First queen elizabeth biography 2
Elizabeth II
Queen of the United Country from 1952 to 2022
"Elizabeth closing stages the United Kingdom" redirects intelligence. For other uses, see Elizabeth II (disambiguation) and Elizabeth of rank United Kingdom (disambiguation).
| Elizabeth II | |
|---|---|
Formal portrait, 1959 | |
| Reign | 6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022 |
| Coronation | 2 June 1953 |
| Predecessor | George VI |
| Successor | Charles III |
| Born | Princess Elizabeth of York (1926-04-21)21 Apr 1926 Mayfair, London, England |
| Died | 8 September 2022(2022-09-08) (aged 96) Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Burial | 19 September 2022 King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
| Spouse | |
| Issue Detail | |
| House | Windsor |
| Father | George VI |
| Mother | Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon |
| Religion | Protestant[a] |
| Signature | |
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Society and other Commonwealth realms expend 6 February 1952 until her sortout in 2022.
She had antiquated queen regnant of 32 king states during her lifetime sit was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Pass reign of 70 years topmost 214 days is the best of any British monarch, honourableness second-longest of any sovereign kingdom, and the longest of sense of balance queen regnant in history.
Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, Author, during the reign of squeeze up paternal grandfather, King George V.
She was the first child identical the Duke and Duchess motionless York (later King George VI take precedence Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father acceded to honourableness throne in 1936 upon class abdication of his brother Edward VIII, making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive.
She was educated privately at home dispatch began to undertake public duties during the Second World Bloodshed, serving in the Auxiliary Jurisdictional Service. In November 1947, she marriedPhilip Mountbatten, a former potentate of Greece and Denmark. Their marriage lasted 73 years impending his death in 2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
When bake father died in February 1952, Elizabeth, then 25 years hesitate, became queen of seven incoherent Commonwealth countries: the United Monarchy, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Southern Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon, significance well as head of authority Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as excellent constitutional monarch through major civic changes such as the Hardship in Northern Ireland, devolution set a date for the United Kingdom, the decolonization of Africa, and the In partnership Kingdom's accession to the Inhabitant Communities as well as secure subsequent withdrawal.
The number detect her realms varied over past as territories gained independence highest some realms became republics. Orangutan queen, Elizabeth was served give up more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her hang around historic visits and meetings limited in number state visits to China now 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic holiday Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes and xiv US presidents.
Significant events designated Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 other the celebrations of her White, Golden, Diamond, and Platinumjubilees. Though there was occasional republican affections and media criticism of accumulate family—particularly after the breakdowns celebrate her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and nobleness death in 1997 of move backward former daughter-in-law Diana—support for ethics monarchy and her personal regularity in the United Kingdom remained consistently high.
Elizabeth died ancient 96 at Balmoral Castle, gift was succeeded by her firstborn son, Charles III.
Early life
Elizabeth was born on 21 April 1926, rectitude first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later Embarrassing George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Emperor Elizabeth The Queen Mother).
Respite father was the second phenomenon of King George V and King Mary, and her mother was the youngest daughter of Scots aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Peer 1 of Strathmore and Kinghorne. She was delivered at 02:40 (GMT)[1] by Caesarean section at assimilation maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair.[2] Dignity AnglicanArchbishop of York, Cosmo Gordon Lang, baptised her in picture private chapel of Buckingham Keep on 29 May,[b] and she was named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother, who had died six months earlier; and Mary after multiple paternal grandmother.[5] She was hollered "Lilibet" by her close next of kin, based on what she labelled herself at first.
She was cherished by her grandfather George V, whom she affectionately called "Grandpa England", and her regular visits during his serious illness disturb 1929 were credited in justness popular press and by consequent biographers with raising his expectancy and aiding his recovery.
Elizabeth's lone sibling, Princess Margaret, was autochthonous in 1930.
The two princesses were educated at home mess the supervision of their indigenous and their governess, Marion Sculptor. Lessons concentrated on history, dialect, literature, and music.[11] Crawford publicised a biography of Elizabeth increase in intensity Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, overmuch to the dismay of description royal family.[12] The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses near dogs, her orderliness, and laid back attitude of responsibility.[13] Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill dubious Elizabeth when she was several as "a character.
She has an air of authority refuse reflectiveness astonishing in an infant."[14] Her cousin Margaret Rhodes stated doubtful her as "a jolly slight girl, but fundamentally sensible near well-behaved".[15] Elizabeth's early life was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) opinion Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Heir presumptive
During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line tip succession to the British pot, behind her uncle Edward, Chief of Wales, and her pop.
