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Elizabeth II

2022-09-09T08:21:31Z

2405:201:400A:8836:F09C:C309:8CC7:8ED4: /* Personal life */

[[Image:Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in her 89th year in March 2015.]]
'''Elizabeth II''' (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926 and died on 08 September 2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |title=Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |work=Connected to India |date=8 September 2022|accessdate=8 September 2022}}</ref> is the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Queen of the United Kingdom]], and the other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth realms]].<ref>[[British overseas territories|13 UK Overseas Territories]] and three [[Crown dependencies|Crown Dependencies]]. She is also the [[monarch]] of 15 other [[countries]]: [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Jamaica]], [[Barbados]], the [[Bahamas]], [[Grenada]], [[Papua New Guinea]], the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Tuvalu]], [[Saint Lucia]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], [[Antigua and Barbuda]], [[Belize]], and [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]].</ref>

She became Queen when her father, [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]], died on 6 February 1952. Since 9 September 2015, Elizabeth II has ruled longer than any other [[king]] or queen in the [[history]] of the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/elizabeth-set-to-beat-victorias-record-as-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-history_n_5777134.html|title=Elizabeth Set To Beat Victoria's Record As Longest Reigning Monarch In British History|work=The Huffington Post|date=6 September 2014|accessdate=28 September 2014}}</ref> She has also ruled longer than any other living [[Monarch|king or queen]] in the world, since the death of [[Thailand]]'s [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] on 13 October 2016.

The countries of which she is Queen are known as Commonwealth realms. Their total population is over 129 million. Although Elizabeth II is the queen of each country separately, all are independent countries. Elizabeth II lives and spends most of her time in the United Kingdom. In all the other countries where she is queen, a person is chosen to represent her. This person may be known as the [[Governor General]].

Elizabeth II has few political powers, and is not a ruler in the usual sense. She is Queen and interested in the running of her countries, but she does not tell the [[government]]s what to do. She has regular meetings with people from her governments, but it is they who run the countries. She performs ceremonies for the governments, gives out honours, and visits and supports many [[Charitable organization|charities]].

In 1947, the Queen married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], who died in 2021. The Queen and Prince Philip had four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

== Early life ==
Elizabeth was born in her grandparents' home at 17 Bruton Street, [[Mayfair]], [[London]] on 21 April 1926. Her father was Prince Albert, Duke of York, who later became George VI. His brother was the [[Prince of Wales]]. Her mother was Elizabeth, Duchess of York.

[[File:Queen Mary with Princess Elizabeth and Margaret.jpg|thumb|left|Princess Elizabeth with Queen Mary and Princess Margaret]]

Princess Elizabeth was the granddaughter of [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] and Queen Mary. She was named after her mother. Her nickname was "Lilibet".

Princess Elizabeth had one sister, [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]]. Margaret was born in 1930. The two young princesses were taught at home. They had a [[governess]] named Marion Crawford.

Princess Elizabeth was third in the [[line of succession to the British Throne]]. The first in line was her uncle, the Prince of Wales. The second in line was her father, the Duke of York. She was third in line.

Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, died in 1936. Her uncle became [[Edward VIII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VIII]]. He was king only for a short time. He [[abdication|abdicated]].

His brother, Elizabeth's father the Duke of York, became [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]]. One day, Princess Elizabeth would be Queen.

Elizabeth was 13 years old when [[World War II]] started. [[London]] was bombed. Elizabeth and Margaret were moved to [[Windsor Castle]]. This was for their safety. People thought that they should be sent to [[Canada]]. Their mother did not approve this idea.

Princess Elizabeth joined the British army in 1945. She drove a truck. She was a mechanic. In 1947, she made her first official trip outside Britain. She went with her parents to [[South Africa]]. She made a speech on her 21st birthday. She said her whole life would be devoted to the service of British Commonwealth and Empire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.today/2005.10.01-035431/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4098.asp|title=Historic speeches: 21st birthday speech|publisher=British Monarchy Official Website|accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Princess Elizabeth married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] on 20 November 1947. The wedding was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. The couple lived mostly at [[Clarence House]] in London. The couple has four children; [[Charles, Prince of Wales]] was born 14 November 1948. Their second child is a daughter. She is [[Anne, Princess Royal]]. She was born 15 August 1950. The Royal couple had two more sons. [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] was born 19 February 1960. [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] was born 10 March 1964. The princes and princess sometimes use the name Mountbatten-Windsor. This is their official last name when they need one (royal families rarely use them).<ref>Prince of Wales's press office.</ref> Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021 at [[Windsor Castle]], aged 99.

In February 2022, Elizabeth II tested positive for [[COVID-19]] after having cold-like symptoms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Dulcie |last2=Durbin |first2=Adam |title=The Queen tests positive for Covid |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60453566 |access-date=20 February 2022 |work=BBC News |agency=BBC News |publisher=BBC News |date=20 February 2022}}</ref>

[[Queen Elizabeth II]], the United Kingdom's longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral in Scotland aged 96.<ref>{{cite news |title=
Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |work=Connected to India}}</ref>

== Succession ==
[[File:Elizabeth and Philip 1953.jpg|thumb|Elizabeth II in 1953]]

In 1951, the King's health was poor. He could not go to many public events. Princess Elizabeth started to make official visits for him. The King died on 6 February 1952.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Lacey| first1 = Robert| last2 = Comp| first2 = Robert Lacey| title = Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor| url = https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace| year = 1977| publisher = New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich| isbn = 978-0-15-155684-7| page = [https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace/page/150 150] }}</ref> Elizabeth was crowned Queen on 2 June 1953. The ceremony was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. She wore a dress that was decorated with the national flowers of the countries of the Commonwealth.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| last1=Cotton| first1=Belinda| last2=Ramsey| first2=Ron| title=By Appointment: Norman Hartnell's sample for the Coronation dress of Queen Elizabeth II| publisher=National Gallery of Australia| access-date=12 February 2010| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120530044811/http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| archive-date=30 May 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> Many people bought TV sets to watch the event.

== Life as Queen ==
In 1952, Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip moved into [[Buckingham Palace]] in central London. This is the main official home of the monarch.

Her early years as Queen were spent traveling to many places. In 1953, the Queen and Prince Philip began an around the world tour in the Royal Yacht, ''Britannia''. Their tour went for 6 months. She was the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

In October 1957, she made an official visit to the [[United States]]. She spoke to the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. She toured [[Canada]]. She became the first monarch to open the nation's [[Parliament]]. The Queen likes to go to Canada. She calls Canada her "home away from home".<ref name="CRHT2">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| title = Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
| accessdate = 6 March 2007
| archive-date = 3 February 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070203130727/http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|title=1964 Quebec visit – speech|publisher=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030725125811/http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|archive-date=2003-07-25}}</ref>

In February 1961, she visited [[India]], [[Iran]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]] for the first time. Since then, the Queen has made visits to most Commonwealth countries. She has also been to most European countries and many countries outside [[Europe]].<ref name=chal/>

In 1991, she became the first British monarch to speak to a joint session of the [[United States Congress]]. She goes to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. She is the most widely traveled head of state in history.<ref name="chal">{{cite web
| author = Challands, Sarah
| title = Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 80th birthday
| date = 25 April 2006
| publisher = CTV Television Network News
| url = http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| accessdate = 13 June 2007
| archiveurl = https://archive.is/20120530044819/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| archivedate = 30 May 2012
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode
| title = The Real Queen
| date = 1 January 2002}}</ref>

=== Changes to the Commonwealth ===
[[File:Personal flag of Queen Elizabeth II.svg|thumb|The Queen's personal standard, which is used in her role as Head of the Commonwealth.]]

When Elizabeth became Queen on 6 February 1952, she was officially Queen of the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[Pakistan]] and Ceylon (now called [[Sri Lanka]]). These were the Commonwealth countries. She was also Queen of the Union of [[South Africa]] (which became a republic in 1961).

There were many more countries that she also ruled, because they belonged to the British Empire. One by one, many of the countries became independent, and as they gained independence she became Queen of many of them. Altogether, she was sovereign of 32 nations.

Some of the countries are now republics and have a [[president]] as "Head of State", while some of them keep the Queen as "Head of State". Queen Elizabeth II is the only monarch of more than one independent nation. The old British Empire became the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].

It includes both monarchies and republics. It is now called "The Commonwealth". The Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth. She works hard to keep peace and good communication between all the nations that are members.

=== Relationships with her governments and other countries ===
Ever since she became the Queen, Elizabeth has spent about three hours every day "doing the boxes". The "boxes" are two large red boxes that are brought to her from the Parliament every day. They are full of state papers sent to her from her various departments, embassies, and government offices.<ref>Information supplied by the Royal Household to a parliamentary inquiry into the workings of the monarchy in the early 1970s.</ref> One of the most famous photos taken of Elizabeth as a teenager shows her with her father, the King, learning about "the boxes". Because she has been doing this since 1952, she knows a great deal about the government of the UK.

[[File:Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace, 07 Mar 2006.jpeg|thumb|At a state banquet at Buckingham palace, Her Majesty wears the Grand Collar of the [[Brazil]]ian ''Order of the Southern Cross'' and a necklace of Brazilian aquamarines.]]

When the Queen is in London, she meets her [[Prime Minister]] once a week, to talk about events. She also has meetings with the [[First Minister of Scotland]] and other Ministers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the [[Prime Minister]]s and [[Minister (government)|Minister]]s of other countries, when she is in their country, or when they visit London.

In the late 1990s, there were "referendums" in which the people of Scotland and Wales were asked if they wanted parliaments that were separate from the parliament of the United Kingdom. This was called a "devolution policy". As a result, the new Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly of Wales, were set up. The Queen opened the first sessions of these two bodies.

Recently, some people in Australia wanted a [[republic]], with an elected or appointed president as Head of State instead of the Queen. In 1999, the people of Australia were asked in a referendum whether they wanted a republic. The decision of the people was to remain a monarchy. The Queen visited Australia the following year and said that she would continue to serve Australians as she had done for 48 years.

Elizabeth II is friends with many world leaders. Her first Prime Minister of Australia, Sir [[Robert Menzies]] called her "My Dear" and recited a poem that said "I will love her till I die". She has friendships with [[Mary Robinson]], President of Ireland (1990-1997) and [[George W. Bush]], who was the first [[President of the United States|American President]] in more than 80 years to stay at Buckingham Palace. [[Nelson Mandela]], in a BBC documentary, called her "my friend, Elizabeth".

In May 2007, the Queen and Prince Philip made a state visit to the [[United States]], in honour of the 400th anniversary of the [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] settlement.

== The Queen as a person ==
[[File:Queen Elisabeth II.JPG|thumb|left|Queen Elizabeth on a "walkabout" to meet members of the public]]
=== Faith and duty ===
Elizabeth II, as the Monarch of the United Kingdom, is the "Supreme Governor" of the [[Church of England]] and sworn protector of the [[Church of Scotland]]. She is very interested in the Church of England, but the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] runs the church. She rarely attends the yearly meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Queen is deeply religious. In her Christmas Day television broadcast in 2000, she said:
{{cquote|To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://archive.today/2005.12.24-062105/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4656.asp
| title = Historic speeches: Christmas Broadcast 2000
| author = Elizabeth II
| date=25 December 2000
| publisher = British Monarchy Official Website
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
}}</ref>}}

The Queen regularly goes to church wherever she is: at St. George's Chapel at [[Windsor Castle]], St. Mary Magdalene Church at [[Sandringham House]], Crathie Kirk at [[Balmoral Castle]], and Canongate Kirk in [[Edinburgh]], when she stays there in [[Holyroodhouse]], her official home in Scotland.

