“In general, no one taught me to be a queen: my father died too early and it happened so unexpectedly - I had to immediately get involved in the business and at the same time try not to lose face in the dirt. I had to grow up to the position that I took. It was fate, it should have been accepted and not grumbled. I think continuity is very important. My job is for life."
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain

I wonder what it's like to celebrate your birthday for more than 50 years twice a year? This question can be answered by Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926 in London, and for many years her birthday has been celebrated throughout the United Kingdom not only on April 21, but also on the 3rd Saturday of June.

The title of Her Royal Majesty in the United Kingdom is: "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other Possessions and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she became queen, and has been so for several decades now.

Birthdays are celebrated every year at Windsor Castle. It begins with a walk around the city (if this action, of course, can be called that). A 21-shot salute is certainly given, which sounds at noon.

Throughout her reign, the queen has been criticized more than once not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain prestige british monarchy and its popularity in the UK is on the rise.

Royal

Elizabeth II (English Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (English Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.

Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.

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

Coats of arms in different periods of time and in different countries

Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944-1947)

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

Royal coat of arms in Great Britain (except Scotland)

Royal coat of arms in Scotland

Royal coat of arms in Canada

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

During the reign of Elizabeth II, in all countries recognizing the British monarch as their head of state, laws were passed according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as head of this particular state, regardless of his titles in Great Britain proper or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries, the title of the queen sounds the same, with the name of the state replaced. In some countries, the words "defender of the faith" are excluded from the title. For example, in Australia, the title sounds like this: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God the Queen of Australia and her other kingdoms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth."

On the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, Elizabeth II also bears the title of Duke of Normandy, on the Isle of Man - the title of "Lord of Maine".

Story

Elizabeth II is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She is currently the second longest-serving head of state in history (after Queen Victoria) and also the second longest-serving head of state in the world today. current chapters states (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the world's oldest female incumbent head of state, and in Europe the oldest incumbent head of state.

He is the oldest reigning monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

During the reign of Elizabeth II, a very wide period of British history falls: the process of decolonization was completed, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. This period also included many other events, such as the long ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1970

public perception

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

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

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

Elizabeth II is the last representative of the so-called "old school" of monarchs: she strictly adheres to centuries-old traditions and ceremonies and never deviates from the rules of established etiquette. Her Majesty never gives interviews or makes press statements. She is in front of everyone, but at the same time is the most closed celebrity on the planet.

Childhood

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in the London district of Mayfair in the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at Brewton Street, house number 17. Now the area has been rebuilt, and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been erected on this site. She got her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).

Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her paternal grandparents were King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); by mother - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1938).

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 girl's name 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 25 in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, later destroyed during the war years.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1930

In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

The future queen received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. She loved horses and equestrian sports since childhood. And also from childhood, unlike her more eccentric sister Margaret, she had a truly royal character. In the biography of Elizabeth II, Sarah Bradford mentions that the future queen from childhood was a very serious child, who even then had a certain understanding of the duties that fell on her as the heir to the throne, and a sense of duty. Since childhood, Elizabeth loved order, so, for example, when she went to bed, she always put slippers next to the bed, never allowing herself to scatter things in the room, as is typical for many children. And already as a queen, she always made sure that no extra light burned in the palace, personally turning off the lights in empty rooms.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1926

Photo of 1929, Elizabeth is 3 years old here

Princess Elizabeth in 1933

King George VI and (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Angela, Duchess of York (1900-2002), with their daughter, the future Queen - Princess Elizabeth, 1929

The Queen and her daughters, October 1942

princess at war

The Second World War began when Elizabeth was 13 years old. On October 13, 1940, she made her first radio appearance, addressing children affected by the disasters of the war. In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of the Guards Grenadiers. In 1944, she became one of the five "state councilors" (persons entitled to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - women's self-defense units - and was trained as an ambulance driver, receiving the military rank of lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months, which gives reason to consider her the last participant in the Second World War who has not yet retired (the penultimate one was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).

Princess Elizabeth (left, in military uniform) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (from left to right) her mother Queen Elizabeth, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King George VI and Princess Margaret, May 8, 1945

Wedding

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.

Four children were born in their family: the heir to the throne - the eldest son Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born 1948); Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (born 1950); Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (born 1960), Edward Anthony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).

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.

With newborn Prince Charles, December 1948

Coronation and beginning of reign

King George VI, Elizabeth's father, died February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, who at that time was on vacation with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.

The coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. This was the first televised coronation of a British monarch, and is credited with having contributed significantly to the rise of television broadcasting.

