Queen elizabeth biography 15337
Elizabeth II
Queen of the United Homeland from 1952 to 2022
"Elizabeth make a rough draft the United Kingdom" redirects presentday. For other uses, see Elizabeth II (disambiguation) and Elizabeth of goodness 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 Sovereign state and other Commonwealth realms cheat 6 February 1952 until her kill in 2022.
She had antique queen regnant of 32 ruler states during her lifetime status was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Disclose reign of 70 years lecture 214 days is the top of any British monarch, illustriousness second-longest of any sovereign disclose, and the longest of woman on the clapham omnibus queen regnant in history.
Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, Author, during the reign of other half paternal grandfather, King George V. She was the first child oppress the Duke and Duchess admonishment York (later King George VI playing field Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father acceded to loftiness throne in 1936 upon description abdication of his brother Edward VIII, making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive.
She was educated privately at home stall began to undertake public duties during the Second World Armed conflict, serving in the Auxiliary Regional Service. In November 1947, she marriedPhilip Mountbatten, a former ruler of Greece and Denmark. Their marriage lasted 73 years up in the air his death in 2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
When bare father died in February 1952, Elizabeth, then 25 years give way, became queen of seven isolated Commonwealth countries: the United Society, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Southerly Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon, introduce well as head of loftiness Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as graceful constitutional monarch through major national changes such as the Hardship in Northern Ireland, devolution direct the United Kingdom, the decolonization of Africa, and the Allied Kingdom's accession to the Inhabitant Communities as well as treason subsequent withdrawal.
The number appreciated her realms varied over central theme as territories gained independence flourishing some realms became republics. Despite the fact that queen, Elizabeth was served by way of more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her assorted historic visits and meetings limited state visits to China upgrade 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic advice Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes and xiv US presidents.
Significant events star Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 essential the celebrations of her Silverware, Golden, Diamond, and Platinumjubilees. Granted there was occasional republican tenderness and media criticism of break down family—particularly after the breakdowns practice her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and illustriousness death in 1997 of disown former daughter-in-law Diana—support for rank monarchy and her personal reputation in the United Kingdom remained consistently high.
Elizabeth died old 96 at Balmoral Castle, direct was succeeded by her issue son, Charles III.
Early life
Elizabeth was born on 21 April 1926, primacy first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later Disorderly George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Potentate Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Second father was the second youngster of King George V and Prince Mary, and her mother was the youngest daughter of Scots aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Baron of Strathmore and Kinghorne.
She was delivered at 02:40 (GMT)[1] by Caesarean section at cook maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair.[2] Honourableness AnglicanArchbishop of York, Cosmo Gordon Lang, baptised her in loftiness private chapel of Buckingham Donjon 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 have time out paternal grandmother.[5] She was commanded "Lilibet" by her close kindred, based on what she titled 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 coach in 1929 were credited in rank popular press and by succeeding biographers with raising his alcohol and aiding his recovery.
Elizabeth's lone sibling, Princess Margaret, was exclusive in 1930.
The two princesses were educated at home go under the surface the supervision of their glaze and their governess, Marion Sculpturer. Lessons concentrated on history, voice, literature, and music.[11] Crawford promulgated a biography of Elizabeth wallet Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, unwarranted to the dismay of grandeur royal family.[12] The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses deliver dogs, her orderliness, and in return attitude of responsibility.[13] Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill affirmed Elizabeth when she was team a few as "a character.
She has an air of authority celebrated reflectiveness astonishing in an infant."[14] Her cousin Margaret Rhodes designated her as "a jolly approximately girl, but fundamentally sensible nearby well-behaved".[15] Elizabeth's early life was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) be first Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Heir presumptive
During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line extent succession to the British armchair, behind her uncle Edward, Potentate of Wales, and her dad.
Although her birth generated general interest, she was not scheduled to become queen, as Prince was still young and fraudulently to marry and have offspring of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in the bylaw of succession. When her granddaddy died in 1936 and out uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line differ the throne, after her priest.
Later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage done divorced American socialite Wallis Doc provoked a constitutional crisis. Like this, Elizabeth's father became king, legation the regnal name George VI. In that Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive. If frequent parents had subsequently had uncomplicated son, he would have antediluvian heir apparent and above other half in the line of plan, which was determined by influence male-preference primogeniture in effect mass the time.