The Queen often meets with leaders from other religions as well. In 1980, she became the first British Monarch to visit the Vatican, where she was welcomed by [[Pope John Paul II]]. She made another visit twenty years later on 17 October 2000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_3966000/3966411.stm On this Day, 17 October 1980]</ref> Queen Elizabeth II is Patron of "The Council of Christians and Jews" in the UK.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| title = Presidents, Vice Presidents and Board
| publisher = Council of Christians and Jews
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
| archive-date = 9 July 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090709092912/http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

The Queen has shown a very strong sense of duty, ever since she was a girl. Her father, King George VI, was not meant to be king. Her uncle became king when her grandfather died. But he fell in love with an American woman who was divorced, and that wasn't allowed. So he had to give up being king very shortly after ascending. George VI didn't want to be king, because he was quite nervous and had a stammer. However, Elizabeth's grandfather said that he didn't think her uncle was very good as a king, and wanted George to reign, then Elizabeth. From the moment she realised that one day she would be Queen, she became very interested in her duties and did all she could to help her father. Her promise to serve her people all her life has always been very important to her. Some people think that now that she is old, perhaps she will retire ("abdicate") and let her son Prince Charles take over. People who know her well, including Prince Charles, have said that this will never happen.<ref>
{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4921120.stm
| title = Queen 'will do her job for life'
| publisher = BBC News
| date=19 April 2006
| accessdate = 4 February 2007
}}</ref>

=== Courage ===
[[File:ElizabethIItroopingcolour.jpg|thumb|250px|The Queen with Prince Charles and Prince Philip at the "Trooping the Colour" in 1986, riding her favourite horse, Burmese.]]
The Queen has often shown courage, ever since she joined the military at 18. During a trip to [[Ghana]] in 1961, she was warned that it was dangerous to be near the President [[Kwame Nkrumah]] because people wanted to kill him. But she refused to stay away. The [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], [[Harold Macmillan]], wrote that the Queen got very impatient with people if they tried to treat her like "a film star".

In 1964, when the Queen was invited to [[Quebec]], there were fears for her safety because there was opposition to her visit. There were suggestions that the tour should be cancelled. But the Queen's secretary said that the Queen would not want to be stopped from going to Quebec because of any danger.<ref name="CRHT1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| title = Courage of the Queen
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| accessdate = 24 July 2007
| archive-date = 9 September 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070909224557/http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> During the Trooping the Colour in 1981, she was shot at, but she carried on. The Queen was praised for her courage and for her ability to keep her horse calm. It was later discovered that the shots were blanks. In 1982, a man called Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace in the morning, and found the Queen's bedroom. He woke her up, and sat on her bed, until the guards came to take him away.

=== Family relations ===
Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth II has been supported in her duties by her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip promised to help the Queen on the day of her Coronation. The Queen was also helped by her mother Queen Elizabeth, known as "The Queen Mother", who lived to be 101 years old, and stayed very active in her old-age. The Queen is the patron of many organisations and charities. She has many invitations and official duties. Many of the duties have been shared by other members of the Royal Family, who have also become patrons of many organisations.
[[File:Trooping the Colour, Saturday June 16th 2007.jpg|thumb|left|250px| The Queen and Prince Philip with some of their family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, 2007. On the left is Princess Eugenie, Prince William is talking to Viscount Linley. To the right is the Princess Royal, in Colonel's uniform.]]
The Queen was sad about the broken marriages and divorces of three of her children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew. Prince Charles's marriage to Lady Diana Spencer was thought to be a [[fairytale]] wedding because Diana was young and beautiful, and they seemed very happy. But soon the marriage became troubled, and after their divorce, she was killed in a car accident in 1997. On 9 April 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom he had loved for many years. In 2002, within seven weeks of each other, the Queen's mother and sister, Princess Margaret, both died on 30 March and 9 February respectively.

As the Queen is old, people worry about her health, but she is rarely sick{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}. However, she is leaving more duties to the younger members of the Royal Family, particularly to Prince Charles, who will become King when she dies.
[[File:Balmoral Castle.jpg|thumb|Balmoral Castle in Scotland is one of the Queen's homes.]]

=== Wealth ===
The Queen's wealth is private. It is difficult to estimate how much she is worth. She owns [[Sandringham House]], [[Balmoral Castle]], and other large properties. She does not own [[Buckingham Palace]], [[Windsor Castle]], or the royal collection of art. These are worth millions of pounds. In 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine estimated her personal fortune at about US$450 million (£300 million).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html | title = Richest Royals | website = [[Forbes]] |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103203953/http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html |archivedate = 2012-11-03 }}</ref>

== Jubilees ==
=== Silver Jubilee ===
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 25{{th}} [[anniversary]] of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/7/newsid_2562000/2562633.stm
| title = Queen celebrates Silver Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News: On This Day
}}</ref> There was a royal procession in the golden State Coach. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]]. Millions of people watched on television. There were parties across the UK. Five commemorative stamps were printed in honour of the event. The Jubilee line of the [[London Underground]] opened in 1979, named after the anniversary.

=== Golden Jubilee ===
In 2002, Elizabeth II celebrated Golden Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 50th anniversary of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/
| title = In Depth: The Golden Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News
}}</ref> She toured the Commonwealth countries. There was a pop concert in the gardens of [[Buckingham Palace]]. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]].

=== Diamond wedding anniversary ===
The Queen and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] celebrated their sixtieth (diamond) wedding anniversary on 19 November 2007, with a special service at [[Westminster Abbey]]. The night before, Prince Charles gave a private dinner party at [[Clarence House]] for twenty members of the Royal Family.

On the following day, 20 November, the Queen and Prince Philip went on a visit to [[Malta]], where they had stayed from 1949 to 1951 after getting married. A [[Royal Navy]] ship, which was nearby, got its sailors to line up on deck to form a big number '60' for the couple.

===Diamond Jubilee===
In 2012, the Queen's 60 years as monarch were marked by [[Diamond Jubilee]] celebrations, including a grand pageant of boats on the Thames<ref>Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, [http://www1.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ Key facts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605190353/http://www2.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ |date=2012-06-05 }}; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref> and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.<ref>Raynor, Gordon. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9297348/Diamond-Jubilee-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-given-key-role-in-service-at-St-Pauls.html "Diamond Jubilee: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge given key role in service at St Paul's,"] ''The Telegraph,'' 29 May 2012; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref>

=== Sapphire Jubilee and Platinum Wedding Anniversary ===
In 2017, the Sapphire Jubilee marked the Queen's 65 years as monarch. She was the first British monarch to have a Sapphire Jubilee. Instead of large celebrations, as usual, the Queen spent the day in "quiet reflection" because the day was also the anniversary of her father's death. Commemorative stamps and coins were made in honour of the Jubilee, and a portrait of the Queen wearing sapphire jewellery was reissued.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38872538|title=Gun salutes for Queen's Sapphire Jubilee|date=2017-02-06|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Also in 2017, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their seventieth (Platinum) wedding anniversary. They held a private celebration at Windsor Castle. Westminster Abbey, where they were married, held a three-hour bell ceremony.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/20/queen-prince-philip-portraits-platinum-wedding-70th-anniversary|title=Queen and Prince Philip portraits released to mark 70th anniversary|last=Association|first=Press|date=2017-11-20|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

=== Platinum Jubilee ===
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was held in February 2022, meaning she has been Queen for 70 years.<ref>{{Citation |title=Queen's Platinum Jubilee to include extra bank holiday |date=12 November 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54911550 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> She would surpass [[Louis XIV]] of [[Kingdom of France|France]] as the [[List of longest-reigning monarchs|longest-reigning monarch]] of a sovereign state in world history if she is still Queen on 27 May 2024.<ref>{{Citation |last=Elledge |first=Jonn |title=Queen Elizabeth II is about to become Britain's longest reigning monarch, so here are some charts |date=9 September 2015 |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/09/queen-elizabeth-ii-about-become-britains-longest-reigning-monarch-so-here-are |work=New Statesman |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref>

== Titles and styles ==
When someone is talking about the Queen, she is called "The Queen" or "Her Majesty". When someone is talking to her, she is called "Your Majesty". After the first time, the person talking to the Queen can say "Ma'am". It is pronounced "Marm". These are the titles that she has had:
* '''21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936''': ''Her Royal Highness'' Princess Elizabeth of York
* '''11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth
* '''20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
* '''6 February 1952 – present''': ''Her Majesty The Queen''

[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg|thumb|The royal coat of arms of the [[United Kingdom]]]]
[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Scotland).svg|thumb|The royal arms for use in Scotland]]
The Queen has several [[coat of arms|coats of arms]]. In the UK, they are known as the "Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom". Every British monarch has used these arms since the reign of Queen Victoria. The coats of arms used in [[Scotland]] and [[Canada]] are different to the arms used in England and Wales.

Elizabeth II is:
* Queen of [[Antigua and Barbuda]]
* Queen of [[Australia]]
* Queen of The [[Bahamas]]
* Queen of [[Belize]]
* Queen of [[Canada]]
* Queen of [[Grenada]]
* Queen of [[Jamaica]]
* Queen of [[New Zealand]]
* Queen of [[Papua New Guinea]]
* Queen of [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]
* Queen of [[Saint Lucia]]
* Queen of [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
* Queen of [[Solomon Islands]]
* Queen of [[Tuvalu]]
* Queen of the [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]]
{{clear}}

== Children ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Birth !!colspan="2"| Marriage !! Divorce !! Issue
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles, Prince of Wales]] || rowspan="2" | 14 November 1948 || 29 July 1981 || [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Lady Diana Spencer]] || 28 August 1996 || [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]] [[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex]]
|-
| 9 April 2005 || [[Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla Parker Bowles]] || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne, Princess Royal]] || rowspan="2" | 15 August 1950 || 14 November 1973 || Captain [[Mark Phillips]] || 28 April 1992 || [[Peter Phillips]] [[Zara Tindall]]
|-
| 12 December 1992 || [[Timothy Laurence]] || ||
|-
| [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] || 19 February 1960 || 23 July 1986 || [[Sarah, Duchess of York|Sarah Ferguson]] || 30 May 1996 || [[Princess Beatrice of York]] [[Princess Eugenie of York]]
|-
| [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] || 10 March 1964 || 19 June 1999 || [[Sophie, Countess of Wessex|Sophie Rhys-Jones]] || || [[Lady Louise Windsor]] [[James, Viscount Severn]]
|}

