Who is Queen Elizabeth 2. Royal dynasty. Common forms of address to members of the royal family

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 the UK is celebrated in June with a colorful military parade in central London.
According to the tradition established at the beginning of the 20th century by King Edward VII, the monarch’s birthday is celebrated in Great Britain on one of the Saturdays of June, depending on the weather (the king chose this date because the weather in June cannot spoil the national holiday).

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), as the future queen was named at birth, is from the Windsor dynasty. She is the eldest daughter of the Duke of York George, the future King George VI of Great Britain (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 horseback riding, dancing 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.

Getting ready for political life, the future queen began attending constitutional history classes at Eton College.
At the outbreak of war in 1939 they were evacuated to Windsor Palace.
During World War II, Elizabeth insisted that her parents let her go to military service. She mastered the profession of a driver in a military transport training center, having received the qualification of a truck driver, learned how to change tires on a truck, disassemble and assemble a motor.
In 1945, Elizabeth worked in the Reserve Women's Territorial Services (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 get involved in business, replacing George VI when he went on a trip to the fronts.
On February 6, 1952, King George VI died of a lung disease, and 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 in 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 2 June 1953. Photo from the exhibition "Royal Photography by Cecil Beaton"

© Photo: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Since that time, she has been Queen Elizabeth II, head of state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and 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 Anglican Church, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Lord of the Isle of Man. She was also Queen of South Africa from 29 May 1953 to 31 May 1961. In 1999, Australia put the status of the queen to a referendum, but the Australians preferred to keep her nominal status as head of state.

On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria - Prince Philip Mountbatten, son of the Greek Prince Andrew, 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 School. 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 the sake of such an occasion, the Queen allowed herself a little liberties - 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, Princess Anne's eldest son Peter Phillips, and his Canadian wife, Autumn Kelly, had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession.

In 2006, Buckingham Palace released 80 fascinating 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 of the British monarchy.
Since her youth, Elizabeth II has been a fan of the corgi, a noble hunting breed, several of which constantly accompany her on vacation. The Queen also introduced a new breed of dog, the Dorgi.
The Queen's other passion is horses and horse racing. She is a good rider herself and every year she watches the main competitions with interest, and also breeds horses in her stables.
The Queen speaks fluent French and does not need 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 duration of the reign, set by Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 years and seven months, is still only for her. To do this, she needs to stay on the throne until at least September 9, 2015.