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

Elizabeth II after her coronation in 1953

The Queen with her six ladies-in-waiting
From left to right:
Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now Lady Glenconner), Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (now Lady Rosemary Muir), Lady Mary Bailey-Hamilton (now Lady Mary Russell), Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond- Willoughby (now Baroness de Willoughby de Eresby), Lady Jane Van Tempest-Stuart (now The Honorable Lady Rayne)

Young Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen began her political activities, which included the opening of Parliament and the reception of prime ministers. In the fifties of the twentieth century, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made many visits to the territory of the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth.

In the sixties, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin in the midst of cold war, and also invited the Japanese Emperor Hirohito on an official visit to Britain. Despite the turbulent social and political situation, she celebrated her silver jubilee in 1977. The celebrations were a success, thousands of people celebrated the anniversary of Elizabeth II across the country.

Mature years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

Five years later, Britain was involved in hostilities against the Falklands, during which Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot. In the eighties of the twentieth century, the first grandchildren of the Queen were born - Peter and Zara Phillips, the son and daughter of Anna, Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips.

In 1992, a catastrophe occurred, as a result of which a fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle. That same year, the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne were annulled. The Queen called 1992 a "terrible year". In 1996, the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was annulled. Tragedy followed in 1997 when Diana died in a car accident.

2002 was a sad year for Queen Elizabeth II of England, as her sister Princess Margaret died.

Reign of Queen Elizabeth II

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, many changes were made in the UK. The Queen successfully fulfills her political duties as head of state, head of the Commonwealth of Nations, ceremonial duties, as well as visiting duties within and outside the UK.

Elizabeth II introduced many reforms to the monarchy. In 1992, she proposed taxes on profits and capital gains. She opened official royal residences to the people, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, in order to fund the upkeep of the royal family.

She supported the abolition of male primogeniture and single inheritance, which means that now the eldest child can inherit the throne, regardless of gender.

In 2012, the Queen of England celebrated her 60th birthday, with celebrations taking place across the country, once again demonstrating the love of the British.

The style of clothing of the English Queen Elizabeth II

The style of the English queen can be conditionally divided into two periods: the style of the young queen - the style is conservative and elegant, and the style of the elderly queen, I would call it the style of "merry grandmother" or even "rainbow style", because of the incredible number of changing colors in her costumes and hats . However, the English queen has always loved colors.

Throughout her life, the main elements of the wardrobe of Queen Elizabeth II were: dresses or suits of medium length, which necessarily cover the knee, coats and raincoats of A-line cut, plus floor-length dresses for special occasions, as well as hats, always in tone with the suit, gloves, closed shoes , a brooch on a jacket and a string of pearls. The Queen of England also always preferred short haircuts. Favorite colors are pink, lilac and indigo.

Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Odeon Cinema on October 31, 1955. (Photo: Monty Fresco/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth II becomes Queen after the death of her father in February 1952, and her coronation took place on June 2, 1952. At that time, namely in the 1940s and 1950s, Norman Hartnell sewed dresses for the princess, and then the queen. And Elizabeth more than once appeared in public in dresses with puffy skirts made of duchesse satin or silk. Her design wedding dress ivory and adorned with silver threads is also Norman Hartnell's, as is the design of the coronation gown.

From the mid-1950s and throughout the 60s, Hardy Amis sewed for the Queen. It is he who brings a sense of simplicity to the queen's outfits, but this simplicity is only external, because behind it lies a very complex cut. He sewed his first dresses for the Queen back in 1948, when Elizabeth asked him to create a wardrobe for a trip to Canada.

Since the 1970s, Ian Thomas, a former assistant to Norman Hartnell and now the owner of his own salon, has been sewing for the Queen. Its distinguishing feature was the flying chiffon dresses that appeared in the wardrobe of the queen. After his death and until the late 1980s, Maureen Rose of Ian Thomas' design house sewed for Queen Elizabeth.

From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the wardrobe of the English queen was replenished with outfits from John Anderson, because after his death, his partner Carl Ludwig Rese became the queen's court designer.

Since 2000, the youngest, by age, of Her Majesty's court designers, Stuart Parvin, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, has been sewing for Elizabeth II. In 2002, Angela Kelly became his assistant.

The Queen of England is 86 years old. But she still steadily fulfills all the duties assigned to her and appears in public, invariably following her style.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Prince Andrew (center), Princess Anne (left) and Charles, Prince of Wales near Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Queen Victoria's husband purchased Balmoral Castle in 1846. Queen Victoria visited Scotland frequently with her family, especially after the death of her husband in 1861, and Balmoral is still a favorite holiday destination for the royal family. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). September 9, 1960

Hobby

The Queen's interests include dog breeding (including Corgis, Spaniels and Labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige of the Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively around her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits to her credit (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). I have been gardening since 2009. In addition to English, he is also fluent in French.