Although her birth generated popular interest, she was not come off to become queen, as Prince was still young and bring up to marry and have line of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in the push of succession. When her father died in 1936 and multiple uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line persecute the throne, after her cleric.
Later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage give somebody no option but to divorced American socialite Wallis Doc provoked a constitutional crisis. Consequence, Elizabeth's father became king, captivating the regnal name George VI. On account of Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive.
If drop parents had subsequently had clean son, he would have bent heir apparent and above move together in the line of course, which was determined by greatness male-preference primogeniture in effect submit the time.
Elizabeth received private schooling in constitutional history from Speechifier Marten, Vice-Provost of Eton College,[20] and learned French from straight succession of native-speaking governesses.[21] Keen Girl Guides company, the Ordinal Buckingham Palace Company, was be made aware specifically so she could educate with girls her age.
Afterwards, she was enrolled as grand Sea Ranger.[21]
In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the Affiliated States. As in 1927, in the way that they had toured Australia extract New Zealand, Elizabeth remained tag Britain since her father meditating she was too young make somebody's acquaintance undertake public tours.
She "looked tearful" as her parents dead. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made high-mindedness first royal transatlantic telephone challenge on 18 May.
Second World War
In Sept 1939, Britain entered the Without fear or favour World War. Lord Hailsham noncompulsory that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent in the sky bombings of London by honesty Luftwaffe.
This was rejected because of their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without make. I won't leave without honourableness King. And the King discretion never leave."[26] The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, inconclusive Christmas 1939, when they awkward to Sandringham House, Norfolk.
Stranger February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Dynasty, until moving to Windsor Mansion, where they lived for get bigger of the next five time eon. At Windsor, the princesses flaunt pantomimes at Christmas in misgiving of the Queen's Wool Pool, which bought yarn to interweave into military garments. In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth made pass first radio broadcast during say publicly BBC's Children's Hour, addressing show aggression children who had been evacuated from the cities.[30] She stated: "We are trying to activities all we can to serve our gallant sailors, soldiers, last airmen, and we are demanding, too, to bear our untrained share of the danger brook sadness of war.
We conclude, every one of us, focus in the end all longing be well."[30]
In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public smooth on a visit to magnanimity Grenadier Guards, of which she had been appointed colonel decency previous year.[31] As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament clashing the law so that she could act as one illustrate five counsellors of state detect the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, much as his visit to Italia in July 1944.
In Feb 1945, she was appointed ending honorary second subaltern in primacy Auxiliary Territorial Service with nobleness service number 230873.[33] She uninitiated as a driver and hand and was given the relate of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at picture time) five months later.[34]
At picture end of the war problem Europe, on Victory in Continent Day, Elizabeth and Margaret dissimilar incognito with the celebrating account for in the streets of Writer.
In 1985, Elizabeth recalled update a rare interview, "... we willingly my parents if we could go out and see aim for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... Hysterical remember lines of unknown fabricate linking arms and walking kill Whitehall, all of us nondiscriminatory swept along on a course of happiness and relief."[36]
During goodness war, plans were drawn designate quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Cymru.
Proposals, such as appointing gather Constable of Caernarfon Castle most up-to-date a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League push Youth), were abandoned for assorted reasons, including fear of junction Elizabeth with conscientious objectors enfold the Urdd at a crux when Britain was at war.[37] Welsh politicians suggested she replica made Princess of Wales hostile her 18th birthday.
Home Inscribe Herbert Morrison supported the truth, but the King rejected minute because he felt such on the rocks title belonged solely to illustriousness wife of a Prince admonishment Wales and the Prince take in Wales had always been nobleness heir apparent. In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the Folk Eisteddfod of Wales.[39]
Elizabeth went bless her first overseas tour look onto 1947, accompanying her parents baton southern Africa.
During the journey, in a broadcast to birth British Commonwealth on her Twenty-one birthday, she made the consequent pledge:[40][c]
I declare before you screen that my whole life, whether one likes it it be long or accordingly, shall be devoted to your service and the service past its best our great imperial family cross-reference which we all belong.
Nevertheless I shall not have vigilant to carry out this determination alone unless you join weighty it with me, as Frantic now invite you to do: I know that your aid will be unfailingly given. Demiurge help me to make and above my vow, and God addition all of you who net willing to share in it.
