Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II) Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - since February 6, 1952
Coronation: June 2, 1953
Predecessor: George VI
Heir apparent: Charles, Prince of Wales
Head of the Commonwealth of Nations
Religion: Anglicanism
Birth: 21 April 1926
London, Great Britain
Genus: Windsor dynasty
Birth name: Elizabeth Alexandra Maria
Father: George VI
Mother: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Spouse: Philip Mountbatten
biography of queen elizabeth 2
Elizabeth II(eng. Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (eng. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.
Elizabeth II descended from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.
She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the queen of 15 independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, 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 of the British armed forces.
Elizabeth II- 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 (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the oldest female head of state in the world.
For the reign Elizabeth a very wide period of British history falls out: 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.
Throughout her reign, the queen has been criticized more than once not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy and her popularity in the UK is at its best.
Childhood and youth of Elizabeth II
Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her paternal grandparents were King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); mother - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1961).
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).
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 25 in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, later destroyed during the war years.
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.
Elizabeth received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities - she studied the history of the constitution, jurisprudence, religious studies, art history, and also (actually independently) French. From a young age, Elizabeth was interested in horses and was engaged in horseback riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.
At birth Elizabeth became the Duchess of York and was third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII) and father. Since Prince Edward was young enough to be expected to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially considered a viable candidate for the throne. However, Edward was forced to abdicate just a few months after the death of George V in 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became heir to the throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. At the same time, she remained in the role of "heir presumptive" ("supposed heir") (English) Russian, and if George VI had a son, he would have inherited the throne.
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.
In 1947, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on a trip to South Africa and, on her 21st birthday, went on the radio with a solemn promise to devote her life to the service of the British Empire.
That same year, 21-year-old Elizabeth married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten, a British navy officer, member of the Greek and Danish royal families, and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. They met in 1934, and fell in love, it is believed, after Elizabeth visited the Naval College in Dartmouth, where Philip studied, in 1939. Having become the spouse of the princess, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
A year after the wedding, in 1948, the eldest son, Prince Charles, was born to Elizabeth and Philip. And on August 15, 1950, the daughter is Princess Anna.
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain
Coronation and beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II
King George VI, father Elizabeth, died 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.
The second half of the 1950s - the beginning of the 1990s
In 1957, after the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, due to the lack of clear rules for choosing a leader in the Conservative Party, Elizabeth II had to appoint a new head of government from among the Conservatives. After consultations with prominent members of the party and former Prime Minister Churchill, 63-year-old Harold Macmillan was appointed head of government.
In the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. In the same year, she spoke for the first time at a session of the UN General Assembly. She was present at the opening session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of the British monarch). She continued her travels in 1961 when she made visits to Cyprus, the Vatican, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, and Ghana.
Meeting of Elizabeth II with the heads of the Commonwealth countries in 1960
In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, a third son, Prince Edward.
In 1963, following the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as prime minister.
In 1974, a political crisis began to brew after parliamentary elections, in which none of the parties received a majority of votes. Although the Conservative Party turned out to be the largest party in Parliament, Labor leader Harold Wilson was appointed Prime Minister. A year later, a political crisis also occurred in Australia (English) Russian, during which Elizabeth II refused to cancel the decision of the governor general to resign the country's prime minister.
In 1976 Elizabeth II solemnly opened (as Queen of Canada) the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.
1977 was an important date for the Queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's tenure on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many ceremonial enterprises were held in the Commonwealth countries.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a number of assassination attempts were made on the royal family. In particular, in 1979, the terrorists of the "Provisional Irish Republican Army" assassinated the uncle of Prince Philip, an influential statesman and military leader, Lord Louis Mountbatten. And in 1981, there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Elizabeth II during a military parade in honor of the queen's "official birthday".
In 1981, the wedding of the son of Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Diana Spencer took place, which would later become a big problem for the royal family.
Elizabeth II walking near Windsor Castle with Ronald Reagan (1982)
At this time in 1982, as a result of changes in the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British Queen still remained the head of the Canadian state. In the same year, the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Great Britain in the last 450 years took place (the Queen, who is the head of the Anglican Church, received him personally).