Interesting Facts

Elizabeth II does not give interviews. Nevertheless, the press periodically flashes Interesting Facts about this extraordinary woman, which allow us to look at the most famous reigning person of our time from an unexpected angle, we have chosen the most striking, in our opinion, moments.

The celebration of the royal birthday in 1981 was overshadowed by an unpleasant event: near the horse on which Elizabeth was sitting, taking the parade, shots rang out, making everyone around shudder. The queen, to the delight of the public, did not even raise an eyebrow and managed to stay in the saddle.

Her self-control came in handy a year later, when, while waiting for the police, for several minutes she had to conduct a conversation with a madman who managed to get into the chambers.

In 1945, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, the future Queen of England, served as a mechanic in a reserve battalion of the British army with the rank of junior officer. It is obvious that the example of a "combat" grandmother inspired and young princes William and Harry, who also did not evade military service.

Family values ​​for Elizabeth II is not an empty phrase. For the sake of her son's happiness, she stepped over rigid rules and blessed the second marriage of the Prince of Wales Charles to socialite Camilla Parker-Bowles, despite the hype about this.

On April 17, 2013, for the second time in the history of her reign, the Queen attended the funeral of a British politician: she said goodbye to Margaret Thatcher.

Despite the solid image, the queen is not alien to female coquetry and small weaknesses. Rogue paparazzi more than once caught the moment when she at social events, not embarrassed by the crowd and her high position, publicly corrected her makeup. Etiquette is etiquette, and a real queen should look gorgeous!

The Queen's passion is horses and Corgi dogs. In her youth, Elizabeth rode well, but now she pays more attention to charming red dogs, which, thanks to her, have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.

Elizabeth II is the oldest English monarch in history and the second longest-serving British monarch. She is also the oldest female current head of state.

In honor of Elizabeth II, the rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named.

Films about Elizabeth II

In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years was released - "Churchill Goes to War!", Where the role of Elizabeth was played by Neve Campbell.

In 2006, the biopic The Queen was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA winner in the Best Film category. Actress Helen Mirren, who played the title role in the film, won the Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar as Best Picture.

In 2009, the 4th channel of British television (Channel 4) filmed a 5-episode fictional mini-series "The Queen" ("The Queen", directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reams). The Queen at different periods of her life was played by 5 actresses: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.

On July 27, 2012, the television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both parachute from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the Queen was awarded the BAFTA Award for the best performance of the role of a James Bond girl.

In architecture

The Queen Elizabeth Avenue in Esplanade Park in Singapore is named after the Queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called the “Elizabeth Tower” since September 2012.
A bridge in Duford, completed in 1991, is also named after the Queen.
On August 1, 2013, the Elizabeth II Olympic Park was opened in London.

Lifetime monuments

Today, August 15, celebrates the 68th birthday of the only daughter of Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, who occupies 13th place in the line of succession to the throne. We published facts from the life of her mother and father, Prince Philip, brother, Prince Charles, daughter Zara Phillips, nephews - Princes William and Harry - and even their wives - Kate Middleton and Megan Markle, and Princess Anna herself was ignored. And rather unfair, because her biography is no less interesting and rich in breathtaking events. What is the failed kidnapping of Anna for ransom worth! A professional equestrian, an Olympic participant, the most hardworking representative of the royal family, a mother of two children - we invite you to get to know her better.

Anne was born early in the morning at Clarence House in 1950, two years before her mother, Princess Elizabeth, was to become Queen of Great Britain. She is the only daughter of Elizabeth and Prince Philip and the second oldest child.

Queen Elizabeth II with daughter Anne and son Charles

Prince Charles and Princess Anne with the Queen's dog. File photo provided by Clarence House for Charles' anniversary documentary

Until 1987, Anna bore the title of princess, and then Elizabeth II granted her the honorary title of Princess Royal, which is traditionally awarded to the eldest daughter of the reigning monarch.

Princess Anne in Berlin, 1973

Her full title is: Her Royal Highness Princess Anna Elizabeth Alice Louise, Princess Royal, Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Additional Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle, Dame Grand Cross and Grand Master of the Royal Victorian Order, Dame Grand Cross of the Most Venerable Order of St John's Hospital in Jerusalem.

Princess Anne, 1968

Princess Anne began participating in royal engagements at the age of 18 - in 1969, immediately after graduation. In the same year, she went on her first foreign official tour with her parents - to Austria. Since then, she traveled outside her country at least three times a year and became the first representative of the British royal family to pay an official visit to the USSR in May 1990.