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

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

November 29, 2010, 20:44

Eldest daughter of the Duke of York George, the future King George VI of Great Britain (1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her grandparents: George V (1865-1936), King of Great Britain and Queen Mary (1867-1953), Princess of Teck, - paternal, Claude George Bowes-Lyon (1855-1944), Earl of Strathmore and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1961), - by mother. Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York was born at the Earl of Strathmore's residence at No. 17 Brewton Street. Now the Mayfair area has been redeveloped and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been erected on this site. 1926 Princess Elizabeth shortly after birth The princess was third in the line of succession after her uncle, the Prince of Wales, who was not yet married, and her father. She got her name in honor of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. At the same time, the father insisted that the first name of the daughter be 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 Mary. The names are all good, I told him so, but about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was redundant."
The christening of Princess Elizabeth took place on May 29 in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, later destroyed during the war years. 1928
1929 After the abdication of her uncle Edward VIII and her father's accession to the throne in December 1936, 10-year-old Elizabeth became the heiress and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. Photo of the thirties:
1934 Elizabeth turned eight With sister Margaret With parents Princess Elizabeth with sister Margaret and parents George VI and Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth mother and daughters The future queen grew up in an atmosphere of love and care. She received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. As a child, she was very inquisitive. She was especially interested in horses. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades. With sister Margaret During World War II, Princess Elizabeth worked as an ambulance driver as a subaltern, as the royal family was required to work for the country's defense. 1942 Elizabeth Alexandra Mary and Margaret Rose Windsor. 1946 In 1934, at the wedding of the Greek Princess Marina (Philip's cousin) and the Duke of Kent (Elizabeth's uncle), Princess Elizabeth met Prince Philip, a cadet at the Dortmouth Naval Academy, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. In 1947, they got married, becoming the husband of Elizabeth, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen's wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell. The fabric for the dress was created by Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, Canmore factory. Manufacturers used Chinese silkworm threads brought to Lullingstone Castle. On February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, Elizabeth, who was at that time with her husband on vacation in Kenya, was proclaimed queen. She was in the Tree Tops Hotel, built on the branches of a giant ficus, on the day of her father's death. Corbett, who lived there at the same time, left an entry in the inn's register book: For the first time in world history, a young girl, once climbing a tree as a princess, descended from it the next day as a queen - God bless her! 1951 By that time, she was already the mother of two children: on November 14, 1948, a year after the wedding, Charles Philip Arthur George, now the Prince of Wales, was born. And on August 15, 1950, a daughter was born - Anna Elizabeth Alice Louise. With kids On June 2, 1953, her coronation took place, which was broadcast on television for the first time. coronation dress Coronation 1953 Inspection of the guard 1954 1955 With kids Marilyn Monroe was introduced to the Queen in 1956 1959 Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne are preparing to take a walk on the lake February 19, 1960 was born the second son and third child of the Queen - Andrew Albert Christian Edward, now the Duke of York 1962 A March 10, 1964 - Edward Anthony Richard Louis, now Earl of Wessex 1969 Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II after the official investiture ceremony in Wales 1970 Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to New Zealand. During the years of her reign, the Queen of England had more than 30 Welsh Corgi dogs. 1974 Queen Elizabeth II arrives with her dogs for the weekend at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland 1982 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during an official visit to the Solomon Islands 1989 Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana welcome President Ibrahim Babangida, London. 1991 Elizabeth performs only representative functions, practically without any influence on the country's politics. In the early years of her reign, she still played some role in the appointment of the prime minister if there was no clear leader in the ruling party. The Queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers, including representatives of the Labor Party - Harold Wilson, Anthony Blair. 1991 Queen Elizabeth II after a service at Westminster Cathedral, London. Some friction between the prime minister and the queen, hidden from the public eye, arose during the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. Elizabeth was somewhat embarrassed by the "royal style" of the management of the new prime minister. In particular, there were disagreements between them in connection with the support of the apartheid regime in South Africa by the British government, which, in the opinion of the queen, could negatively affect the influence of Great Britain in the African countries - members of the Commonwealth. However, she always remained true to tradition. English kings of modern times - to be above the political struggles.
1994 Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Russia. The authority of the Windsor royal house was more threatened by family scandals and the divorce proceedings of Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew. The restrained attitude of Elizabeth to the tragic death of Princess Diana in August 1997 caused disapproval from ordinary Britons. Nevertheless, Elizabeth manages to maintain the high prestige of the English monarchy in the eyes of her subjects. 1995 The royal family arrived in Scotland on a visit to Queen Elizabeth II as part of a cruise on the royal yacht Britannia 1999 Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Show, Birmingham 2002 2003 Visit of Putin V.V. to the UK 2005 year. Queen Elizabeth II at the St. George's Day Parade at Windsor Castle, UK 2008 Queen Elizabeth II during a trip to Turkey. The royal family returned from a sea cruise The Queen is 84 this year.

Today, the most famous woman on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II of England, celebrates her birthday. Despite her venerable age, the Queen continues to delight us with her appearances, is the constant heroine of our Stylish Monarchs column, gives valuable guidance to her heirs - Prince Charles and William, as well as her young daughter-in-law - Kate Middleton. HELLO.RU congratulates Elizabeth II on her birthday and remembers 15 interesting facts about this legendary person.

Elizabeth II

1. Queen Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926. At the time of her birth, she was third in line to the throne, then they could not even think about her future ascension to the throne. Her father, George VI, began to rule after the unexpected renunciation of power by his elder brother, King Edward, thus Elizabeth came closer to power.

Queen Elizabeth II with mother Elizabeth I and father George VI

On the day of her father's death, 25-year-old Elizabeth was approached by her younger sister, Princess Margaret, and said: Does this mean that you will become queen? Poor thing!