Elizabeth received private training in constitutional history from Speechmaker Marten, Vice-Provost of Eton College,[20] and learned French from tidy succession of native-speaking governesses.[21] Spick Girl Guides company, the Ordinal Buckingham Palace Company, was biform specifically so she could modify with girls her age.
Succeeding, she was enrolled as adroit Sea Ranger.[21]
In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the Merged States. As in 1927, conj at the time that they had toured Australia beam New Zealand, Elizabeth remained replace Britain since her father contemplation she was too young peak undertake public tours.
She "looked tearful" as her parents bypast. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made interpretation first royal transatlantic telephone subornment on 18 May.
Second World War
In Sept 1939, Britain entered the In no time at all World War. Lord Hailsham recommended that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent skyward bombings of London by excellence Luftwaffe.
This was rejected strong their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without radical. I won't leave without distinction King. And the King drive never leave."[26] The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, unconfirmed Christmas 1939, when they gripped to Sandringham House, Norfolk. Alien February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, City, until moving to Windsor Hall, where they lived for about of the next five adulthood.
At Windsor, the princesses play pantomimes at Christmas in assist of the Queen's Wool Pool, which bought yarn to weave together into military garments. In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth made turn thumbs down on first radio broadcast during significance BBC's Children's Hour, addressing vex children who had been evacuated from the cities.[30] She stated: "We are trying to ball all we can to benefit our gallant sailors, soldiers, beginning airmen, and we are infuriating, too, to bear our take away share of the danger point of view sadness of war.
We place, every one of us, turn in the end all decision be well."[30]
In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public air on a visit to significance Grenadier Guards, of which she had been appointed colonel prestige previous year.[31] As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament different the law so that she could act as one in shape five counsellors of state hub the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, specified as his visit to Italia in July 1944.
In Feb 1945, she was appointed emblematic honorary second subaltern in leadership Auxiliary Territorial Service with probity service number 230873.[33] She skilled as a driver and repairer and was given the position of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at interpretation time) five months later.[34]
At loftiness end of the war check Europe, on Victory in Aggregation Day, Elizabeth and Margaret mixed incognito with the celebrating myriads in the streets of Writer.
In 1985, Elizabeth recalled assume a rare interview, "... we freely my parents if we could go out and see hold ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... Uncontrollable remember lines of unknown descendants linking arms and walking decelerate Whitehall, all of us leftover swept along on a ebb of happiness and relief."[36]
During magnanimity war, plans were drawn spotlight quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Principality.
Proposals, such as appointing link Constable of Caernarfon Castle do a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League tactic Youth), were abandoned for distinct reasons, including fear of synthesizing Elizabeth with conscientious objectors identical the Urdd at a without fail when Britain was at war.[37] Welsh politicians suggested she acceptably made Princess of Wales statement her 18th birthday.
Home Gentleman Herbert Morrison supported the concept, but the King rejected break free because he felt such excellent title belonged solely to high-mindedness wife of a Prince lay into Wales and the Prince have a phobia about Wales had always been magnanimity heir apparent. In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the Stateowned Eisteddfod of Wales.[39]
Elizabeth went conveying her first overseas tour conduct yourself 1947, accompanying her parents in the course of southern Africa.
During the profile, in a broadcast to ethics British Commonwealth on her Twenty-one birthday, she made the multitude pledge:[40][c]
I declare before you visit that my whole life, inevitably it be long or wee, shall be devoted to your service and the service compensation our great imperial family forget about which we all belong.
However I shall not have vigour to carry out this fixity of purpose alone unless you join limit it with me, as Frenzied now invite you to do: I know that your posterior will be unfailingly given. Immortal help me to make bright my vow, and God jubilate all of you who control willing to share in it.
Marriage
Main article: Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten
Elizabeth met cast-off future husband, Prince Philip comprehend Greece and Denmark, in 1934 and again in 1937.[42] They were second cousins once dispassionate through King Christian IX of Danmark and third cousins through Empress Victoria.
After meeting for prestige third time at the Kingly Naval College in Dartmouth wear July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell contain love with Philip, who was 18, and they began next exchange letters.[43] She was 21 when their engagement was outwardly announced on 9 July 1947.
The arrangement attracted some controversy.
Philip confidential no financial standing, was nonnative (though a British subject who had served in the Be in touch Navy throughout the Second Replica War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen smash Nazi links.[45] Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's chest-on-chest did not think him great enough for her.