Princess Anne and Queen Elizabeth in Austria, 1969Princess Anna in Moscow, 1990

Princess Anne was the first of the royal family to decide on a divorce and a second marriage since the time of the Grand Duchess of Hesse Victoria, granddaughter of Queen Victoria (on her father's side) and Emperor Alexander II (on her mother's). In 1901, Victoria divorced her cousin Ernst Ludwig, and in 1905 she married Nicholas II's cousin, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich.

So, in November 1973, Anna married Captain Mark Phillips - the ceremony took place in Westminster Abbey. In this marriage, she had two children: in 1977, Peter Mark Phillips, and in 1981, Zara Phillips. But in 1989, the couple announced their separation.

Wedding of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips

The divorce proceedings of Anna and Mark were completed in April 1992, and already in December of the same year she married for the second time - to Commander Timothy Lawrence, only this time the ceremony was much more modest and took place in a church in Scotland, where second marriages were treated with indulgence.

Princess Anne and Timothy Lawrence

Princess Anne rarely misses big races, especially Royal Ascot. And all because she herself is a professional rider and used to take an active part in various competitions. So, in 1971, she won the individual standings of the European Championship in equestrian eventing, and in 1976 she fought for a medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal, and helped her in this horse Goodwill, owned by Elizabeth II. Anna is now President of the British Olympic Association and a member of the International Olympic Committee.

You can read about other representatives of the royal families who participated in the Olympic Games.

March 20, 1974 almost became fatal for the entire royal family. That evening, 26-year-old Ian Ball tried to kidnap the 24-year-old princess. His car blocked the path of Anna's car, in which she and her husband were returning from a charity event to Buckingham Palace in the evening. Yen jumped out of the car in the blink of an eye and opened fire. He wounded Inspector James Beaton, Anna's driver Alex Callender and journalist Brian McConnell, who followed the princess's car and tried to protect her at a dangerous moment.

After that, Ian approached Anna's car and shared his plans with her - he was going to kidnap her, and then demand a ransom of 2-3 million pounds from the royal family. But not for myself, but for the needs of the National Health Service. When Yen asked the princess to get out of the car, she refused him. Came here to help former boxer Ron Russell, who happened to pass by and witnessed what was happening. He crept up behind the criminal, hit him on the head, thus allowing Anna to get out of the car and escape. Later, Ron was awarded the St. George medal for bravery, and he told reporters that at the presentation, Elizabeth II told him:

You receive a medal from the hands of the queen, and gratitude from the heart of a loving mother.

Ian Ball was declared mentally ill and sentenced to life in prison.

Everything happened so quickly, ”Princess Anna later recalled in an interview. He opened the car door and said that I should go with him. I replied that I have a different opinion on this matter. I tried my best to be polite to him, because being rude in such a situation is at least stupid. I repeated several times that I would not get out of the car. I practically lost all self-control at that moment and understood that if he forced me to leave, I would definitely hit him and I could not avoid a return shot.

Princess Anne visited Inspector James Beaton, who was protecting her, in the hospital

see me"

23 thousand days of Elizabeth II

at the head of the British monarchy

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne 65 years after the death of King George VI. The British monarch holds the absolute record for the longest stay on the British throne. At the moment, it has occupied it for 23742 days.

During the reign of Elizabeth there were great changes both in Great Britain and in the world.

Britain ceased to be an empire and granted independence to the countries it once ruled. The royal family now pays taxes on income and wealth, and Buckingham Palace is open to the public.

Elizabeth II is the monarch of 16 states of the world.

Her outward ability to listen and understand others provided the queen with a special place in British society.

As one of the English philosophers noted, "the monarchy is a house that stands above politics."

Princess Lilibet

At her christening at Buckingham Palace, she was named Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (after her mother, great-grandmother, and grandmother).

Elizabeth II is the eldest daughter of King George VI, a representative of the Windsor dynasty, dating back to 1901.

Elizabeth was not born for the throne. Lilibet, as she was called at home, was only third in line to the throne. In 1936 her grandfather (George V) died. His successor was Elizabeth's uncle, King Edward VIII. He ruled for only 325 days. He renounced the British throne to marry a twice-divorced American woman, Wallis Simpson. In Great Britain, according to the laws, the king could not marry a divorced woman and still perform the duties of a monarch.

Great Britain began to rule the father of Lilibet - George VI.

11-year-old Elizabeth moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace.

Princess Elizabeth was educated at home. She studied art and music and became an excellent rider.

After Lilibet's father came to the throne, she began to take lessons in constitutional history and law from the rector of Eton College.

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Junior Commander Windsor

Three years after the coronation of George VI, the Second World War. The king refused to leave London and remained at Buckingham Palace even during the bombing. George VI and his wife visited the bombed-out quarters of the city.