In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the US Houses of Congress.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Queen Elizabeth II. London. 2010
Elizabeth II and the Obamas.
Early 1990s - 2000s in the life of Elizabeth II
1992 was a "terrible year", according to the definition of Elizabeth II herself. Two of the Queen's four children - Prince Andrew and Princess Anne - divorced their spouses, Prince Charles separated from Princess Diana, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, the duty for the Queen to pay income tax was introduced, and funding for the royal court was noticeably reduced.
In 1994, Elizabeth II visited Russia. This was the first visit of the head of the British royal house to the Russian state in the entire history of bilateral relations dating back to 1553.
In 1996, at the urging of the Queen, a formal divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. A year later, in 1997, the tragic death of Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris occurred, which shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For restraint and the absence of any reaction to the death of the former daughter-in-law, critical remarks immediately rained down on the queen.
In 2002, celebrations were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of Elizabeth II on the British throne (Golden Jubilee. But in the same year, the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, died.
In 2008, for the first time in history, the Church of England, led by Elizabeth, held a Maundy Thursday service, in which the reigning monarch traditionally participates, outside of England or Wales - in the Cathedral of St. Patrick's in Armagh in Northern Ireland.
Modernity
In 2010, she spoke for the second time at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Introducing the Queen, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called her "the anchor of our era."
In 2011, the first ever state visit by a British monarch to independent Ireland took place. In the same year, the wedding of Prince William (grandson of Elizabeth II) and Catherine Middleton took place.
In 2012, the XXX Olympic Games were held in London, inaugurated by Elizabeth II, and a new law was approved that changes the order of succession, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.
In the same year, the 60th (“diamond”) anniversary of Elizabeth II on the throne was solemnly celebrated in Great Britain and other countries. The culmination of the festive events was the weekend of June 3-4, 2012:
On June 3, a solemn water parade of more than a thousand ships and boats took place on the Thames. It is believed that this is the most grandiose river procession in history;
On June 4, 2012, a concert took place on the square in front of Buckingham Palace with the participation of such stars of British and world music as Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Tom Jones and others. The evening was hosted by Take That lead singer Gary Barlow.
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (2013)
In 2013, for the first time in 40 years, Elizabeth II refused to go to the summit of the heads of the countries of the British Commonwealth, held in Sri Lanka. Britain at the summit will be represented by Prince Charles, which indicates the gradual transfer of powers of Elizabeth to her son.
In the same year, the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II was celebrated in Great Britain, but on a smaller scale.
Role in political and public life
In accordance with the British tradition of a constitutional monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, with little or no influence on the government of the country. However, during her reign, she successfully maintains the authority of the British monarchy. Her duties include visiting various countries with diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking government officials (especially the Prime Minister), reading annual messages to Parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc. The Queen also looks through the main British newspapers daily and answers with the help of servants for some letters, which are sent to her in huge quantities (200-300 pieces daily).
Throughout her time on the throne, the Queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers. At the same time, she always remained true to the tradition of the English kings of modern times - to be above political fights.
Elizabeth II is also actively involved in charity work. She is a trustee of over 600 different public and charitable organizations.
Main article: Royal prerogatives
In addition to duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights, like a monarch (royal prerogatives), which, however, are quite formal. For example, she can dissolve the parliament, reject the candidacy of the prime minister (which seems unsuitable to her), etc.
Financial expenses
Certain funds are spent on the maintenance of the queen from the so-called civil list, which is controlled by the government.
So, according to data from Buckingham Palace, in the 2008-2009 financial year, each Briton spent $ 1.14 on the maintenance of the monarchy, which amounted to $ 68.5 million in total.
In 2010-2011, due to the government's new economic program, the Queen was forced to cut her spending to $51.7 million.
But, starting in 2012, Elizabeth's income began to grow again (at an approximate rate of 5% per year).
Such figures cause dissatisfaction among the Republican-minded part of the British population, which considers it necessary to cut them.