== Ancestors ==
{{pedigree chart
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
|1='''Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom'''
|2=[[George VI of the United Kingdom]]
|3=[[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon]]
|4=[[George V of the United Kingdom]]
|5=[[Mary of Teck]]
|6=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|7=[[Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|8=[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom]]
|9=[[Alexandra of Denmark]]
|10=[[Francis, Duke of Teck]]
|11=[[Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge]]
|12=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|13=[[Frances Dora Smith]]
|14=[[Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|15=[[Caroline Louisa Burnaby]]
|16=[[Victoria of the United Kingdom]]
|17=[[Albert the Prince Consort]]
|18=[[Christian IX of Denmark]]
|19=[[Louise of Hesse-Cassel]]
|20=[[Duke Alexander of Württemberg]]
|21=[[Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde]]
|22=[[Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge]]
|23=[[Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel]]
|24=[[Thomas George Lyon-Bowes, Lord Glamis]]
|25=[[Charlotte Lyon-Bowes, Lady Glamis]](née Grimstead)
|26=[[Oswald Smith]]
|27=[[Henrietta Mildred Hodgson]]
|28=Lieutenant-Colonel [[Lord William Charles Augustus Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|29=[[Anne Wellesley]]
|30=[[Edwyn Burnaby, High Sheriff of Leicestershire|Edwyn Burnaby]]
|31=[[Anne Caroline Salisbury]]
}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=fn}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book| last = Bond| first = Jennie| title = Elizabeth: Fifty Glorious Years| url = https://archive.org/details/elizabethfiftygl0000bond| year = 2002| publisher = Readers Digest| isbn = 978-0-7621-0369-0 }}
* {{cite book| last = Erickson| first = Carolly| title = Lilibet: An Intimate Portrait of Elizabeth II| url = https://archive.org/details/lilibetintimatep00caro_0| year = 2004| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-28734-4 }}
* {{cite book| last = Pimlott| first = Ben| title = The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy| url = https://archive.org/details/queenelizabethii0000piml_c9b6| year = 2002 }}
* {{cite book| last = Waller| first = Maureen| title = Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power--The Six Reigning Queens of England| url = https://archive.org/details/sovereignladiess00wall| year = 2007| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-33801-5 }}

== Other websites ==
{{Commons category|Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{wikisource author}}
* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/ Official website]
* [http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html Elizabeth II: Modern Monarch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615120604/http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html |date=2006-06-15 }}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/ BBC Coverage of The Queens Golden Jubilee (2002) including AUDIO/VIDEO coverage]

{{British princesses}}
{{British monarchs}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 1951–1975}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elizabeth 02 United Kingdom}}
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Current national leaders]]
[[Category:English Anglicans]]
[[Category:House of Windsor]]
[[Category:Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Nishan-e-Pakistan]]
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[[Category:Royalty from London]]
[[Category:Time People of the Year]]
[[Category:Elizabeth II| ]]

Elizabeth II

2022-09-09T08:12:18Z

2405:201:400A:8836:F09C:C309:8CC7:8ED4: /* Personal life */

[[Image:Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in her 89th year in March 2015.]]
'''Elizabeth II''' (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926 and died on 08 September 2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |title=Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |work=Connected to India |date=8 September 2022|accessdate=8 September 2022}}</ref> is the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Queen of the United Kingdom]], and the other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth realms]].<ref>[[British overseas territories|13 UK Overseas Territories]] and three [[Crown dependencies|Crown Dependencies]]. She is also the [[monarch]] of 15 other [[countries]]: [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Jamaica]], [[Barbados]], the [[Bahamas]], [[Grenada]], [[Papua New Guinea]], the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Tuvalu]], [[Saint Lucia]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], [[Antigua and Barbuda]], [[Belize]], and [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]].</ref>

She became Queen when her father, [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]], died on 6 February 1952. Since 9 September 2015, Elizabeth II has ruled longer than any other [[king]] or queen in the [[history]] of the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/elizabeth-set-to-beat-victorias-record-as-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-history_n_5777134.html|title=Elizabeth Set To Beat Victoria's Record As Longest Reigning Monarch In British History|work=The Huffington Post|date=6 September 2014|accessdate=28 September 2014}}</ref> She has also ruled longer than any other living [[Monarch|king or queen]] in the world, since the death of [[Thailand]]'s [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] on 13 October 2016.

The countries of which she is Queen are known as Commonwealth realms. Their total population is over 129 million. Although Elizabeth II is the queen of each country separately, all are independent countries. Elizabeth II lives and spends most of her time in the United Kingdom. In all the other countries where she is queen, a person is chosen to represent her. This person may be known as the [[Governor General]].

Elizabeth II has few political powers, and is not a ruler in the usual sense. She is Queen and interested in the running of her countries, but she does not tell the [[government]]s what to do. She has regular meetings with people from her governments, but it is they who run the countries. She performs ceremonies for the governments, gives out honours, and visits and supports many [[Charitable organization|charities]].

In 1947, the Queen married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], who died in 2021. The Queen and Prince Philip had four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

== Early life ==
Elizabeth was born in her grandparents' home at 17 Bruton Street, [[Mayfair]], [[London]] on 21 April 1926. Her father was Prince Albert, Duke of York, who later became George VI. His brother was the [[Prince of Wales]]. Her mother was Elizabeth, Duchess of York.

[[File:Queen Mary with Princess Elizabeth and Margaret.jpg|thumb|left|Princess Elizabeth with Queen Mary and Princess Margaret]]

Princess Elizabeth was the granddaughter of [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] and Queen Mary. She was named after her mother. Her nickname was "Lilibet".

Princess Elizabeth had one sister, [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]]. Margaret was born in 1930. The two young princesses were taught at home. They had a [[governess]] named Marion Crawford.

Princess Elizabeth was third in the [[line of succession to the British Throne]]. The first in line was her uncle, the Prince of Wales. The second in line was her father, the Duke of York. She was third in line.

Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, died in 1936. Her uncle became [[Edward VIII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VIII]]. He was king only for a short time. He [[abdication|abdicated]].

His brother, Elizabeth's father the Duke of York, became [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]]. One day, Princess Elizabeth would be Queen.

Elizabeth was 13 years old when [[World War II]] started. [[London]] was bombed. Elizabeth and Margaret were moved to [[Windsor Castle]]. This was for their safety. People thought that they should be sent to [[Canada]]. Their mother did not approve this idea.

Princess Elizabeth joined the British army in 1945. She drove a truck. She was a mechanic. In 1947, she made her first official trip outside Britain. She went with her parents to [[South Africa]]. She made a speech on her 21st birthday. She said her whole life would be devoted to the service of British Commonwealth and Empire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.today/2005.10.01-035431/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4098.asp|title=Historic speeches: 21st birthday speech|publisher=British Monarchy Official Website|accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Princess Elizabeth married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] on 20 November 1947. The wedding was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. The couple lived mostly at [[Clarence House]] in London. The couple has four children; [[Charles, Prince of Wales]] was born 14 November 1948. Their second child is a daughter. She is [[Anne, Princess Royal]]. She was born 15 August 1950. The Royal couple had two more sons. [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] was born 19 February 1960. [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] was born 10 March 1964. The princes and princess sometimes use the name Mountbatten-Windsor. This is their official last name when they need one (royal families rarely use them).<ref>Prince of Wales's press office.</ref> Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021 at [[Windsor Castle]], aged 99.

In February 2022, Elizabeth II tested positive for [[COVID-19]] after having cold-like symptoms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Dulcie |last2=Durbin |first2=Adam |title=The Queen tests positive for Covid |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60453566 |access-date=20 February 2022 |work=BBC News |agency=BBC News |publisher=BBC News |date=20 February 2022}}</ref>

[[Queen Elizabeth II]], the United Kingdom's longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral in Scotland aged 96.<ref>{{cite news |title=
Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |work=Connected to India |date=08 September 2022}}</ref>

== Succession ==
[[File:Elizabeth and Philip 1953.jpg|thumb|Elizabeth II in 1953]]

In 1951, the King's health was poor. He could not go to many public events. Princess Elizabeth started to make official visits for him. The King died on 6 February 1952.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Lacey| first1 = Robert| last2 = Comp| first2 = Robert Lacey| title = Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor| url = https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace| year = 1977| publisher = New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich| isbn = 978-0-15-155684-7| page = [https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace/page/150 150] }}</ref> Elizabeth was crowned Queen on 2 June 1953. The ceremony was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. She wore a dress that was decorated with the national flowers of the countries of the Commonwealth.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| last1=Cotton| first1=Belinda| last2=Ramsey| first2=Ron| title=By Appointment: Norman Hartnell's sample for the Coronation dress of Queen Elizabeth II| publisher=National Gallery of Australia| access-date=12 February 2010| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120530044811/http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| archive-date=30 May 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> Many people bought TV sets to watch the event.

== Life as Queen ==
In 1952, Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip moved into [[Buckingham Palace]] in central London. This is the main official home of the monarch.

Her early years as Queen were spent traveling to many places. In 1953, the Queen and Prince Philip began an around the world tour in the Royal Yacht, ''Britannia''. Their tour went for 6 months. She was the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

In October 1957, she made an official visit to the [[United States]]. She spoke to the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. She toured [[Canada]]. She became the first monarch to open the nation's [[Parliament]]. The Queen likes to go to Canada. She calls Canada her "home away from home".<ref name="CRHT2">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| title = Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
| accessdate = 6 March 2007
| archive-date = 3 February 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070203130727/http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|title=1964 Quebec visit – speech|publisher=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030725125811/http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|archive-date=2003-07-25}}</ref>

In February 1961, she visited [[India]], [[Iran]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]] for the first time. Since then, the Queen has made visits to most Commonwealth countries. She has also been to most European countries and many countries outside [[Europe]].<ref name=chal/>

In 1991, she became the first British monarch to speak to a joint session of the [[United States Congress]]. She goes to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. She is the most widely traveled head of state in history.<ref name="chal">{{cite web
| author = Challands, Sarah
| title = Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 80th birthday
| date = 25 April 2006
| publisher = CTV Television Network News
| url = http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| accessdate = 13 June 2007
| archiveurl = https://archive.is/20120530044819/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| archivedate = 30 May 2012
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode
| title = The Real Queen
| date = 1 January 2002}}</ref>

=== Changes to the Commonwealth ===
[[File:Personal flag of Queen Elizabeth II.svg|thumb|The Queen's personal standard, which is used in her role as Head of the Commonwealth.]]

When Elizabeth became Queen on 6 February 1952, she was officially Queen of the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[Pakistan]] and Ceylon (now called [[Sri Lanka]]). These were the Commonwealth countries. She was also Queen of the Union of [[South Africa]] (which became a republic in 1961).

There were many more countries that she also ruled, because they belonged to the British Empire. One by one, many of the countries became independent, and as they gained independence she became Queen of many of them. Altogether, she was sovereign of 32 nations.

Some of the countries are now republics and have a [[president]] as "Head of State", while some of them keep the Queen as "Head of State". Queen Elizabeth II is the only monarch of more than one independent nation. The old British Empire became the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].

It includes both monarchies and republics. It is now called "The Commonwealth". The Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth. She works hard to keep peace and good communication between all the nations that are members.

=== Relationships with her governments and other countries ===
Ever since she became the Queen, Elizabeth has spent about three hours every day "doing the boxes". The "boxes" are two large red boxes that are brought to her from the Parliament every day. They are full of state papers sent to her from her various departments, embassies, and government offices.<ref>Information supplied by the Royal Household to a parliamentary inquiry into the workings of the monarchy in the early 1970s.</ref> One of the most famous photos taken of Elizabeth as a teenager shows her with her father, the King, learning about "the boxes". Because she has been doing this since 1952, she knows a great deal about the government of the UK.

[[File:Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace, 07 Mar 2006.jpeg|thumb|At a state banquet at Buckingham palace, Her Majesty wears the Grand Collar of the [[Brazil]]ian ''Order of the Southern Cross'' and a necklace of Brazilian aquamarines.]]

When the Queen is in London, she meets her [[Prime Minister]] once a week, to talk about events. She also has meetings with the [[First Minister of Scotland]] and other Ministers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the [[Prime Minister]]s and [[Minister (government)|Minister]]s of other countries, when she is in their country, or when they visit London.