2. Elizabeth was personally trained by her father, King George VI. Her teachers also included the Vice-Chancellor of Eton and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

From an early age, Lilibet, as she was called at home, was a passionate and active person. She really enjoyed learning languages. Thanks to foreign governesses, she mastered French in childhood. At the age of 11, while still a princess, Elizabeth became a scout and then a sea ranger.

Elizabeth II in Scout uniform, 19423. Since childhood, the queen has been very fond of animals. She is the breeder of many Thoroughbreds and often comes to see equestrian competitions, as well as the races in which her horses participate.

Elizabeth II has been sitting on a horse almost from birth
Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip at the Hippodrome Also, Elizabeth II loves dogs. Her favorite breed is the Welsh Corgi. She was given her first puppy by her father for her birthday, and since then she has had over 30 Corgis, each of which is a descendant of her first child, Suzy. The dogs live with the queen in the castle, travel in limousines and live in hotels.

Queen Elizabeth II with a dog

4. The queen met her husband, Prince Philip, at the age of 8. The son of a Greek prince was forced to flee his native country to England at the age of 1 in an orange box. Naturally, the daughter's union with the "impoverished prince" was not welcomed by King George VI of Great Britain. According to rumors, Elizabeth herself achieved the location of Philip, whom she had been in love with from an early age, and then made him a marriage proposal.

Elizabeth and Philip at their engagement, 1947

5. The couple announced their engagement in 1947. The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten took place on November 20, 1947. The celebration was attended by 2000 invited guests. The wedding dress was sewn by designer Norman Hartnell, and the bride's head was decorated with a diamond tiara, which Queen Mary gave her as a child.

Wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

After marrying the princess, Philip was not anointed king. When his wife ascended the throne, he was the first to take the oath to her with the words:
I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will be your vassal in sickness and in health, serving you faithfully, with honor and respect, until death. May God help me.
61 years have passed since then, and Philip is still always and everywhere next to his queen.

6. Elizabeth II is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of England. She herself holds all important meetings with the heads of the Commonwealth, and also visits military installations during her visits to other countries. She is preparing her son, Prince Charles, and grandchildren, William and Harry, for political affairs, but she still does not trust them to make decisions.

Queen Elizabeth II with her first child, Prince Charles

7. Despite the steel character and talent for government, the queen does not forget about femininity. The bright colors of dresses and suits, which she prefers from a very young age, betray her creative and mischievous nature.

A recognizable style, the main elements of which are a monochrome suit of saturated color, a matching hat, black shoes and a handbag, was formed at the very beginning of her reign. Now, despite her advanced age, the queen is not at all afraid of bright colors and still does not change her habits. As Karl Lagerfeld said, in order to become a recognizable person, you need to dress in such a way that it is easy to copy a cartoon from you. Queen Elizabeth II inspired the work of both famous creators and animators.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1986

8. Order surrounds the Queen in everything, so it is not surprising that in the dressing room of Elizabeth II, all things have a serial number. It also indicates the place and time at which the outfit was worn. Given the Queen's busy work schedule, this is the only way she can avoid "fashion repetition".

9. The working day of the queen is scheduled by the minute. At 7:30 a.m., a tray is brought to her bed containing a silver teapot, a jug of water and milk. At 10:00, she begins her duties and finishes work around 23:00. In the morning, the first thing she does is look through the daily British newspapers and the racing magazine The Racing Post.

Elizabeth II, 2013

After that, out of hundreds of letters from subjects who came in a day, she selects a few that she reads, and then dictates to her assistant the answers to each of them. In the first half of the day, the queen appoints several meetings - with ambassadors, bishops, judges. Each takes no more than 15 minutes. In the evening, Elizabeth II meets with the Prime Minister and gets acquainted with official papers. At the end of the day, she attends exhibitions, concerts and other events.

10. Queen Elizabeth II has a very large family: four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. At a time when she is not busy with business, she likes to be at home with loved ones.

Elizabeth II with Prince Philip, three sons and a daughter

She spends several weeks in August and September alone. These days, the doors of Buckingham Palace open for everyone, and the Queen leaves to rest in the Scottish castle of Balmoral. There she likes to read novels, do crossword puzzles and take a bath. By the way, a funny habit is connected with Elizabeth's last pastime - the queen never takes a bath without her rubber duck.

