in gardening. She is considered one of the most traveling heads of state in the world and has already visited over 130 countries. The personality of Elizabeth II attracts attention and motivates creative people to create works of art. There are many lifetime monuments and sculptures of Elizabeth II. In honor of the Queen, bridges and buildings are built, parks and alleys are laid, stamps and coins are issued, and a variety of roses is even named after the monarch.

Often, Elizabeth II becomes a character in movies. On the screen, the queen was portrayed, and a dozen other actresses. And once Queen Elizabeth II herself starred in a promotional video for the opening of the London 2012 Olympics. Together with the actor who portrayed, she flies to the Olympic Stadium in a helicopter and "jumps" with a parachute. For this role, the 87-year-old Queen of Great Britain was awarded the BAFTA Film Award for Best Actress.

Royals are not allowed to maintain social media accounts. However, the royal family has a person who follows their official Instagram and “ Twitter », Where he uploads photos and records with the permission of the higher authorities.

It is known that a whole team is working on the Queen's wardrobe. Experts suggest that Elizabeth's favorite color is blue and blue. It was in clothes of this shade that a woman most often appeared in public. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the color of the eyes of Elizabeth II is blue. Designers have always noted the elegance and refined taste of the monarch.

Despite her age, Elizabeth II prefers to do without makeup and usually uses only lipstick. The woman is painting herself.

The Queen has a collection of hats. In the arsenal of Elizabeth, there are more than 5,000 of these headdresses. Moreover, in public, the monarch appeared in each of them.

In 2016, a documentary about Elizabeth II was released to mark the Queen's 90th birthday. Director John Bridcut was allowed a peek into the royal family's personal video footage.

Elizabeth II now

In January 2017, subjects worried about the state of health of the ruler. Elizabeth II became very ill: the woman was struck by a cold. For this reason, the queen skipped Christmas and New Years services.

In June, the monarch made her throne speech in parliament. Elizabeth II presented the government's program for the next two years.

In September, Elizabeth II announced that she planned to wait for someone other than "Mr. Putin" to rule Russia. According to the British monarch, he has lost touch with reality and there is nothing to talk about with him. The woman is sure that the time will come when the Russians will again look at the British with aspiration.

In December, the Queen participated in a hunt at the Sandringham Country Residence. Sources said that when the dog brought the wounded pheasant to the monarch's feet, Elizabeth II was not taken aback and finished off the bird with a cane.

In November 2017, it became known that Prince William's brother, Harry, was officially engaged to the actress. the lovers were appointed for May 19, 2018. However, Queen Elizabeth II did not give her consent to the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry for a long time, and according to the law regulating marriages of royalty, the monarch must give an official written permission to marry before the celebration. And just a week before the wedding, Buckingham Palace published the consent of the British queen. The public was sure that Elizabeth would not approve of Harry's alliance with the former actress, who had previously married.

And on May 19, 2018, the whole world followed the royal celebration. 600 guests were invited to the wedding, among whom were and, with his wife and others. During the wedding, the queen did not show joyful emotions and never smiled. After the ceremony, Megan was awarded the title of Duchess of Sussex.

Now the British public is waiting for Markle to announce pregnancy and give Prince Harry an heir. The press periodically reports facts that confirm that spouses are eager to have offspring.

In February, the Queen rented a plot in the center of Kiev. The media were tormented by conjectures why Elizabeth II needed land in Ukraine. It turned out that the embassies of Canada and Australia are located on this site, which are part of the British Commonwealth and recognize the authority of the British crown.

On June 18, Elizabeth II attended the traditional ceremony of presenting the highest knightly order of Great Britain.

June 19 kicked off an important public event - the royal horse racing in Ascot. Her Majesty attended this event.

In the same month, the queen's cousin Ivar Mountbatten announced that he was going to marry boyfriend James Coyle. Two years ago, a man made a real stir in the family when he announced his non-traditional sexual orientation. Until 2011, Ivar was married to a woman named Penelope Thomson. In this marriage, the couple had three children. The ex-wife of Ivara knew about her husband's inclinations and supported him. It is Penny who will lead Ivar to the altar. The woman immediately found a common language with Mountbatten's lover. This will be the first same-sex marriage in the royal family.

The Queen's meeting with the President of the United States is scheduled for July 13, 2018. The American leader's working visit will take place at Windsor Castle. In addition to meeting with Elizabeth, the President plans to spend several hours with the British Prime Minister.

Scandals

A loud scandal happened in the 90s associated with Prince Charles. As you know, the man married Diana Spencer, who fell in love with the royal family and the British public, but the queen's son loved Camilla Shand all his life. However, the monarchs were against the marriage of their son to a rootless girl, so she also quickly found herself a gentleman. But the meetings with the prince did not stop. Diana knew about her husband's infidelities. William and Harry's mother tried to save the marriage, but it didn't work out. In 1992, recordings of a telephone conversation between Charles and Camilla were presented to the public. From the words that the beloved spoke to each other, the ears of the royals "wilted".

Diana then flew into a rage. As a result, the marriage turned into a war that ended in divorce.

After the tragic death of Princess Diana, there were those who blamed Prince Chalse for the incident. They went, and this happened not without the participation of Elizabeth II.

They also said that Prince Philip, the queen's husband, cheated on his wife many times. The woman did not comment on such statements.

In 2012, there was a scandal related to the name of Prince William and. Future parents, and were vacationing in a private villa in France. The couple thought that they were alone on the beach, and calmly walked there either in swimsuits or without clothes at all. At this moment, the husband and wife were caught by the lens of the paparazzi.

At one time, the Queen's sister, Margaret, was in the center of the gossip. In her youth, the girl was not allowed to marry for love, and she began to often visit dubious institutions. It was rumored that the closest relative of the ruler was addicted to cocaine. Then she married an unloved man, whom she left after 18 years. In marriage and after, the woman did not give up pleasure walks. As a result, Margaret ended up unhappy in a wheelchair.

The press wrote that Elizabeth II could help her sister and approve a bill that would allow her to marry her beloved. But that didn't happen.

Once the queen was even buried. This happened live on the BBC. Then the presenter Danny Kelly announced the death of the monarch. Later, the management of the television and radio corporation had to make an official apology to the royal family.

In 2016, it was rumored that the Queen was planning to abdicate in favor of Prince William and Kate Middleton, bypassing Prince Charles. But the rumors remained rumors.

On January 20, 1961, he ascended the post of President of the United States. Four months later, the man and his wife met with the queen. The couple was invited to dinner. John came to visit Elizabeth II with a gift: the man handed the monarch his photograph. Historians are wondering what the newly-minted President of the United States was trying to demonstrate with such a gesture. Elizabeth was surprised, but she accepted the gift.

Jacqueline admitted that she was very worried before meeting with the queen, but she warmly greeted the president's wife and, so that she could calm down, showed the first lady a collection of works of art. Nine months later, Jacqueline Kennedy again visited the Queen, alone. And she was delighted with the visit. Six months later, the woman planned to host Elizabeth II, but when it turned out that the queen was pregnant, the meeting was postponed.

On April 12, 1961, the Soviet cosmonaut made the first flight into space. As a result, the young man became a world celebrity. Yuri Alekseevich was invited by foreign governments and organizations, including Great Britain. As a result, the queen herself wished to talk to Gagarin, calling the man for breakfast. Contrary to protocol, Elizabeth II seated the cosmonaut next to her and asked questions of interest. Those present noted that the atmosphere in the hall was relaxed.

Queen Elizabeth II is the only British resident who does not have a passport.

Interestingly, no one except her husband has the right to touch the Queen in public. And Elizabeth II never raises her voice or gives interviews.