In the late 1990s, there were "referendums" in which the people of Scotland and Wales were asked if they wanted parliaments that were separate from the parliament of the United Kingdom. This was called a "devolution policy". As a result, the new Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly of Wales, were set up. The Queen opened the first sessions of these two bodies.

Recently, some people in Australia wanted a [[republic]], with an elected or appointed president as Head of State instead of the Queen. In 1999, the people of Australia were asked in a referendum whether they wanted a republic. The decision of the people was to remain a monarchy. The Queen visited Australia the following year and said that she would continue to serve Australians as she had done for 48 years.

Elizabeth II is friends with many world leaders. Her first Prime Minister of Australia, Sir [[Robert Menzies]] called her "My Dear" and recited a poem that said "I will love her till I die". She has friendships with [[Mary Robinson]], President of Ireland (1990-1997) and [[George W. Bush]], who was the first [[President of the United States|American President]] in more than 80 years to stay at Buckingham Palace. [[Nelson Mandela]], in a BBC documentary, called her "my friend, Elizabeth".

In May 2007, the Queen and Prince Philip made a state visit to the [[United States]], in honour of the 400th anniversary of the [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] settlement.

== The Queen as a person ==
[[File:Queen Elisabeth II.JPG|thumb|left|Queen Elizabeth on a "walkabout" to meet members of the public]]
=== Faith and duty ===
Elizabeth II, as the Monarch of the United Kingdom, is the "Supreme Governor" of the [[Church of England]] and sworn protector of the [[Church of Scotland]]. She is very interested in the Church of England, but the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] runs the church. She rarely attends the yearly meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Queen is deeply religious. In her Christmas Day television broadcast in 2000, she said:
{{cquote|To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://archive.today/2005.12.24-062105/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4656.asp
| title = Historic speeches: Christmas Broadcast 2000
| author = Elizabeth II
| date=25 December 2000
| publisher = British Monarchy Official Website
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
}}</ref>}}

The Queen regularly goes to church wherever she is: at St. George's Chapel at [[Windsor Castle]], St. Mary Magdalene Church at [[Sandringham House]], Crathie Kirk at [[Balmoral Castle]], and Canongate Kirk in [[Edinburgh]], when she stays there in [[Holyroodhouse]], her official home in Scotland.

The Queen often meets with leaders from other religions as well. In 1980, she became the first British Monarch to visit the Vatican, where she was welcomed by [[Pope John Paul II]]. She made another visit twenty years later on 17 October 2000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_3966000/3966411.stm On this Day, 17 October 1980]</ref> Queen Elizabeth II is Patron of "The Council of Christians and Jews" in the UK.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| title = Presidents, Vice Presidents and Board
| publisher = Council of Christians and Jews
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
| archive-date = 9 July 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090709092912/http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

The Queen has shown a very strong sense of duty, ever since she was a girl. Her father, King George VI, was not meant to be king. Her uncle became king when her grandfather died. But he fell in love with an American woman who was divorced, and that wasn't allowed. So he had to give up being king very shortly after ascending. George VI didn't want to be king, because he was quite nervous and had a stammer. However, Elizabeth's grandfather said that he didn't think her uncle was very good as a king, and wanted George to reign, then Elizabeth. From the moment she realised that one day she would be Queen, she became very interested in her duties and did all she could to help her father. Her promise to serve her people all her life has always been very important to her. Some people think that now that she is old, perhaps she will retire ("abdicate") and let her son Prince Charles take over. People who know her well, including Prince Charles, have said that this will never happen.<ref>
{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4921120.stm
| title = Queen 'will do her job for life'
| publisher = BBC News
| date=19 April 2006
| accessdate = 4 February 2007
}}</ref>

=== Courage ===
[[File:ElizabethIItroopingcolour.jpg|thumb|250px|The Queen with Prince Charles and Prince Philip at the "Trooping the Colour" in 1986, riding her favourite horse, Burmese.]]
The Queen has often shown courage, ever since she joined the military at 18. During a trip to [[Ghana]] in 1961, she was warned that it was dangerous to be near the President [[Kwame Nkrumah]] because people wanted to kill him. But she refused to stay away. The [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], [[Harold Macmillan]], wrote that the Queen got very impatient with people if they tried to treat her like "a film star".

In 1964, when the Queen was invited to [[Quebec]], there were fears for her safety because there was opposition to her visit. There were suggestions that the tour should be cancelled. But the Queen's secretary said that the Queen would not want to be stopped from going to Quebec because of any danger.<ref name="CRHT1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| title = Courage of the Queen
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| accessdate = 24 July 2007
| archive-date = 9 September 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070909224557/http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> During the Trooping the Colour in 1981, she was shot at, but she carried on. The Queen was praised for her courage and for her ability to keep her horse calm. It was later discovered that the shots were blanks. In 1982, a man called Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace in the morning, and found the Queen's bedroom. He woke her up, and sat on her bed, until the guards came to take him away.

=== Family relations ===
Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth II has been supported in her duties by her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip promised to help the Queen on the day of her Coronation. The Queen was also helped by her mother Queen Elizabeth, known as "The Queen Mother", who lived to be 101 years old, and stayed very active in her old-age. The Queen is the patron of many organisations and charities. She has many invitations and official duties. Many of the duties have been shared by other members of the Royal Family, who have also become patrons of many organisations.
[[File:Trooping the Colour, Saturday June 16th 2007.jpg|thumb|left|250px| The Queen and Prince Philip with some of their family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, 2007. On the left is Princess Eugenie, Prince William is talking to Viscount Linley. To the right is the Princess Royal, in Colonel's uniform.]]
The Queen was sad about the broken marriages and divorces of three of her children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew. Prince Charles's marriage to Lady Diana Spencer was thought to be a [[fairytale]] wedding because Diana was young and beautiful, and they seemed very happy. But soon the marriage became troubled, and after their divorce, she was killed in a car accident in 1997. On 9 April 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom he had loved for many years. In 2002, within seven weeks of each other, the Queen's mother and sister, Princess Margaret, both died on 30 March and 9 February respectively.

As the Queen is old, people worry about her health, but she is rarely sick{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}. However, she is leaving more duties to the younger members of the Royal Family, particularly to Prince Charles, who will become King when she dies.
[[File:Balmoral Castle.jpg|thumb|Balmoral Castle in Scotland is one of the Queen's homes.]]

=== Wealth ===
The Queen's wealth is private. It is difficult to estimate how much she is worth. She owns [[Sandringham House]], [[Balmoral Castle]], and other large properties. She does not own [[Buckingham Palace]], [[Windsor Castle]], or the royal collection of art. These are worth millions of pounds. In 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine estimated her personal fortune at about US$450 million (£300 million).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html | title = Richest Royals | website = [[Forbes]] |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103203953/http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html |archivedate = 2012-11-03 }}</ref>

== Jubilees ==
=== Silver Jubilee ===
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 25{{th}} [[anniversary]] of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/7/newsid_2562000/2562633.stm
| title = Queen celebrates Silver Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News: On This Day
}}</ref> There was a royal procession in the golden State Coach. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]]. Millions of people watched on television. There were parties across the UK. Five commemorative stamps were printed in honour of the event. The Jubilee line of the [[London Underground]] opened in 1979, named after the anniversary.

=== Golden Jubilee ===
In 2002, Elizabeth II celebrated Golden Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 50th anniversary of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/
| title = In Depth: The Golden Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News
}}</ref> She toured the Commonwealth countries. There was a pop concert in the gardens of [[Buckingham Palace]]. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]].

=== Diamond wedding anniversary ===
The Queen and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] celebrated their sixtieth (diamond) wedding anniversary on 19 November 2007, with a special service at [[Westminster Abbey]]. The night before, Prince Charles gave a private dinner party at [[Clarence House]] for twenty members of the Royal Family.

On the following day, 20 November, the Queen and Prince Philip went on a visit to [[Malta]], where they had stayed from 1949 to 1951 after getting married. A [[Royal Navy]] ship, which was nearby, got its sailors to line up on deck to form a big number '60' for the couple.

===Diamond Jubilee===
In 2012, the Queen's 60 years as monarch were marked by [[Diamond Jubilee]] celebrations, including a grand pageant of boats on the Thames<ref>Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, [http://www1.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ Key facts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605190353/http://www2.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ |date=2012-06-05 }}; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref> and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.<ref>Raynor, Gordon. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9297348/Diamond-Jubilee-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-given-key-role-in-service-at-St-Pauls.html "Diamond Jubilee: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge given key role in service at St Paul's,"] ''The Telegraph,'' 29 May 2012; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref>

=== Sapphire Jubilee and Platinum Wedding Anniversary ===
In 2017, the Sapphire Jubilee marked the Queen's 65 years as monarch. She was the first British monarch to have a Sapphire Jubilee. Instead of large celebrations, as usual, the Queen spent the day in "quiet reflection" because the day was also the anniversary of her father's death. Commemorative stamps and coins were made in honour of the Jubilee, and a portrait of the Queen wearing sapphire jewellery was reissued.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38872538|title=Gun salutes for Queen's Sapphire Jubilee|date=2017-02-06|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Also in 2017, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their seventieth (Platinum) wedding anniversary. They held a private celebration at Windsor Castle. Westminster Abbey, where they were married, held a three-hour bell ceremony.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/20/queen-prince-philip-portraits-platinum-wedding-70th-anniversary|title=Queen and Prince Philip portraits released to mark 70th anniversary|last=Association|first=Press|date=2017-11-20|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

=== Platinum Jubilee ===
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was held in February 2022, meaning she has been Queen for 70 years.<ref>{{Citation |title=Queen's Platinum Jubilee to include extra bank holiday |date=12 November 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54911550 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> She would surpass [[Louis XIV]] of [[Kingdom of France|France]] as the [[List of longest-reigning monarchs|longest-reigning monarch]] of a sovereign state in world history if she is still Queen on 27 May 2024.<ref>{{Citation |last=Elledge |first=Jonn |title=Queen Elizabeth II is about to become Britain's longest reigning monarch, so here are some charts |date=9 September 2015 |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/09/queen-elizabeth-ii-about-become-britains-longest-reigning-monarch-so-here-are |work=New Statesman |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref>

== Titles and styles ==
When someone is talking about the Queen, she is called "The Queen" or "Her Majesty". When someone is talking to her, she is called "Your Majesty". After the first time, the person talking to the Queen can say "Ma'am". It is pronounced "Marm". These are the titles that she has had:
* '''21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936''': ''Her Royal Highness'' Princess Elizabeth of York
* '''11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth
* '''20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
* '''6 February 1952 – present''': ''Her Majesty The Queen''

[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg|thumb|The royal coat of arms of the [[United Kingdom]]]]
[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Scotland).svg|thumb|The royal arms for use in Scotland]]
The Queen has several [[coat of arms|coats of arms]]. In the UK, they are known as the "Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom". Every British monarch has used these arms since the reign of Queen Victoria. The coats of arms used in [[Scotland]] and [[Canada]] are different to the arms used in England and Wales.