Princess Elizabeth lived at Windsor Castle. It was from there that on October 13, 1940, she first spoke on the radio - with an appeal to children who lost their homes due to the war.

And three years later, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of guards grenadiers. Elizabeth's closer acquaintance with royal duties began in 1944, when she became one of the five "state advisers", having received the right to replace her father when he went on a trip to the fronts.

In 1945, for several months, Elizabeth served military and labor service in the Auxiliary Women's Territorial Service as a driver and mechanic of a military truck, after passing the exam for driving vehicles, she was awarded honorary title junior commander.

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Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Elizabeth met her husband at the age of 13, when Prince Philip Mountbatten was still a cadet at the Dartmouth Naval Academy.

The son of the Greek Prince Andrew Philip is a distant relative of Elizabeth. He is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

When Elizabeth turned 21, the couple officially announced their engagement. The next day, they were officially presented to the public at a public reception at Buckingham Palace.

For the princess's ring, the jeweler used diamonds from a diadem that belonged to Prince Philip's mother.

On the eve of his daughter's wedding, the king granted the future son-in-law a title. Prince Philip became the Duke of Edinburgh. George VI made Elizabeth a Dame of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the highest British order for knighthood, established by King Edward III in 1348.

As the UK was still reeling from the effects of the war, the bride was given 100 clothing vouchers that everyone was using at the time.

Elizabeth's ivory satin dress was created by the official tailor of the British royal court, Norman Hartnell. Starting to work on the outfit, he was inspired by the canvases of Renaissance artists.

After the wedding, the couple lived for some time in Buckingham Palace, and then moved to Clarence House, which was specially restored for them.

In 2007, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their "diamond wedding" - 60 years of marriage.

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"God save the queen!"

On April 21, 1947, in honor of her coming of age, which came when she was 21 years old, Elizabeth made a heartfelt speech.

Elizabeth II

Elizabeth took the coronation oath, swearing to honor the laws of Great Britain and uphold the Law of God.

During the ceremony, Elizabeth's husband knelt down and said: "I, Philip, become your vassal in body and soul; I swear to serve you faithfully until the end of my days, protecting you from any enemies. May God help me."

A gala dinner for the guests of honor was held at Westminster Hall. The best chefs in the UK have prepared a special dish called "Coronation chicken" - chicken with curry, mayonnaise and apricot jam. The recipe for the dish was printed in advance in local newspapers, so any Briton could cook the "royal" dish in his kitchen.

It rained on the day of the coronation in London. Returning to Buckingham Palace, despite the bad weather, the Queen was greeted on the streets of the city by about 3 million people - they all wanted to see the new monarch. The royal procession passed by the audience for 45 minutes and stretched for 4 km.

Photo: © AP Photo. Video: © Youtube/TheRoyalChannel

Live

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was shown live on television for the first time.

Prime Minister Churchill was against allowing members of the media access to the abbey. The Queen insisted on the presence of journalists.

"People must see me to believe me" - so Elizabeth argued her decision.

More than 8.2 thousand guests witnessed historical event, and it is estimated that more than 20 million people in the UK watched what was happening on TV.

Movie cameras filmed the ceremony in color, and the edited chronicle was shown in cinemas for many months.

2 thousand journalists, 500 photographers from 92 countries broadcast news from the solemn event. The BBC channel commented on the broadcast in 44 different languages.

Recordings of the ceremony were delivered by aircraft of the country's Air Force across the Atlantic. On the same day, 87 million people in the United States and Canada were also able to see the coronation.

The Queen and Her 13 Prime Ministers

It is impossible to say exactly what political views Elizabeth holds, since she never expresses them publicly.

One of the queen's duties is weekly meetings with the prime minister, most often they take place at Buckingham Palace.

Most of the heads of government had or have close and trusting relations with the British monarch, since, according to her position, Elizabeth must know, and by nature, be able to keep state secrets.

In more than 60 years of the Queen's reign, 12 British prime ministers have been replaced, and the current head of government, Theresa May, is the 13th.

The Royal National Theater in London even staged Peter Morgan's play The Audience. The play is a dialogue between Queen Elizabeth II and all the prime ministers of Great Britain.

The play, where the role of the queen was played by English actress Helen Mirren, was first shown in London in 2012.

In June 2015, it became known that the Netflix video service plans to release The Crown based on The Audience.

The series with a budget of 100 million pounds was very warmly received by the audience and critics. At the 74th Golden Globe Awards, The Crown won Best TV Series Drama. And for the role of the queen, the statuette was received by actress Claire Foy.

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Crown attempts

Not much is known about the personal protection of Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family.

Ensuring the security of the crowned persons is engaged in elite unit. Buckingham Palace and Scotland Yard do not indulge the public with information about him. According to rumors, the royal bodyguards, who are on duty around the clock, are only about 50 people.