Family and Children
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921), the son of the Greek Prince Andrew, who received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
Four children were born in their family:
Name Date of birth Marriage Children Grandchildren
Prince Charles,
Prince of Wales 14 November 1948 Lady Diana Spencer 29 July 1981
(divorced: 28 August 1996) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge
Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales
Camille Shand April 9, 2005
Princess Anna,
"Princess Royal" August 15, 1950 Mark Phillips November 14, 1973
(divorced: April 28, 1992) Peter Phillips Savannah Phillips
Isla Elizabeth Phillips
Zara Phillips
Timothy Lawrence December 12, 1992
Prince Andrew
Duke of York 19 February 1960 Sarah Ferguson 23 July 1986
(divorced: 30 May 1996) Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Eugenie (Eugenie) of York
Prince Edward
Earl of Wessex 10 March 1964 Sophie Rhys-Jones 19 June 1999 Lady Louise Windsor
James, Viscount Severn
Official titles, awards and coat of arms
The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, the Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."
During the reign of Elizabeth II, in all countries that recognize the British monarch as their head of state, laws were passed according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as head of this particular state (English) Russian, 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".
States whose head was or is Elizabeth II
Member countries of the Commonwealth are marked on the map (Fiji membership is suspended)
Upon accession to the throne, in 1952, Elizabeth became queen of seven states: Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.
During her reign, some of these countries became republics. At the same time, as a result of the process of decolonization, numerous British colonies gained independence. In some of them, the Queen of Great Britain retained the status of head of state, in others she did not.
Abolition of the monarchy in the original possessions of Elizabeth II:
Pakistan - in 1956 (former Dominion of Pakistan).
South Africa - in 1961 (former South Africa).
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - in 1972 (former Dominion of Ceylon).
Blue indicates states that retain the monarchy
Newly independent states that retained the monarchy:
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Grenada
Papua New Guinea
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Solomon islands
Tuvalu
Jamaica
Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy:
Guyana
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Mauritius
Malawi
Malta
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanganyika
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Fiji
Awards
Main article: Titles and honors of Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries, as well as in other states, is the head of a number of knightly orders, and also has military ranks, numerous honorary titles, academic degrees. In addition, she is a holder of various domestic British awards, as well as a number of various awards from foreign countries.
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
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).
Criticism
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.
Hobbies and personal life
Map of visits by Elizabeth II different countries peace
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.
Memory
In culture
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
In honor of the queen, Elizabeth Avenue is named next to the espalana in Singapore.
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
Lifetime monuments
Statue of Elizabeth II in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Canada
Statue in Regina, Saskatchewan, erected in 2005
Statue in Windsor Great Park
In botany
In honor of Elizabeth II, the rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named.
On coins and in philately
Coins and postage stamps
On a Canadian stamp, 1953
On an Australian coronation stamp
On a Northern Ireland stamp, 1958
On a 1953 coin
On a South African coin, 1958
Coin with Elizabeth 1961
In geography
The name of Elizabeth II was repeatedly assigned to various territories, among them:
Princess Elizabeth Land in Antarctica
Queen Elizabeth Land in Antarctica
Queen Elizabeth Islands in Canada
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
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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
Books
- , Polyakova A.A. Everyone has heard about the English Queen Elizabeth II, but few people know what kind of person she is, how she lives and what it means to be a queen, especially in our time. This book will provide you…
- Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. A look at the modern British monarchy, A. A. Polyakova. Everyone has heard about the English Queen Elizabeth II, but few people know what kind of person she is, how she lives and what it means to be a queen, especially in our time. This book will provide you…
- Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain A look at the modern British monarchy, Polyakova A .. “My impressions of a trip to the UK during the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton led to an understanding that the UK and the monarchy are inseparable. In the Middle Ages, the exclamation "In the name of ...
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 rich 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 a number of 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.
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, 1969
Princess 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 event of the European Championship in equestrian eventing, and in 1976 she fought for a medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal, and the Goodwill horse, owned by Elizabeth II, helped her in this. 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. Then the former boxer Ron Russell came to the rescue, 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
- (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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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
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Elizabeth- daughter of Yaroslav I, married in 1045 to the king of Hungary, Harald the Bold (Strict), who, seeking her hand, accomplished 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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