Elizabeth II is:
* Queen of [[Antigua and Barbuda]]
* Queen of [[Australia]]
* Queen of The [[Bahamas]]
* Queen of [[Belize]]
* Queen of [[Canada]]
* Queen of [[Grenada]]
* Queen of [[Jamaica]]
* Queen of [[New Zealand]]
* Queen of [[Papua New Guinea]]
* Queen of [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]
* Queen of [[Saint Lucia]]
* Queen of [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
* Queen of [[Solomon Islands]]
* Queen of [[Tuvalu]]
* Queen of the [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]]
{{clear}}

== Children ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Birth !!colspan="2"| Marriage !! Divorce !! Issue
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles, Prince of Wales]] || rowspan="2" | 14 November 1948 || 29 July 1981 || [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Lady Diana Spencer]] || 28 August 1996 || [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]] [[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex]]
|-
| 9 April 2005 || [[Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla Parker Bowles]] || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne, Princess Royal]] || rowspan="2" | 15 August 1950 || 14 November 1973 || Captain [[Mark Phillips]] || 28 April 1992 || [[Peter Phillips]] [[Zara Tindall]]
|-
| 12 December 1992 || [[Timothy Laurence]] || ||
|-
| [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] || 19 February 1960 || 23 July 1986 || [[Sarah, Duchess of York|Sarah Ferguson]] || 30 May 1996 || [[Princess Beatrice of York]] [[Princess Eugenie of York]]
|-
| [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] || 10 March 1964 || 19 June 1999 || [[Sophie, Countess of Wessex|Sophie Rhys-Jones]] || || [[Lady Louise Windsor]] [[James, Viscount Severn]]
|}

== Ancestors ==
{{pedigree chart
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
|1='''Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom'''
|2=[[George VI of the United Kingdom]]
|3=[[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon]]
|4=[[George V of the United Kingdom]]
|5=[[Mary of Teck]]
|6=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|7=[[Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|8=[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom]]
|9=[[Alexandra of Denmark]]
|10=[[Francis, Duke of Teck]]
|11=[[Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge]]
|12=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|13=[[Frances Dora Smith]]
|14=[[Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|15=[[Caroline Louisa Burnaby]]
|16=[[Victoria of the United Kingdom]]
|17=[[Albert the Prince Consort]]
|18=[[Christian IX of Denmark]]
|19=[[Louise of Hesse-Cassel]]
|20=[[Duke Alexander of Württemberg]]
|21=[[Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde]]
|22=[[Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge]]
|23=[[Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel]]
|24=[[Thomas George Lyon-Bowes, Lord Glamis]]
|25=[[Charlotte Lyon-Bowes, Lady Glamis]](née Grimstead)
|26=[[Oswald Smith]]
|27=[[Henrietta Mildred Hodgson]]
|28=Lieutenant-Colonel [[Lord William Charles Augustus Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|29=[[Anne Wellesley]]
|30=[[Edwyn Burnaby, High Sheriff of Leicestershire|Edwyn Burnaby]]
|31=[[Anne Caroline Salisbury]]
}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=fn}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book| last = Bond| first = Jennie| title = Elizabeth: Fifty Glorious Years| url = https://archive.org/details/elizabethfiftygl0000bond| year = 2002| publisher = Readers Digest| isbn = 978-0-7621-0369-0 }}
* {{cite book| last = Erickson| first = Carolly| title = Lilibet: An Intimate Portrait of Elizabeth II| url = https://archive.org/details/lilibetintimatep00caro_0| year = 2004| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-28734-4 }}
* {{cite book| last = Pimlott| first = Ben| title = The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy| url = https://archive.org/details/queenelizabethii0000piml_c9b6| year = 2002 }}
* {{cite book| last = Waller| first = Maureen| title = Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power--The Six Reigning Queens of England| url = https://archive.org/details/sovereignladiess00wall| year = 2007| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-33801-5 }}

== Other websites ==
{{Commons category|Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{wikisource author}}
* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/ Official website]
* [http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html Elizabeth II: Modern Monarch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615120604/http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html |date=2006-06-15 }}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/ BBC Coverage of The Queens Golden Jubilee (2002) including AUDIO/VIDEO coverage]

{{British princesses}}
{{British monarchs}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 1951–1975}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elizabeth 02 United Kingdom}}
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Current national leaders]]
[[Category:English Anglicans]]
[[Category:House of Windsor]]
[[Category:Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Nishan-e-Pakistan]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Aztec Eagle]]
[[Category:Royalty from London]]
[[Category:Time People of the Year]]
[[Category:Elizabeth II| ]]

Elizabeth II

2022-09-09T08:04:37Z

2405:201:400A:8836:F09C:C309:8CC7:8ED4: /* Personal life */ death

[[Image:Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in her 89th year in March 2015.]]
'''Elizabeth II''' (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926 and died on 08 September 2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |title=Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |work=Connected to India |date=8 September 2022|accessdate=8 September 2022}}</ref> is the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Queen of the United Kingdom]], and the other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth realms]].<ref>[[British overseas territories|13 UK Overseas Territories]] and three [[Crown dependencies|Crown Dependencies]]. She is also the [[monarch]] of 15 other [[countries]]: [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Jamaica]], [[Barbados]], the [[Bahamas]], [[Grenada]], [[Papua New Guinea]], the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Tuvalu]], [[Saint Lucia]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], [[Antigua and Barbuda]], [[Belize]], and [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]].</ref>

She became Queen when her father, [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]], died on 6 February 1952. Since 9 September 2015, Elizabeth II has ruled longer than any other [[king]] or queen in the [[history]] of the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/elizabeth-set-to-beat-victorias-record-as-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-history_n_5777134.html|title=Elizabeth Set To Beat Victoria's Record As Longest Reigning Monarch In British History|work=The Huffington Post|date=6 September 2014|accessdate=28 September 2014}}</ref> She has also ruled longer than any other living [[Monarch|king or queen]] in the world, since the death of [[Thailand]]'s [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] on 13 October 2016.

The countries of which she is Queen are known as Commonwealth realms. Their total population is over 129 million. Although Elizabeth II is the queen of each country separately, all are independent countries. Elizabeth II lives and spends most of her time in the United Kingdom. In all the other countries where she is queen, a person is chosen to represent her. This person may be known as the [[Governor General]].

Elizabeth II has few political powers, and is not a ruler in the usual sense. She is Queen and interested in the running of her countries, but she does not tell the [[government]]s what to do. She has regular meetings with people from her governments, but it is they who run the countries. She performs ceremonies for the governments, gives out honours, and visits and supports many [[Charitable organization|charities]].

In 1947, the Queen married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], who died in 2021. The Queen and Prince Philip had four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

== Early life ==
Elizabeth was born in her grandparents' home at 17 Bruton Street, [[Mayfair]], [[London]] on 21 April 1926. Her father was Prince Albert, Duke of York, who later became George VI. His brother was the [[Prince of Wales]]. Her mother was Elizabeth, Duchess of York.

[[File:Queen Mary with Princess Elizabeth and Margaret.jpg|thumb|left|Princess Elizabeth with Queen Mary and Princess Margaret]]

Princess Elizabeth was the granddaughter of [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] and Queen Mary. She was named after her mother. Her nickname was "Lilibet".

Princess Elizabeth had one sister, [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]]. Margaret was born in 1930. The two young princesses were taught at home. They had a [[governess]] named Marion Crawford.

Princess Elizabeth was third in the [[line of succession to the British Throne]]. The first in line was her uncle, the Prince of Wales. The second in line was her father, the Duke of York. She was third in line.

Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, died in 1936. Her uncle became [[Edward VIII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VIII]]. He was king only for a short time. He [[abdication|abdicated]].

His brother, Elizabeth's father the Duke of York, became [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]]. One day, Princess Elizabeth would be Queen.

Elizabeth was 13 years old when [[World War II]] started. [[London]] was bombed. Elizabeth and Margaret were moved to [[Windsor Castle]]. This was for their safety. People thought that they should be sent to [[Canada]]. Their mother did not approve this idea.

Princess Elizabeth joined the British army in 1945. She drove a truck. She was a mechanic. In 1947, she made her first official trip outside Britain. She went with her parents to [[South Africa]]. She made a speech on her 21st birthday. She said her whole life would be devoted to the service of British Commonwealth and Empire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.today/2005.10.01-035431/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4098.asp|title=Historic speeches: 21st birthday speech|publisher=British Monarchy Official Website|accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Princess Elizabeth married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] on 20 November 1947. The wedding was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. The couple lived mostly at [[Clarence House]] in London. The couple has four children; [[Charles, Prince of Wales]] was born 14 November 1948. Their second child is a daughter. She is [[Anne, Princess Royal]]. She was born 15 August 1950. The Royal couple had two more sons. [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] was born 19 February 1960. [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] was born 10 March 1964. The princes and princess sometimes use the name Mountbatten-Windsor. This is their official last name when they need one (royal families rarely use them).<ref>Prince of Wales's press office.</ref> Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021 at [[Windsor Castle]], aged 99.

In February 2022, Elizabeth II tested positive for [[COVID-19]] after having cold-like symptoms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Dulcie |last2=Durbin |first2=Adam |title=The Queen tests positive for Covid |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60453566 |access-date=20 February 2022 |work=BBC News |agency=BBC News |publisher=BBC News |date=20 February 2022}}</ref>

[[Queen Elizabeth II]], the United Kingdom's longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral in Scotland aged 96.<ref>{{cite news |title=
Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |access-date=-08 September 2022 |work=Connected to India |date=08 September 2022}}</ref>

== Succession ==
[[File:Elizabeth and Philip 1953.jpg|thumb|Elizabeth II in 1953]]

In 1951, the King's health was poor. He could not go to many public events. Princess Elizabeth started to make official visits for him. The King died on 6 February 1952.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Lacey| first1 = Robert| last2 = Comp| first2 = Robert Lacey| title = Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor| url = https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace| year = 1977| publisher = New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich| isbn = 978-0-15-155684-7| page = [https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace/page/150 150] }}</ref> Elizabeth was crowned Queen on 2 June 1953. The ceremony was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. She wore a dress that was decorated with the national flowers of the countries of the Commonwealth.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| last1=Cotton| first1=Belinda| last2=Ramsey| first2=Ron| title=By Appointment: Norman Hartnell's sample for the Coronation dress of Queen Elizabeth II| publisher=National Gallery of Australia| access-date=12 February 2010| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120530044811/http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| archive-date=30 May 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> Many people bought TV sets to watch the event.

== Life as Queen ==
In 1952, Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip moved into [[Buckingham Palace]] in central London. This is the main official home of the monarch.

Her early years as Queen were spent traveling to many places. In 1953, the Queen and Prince Philip began an around the world tour in the Royal Yacht, ''Britannia''. Their tour went for 6 months. She was the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

In October 1957, she made an official visit to the [[United States]]. She spoke to the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. She toured [[Canada]]. She became the first monarch to open the nation's [[Parliament]]. The Queen likes to go to Canada. She calls Canada her "home away from home".<ref name="CRHT2">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| title = Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
| accessdate = 6 March 2007
| archive-date = 3 February 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070203130727/http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|title=1964 Quebec visit – speech|publisher=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030725125811/http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|archive-date=2003-07-25}}</ref>

In February 1961, she visited [[India]], [[Iran]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]] for the first time. Since then, the Queen has made visits to most Commonwealth countries. She has also been to most European countries and many countries outside [[Europe]].<ref name=chal/>

In 1991, she became the first British monarch to speak to a joint session of the [[United States Congress]]. She goes to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. She is the most widely traveled head of state in history.<ref name="chal">{{cite web
| author = Challands, Sarah
| title = Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 80th birthday
| date = 25 April 2006
| publisher = CTV Television Network News
| url = http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| accessdate = 13 June 2007
| archiveurl = https://archive.is/20120530044819/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| archivedate = 30 May 2012
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode
| title = The Real Queen
| date = 1 January 2002}}</ref>

=== Changes to the Commonwealth ===
[[File:Personal flag of Queen Elizabeth II.svg|thumb|The Queen's personal standard, which is used in her role as Head of the Commonwealth.]]