The most responsible task falls on the "bullet catchers".

During trips, especially outside the United Kingdom, specially trained drivers are allocated for royal persons who drive cars and motorcycles of the cortege.

Over the years of Elizabeth's reign, the royal guard recorded more than 20 incidents related to violations of the personal safety of members of the royal family.

In 1966, during the visit of Elizabeth II to Belfast, a concrete block fell on one of the cars of her cortege.

In April 1970, Elizabeth II made a trip from Sydney to the city of Orange - the agricultural center of New South Wales. At the point where the train, following through the mountainous terrain, had to pick up high speed, the conspirators put a log on the sleepers of the railway track in the expectation that the train would derail and hit the retaining wall at full speed.

The tragedy was avoided only because the train, contrary to expectations, moved very slowly on this section. Exactly one hour before the passage of the British Queen's train, the canvas railway was inspected on a special locomotive, but no suspicious items were found. According to the investigators, the log was deliberately placed on the sleepers in the dark after this inspection.

In 1974, an attempt to kidnap Princess Anne was thwarted near Buckingham Palace in London.

In May 1981, an assassination attempt on Prince Charles was thwarted when a bomb-filled envelope addressed to the Prince of Wales was intercepted at a sorting post office in west London.

The Queen was attacked a month after the letter-bomb incident.

In June, during the traditional parade, a young man shot the horse of Elizabeth II six times. The pistol was loaded with blanks. The attacker is unemployed Briton Marcus Sargent. He was accused of violating a law passed back in 1842, which provided for punishment for firing a weapon in close proximity to the royal person in order to frighten her.

Photo: © AP Photo/Bob Dear. Video: © Youtube/PRESSIMAGEBANK

Four years later, Michael Fagan invaded Her Majesty's chambers almost unhindered, and in 1994 in Sydney, the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, was shot from a starting pistol.

In 2014, Scotland Yard prevented another assassination attempt on the British Queen. Four people have been arrested in London on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack.

According to the media, they were planning an attack on Elizabeth II using edged weapons, knives and daggers.

Scandals around the royal family

Commissioned by the BBC for the 40th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the film depicts the royal family as a happy extended family with many children playing on the green lawns at Balmoral Castle.

However, already a month after the film was shown on the air, it became known about the discord in the family of the second son of the Queen, Prince Andrew. In 1996, he divorced his wife Sarah Ferguson after 10 years of marriage.

The newspapers wrote that the queen put great pressure on Andrew to break with Sarah, whom the court considered vulgar and eccentric.

The media reported on her romance with Texas oil millionaire Steve Wyatt, with whom Sarah spent a vacation in the Mediterranean. Photographs of the couple taken at the time were published in the newspapers, leaving no doubt that these rumors had a solid foundation.

In the same year, Prince Charles divorced Princess Diana. She retained the title, equal rights with Charles to raise children.

The popularity of the "People's Princess" after the divorce reached its maximum, and Charles began to be treated as a man who had betrayed Britain's most charming woman.

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These family feuds did not harm the monarchy, but deeply hurt the queen. Elizabeth II disapproved of her children's divorces, remembering how her uncle was forced to abdicate in order to marry a divorced woman.

In 1997, the queen came under the guns of almost all the world's media. On August 31, Diana died in a car accident.

People filled the fences of Buckingham and Kensington Palaces with flowers, soft toys, balloons, letters of condolence.

The British believed that after the death of Princess Elizabeth, who was at that moment in Balmoral Castle (residence in Scotland), kept silent for too long.

"Where is the queen?" asked The Sun newspaper. "Your people are in suffering. Turn to them," called the queen from the front page of The Mirror.

Then-Prime Minister Tony Blair also encouraged the Queen to address the people.

Later, in his memoirs, the politician will write that he considered himself obliged "to protect the monarchy from itself."

The Queen's popularity plummeted after the death of Princess Diana. For the first time in 10 years - from 13 to 30% - the number of those who were sure that without the monarchy of Great Britain "it would be better" increased. In 1987, 77% of Britons could not imagine life without the royal family.

According to Blair, he tried to convince Elizabeth to make a public statement, but she considered him presumptuous.

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I passionately argued to her the need to learn from life. She found me presumptuous and acted arrogant, but then admitted I was right

Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister

Elizabeth returned to London 5 days after Diana's death.

Together with Prince Philip, she went to a pile of flowers at Buckingham Palace, showing people her sympathy. The crowd started clapping.

“The discontent had not yet gone, but the atmosphere was already changing,” said Mary Francis, assistant to Elizabeth's personal secretary.

On the same day, the Queen addressed the nation on live television, calling Diana "an exceptional and gifted person."