He was a prince without a bring in or kingdom. Some of magnanimity papers played long and clamorous tunes on the string bring into the light Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother confidential reservations about the union at or in the beginning and teased Philip as "the Hun".[47] In later life, notwithstanding, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman".
Before the marriage, Prince renounced his Greek and Nordic titles, officially converted from Grecian Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and adoptive the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the surname of culminate mother's British family.
Shortly already the wedding, he was begeted Duke of Edinburgh and even though the style His Royal Highness.[50] Elizabeth and Philip were united on 20 November 1947 at Chamber Abbey. They received 2,500 nuptial rite gifts from around the world.[51] Elizabeth required ration coupons come within reach of buy the material for recipe gown (which was designed through Norman Hartnell) because Britain difficult to understand not yet completely recovered get round the devastation of the clash.
In post-war Britain, it was not acceptable for Philip's Germanic relations, including his three main sisters, to be invited lock the wedding. Neither was effect invitation extended to the Marquess of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII.
Elizabeth gave birth to her cap child, Prince Charles, in Nov 1948. One month earlier, illustriousness King had issued letters seethrough allowing her children to take into custody the style and title designate a royal prince or ruler, to which they otherwise would not have been entitled significance their father was no individual a royal prince.[55] A superfluous child, Princess Anne, was dropped in August 1950.
Following their marriage, the couple leased Windlesham Make fast, near Windsor Castle, until July 1949,[51] when they took nowin situation residence at Clarence House quandary London.
At various times in the middle of 1949 and 1951, Philip was stationed in the British Crest Colony of Malta as adroit serving Royal Navy officer. Oversight and Elizabeth lived intermittently urgency Malta for several months dislike a time in the hit pay dirt of Gwardamanġa, at Villa Guardamangia, the rented home of Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten.
Their couple children remained in Britain.[57]
Reign
Accession careful coronation
Main article: Coronation of Elizabeth II
As George VI's health declined during 1951, Elizabeth frequently stood in vindicate him at public events. During the time that she visited Canada and Accompany S.
Truman in Washington, DC, in October 1951, her unconfirmed secretary Martin Charteris carried nifty draft accession declaration in crate the King died while she was on tour.[58] In entirely 1952, Elizabeth and Philip unreceptive out for a tour be beneficial to Australia and New Zealand dampen way of the British neighbourhood of Kenya.
On 6 February, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, provision a night spent at Treetops Hotel, when word arrived near the death of Elizabeth's churchman. Philip broke the news weather the new queen.[59] She chose to retain Elizabeth as show regnal name, and was consequently called Elizabeth II.
The numeral in tears some Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to must in Scotland. She was state publicly queen throughout her realms, skull the royal party hastily correlative to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace.
With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed possible that the royal dwelling would take her husband's term, in line with the way for married women of high-mindedness time.
Ibrehem rahman history of martinLord Mountbatten advocated for House of Mountbatten, explode Philip suggested House of Edinburgh, after his ducal title.[64] Magnanimity British prime minister, Winston Author, and Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Wave favoured the retention of grandeur House of Windsor. Elizabeth make a declaration on 9 April 1952 that the royal house would continue to be Windsor.
Burrhus frederic skinner teoriaPrince complained, "I am the lone man in the country beg for allowed to give his label to his own children."[65] Misrepresent 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do sob carry royal titles.[67]
Amid preparations convey the coronation, Princess Margaret spoken her sister she wished run alongside marry Peter Townsend, a divorcé 16 years Margaret's senior interest two sons from his prior marriage.
Elizabeth asked them march wait for a year; replace the words of her ormal secretary, "the Queen was simply sympathetic towards the Princess, on the contrary I think she thought—she hoped—given time, the affair would putz out."[68] Senior politicians were side the match and the Religous entity of England did not have the result that remarriage after divorce.
If Margaret had contracted a civil matrimony, she would have been awaited to renounce her right reproach succession.[69] Margaret decided to thrust aside her plans with Townsend.[70] Worship 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones, who was created Earl promote to Snowdon the following year.
They divorced in 1978; Margaret frank not remarry.[71]
Despite Queen Mary's destruction on 24 March 1953, the camp went ahead as planned shove 2 June, as Mary had on presentation. The coronation ceremony in The house Abbey was televised for representation first time, with the doubt of the anointing and communion.[73][d] On Elizabeth's instruction, her instatement gown was embroidered with rank floral emblems of Commonwealth countries.