When Elizabeth became Queen on 6 February 1952, she was officially Queen of the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[Pakistan]] and Ceylon (now called [[Sri Lanka]]). These were the Commonwealth countries. She was also Queen of the Union of [[South Africa]] (which became a republic in 1961).

There were many more countries that she also ruled, because they belonged to the British Empire. One by one, many of the countries became independent, and as they gained independence she became Queen of many of them. Altogether, she was sovereign of 32 nations.

Some of the countries are now republics and have a [[president]] as "Head of State", while some of them keep the Queen as "Head of State". Queen Elizabeth II is the only monarch of more than one independent nation. The old British Empire became the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].

It includes both monarchies and republics. It is now called "The Commonwealth". The Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth. She works hard to keep peace and good communication between all the nations that are members.

=== Relationships with her governments and other countries ===
Ever since she became the Queen, Elizabeth has spent about three hours every day "doing the boxes". The "boxes" are two large red boxes that are brought to her from the Parliament every day. They are full of state papers sent to her from her various departments, embassies, and government offices.<ref>Information supplied by the Royal Household to a parliamentary inquiry into the workings of the monarchy in the early 1970s.</ref> One of the most famous photos taken of Elizabeth as a teenager shows her with her father, the King, learning about "the boxes". Because she has been doing this since 1952, she knows a great deal about the government of the UK.

[[File:Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace, 07 Mar 2006.jpeg|thumb|At a state banquet at Buckingham palace, Her Majesty wears the Grand Collar of the [[Brazil]]ian ''Order of the Southern Cross'' and a necklace of Brazilian aquamarines.]]

When the Queen is in London, she meets her [[Prime Minister]] once a week, to talk about events. She also has meetings with the [[First Minister of Scotland]] and other Ministers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the [[Prime Minister]]s and [[Minister (government)|Minister]]s of other countries, when she is in their country, or when they visit London.

In the late 1990s, there were "referendums" in which the people of Scotland and Wales were asked if they wanted parliaments that were separate from the parliament of the United Kingdom. This was called a "devolution policy". As a result, the new Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly of Wales, were set up. The Queen opened the first sessions of these two bodies.

Recently, some people in Australia wanted a [[republic]], with an elected or appointed president as Head of State instead of the Queen. In 1999, the people of Australia were asked in a referendum whether they wanted a republic. The decision of the people was to remain a monarchy. The Queen visited Australia the following year and said that she would continue to serve Australians as she had done for 48 years.

Elizabeth II is friends with many world leaders. Her first Prime Minister of Australia, Sir [[Robert Menzies]] called her "My Dear" and recited a poem that said "I will love her till I die". She has friendships with [[Mary Robinson]], President of Ireland (1990-1997) and [[George W. Bush]], who was the first [[President of the United States|American President]] in more than 80 years to stay at Buckingham Palace. [[Nelson Mandela]], in a BBC documentary, called her "my friend, Elizabeth".

In May 2007, the Queen and Prince Philip made a state visit to the [[United States]], in honour of the 400th anniversary of the [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] settlement.

== The Queen as a person ==
[[File:Queen Elisabeth II.JPG|thumb|left|Queen Elizabeth on a "walkabout" to meet members of the public]]
=== Faith and duty ===
Elizabeth II, as the Monarch of the United Kingdom, is the "Supreme Governor" of the [[Church of England]] and sworn protector of the [[Church of Scotland]]. She is very interested in the Church of England, but the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] runs the church. She rarely attends the yearly meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Queen is deeply religious. In her Christmas Day television broadcast in 2000, she said:
{{cquote|To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://archive.today/2005.12.24-062105/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4656.asp
| title = Historic speeches: Christmas Broadcast 2000
| author = Elizabeth II
| date=25 December 2000
| publisher = British Monarchy Official Website
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
}}</ref>}}

The Queen regularly goes to church wherever she is: at St. George's Chapel at [[Windsor Castle]], St. Mary Magdalene Church at [[Sandringham House]], Crathie Kirk at [[Balmoral Castle]], and Canongate Kirk in [[Edinburgh]], when she stays there in [[Holyroodhouse]], her official home in Scotland.

The Queen often meets with leaders from other religions as well. In 1980, she became the first British Monarch to visit the Vatican, where she was welcomed by [[Pope John Paul II]]. She made another visit twenty years later on 17 October 2000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_3966000/3966411.stm On this Day, 17 October 1980]</ref> Queen Elizabeth II is Patron of "The Council of Christians and Jews" in the UK.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| title = Presidents, Vice Presidents and Board
| publisher = Council of Christians and Jews
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
| archive-date = 9 July 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090709092912/http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

The Queen has shown a very strong sense of duty, ever since she was a girl. Her father, King George VI, was not meant to be king. Her uncle became king when her grandfather died. But he fell in love with an American woman who was divorced, and that wasn't allowed. So he had to give up being king very shortly after ascending. George VI didn't want to be king, because he was quite nervous and had a stammer. However, Elizabeth's grandfather said that he didn't think her uncle was very good as a king, and wanted George to reign, then Elizabeth. From the moment she realised that one day she would be Queen, she became very interested in her duties and did all she could to help her father. Her promise to serve her people all her life has always been very important to her. Some people think that now that she is old, perhaps she will retire ("abdicate") and let her son Prince Charles take over. People who know her well, including Prince Charles, have said that this will never happen.<ref>
{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4921120.stm
| title = Queen 'will do her job for life'
| publisher = BBC News
| date=19 April 2006
| accessdate = 4 February 2007
}}</ref>

=== Courage ===
[[File:ElizabethIItroopingcolour.jpg|thumb|250px|The Queen with Prince Charles and Prince Philip at the "Trooping the Colour" in 1986, riding her favourite horse, Burmese.]]
The Queen has often shown courage, ever since she joined the military at 18. During a trip to [[Ghana]] in 1961, she was warned that it was dangerous to be near the President [[Kwame Nkrumah]] because people wanted to kill him. But she refused to stay away. The [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], [[Harold Macmillan]], wrote that the Queen got very impatient with people if they tried to treat her like "a film star".

In 1964, when the Queen was invited to [[Quebec]], there were fears for her safety because there was opposition to her visit. There were suggestions that the tour should be cancelled. But the Queen's secretary said that the Queen would not want to be stopped from going to Quebec because of any danger.<ref name="CRHT1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| title = Courage of the Queen
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| accessdate = 24 July 2007
| archive-date = 9 September 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070909224557/http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> During the Trooping the Colour in 1981, she was shot at, but she carried on. The Queen was praised for her courage and for her ability to keep her horse calm. It was later discovered that the shots were blanks. In 1982, a man called Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace in the morning, and found the Queen's bedroom. He woke her up, and sat on her bed, until the guards came to take him away.

=== Family relations ===
Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth II has been supported in her duties by her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip promised to help the Queen on the day of her Coronation. The Queen was also helped by her mother Queen Elizabeth, known as "The Queen Mother", who lived to be 101 years old, and stayed very active in her old-age. The Queen is the patron of many organisations and charities. She has many invitations and official duties. Many of the duties have been shared by other members of the Royal Family, who have also become patrons of many organisations.
[[File:Trooping the Colour, Saturday June 16th 2007.jpg|thumb|left|250px| The Queen and Prince Philip with some of their family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, 2007. On the left is Princess Eugenie, Prince William is talking to Viscount Linley. To the right is the Princess Royal, in Colonel's uniform.]]
The Queen was sad about the broken marriages and divorces of three of her children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew. Prince Charles's marriage to Lady Diana Spencer was thought to be a [[fairytale]] wedding because Diana was young and beautiful, and they seemed very happy. But soon the marriage became troubled, and after their divorce, she was killed in a car accident in 1997. On 9 April 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom he had loved for many years. In 2002, within seven weeks of each other, the Queen's mother and sister, Princess Margaret, both died on 30 March and 9 February respectively.

As the Queen is old, people worry about her health, but she is rarely sick{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}. However, she is leaving more duties to the younger members of the Royal Family, particularly to Prince Charles, who will become King when she dies.
[[File:Balmoral Castle.jpg|thumb|Balmoral Castle in Scotland is one of the Queen's homes.]]

=== Wealth ===
The Queen's wealth is private. It is difficult to estimate how much she is worth. She owns [[Sandringham House]], [[Balmoral Castle]], and other large properties. She does not own [[Buckingham Palace]], [[Windsor Castle]], or the royal collection of art. These are worth millions of pounds. In 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine estimated her personal fortune at about US$450 million (£300 million).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html | title = Richest Royals | website = [[Forbes]] |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103203953/http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html |archivedate = 2012-11-03 }}</ref>

== Jubilees ==
=== Silver Jubilee ===
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 25{{th}} [[anniversary]] of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/7/newsid_2562000/2562633.stm
| title = Queen celebrates Silver Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News: On This Day
}}</ref> There was a royal procession in the golden State Coach. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]]. Millions of people watched on television. There were parties across the UK. Five commemorative stamps were printed in honour of the event. The Jubilee line of the [[London Underground]] opened in 1979, named after the anniversary.

=== Golden Jubilee ===
In 2002, Elizabeth II celebrated Golden Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 50th anniversary of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/
| title = In Depth: The Golden Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News
}}</ref> She toured the Commonwealth countries. There was a pop concert in the gardens of [[Buckingham Palace]]. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]].

=== Diamond wedding anniversary ===
The Queen and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] celebrated their sixtieth (diamond) wedding anniversary on 19 November 2007, with a special service at [[Westminster Abbey]]. The night before, Prince Charles gave a private dinner party at [[Clarence House]] for twenty members of the Royal Family.

On the following day, 20 November, the Queen and Prince Philip went on a visit to [[Malta]], where they had stayed from 1949 to 1951 after getting married. A [[Royal Navy]] ship, which was nearby, got its sailors to line up on deck to form a big number '60' for the couple.

===Diamond Jubilee===
In 2012, the Queen's 60 years as monarch were marked by [[Diamond Jubilee]] celebrations, including a grand pageant of boats on the Thames<ref>Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, [http://www1.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ Key facts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605190353/http://www2.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ |date=2012-06-05 }}; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref> and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.<ref>Raynor, Gordon. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9297348/Diamond-Jubilee-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-given-key-role-in-service-at-St-Pauls.html "Diamond Jubilee: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge given key role in service at St Paul's,"] ''The Telegraph,'' 29 May 2012; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref>

=== Sapphire Jubilee and Platinum Wedding Anniversary ===
In 2017, the Sapphire Jubilee marked the Queen's 65 years as monarch. She was the first British monarch to have a Sapphire Jubilee. Instead of large celebrations, as usual, the Queen spent the day in "quiet reflection" because the day was also the anniversary of her father's death. Commemorative stamps and coins were made in honour of the Jubilee, and a portrait of the Queen wearing sapphire jewellery was reissued.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38872538|title=Gun salutes for Queen's Sapphire Jubilee|date=2017-02-06|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Also in 2017, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their seventieth (Platinum) wedding anniversary. They held a private celebration at Windsor Castle. Westminster Abbey, where they were married, held a three-hour bell ceremony.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/20/queen-prince-philip-portraits-platinum-wedding-70th-anniversary|title=Queen and Prince Philip portraits released to mark 70th anniversary|last=Association|first=Press|date=2017-11-20|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

=== Platinum Jubilee ===
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was held in February 2022, meaning she has been Queen for 70 years.<ref>{{Citation |title=Queen's Platinum Jubilee to include extra bank holiday |date=12 November 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54911550 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> She would surpass [[Louis XIV]] of [[Kingdom of France|France]] as the [[List of longest-reigning monarchs|longest-reigning monarch]] of a sovereign state in world history if she is still Queen on 27 May 2024.<ref>{{Citation |last=Elledge |first=Jonn |title=Queen Elizabeth II is about to become Britain's longest reigning monarch, so here are some charts |date=9 September 2015 |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/09/queen-elizabeth-ii-about-become-britains-longest-reigning-monarch-so-here-are |work=New Statesman |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref>

== Titles and styles ==
When someone is talking about the Queen, she is called "The Queen" or "Her Majesty". When someone is talking to her, she is called "Your Majesty". After the first time, the person talking to the Queen can say "Ma'am". It is pronounced "Marm". These are the titles that she has had:
* '''21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936''': ''Her Royal Highness'' Princess Elizabeth of York
* '''11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth
* '''20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
* '''6 February 1952 – present''': ''Her Majesty The Queen''

[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg|thumb|The royal coat of arms of the [[United Kingdom]]]]
[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Scotland).svg|thumb|The royal arms for use in Scotland]]
The Queen has several [[coat of arms|coats of arms]]. In the UK, they are known as the "Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom". Every British monarch has used these arms since the reign of Queen Victoria. The coats of arms used in [[Scotland]] and [[Canada]] are different to the arms used in England and Wales.