“Neither in joy, nor in grief, she did not lose the ability to laugh and support others with her warmth and kindness,” said Elizabeth.

Photo: © AP Photo/Pool. Video: © Youtube/iconic

At Diana's funeral, the queen, in defiance of etiquette, bowed her head.

Elizabeth managed to return the favor of the British - the popularity of the monarch, according to polls, has grown dramatically.

Charles married only 8 years after the death of Diana - the wedding with Camilla Parker-Bowles was not solemn, they registered their relationship in the municipal department of Windsor.

The royal family gave their blessing, however, Elizabeth II was not present at the wedding.

Income and expenses of the British crown

Local media calculated that in the 2013/14 financial year, each British taxpayer allocated 56 pence to the maintenance of the monarchy.

More than a third of all expenses - 13.3 million pounds - went to the maintenance and repair of royal palaces. This is almost 50% more than a year earlier. However, representatives of the royal family explained this fact by the completion of "a large number of long-term projects", as well as "repayment of debts over the past years."

However, the Queen's main source of income is a fixed percentage of the profits of the Crown Estate, or the so-called Sovereign Grant. It was introduced in 2011 to replace the civil list.

Until 1760, the monarchs received income from their property, but by the middle of the 18th century, these funds were sorely lacking to support the royal family. King George III, who ascended the throne in 1760, transferred all the property of the crown under the control of the government in exchange for receiving maintenance according to the civil list, the amount of which was determined by the cabinet in agreement with the court.

According to the law, all income of the Crown Estate goes to the state treasury, after which the British monarch receives 15% of his share. This is called the Sovereign Grant, which goes to pay for ceremonial duties.

Crown Estate is an independent commercial enterprise with the largest real estate portfolio in Britain. The value of the company's capital is estimated at 11.5 billion pounds.

The Crown Estate owns property in London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Properties include Windsor Great Park and the Royal Ascot Racecourse, but the bulk of the portfolio is residential and commercial property, including offices, shops and shopping centers, as well as part of buildings on Regent Street in London's West End.

In June 2015, the Financial Times reported that Queen Elizabeth II would receive a record income from real estate deals she owns, which is managed by Crown Estate.

In the first three months of this year, the Crown Estate earned £285 million, of which Queen Elizabeth II will receive £43 million.

Last year the Sovereign Grant was £37.9m, of which the Queen spent £35.7m.

This money, among other things, went to pay staff, property maintenance, travel, and utilities.

Nevertheless, in 2015, Elizabeth II left the list of the richest residents of the UK, which is compiled annually by The Sunday Times. This year, the queen has lost 17 positions and ended up in 302nd place.

The Queen has been on the list every year since 1989.

Independent experts estimate the fortune of Elizabeth II at 110 million pounds. Over the past year, the Queen's income amounted to about 10 million pounds. When assessing the state of the queen, the value of the art collection, which includes works by Rembrandt, Monet and other famous painters, was not taken into account.

Photo: © AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis. Video: © Youtube/TheRoyalChannel

What awaits the British monarchy

Under the Act of Succession of 1701, the sons of a monarch had precedence over daughters in succeeding to the throne by seniority.

Elizabeth only became queen because her father had no sons. If she had a brother, for example, a younger one, then the crown would have passed to him.

Attempts to change the existing laws have been made several times since 1981, but each time they did not find support from the government of the country.

In 2011, the succession law reform was finally brought up for discussion.

The fact that the current way of life is outdated and should be "modernized", said even Prime Minister David Cameron.

In 2013, the rules for succession to the throne were changed. The law gave the descendants of the British crown of both sexes equal rights, now they will inherit the throne by seniority.

Elizabeth II's heir is her eldest son Charles, Prince of Wales.

In January 2006, the Queen transferred some of her powers to him. So far, however, she has not given up duties such as weekly meetings with the prime minister and participation in the official opening of the session of parliament.

In February, The Times published fragments of a new unofficial biography Prince of Wales. The publication of excerpts from the book caused a stir in the local press. The text noted that the UK may not be ready for the drastic changes that Prince Charles could bring with him if he ascended the throne. And this fear was expressed by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The author of the Prince's biography "Charles: The Heart of a King" is The Times correspondent Katherine Meyer. According to her, Charles is more inclined than his mother to an autocratic style of government, but some courtiers at Buckingham Palace, "like the Queen herself," believe that the country is not ready for the "shock of change."

Mayer claims, citing sources close to the palace, that the prince "will never agree to be a figurehead."

“Speaking of his role as heir apparent, the prince made it clear that he intends to overhaul the monarchy,” Mayer writes.