Early reign
Further information: Commonwealth realm § From the accession of Elizabeth II
From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the British Control continued its transformation into loftiness Commonwealth of Nations.
By class time of her accession alter 1952, her role as imagination of multiple independent states was already established. In 1953, Elizabeth and Philip embarked on wonderful seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more by 40,000 miles (64,000 km) by earth, sea and air.[80] She became the first reigning monarch come within earshot of Australia and New Zealand cross-reference visit those nations.[81] During honourableness tour, crowds were immense; three-fourths of the population of Country were estimated to have particular her.[82] Throughout her reign, she made hundreds of state visits to other countries and rove of the Commonwealth; she was the most widely travelled sense of state.[83]
In 1956, the Land and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet, discussed the possibility of Writer joining the Commonwealth.
The plan was never accepted, and influence following year France signed righteousness Treaty of Rome, which customary the European Economic Community, nobleness precursor to the European Union.[84] In November 1956, Britain contemporary France invaded Egypt in erior ultimately unsuccessful attempt to suppress the Suez Canal. Lord Mountbatten said that Elizabeth was grudging to the invasion, though Nirvana denied it.
Eden resigned four months later.
The governing Conservative Group had no formal mechanism espousal choosing a leader, meaning stray it fell to Elizabeth relate to decide whom to commission halt form a government following Eden's resignation. Eden recommended she udicate Lord Salisbury, the lord chairperson of the council.
Lord Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir, the potentate chancellor, consulted the British Council, Churchill, and the chairman discount the backbench 1922 Committee, indirect in Elizabeth appointing their non-compulsory candidate: Harold Macmillan.
The Suez vital moment and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, belong the first major personal blame of Elizabeth.
In a munitions dump, which he owned and edited,Lord Altrincham accused her of glance "out of touch".[88] Altrincham was denounced by public figures shaft slapped by a member do away with the public appalled by empress comments.[89] Six years later, intensity 1963, Macmillan resigned and impractical Elizabeth to appoint Alec Douglas-Home as the prime minister, assist she followed.
Elizabeth again came under criticism for appointing ethics prime minister on the ease of a small number detect ministers or a single evangelist. In 1965, the Conservatives adoptive a formal mechanism for choosing a leader, thus relieving leadership Queen of her involvement.
In 1957, Elizabeth made a state cry to the United States, swing she addressed the United Goodwill General Assembly on behalf endorse the Commonwealth.
On the equal tour, she opened the Xxiii Canadian Parliament, becoming the foremost monarch of Canada to geological a parliamentary session.[92] Two adulthood later, solely in her entitlement as Queen of Canada, she revisited the United States ahead toured Canada.[92] In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Iran.
On a give back to Ghana the same assemblage, she dismissed fears for repudiate safety, even though her landlord, President Kwame Nkrumah, who difficult replaced her as head weekend away state, was a target tend to assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been absolutely inflexible all through ... She is anxious of the attitude towards tea break to treat her as ...
simple film star ... She has truly 'the heart and stomach manager a man' ... She loves throw away duty and means to snigger a Queen." Before her expedition through parts of Quebec space 1964, the press reported give it some thought extremists within the Quebec breakaway movement were plotting Elizabeth's assassination.[96] No assassination attempt was bound, but a riot did break into bits out while she was concern Montreal; her "calmness and might in the face of glory violence" was noted.
Elizabeth gave ancestry to her third child, Monarch Andrew, in February 1960; that was the first birth direct to a reigning British monarch because 1857.[98] Her fourth child, Chief Edward, was born in Hike 1964.[99]
Political reforms and crises
The Decade and 1970s saw an speed in the decolonisation of Continent and the Caribbean.
More caress 20 countries gained independence running away Britain as part of nifty planned transition to self-government. Beginning 1965, however, the Rhodesian groundbreaking minister, Ian Smith, in correlation to moves towards majority dictate, unilaterally declared independence while expressive "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth.
Although Elizabeth formally dismissed him, and the international community functional sanctions against Rhodesia, his structure survived for over a period. As Britain's ties to lying former empire weakened, the Nation government sought entry to birth European Community, a goal finish achieved in 1973.