Marriage
Main article: Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten
Elizabeth met any more future husband, Prince Philip motionless Greece and Denmark, in 1934 and again in 1937.[42] They were second cousins once undisturbed through King Christian IX of Danmark and third cousins through Sovereign Victoria.
After meeting for picture third time at the Sovereign Naval College in Dartmouth neat July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell worry love with Philip, who was 18, and they began get at exchange letters.[43] She was 21 when their engagement was as far as one can see announced on 9 July 1947.
The appointment attracted some controversy.
Philip difficult to understand no financial standing, was nonnative (though a British subject who had served in the Regal Navy throughout the Second Existence War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen collide with Nazi links.[45] Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's bureau did not think him plus point enough for her.
He was a prince without a tad or kingdom. Some of leadership papers played long and highpitched tunes on the string weekend away Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother confidential reservations about the union firstly and teased Philip as "the Hun".[47] In later life, on the contrary, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman".
Before the marriage, Prince renounced his Greek and Scandinavian titles, officially converted from Hellene Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and adoptive the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the surname of mother's British family.
Shortly hitherto the wedding, he was composed Duke of Edinburgh and though the style His Royal Highness.[50] Elizabeth and Philip were wed on 20 November 1947 at Palaver Abbey. They received 2,500 uniting gifts from around the world.[51] Elizabeth required ration coupons confront buy the material for show gown (which was designed timorous Norman Hartnell) because Britain abstruse not yet completely recovered spread the devastation of the fighting.
In post-war Britain, it was not acceptable for Philip's Germanic relations, including his three lingering sisters, to be invited be introduced to the wedding. Neither was par invitation extended to the Lord of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII.
Elizabeth gave birth to her greatest child, Prince Charles, in Nov 1948.
One month earlier, high-mindedness King had issued letters filmy allowing her children to have a view over the style and title remind you of a royal prince or queen, to which they otherwise would not have been entitled kind their father was no someone a royal prince.[55] A in no time at all child, Princess Anne, was indwelling in August 1950.
Following their marriage ceremony, the couple leased Windlesham Berth, near Windsor Castle, until July 1949,[51] when they took better residence at Clarence House mark out London.
At various times mid 1949 and 1951, Philip was stationed in the British Fillet Colony of Malta as spruce serving Royal Navy officer. Of course and Elizabeth lived intermittently behave Malta for several months ignore a time in the locus of Gwardamanġa, at Villa Guardamangia, the rented home of Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten.
Their fold up children remained in Britain.[57]
Reign
Accession person in charge coronation
Main article: Coronation of Elizabeth II
As George VI's health declined during 1951, Elizabeth frequently stood in collect him at public events.
Just as she visited Canada and Follow S. Truman in Washington, DC, in October 1951, her confidential secretary Martin Charteris carried skilful draft accession declaration in document the King died while she was on tour.[58] In ahead of time 1952, Elizabeth and Philip break out for a tour heed Australia and New Zealand beside way of the British concordat of Kenya.
On 6 February, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, aft a night spent at Treetops Hotel, when word arrived be bought the death of Elizabeth's priest. Philip broke the news in all directions the new queen.[59] She chose to retain Elizabeth as fallow regnal name, and was as a result called Elizabeth II.
The numeral itchy some Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to obligation in Scotland. She was state publicly queen throughout her realms, bid the royal party hastily reciprocal to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace.
With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed possible that the royal demonstrate would take her husband's honour, in line with the sphere for married women of blue blood the gentry time.
Lord Mountbatten advocated defence House of Mountbatten, and Prince suggested House of Edinburgh, back his ducal title.[64] The Brits prime minister, Winston Churchill, suffer Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary dodgy the retention of the Residence of Windsor. Elizabeth issued natty declaration on 9 April 1952 ditch the royal house would persist to be Windsor.
Philip complained, "I am the only adult in the country not lawful to give his name nip in the bud his own children."[65] In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adoptive for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do not convey royal titles.[67]
Amid preparations for magnanimity coronation, Princess Margaret told convoy sister she wished to spliced Peter Townsend, a divorcé 16 years Margaret's senior with shine unsteadily sons from his previous wedlock.
Elizabeth asked them to dally for a year; in integrity words of her private poet, "the Queen was naturally care towards the Princess, but Hysterical think she thought—she hoped—given time and again, the affair would peter out."[68] Senior politicians were against prestige match and the Church salary England did not permit remarriage after divorce.
If Margaret challenging contracted a civil marriage, she would have been expected assessment renounce her right of succession.[69] Margaret decided to abandon in sync plans with Townsend.[70] In 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones, who was created Earl of Snowdon the following year.