Another of the Queen's favorite pastimes on weekends is "fussing" with the dogs. Rumor has it that Elizabeth loves to comb their hair on their own and even look for fleas from them.

11. The Queen is the only resident of the UK who does not have a passport and rights. However, this does not prevent her from actively traveling and driving a car. By the way, she first sat behind the wheel at the age of 19. With 67 years of driving experience behind her back, the Queen was spotted driving by the paparazzi in 2012. In an unaccompanied car, Elizabeth II was returning from a Scottish residence, where she hunted hazel grouse.

Queen Elizabeth II driving12 .During travels, the weight of the Queen's luggage can reach several tons. The record figure was recorded during the trip of Elizabeth II to a meeting of the heads of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1953 - the queen was carrying 12 tons of clothes with her. Considering the number of her dogs that travel with her everywhere, there are also several tons of grooming items for them.

Elizabeth II

13. Elizabeth II has whole line secret signs. For example, if during official events she puts her handbag on the table, then it becomes clear to her attendants that the Queen wants to leave the meeting after 5 minutes. When she begins to twist the ring on her finger or shift the bag from one hand to the other, this means that she is bored with communication with the interlocutor.

Queen Elizabeth II
14. The most difficult times in the life of the queen are 1992 and 2002. In the early 90s, the reputation of the monarchy was under attack due to the divorce of the Queen's heir, Prince Charles, with Princess Diana. And in 2002, the queen lost two beloved people at once - her sister Margaret and mother Elizabeth I.

Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Diana

15. Despite the fact that the Queen turns 88 today, this event will be celebrated on a national scale only in the summer. According to a tradition that has evolved over the years, the reigning monarch of Great Britain celebrates his birthday twice: directly on the day of the celebration with relatives and friends, and on one of the weekends in June. It is in the summer that magnificent festivities take place, people take to the streets to celebrate another year of the life and reign of the most popular royal person in the world.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain- (Queen Elizabeth II) was born April 21, 1926 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 the UK ... ... Encyclopedia of newsmakers

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II ... Wikipedia

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II ... Wikipedia

From the Windsor dynasty. Queen of Great Britain since 1952. Daughter of George VI and Elizabeth. Married since 1947 to Philip, son of the Greek Prince Andrew (born 1921). Genus. 21 Apr. 1926 As a child, Elizabeth was educated at home. Except… … All the monarchs of the world

Below is a list of the monarchs of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, that is, the states that existed or exist in the British Isles, namely: The Kingdom of England (871 1707, including Wales after it ... ... Wikipedia

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- (אלישבע) Hebrew Other forms: Elisaveta, Elissiv (Old Slavic) Prod. forms: Liza Foreign language analogues: English. Elizabeth, Eliza Arab. اليزابيث‎‎ arm ... Wikipedia

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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England was born on April 21, 1926 in London. The birth of a charming baby did not cause a stir at court. No one could have imagined that this young creature would eventually occupy the royal throne. At that time, Elizabeth's grandfather George V reigned. The eldest son Edward was considered the heir to the throne. The girl's father was Prince Albert, the second son of the king. He did not even think that he would become a crowned person. Everyone thought that the eldest son would soon marry, acquire heirs and, after the death of his father, assume royal duties.

Lilibet, as everyone called Elizabeth in childhood, loved her grandfather very much, and he paid her reciprocal affection, although by nature he was a very harsh and tough person. The king had no good feelings for his sons. He brought them up in the Spartan style and often went too far. The result of such upbringing was the stuttering of the girl's father, from which he never got rid of until the end of his life.

But for the little female creature, George V had the most tender feelings. He not only loved his granddaughter, but adored him, which proved to others that even in a cruel and callous soul there is always a bright corner capable of sincere and pure love.

George V left the mortal world on January 20, 1936 at the age of 70. He reigned 24 years and proved himself wise politician for the welfare of the nation.