Elizabeth II is:
* Queen of [[Antigua and Barbuda]]
* Queen of [[Australia]]
* Queen of The [[Bahamas]]
* Queen of [[Belize]]
* Queen of [[Canada]]
* Queen of [[Grenada]]
* Queen of [[Jamaica]]
* Queen of [[New Zealand]]
* Queen of [[Papua New Guinea]]
* Queen of [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]
* Queen of [[Saint Lucia]]
* Queen of [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
* Queen of [[Solomon Islands]]
* Queen of [[Tuvalu]]
* Queen of the [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]]
{{clear}}

== Children ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Birth !!colspan="2"| Marriage !! Divorce !! Issue
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles, Prince of Wales]] || rowspan="2" | 14 November 1948 || 29 July 1981 || [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Lady Diana Spencer]] || 28 August 1996 || [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]] [[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex]]
|-
| 9 April 2005 || [[Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla Parker Bowles]] || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne, Princess Royal]] || rowspan="2" | 15 August 1950 || 14 November 1973 || Captain [[Mark Phillips]] || 28 April 1992 || [[Peter Phillips]] [[Zara Tindall]]
|-
| 12 December 1992 || [[Timothy Laurence]] || ||
|-
| [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] || 19 February 1960 || 23 July 1986 || [[Sarah, Duchess of York|Sarah Ferguson]] || 30 May 1996 || [[Princess Beatrice of York]] [[Princess Eugenie of York]]
|-
| [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] || 10 March 1964 || 19 June 1999 || [[Sophie, Countess of Wessex|Sophie Rhys-Jones]] || || [[Lady Louise Windsor]] [[James, Viscount Severn]]
|}

== Ancestors ==
{{pedigree chart
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
|1='''Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom'''
|2=[[George VI of the United Kingdom]]
|3=[[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon]]
|4=[[George V of the United Kingdom]]
|5=[[Mary of Teck]]
|6=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|7=[[Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|8=[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom]]
|9=[[Alexandra of Denmark]]
|10=[[Francis, Duke of Teck]]
|11=[[Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge]]
|12=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|13=[[Frances Dora Smith]]
|14=[[Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|15=[[Caroline Louisa Burnaby]]
|16=[[Victoria of the United Kingdom]]
|17=[[Albert the Prince Consort]]
|18=[[Christian IX of Denmark]]
|19=[[Louise of Hesse-Cassel]]
|20=[[Duke Alexander of Württemberg]]
|21=[[Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde]]
|22=[[Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge]]
|23=[[Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel]]
|24=[[Thomas George Lyon-Bowes, Lord Glamis]]
|25=[[Charlotte Lyon-Bowes, Lady Glamis]](née Grimstead)
|26=[[Oswald Smith]]
|27=[[Henrietta Mildred Hodgson]]
|28=Lieutenant-Colonel [[Lord William Charles Augustus Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|29=[[Anne Wellesley]]
|30=[[Edwyn Burnaby, High Sheriff of Leicestershire|Edwyn Burnaby]]
|31=[[Anne Caroline Salisbury]]
}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=fn}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book| last = Bond| first = Jennie| title = Elizabeth: Fifty Glorious Years| url = https://archive.org/details/elizabethfiftygl0000bond| year = 2002| publisher = Readers Digest| isbn = 978-0-7621-0369-0 }}
* {{cite book| last = Erickson| first = Carolly| title = Lilibet: An Intimate Portrait of Elizabeth II| url = https://archive.org/details/lilibetintimatep00caro_0| year = 2004| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-28734-4 }}
* {{cite book| last = Pimlott| first = Ben| title = The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy| url = https://archive.org/details/queenelizabethii0000piml_c9b6| year = 2002 }}
* {{cite book| last = Waller| first = Maureen| title = Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power--The Six Reigning Queens of England| url = https://archive.org/details/sovereignladiess00wall| year = 2007| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-33801-5 }}

== Other websites ==
{{Commons category|Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{wikisource author}}
* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/ Official website]
* [http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html Elizabeth II: Modern Monarch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615120604/http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html |date=2006-06-15 }}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/ BBC Coverage of The Queens Golden Jubilee (2002) including AUDIO/VIDEO coverage]

{{British princesses}}
{{British monarchs}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 1951–1975}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elizabeth 02 United Kingdom}}
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Current national leaders]]
[[Category:English Anglicans]]
[[Category:House of Windsor]]
[[Category:Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Nishan-e-Pakistan]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Aztec Eagle]]
[[Category:Royalty from London]]
[[Category:Time People of the Year]]
[[Category:Elizabeth II| ]]

Elizabeth II

2022-09-09T07:59:45Z

2405:201:400A:8836:F09C:C309:8CC7:8ED4: /* Personal life */ death

[[Image:Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in her 89th year in March 2015.]]
'''Elizabeth II''' (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926 and died on 08 September 2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |title=Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |work=Connected to India |date=8 September 2022|accessdate=8 September 2022}}</ref> is the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Queen of the United Kingdom]], and the other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth realms]].<ref>[[British overseas territories|13 UK Overseas Territories]] and three [[Crown dependencies|Crown Dependencies]]. She is also the [[monarch]] of 15 other [[countries]]: [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Jamaica]], [[Barbados]], the [[Bahamas]], [[Grenada]], [[Papua New Guinea]], the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Tuvalu]], [[Saint Lucia]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], [[Antigua and Barbuda]], [[Belize]], and [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]].</ref>

She became Queen when her father, [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]], died on 6 February 1952. Since 9 September 2015, Elizabeth II has ruled longer than any other [[king]] or queen in the [[history]] of the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/elizabeth-set-to-beat-victorias-record-as-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-history_n_5777134.html|title=Elizabeth Set To Beat Victoria's Record As Longest Reigning Monarch In British History|work=The Huffington Post|date=6 September 2014|accessdate=28 September 2014}}</ref> She has also ruled longer than any other living [[Monarch|king or queen]] in the world, since the death of [[Thailand]]'s [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] on 13 October 2016.

The countries of which she is Queen are known as Commonwealth realms. Their total population is over 129 million. Although Elizabeth II is the queen of each country separately, all are independent countries. Elizabeth II lives and spends most of her time in the United Kingdom. In all the other countries where she is queen, a person is chosen to represent her. This person may be known as the [[Governor General]].

Elizabeth II has few political powers, and is not a ruler in the usual sense. She is Queen and interested in the running of her countries, but she does not tell the [[government]]s what to do. She has regular meetings with people from her governments, but it is they who run the countries. She performs ceremonies for the governments, gives out honours, and visits and supports many [[Charitable organization|charities]].

In 1947, the Queen married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], who died in 2021. The Queen and Prince Philip had four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

== Early life ==
Elizabeth was born in her grandparents' home at 17 Bruton Street, [[Mayfair]], [[London]] on 21 April 1926. Her father was Prince Albert, Duke of York, who later became George VI. His brother was the [[Prince of Wales]]. Her mother was Elizabeth, Duchess of York.

[[File:Queen Mary with Princess Elizabeth and Margaret.jpg|thumb|left|Princess Elizabeth with Queen Mary and Princess Margaret]]

Princess Elizabeth was the granddaughter of [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] and Queen Mary. She was named after her mother. Her nickname was "Lilibet".

Princess Elizabeth had one sister, [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]]. Margaret was born in 1930. The two young princesses were taught at home. They had a [[governess]] named Marion Crawford.

Princess Elizabeth was third in the [[line of succession to the British Throne]]. The first in line was her uncle, the Prince of Wales. The second in line was her father, the Duke of York. She was third in line.

Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, died in 1936. Her uncle became [[Edward VIII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VIII]]. He was king only for a short time. He [[abdication|abdicated]].

His brother, Elizabeth's father the Duke of York, became [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]]. One day, Princess Elizabeth would be Queen.

Elizabeth was 13 years old when [[World War II]] started. [[London]] was bombed. Elizabeth and Margaret were moved to [[Windsor Castle]]. This was for their safety. People thought that they should be sent to [[Canada]]. Their mother did not approve this idea.

Princess Elizabeth joined the British army in 1945. She drove a truck. She was a mechanic. In 1947, she made her first official trip outside Britain. She went with her parents to [[South Africa]]. She made a speech on her 21st birthday. She said her whole life would be devoted to the service of British Commonwealth and Empire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.today/2005.10.01-035431/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4098.asp|title=Historic speeches: 21st birthday speech|publisher=British Monarchy Official Website|accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Princess Elizabeth married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] on 20 November 1947. The wedding was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. The couple lived mostly at [[Clarence House]] in London. The couple has four children; [[Charles, Prince of Wales]] was born 14 November 1948. Their second child is a daughter. She is [[Anne, Princess Royal]]. She was born 15 August 1950. The Royal couple had two more sons. [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] was born 19 February 1960. [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] was born 10 March 1964. The princes and princess sometimes use the name Mountbatten-Windsor. This is their official last name when they need one (royal families rarely use them).<ref>Prince of Wales's press office.</ref> Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021 at [[Windsor Castle]], aged 99.

In February 2022, Elizabeth II tested positive for [[COVID-19]] after having cold-like symptoms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Dulcie |last2=Durbin |first2=Adam |title=The Queen tests positive for Covid |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60453566 |access-date=20 February 2022 |work=BBC News |agency=BBC News |publisher=BBC News |date=20 February 2022}}</ref>

[[[https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html Queen Elizabeth II]]], the United Kingdom's longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral in Scotland aged 96

== Succession ==
[[File:Elizabeth and Philip 1953.jpg|thumb|Elizabeth II in 1953]]

In 1951, the King's health was poor. He could not go to many public events. Princess Elizabeth started to make official visits for him. The King died on 6 February 1952.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Lacey| first1 = Robert| last2 = Comp| first2 = Robert Lacey| title = Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor| url = https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace| year = 1977| publisher = New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich| isbn = 978-0-15-155684-7| page = [https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace/page/150 150] }}</ref> Elizabeth was crowned Queen on 2 June 1953. The ceremony was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. She wore a dress that was decorated with the national flowers of the countries of the Commonwealth.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| last1=Cotton| first1=Belinda| last2=Ramsey| first2=Ron| title=By Appointment: Norman Hartnell's sample for the Coronation dress of Queen Elizabeth II| publisher=National Gallery of Australia| access-date=12 February 2010| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120530044811/http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| archive-date=30 May 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> Many people bought TV sets to watch the event.