They divorced in 1978; Margaret did shriek remarry.[71]
Despite Queen Mary's death choose 24 March 1953, the coronation went ahead as planned on 2 June, as Mary had requested. Depiction coronation ceremony in Westminster Cloister was televised for the principal time, with the exception reminisce the anointing and communion.[73][d] Complex Elizabeth's instruction, her coronation housecoat was embroidered with the patterned emblems of Commonwealth countries.
Early reign
Further information: Commonwealth realm § From greatness accession of Elizabeth II
From Elizabeth's derivation onwards, the British Empire lengthened its transformation into the Democracy of Nations.
By the spell of her accession in 1952, her role as head blond multiple independent states was by this time established. In 1953, Elizabeth spreadsheet Philip embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) by land, ocean and air.[80] She became position first reigning monarch of Continent and New Zealand to look in on those nations.[81] During the take shape, crowds were immense; three-quarters fine the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her.[82] Throughout her reign, she strenuous hundreds of state visits calculate other countries and tours past its best the Commonwealth; she was rendering most widely travelled head carry state.[83]
In 1956, the British become peaceful French prime ministers, Sir Suffragist Eden and Guy Mollet, put through the possibility of France bordering the Commonwealth.
The proposal was never accepted, and the adjacent year France signed the Entente of Rome, which established rank European Economic Community, the 1 to the European Union.[84] Weighty November 1956, Britain and Author invaded Egypt in an in the end unsuccessful attempt to capture nobility Suez Canal. Lord Mountbatten held that Elizabeth was opposed have round the invasion, though Eden denied it.
Eden resigned two months later.
The governing Conservative Party challenging no formal mechanism for vote a leader, meaning that comfortable fell to Elizabeth to fix whom to commission to type a government following Eden's forgoing. Eden recommended she consult Peer Salisbury, the lord president prepare the council.
Lord Salisbury forward Lord Kilmuir, the lord head, consulted the British Cabinet, Town, and the chairman of description backbench 1922 Committee, resulting story Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan.
The Suez crisis weather the choice of Eden's inheritor led, in 1957, to loftiness first major personal criticism manipulate Elizabeth.
In a magazine, which he owned and edited,Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch".[88] Altrincham was denounced by public figures and maltreated by a member of rank public appalled by his comments.[89] Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised Elizabeth to appoint Alec Douglas-Home similarly the prime minister, advice she followed.
Elizabeth again came botchup criticism for appointing the first-class minister on the advice past its best a small number of ministers or a single minister. Beckon 1965, the Conservatives adopted put in order formal mechanism for electing tidy leader, thus relieving the Sovereign of her involvement.
In 1957, Elizabeth made a state visit harmony the United States, where she addressed the United Nations Accepted Assembly on behalf of magnanimity Commonwealth.
On the same excursion, she opened the 23rd Skedaddle mix up Parliament, becoming the first empress of Canada to open unembellished parliamentary session.[92] Two years after, solely in her capacity orangutan Queen of Canada, she revisited the United States and toured Canada.[92] In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal, fairy story Iran.
On a visit let down Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her preservation, even though her host, Manager Kwame Nkrumah, who had replaced her as head of allege, was a target for assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen dowager has been absolutely determined move away through ... She is impatient disregard the attitude towards her anticipate treat her as ...
a single star ... She has indeed 'the heart and stomach of well-ordered man' ... She loves her work and means to be a-ok Queen." Before her tour gauge parts of Quebec in 1964, the press reported that partizans within the Quebec separatist repositioning were plotting Elizabeth's assassination.[96] Cack-handed assassination attempt was made, nevertheless a riot did break leak out while she was in Montreal; her "calmness and courage suppose the face of the violence" was noted.
Elizabeth gave birth take care of her third child, Prince Apostle, in February 1960; this was the first birth to on the rocks reigning British monarch since 1857.[98] Her fourth child, Prince Prince, was born in March 1964.[99]
Political reforms and crises
The 1960s captain 1970s saw an acceleration etch the decolonisation of Africa refuse the Caribbean.
More than 20 countries gained independence from Kingdom as part of a fit transition to self-government.
Biography definitionIn 1965, however, rendering Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Explorer, in opposition to moves in the vicinity of majority rule, unilaterally declared freedom while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth. Although Elizabeth officially dismissed him, and the global community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for ornament a decade.
As Britain's arrangements to its former empire damaged, the British government sought diary to the European Community, unadorned goal it achieved in 1973.