King George VI, his wife Elizabeth and their daughters:
Elizabeth (right) and Margaret

The throne rightfully passed to Edward. He became Edward VIII, but was never crowned. The man was unable to put the heavy burden of the monarch on his shoulders. He entangled with a twice-divorced lady named Wallis Simpson (1896-1986). She married a military pilot in 1916, but he began to beat her, and in 1927 Wallace ran away from him.

She moved to London and hooked up with a businessman named Ernst Simpson. She married him in 1928. In 1931, Wallace met the heir to the throne at a party with close friends. But the love affair of this couple began only in 1934. The feeling was so strong that Simpson divorced her husband. Edward responded with no less strong love. In order not to part with Wallace, he abdicated.

All these heartfelt affairs, casting an unsightly shadow on the representatives of the Windsor dynasty, brought Elizabeth's father Albert Frederick to the English throne. He was crowned on May 12, 1937 under the name of George VI.

The new king had no sons. Therefore, Henry's younger brother was declared heir to the throne. But he flatly refused such an honorable role in favor of Elizabeth. Thus, at the age of 11, our heroine became the legitimate heir to the royal throne of one of the most powerful countries in the world.

During the Second World War, the future Queen of England worked as a simple driver in an ambulance.

In 1939 the Second World War. The girls at that time were 13 years old. In 1940, on October 13, she spoke on the radio with an appeal to the children who suffered during the German bombing. And at the age of 18 she received the rights of an ambulance driver. Before last days war, the future Queen of England turned the steering wheel, transporting sick and wounded soldiers.

As a very young girl, Elizabeth fell in love once and for the rest of her life. She met her future betrothed just before the war at the Royal Naval Academy. The king, along with both daughters (the youngest daughter Margaret), arrived in it to talk with the cadets.

It was within the walls of this institution that the heir to the English throne saw the Greek Prince Philip. He was listed as one of the cadets, and was 5 years older than Elizabeth. The young people talked for only a couple of hours, but this time was enough for Elizabeth to fall in love with the young man seriously and for a long time.

Prince Philip had the most brilliant pedigree. He was the grandson of the Greek and great-grandson of the Danish king, as well as the great-great-grandson of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. But after the revolution in Greece, the prince had nothing but a title. His mother ended her days in a psychiatric hospital, and his father fell ill with gambling. England adopted a poor child and placed him at the Royal Naval College so that the boy would receive a decent profession and be able to earn his daily bread.

It can be seen from the above that Philip was not a match for Elizabeth. At least that's what the royal court thought. But the girl showed amazing perseverance and perseverance. Throughout the war, she wrote letters to the young officer, while he fought bravely on the destroyer.

Wedding of Elizabeth and Prince Philip

Immediately after the end of hostilities, the heir to the throne offered the Greek prince to get engaged, trampling all existing norms and conventions. On November 20, 1947, the wedding took place at Westminster Abbey.

It was a difficult time after the war. Elizabeth had to sell some jewelry to make herself a wedding dress. Products from Australia were sent for the wedding cake. The cake turned out luxurious, 3 meters high. He was not cut with knives, but chopped with sabers. Guests got only a small piece. Everything else was sent to schools and hospitals.

At the end of January 1952, the happy young couple went on vacation to Kenya. The couple lived at the Tree Tops Hotel. It was located among the branches of a huge ficus. On February 7, an entry appeared in the registration book: "For the first time in the history of human civilization, a princess climbed a tree, and descended from it as a queen."

The reason for the recording was the death of George VI. He died on the night of 5/6 February. Elizabeth automatically became Queen of England. In many countries around the world, headlines in large print appeared on the front pages of newspapers: "The King is Dead, Long Live the Queen."

Queen Elizabeth II of England walks around the guard of honor after taking the throne

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of England took place in Westminster Abbey (the traditional place for the coronation of British monarchs) on June 2, 1953, that is, a year and 5 months after the death of George VI. But the official day of accession to the throne is February 6, 1952.

The husband was not crowned. He was the first to swear allegiance to his queen and was forced to leave the fleet. Now his presence was required at all official ceremonies of the royal court.

Private life with Philip did not turn out to be like a fairy tale. In his youth, the husband often made various politically incorrect and rather tactless statements. So in New Guinea, he asked a passerby: “Listen, my dear, how have you not been eaten here yet?”