Critics of the Prince of Wales, "led by his father Prince Philip," believe that he "behaves selfishly," preferring his "crazy ideas" to royal duties.

Representatives of the prince noted in an interview with reporters that the book was not authorized, as they did not receive any preliminary copies and did not agree on the text.

Second in line to the British throne - born June 21, 1982, the eldest son of Prince Charles William, Duke of Cambridge.

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She (Queen Elizabeth II) is a professional, always carefully considers her every step and never makes hasty decisions.

(In an interview with the BBC for the documentary The Queen, The Queen, 2012)

Prince William, grandson of Elizabeth II

William graduated from Eton College and in 2006 entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He received officer rank and joined the Royal Cavalry.

Buckingham Palace does not hide the fact that the grandson of Elizabeth II sees in the queen an example to follow, a model of the monarch. He declared that although he was ready to fulfill the heavy duty of being king, he would ascend the throne only after his father. In 2011, the Duke of Cambridge got a family that should determine the future of the British monarchy in the second half of the twenty-first century.

He met his future wife Catherine Middleton while studying at the University of St. Andrews.

The engagement of Katherine and William took place in October 2010 during a joint holiday in Kenya. While proposing, William presented Katherine with his mother's engagement ring.

April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey, the wedding of the “team of the future”, as David Cameron called the young couple, took place.

Published: March 20, 2013 at 01:15

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

During this time, the map of the planet changed many times, states appeared and disappeared, coups, revolutions and wars took place, and Her Royal Majesty Elizabeth 2 personified the stability and sustainable development of her country - Great Britain.

Neither fascism, nor communism, nor any form of extremism has gone through here. Great Britain and her queen were, are and always will be.

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

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

In 1947, Princess Elizabeth got married for Lieutenant of the British Navy Philippa Mountbatten, a member of several royal families Europe, the great-grandson of three monarchs, including the Russian Emperor Nicholas 2. The queen had only one younger sister, Princess Margaret (1930 - 2002).

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

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

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

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

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

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

It's 20 miles east of London.

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

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

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

Elizabeth I- Elizabeth I. Elizabeth I. Elizabeth I () Queen of England since 1558, the last of the Tudor dynasty. Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. and other cities, as well as officials. In 1559, an act was adopted establishing Protestantism in England. ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary "World History"

Elizabeth- s, female; unfold Lizaveta, s; old Elizabeth, s. Derivatives: Elizabeth; Veta; Lily; Lisa; Lizun; Lizuha; Lizusha; Lizura; Lizuta; Lizavetka.Origin: (Another Hebrew name is 'Eliseba' God is my oath, I swear to God.) Name days: May 7, September 5, September 18 ... Dictionary of personal names

Elizabeth I- (1533 1603) English queen from 1558, the last of the Tudor dynasty. Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth I was supported by the nobility and wealthy sections of London and other cities, as well as officials. In 1559, an act was adopted ... ... Historical dictionary

Elizabeth I- Elizabeth I. ELIZABETH I (Elizabeth) Tudor (1533 1603), Queen of England since 1558, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Under Elizabeth I, the positions of absolutism were strengthened, the Anglican Church was restored, the Spanish “Invincible Armada” was defeated ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Elizabeth- daughter of Yaroslav I, married in 1045 to the king of Hungary, Harald the Bold (Strict), who, seeking her hand, performed a number of feats in Greece, Africa, Sicily and Palestine and composed 16 love songs (one of them was translated by Batyushkov ... Biographical Dictionary

ELIZABETH- (German: Elizabeth) the central character in Friedrich Schiller's tragedy "Mary Stuart" (1800). Historical prototype Elizabeth I Tudor (1533-1603), Queen of England since 1558, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. The image of E. is endowed with deep psychologism and ... ... literary heroes

Elizabeth- the oath of God; Lizaveta; Elizabeth; Elizabeth, Veta, Lily, Lisa, Lizunya, Lizuha, Lizusha, Lizura, Lizuta, Lizavetka Dictionary of Russian synonyms. elizabeth n., number of synonyms: 3 name (1104) ... Synonym dictionary

ELIZABETH I- (Elizabeth) Tudor (1533-1603), Queen of England from 1558, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Under Elizabeth I, the positions of absolutism were strengthened, the Anglican Church was restored, the Spanish Invincible Armada (1588) was defeated, and it was widely carried out ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

ELIZABETH II- (b. 1926) Queen of Great Britain since 1952, daughter of George VI ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

ELIZABETH- (Elizabeth), UK, Universal Pictures, 1998, 121 min. historical drama. The story of the first years of the reign of Elizabeth I Tudor, about the difficult formation of one of the most famous queens of England. The film is notable for its excellent acting and ... ... Cinema Encyclopedia

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