In China, he casually remarked to an English tourist, "Look, don't stay here too long or your eyes will narrow." In Paraguay, at a meeting with the bloody dictator Stroessner, Philip said: "It's amazingly nice to be in a country that is not ruled by the people."

There was gossip at court about Prince Philip's love affair with Elizabeth's cousin. They talked about illegitimate children from various women. The Queen of England did everything to stop such rumors. Over the years, the prince calmed down. Age and health began to make themselves felt.

Queen Elizabeth II of England and her daily routine

All the days of the Queen of England look alike like twins. Her Majesty wakes up at exactly 8 am. Such an important task is entrusted to the maid. She brings a tray of tea into the royal chambers. In this case, the handle of the cup is always directed to the right, the spoon on the saucer lies strictly diagonally.

After placing the tray, the maid opens the curtains. sunlight penetrates into the bedroom, and gentle rays touch the face of the crowned person. At the same time, the royal dogs, who came from a walk, joyfully run into the bedroom. This is a corgi. There are four of them: Linnet, Willow, Holly and Monty.

Queen Elizabeth II of England with her beloved dogs

The queen drinks morning tea, communicates with dogs, and at this time the maid fills the bath. Her Majesty takes water procedures, and at 9 o'clock leaves the bedroom and heads to the dining room. Here the Queen of England Elizabeth II has breakfast.

The morning meal is very modest. Toast, spread with butter and the thinnest layer of marmalade, and a cup of tea. During breakfast, the crowned lady looks through the newspapers. These are The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail, The Sporting Life. In the latest newspaper, she looks at the section on horse racing. Her Majesty loves this sport. She is well versed in horses and owns several magnificent horses herself.

At 10 o'clock the Queen of England begins her working day. She sits in her office and looks through the letters that come to her from all over the world. The information in the letters is very different. Someone asks for help, someone asks for recipes for original dishes that were served at the royal table at the last official banquet.

Then comes the turn of state papers requiring the royal signature. This is a mandatory formality, although the Queen's opinion is never asked by the Cabinet of Ministers. Elizabeth II can express her point of view on some issue, but it will not be decisive.

From 11 o'clock Her Majesty receives officials. These are diplomats, judges, ministers. Each of them, entering, kneels on one knee and takes the right hand of the queen with his right hand. Touches her lips and then gets to his feet. Such a ceremony lasts at least 2 hours. All this time the queen stands. There is no way for her to sit down and rest.

At the end of such a physically demanding event, it's time for lunch. Queen Elizabeth II of England eats salmon, cucumber or chicken sandwiches. Leftover food is used the next day. They can go for casserole or pie. Half-eaten foods are never given to dogs.

After lunch, a short rest and an official reception. Dinner starts at 20:15. The whole family gathers at the table. In England, the evening meal is always heavy. It is very rare for Her Majesty to have dinner alone. This is when all members royal family go on business trips.

After dinner, the queen watches TV shows, and goes to bed closer to midnight. Elizabeth II has been living such a measured life for almost 60 years.

Scandals in the royal family

Queen Elizabeth II of England has four children. These are Prince Charles (born 1948), Prince Andrew (born 1960), Princess Anne (born 1950), Prince Edward (born 1964). The upbringing of children was mainly done by the father, since the queen always had many important state affairs.

Family of Elizabeth II, 1972
From left to right Anna, Charles, Edward, Andrew, Elizabeth, Philip

The biggest trouble brought the eldest son Charles. In 1970, he imprudently fell in love with a lady named Camilla. The girl was of noble blood, but despised the conventions of high society. She swore, smoked, drank whiskey, and changed lovers from time to time. All this was considered the height of indecency. But poor Charles, having a soft and romantic nature, fell under the influence of this cynical, strong-willed and impudent person.

The poor fellow even made a marriage proposal, but got a turn from the gate. Camilla married officer Andrew Parker-Bowles. But after 6 years family life there was discord between the spouses. Camilla again began to favorably accept Charles' advances. This did not escape the attention of the royal court.

Elizabeth II in the center, Sister Margaret on the left, Queen Mother on the right

The queen and her husband, seeing that their son was being impudently and shamelessly seduced, began to urgently look for a wife for him. Very opportunely turned up Diana Spencer (1961-1997). A girl of noble blood and with an excellent pedigree. She was a virgin, which was a prerequisite for the bride of the heir to the throne. The wedding was played on July 29, 1981. In 1982 and 1984, Princess Diana gave birth to two sons.

The marriage for Charles was very successful. His wife was passionately loved not only by England, but by the whole world. Diana possessed amazing charm, purity and spontaneity. But male stupidity knows no bounds. The heir to the throne continued to meet with Camilla. Soon the wife found out about this connection. The couple divorced in 1996, but have been separated since 1992.

Queen Elizabeth II of England is seated to the left
In the center sits Princess Diana with her son William, on the right is the queen mother. Prince Charles and Philip are standing

This divorce dealt a serious blow to the prestige of the royal family. England was on the side of the deceived Diana. The situation was aggravated tragic death this amazing woman in 1997. It was rumored that Prince Charles was involved in the death. Allegedly, on his orders, the attackers cut the brake hoses of the car in which the princess was traveling. But the official investigation completely dismissed such rumors.

In 1992, the marriages of Anna and Andrew broke up. True, there were no high-profile scandals around these 2 events. Everything went quietly and imperceptibly, but left an unpleasant aftertaste in the souls of the British. Still, the royal family should be a model in every respect. For several years, subjects met Elizabeth II with cold silence. She pretended not to notice anything. Although it is not difficult to imagine what was going on in her soul.

Charles with Camilla and Elizabeth II

Gradually, the British withdrew in spirit and fell in love with their queen again. Even the marriage of Prince Charles to Camilla in 2005 could no longer undermine the authority of the Queen of England. Still, after the death of Princess Diana, many years have passed, and people have a very short memory.

Currently, Kate Middleton, the wife of William, is very popular with the British: the eldest son from the marriage of Princess Diana and Charles. Elizabeth II herself warmly treats the girl. Rumor has it that the queen wants to change the rules of succession and appoint William as her heir. After all, the British do not like Prince Charles, and Camilla will never be recognized as their queen.

The customs of the royal court

The whole life of the royal court is a ritual. It has been practiced for hundreds of years. For example, Buckingham Palace has a dressmaker on staff. Her duties include darning socks and bedding. This does not mean at all that the queen does not have money for such trifles. A dressmaker costs much more than new socks and sets of underwear. It's just that the royal court pays tribute to tradition. About 500 years ago, fabric was very expensive, and crowned persons saved in a similar way. Times have changed, but the tradition remains. He is not the only one in the royal palace.

The liveries worn by the servants were made 200 years ago. Each new employee is given an old uniform and adjusted to fit. The entire service staff consists of about 300 people. The staff includes personal pages, maids, ladies-in-waiting, keepers of silverware, royal purses. There are even pages of front and rear rooms.

During official receptions, a huge table is set. It is impossible to reach its middle. The lackeys wrap their boots in rags and climb onto the table with their feet. During the meal, the first course is served to the Queen. She immediately starts eating. After that, the footmen serve the dishes to the guests. When the plate of the crowned person is empty, the servants immediately take away the plates from all those present. Many guests do not even have time to try what they were served.

However, the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, canceled this not very kind custom. She declared that at her table no one should ever go hungry. But this is the only concession to ancient traditions.

As for the servants, they must walk around the palace, keeping to a narrow edge near the wall. If the queen or someone from the royal family comes towards you, the servants must hide somewhere. It can be some kind of closet, a closet in the wall, that is, any shelter that is nearby. Seeing the queen, noble ladies should squat, and men bow.

These traditions have been strictly observed for centuries. For people, they are not at all a burden. On the contrary, there are many who want to serve at the royal palace. But all positions, as a rule, are inherited. From an early age, children absorb the unique atmosphere of the royal palace and jealously protect its traditions and customs. It seems that time itself freezes within the walls, which for hundreds of years have been protecting the reigning persons from the vicissitudes of the external, changeable and so unpredictable world.