== Life as Queen ==
In 1952, Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip moved into [[Buckingham Palace]] in central London. This is the main official home of the monarch.

Her early years as Queen were spent traveling to many places. In 1953, the Queen and Prince Philip began an around the world tour in the Royal Yacht, ''Britannia''. Their tour went for 6 months. She was the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

In October 1957, she made an official visit to the [[United States]]. She spoke to the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. She toured [[Canada]]. She became the first monarch to open the nation's [[Parliament]]. The Queen likes to go to Canada. She calls Canada her "home away from home".<ref name="CRHT2">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| title = Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
| accessdate = 6 March 2007
| archive-date = 3 February 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070203130727/http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|title=1964 Quebec visit – speech|publisher=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030725125811/http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|archive-date=2003-07-25}}</ref>

In February 1961, she visited [[India]], [[Iran]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]] for the first time. Since then, the Queen has made visits to most Commonwealth countries. She has also been to most European countries and many countries outside [[Europe]].<ref name=chal/>

In 1991, she became the first British monarch to speak to a joint session of the [[United States Congress]]. She goes to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. She is the most widely traveled head of state in history.<ref name="chal">{{cite web
| author = Challands, Sarah
| title = Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 80th birthday
| date = 25 April 2006
| publisher = CTV Television Network News
| url = http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| accessdate = 13 June 2007
| archiveurl = https://archive.is/20120530044819/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| archivedate = 30 May 2012
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode
| title = The Real Queen
| date = 1 January 2002}}</ref>

=== Changes to the Commonwealth ===
[[File:Personal flag of Queen Elizabeth II.svg|thumb|The Queen's personal standard, which is used in her role as Head of the Commonwealth.]]

When Elizabeth became Queen on 6 February 1952, she was officially Queen of the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[Pakistan]] and Ceylon (now called [[Sri Lanka]]). These were the Commonwealth countries. She was also Queen of the Union of [[South Africa]] (which became a republic in 1961).

There were many more countries that she also ruled, because they belonged to the British Empire. One by one, many of the countries became independent, and as they gained independence she became Queen of many of them. Altogether, she was sovereign of 32 nations.

Some of the countries are now republics and have a [[president]] as "Head of State", while some of them keep the Queen as "Head of State". Queen Elizabeth II is the only monarch of more than one independent nation. The old British Empire became the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].

It includes both monarchies and republics. It is now called "The Commonwealth". The Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth. She works hard to keep peace and good communication between all the nations that are members.

=== Relationships with her governments and other countries ===
Ever since she became the Queen, Elizabeth has spent about three hours every day "doing the boxes". The "boxes" are two large red boxes that are brought to her from the Parliament every day. They are full of state papers sent to her from her various departments, embassies, and government offices.<ref>Information supplied by the Royal Household to a parliamentary inquiry into the workings of the monarchy in the early 1970s.</ref> One of the most famous photos taken of Elizabeth as a teenager shows her with her father, the King, learning about "the boxes". Because she has been doing this since 1952, she knows a great deal about the government of the UK.

[[File:Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace, 07 Mar 2006.jpeg|thumb|At a state banquet at Buckingham palace, Her Majesty wears the Grand Collar of the [[Brazil]]ian ''Order of the Southern Cross'' and a necklace of Brazilian aquamarines.]]

When the Queen is in London, she meets her [[Prime Minister]] once a week, to talk about events. She also has meetings with the [[First Minister of Scotland]] and other Ministers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the [[Prime Minister]]s and [[Minister (government)|Minister]]s of other countries, when she is in their country, or when they visit London.

In the late 1990s, there were "referendums" in which the people of Scotland and Wales were asked if they wanted parliaments that were separate from the parliament of the United Kingdom. This was called a "devolution policy". As a result, the new Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly of Wales, were set up. The Queen opened the first sessions of these two bodies.

Recently, some people in Australia wanted a [[republic]], with an elected or appointed president as Head of State instead of the Queen. In 1999, the people of Australia were asked in a referendum whether they wanted a republic. The decision of the people was to remain a monarchy. The Queen visited Australia the following year and said that she would continue to serve Australians as she had done for 48 years.

Elizabeth II is friends with many world leaders. Her first Prime Minister of Australia, Sir [[Robert Menzies]] called her "My Dear" and recited a poem that said "I will love her till I die". She has friendships with [[Mary Robinson]], President of Ireland (1990-1997) and [[George W. Bush]], who was the first [[President of the United States|American President]] in more than 80 years to stay at Buckingham Palace. [[Nelson Mandela]], in a BBC documentary, called her "my friend, Elizabeth".

In May 2007, the Queen and Prince Philip made a state visit to the [[United States]], in honour of the 400th anniversary of the [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] settlement.

== The Queen as a person ==
[[File:Queen Elisabeth II.JPG|thumb|left|Queen Elizabeth on a "walkabout" to meet members of the public]]
=== Faith and duty ===
Elizabeth II, as the Monarch of the United Kingdom, is the "Supreme Governor" of the [[Church of England]] and sworn protector of the [[Church of Scotland]]. She is very interested in the Church of England, but the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] runs the church. She rarely attends the yearly meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Queen is deeply religious. In her Christmas Day television broadcast in 2000, she said:
{{cquote|To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://archive.today/2005.12.24-062105/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4656.asp
| title = Historic speeches: Christmas Broadcast 2000
| author = Elizabeth II
| date=25 December 2000
| publisher = British Monarchy Official Website
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
}}</ref>}}

The Queen regularly goes to church wherever she is: at St. George's Chapel at [[Windsor Castle]], St. Mary Magdalene Church at [[Sandringham House]], Crathie Kirk at [[Balmoral Castle]], and Canongate Kirk in [[Edinburgh]], when she stays there in [[Holyroodhouse]], her official home in Scotland.

The Queen often meets with leaders from other religions as well. In 1980, she became the first British Monarch to visit the Vatican, where she was welcomed by [[Pope John Paul II]]. She made another visit twenty years later on 17 October 2000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_3966000/3966411.stm On this Day, 17 October 1980]</ref> Queen Elizabeth II is Patron of "The Council of Christians and Jews" in the UK.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| title = Presidents, Vice Presidents and Board
| publisher = Council of Christians and Jews
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
| archive-date = 9 July 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090709092912/http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

The Queen has shown a very strong sense of duty, ever since she was a girl. Her father, King George VI, was not meant to be king. Her uncle became king when her grandfather died. But he fell in love with an American woman who was divorced, and that wasn't allowed. So he had to give up being king very shortly after ascending. George VI didn't want to be king, because he was quite nervous and had a stammer. However, Elizabeth's grandfather said that he didn't think her uncle was very good as a king, and wanted George to reign, then Elizabeth. From the moment she realised that one day she would be Queen, she became very interested in her duties and did all she could to help her father. Her promise to serve her people all her life has always been very important to her. Some people think that now that she is old, perhaps she will retire ("abdicate") and let her son Prince Charles take over. People who know her well, including Prince Charles, have said that this will never happen.<ref>
{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4921120.stm
| title = Queen 'will do her job for life'
| publisher = BBC News
| date=19 April 2006
| accessdate = 4 February 2007
}}</ref>

=== Courage ===
[[File:ElizabethIItroopingcolour.jpg|thumb|250px|The Queen with Prince Charles and Prince Philip at the "Trooping the Colour" in 1986, riding her favourite horse, Burmese.]]
The Queen has often shown courage, ever since she joined the military at 18. During a trip to [[Ghana]] in 1961, she was warned that it was dangerous to be near the President [[Kwame Nkrumah]] because people wanted to kill him. But she refused to stay away. The [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], [[Harold Macmillan]], wrote that the Queen got very impatient with people if they tried to treat her like "a film star".

In 1964, when the Queen was invited to [[Quebec]], there were fears for her safety because there was opposition to her visit. There were suggestions that the tour should be cancelled. But the Queen's secretary said that the Queen would not want to be stopped from going to Quebec because of any danger.<ref name="CRHT1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| title = Courage of the Queen
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| accessdate = 24 July 2007
| archive-date = 9 September 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070909224557/http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> During the Trooping the Colour in 1981, she was shot at, but she carried on. The Queen was praised for her courage and for her ability to keep her horse calm. It was later discovered that the shots were blanks. In 1982, a man called Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace in the morning, and found the Queen's bedroom. He woke her up, and sat on her bed, until the guards came to take him away.

=== Family relations ===
Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth II has been supported in her duties by her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip promised to help the Queen on the day of her Coronation. The Queen was also helped by her mother Queen Elizabeth, known as "The Queen Mother", who lived to be 101 years old, and stayed very active in her old-age. The Queen is the patron of many organisations and charities. She has many invitations and official duties. Many of the duties have been shared by other members of the Royal Family, who have also become patrons of many organisations.
[[File:Trooping the Colour, Saturday June 16th 2007.jpg|thumb|left|250px| The Queen and Prince Philip with some of their family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, 2007. On the left is Princess Eugenie, Prince William is talking to Viscount Linley. To the right is the Princess Royal, in Colonel's uniform.]]
The Queen was sad about the broken marriages and divorces of three of her children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew. Prince Charles's marriage to Lady Diana Spencer was thought to be a [[fairytale]] wedding because Diana was young and beautiful, and they seemed very happy. But soon the marriage became troubled, and after their divorce, she was killed in a car accident in 1997. On 9 April 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom he had loved for many years. In 2002, within seven weeks of each other, the Queen's mother and sister, Princess Margaret, both died on 30 March and 9 February respectively.

As the Queen is old, people worry about her health, but she is rarely sick{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}. However, she is leaving more duties to the younger members of the Royal Family, particularly to Prince Charles, who will become King when she dies.
[[File:Balmoral Castle.jpg|thumb|Balmoral Castle in Scotland is one of the Queen's homes.]]

=== Wealth ===
The Queen's wealth is private. It is difficult to estimate how much she is worth. She owns [[Sandringham House]], [[Balmoral Castle]], and other large properties. She does not own [[Buckingham Palace]], [[Windsor Castle]], or the royal collection of art. These are worth millions of pounds. In 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine estimated her personal fortune at about US$450 million (£300 million).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html | title = Richest Royals | website = [[Forbes]] |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103203953/http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html |archivedate = 2012-11-03 }}</ref>

== Jubilees ==
=== Silver Jubilee ===
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 25{{th}} [[anniversary]] of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/7/newsid_2562000/2562633.stm
| title = Queen celebrates Silver Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News: On This Day
}}</ref> There was a royal procession in the golden State Coach. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]]. Millions of people watched on television. There were parties across the UK. Five commemorative stamps were printed in honour of the event. The Jubilee line of the [[London Underground]] opened in 1979, named after the anniversary.

=== Golden Jubilee ===
In 2002, Elizabeth II celebrated Golden Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 50th anniversary of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/
| title = In Depth: The Golden Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News
}}</ref> She toured the Commonwealth countries. There was a pop concert in the gardens of [[Buckingham Palace]]. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]].

=== Diamond wedding anniversary ===
The Queen and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] celebrated their sixtieth (diamond) wedding anniversary on 19 November 2007, with a special service at [[Westminster Abbey]]. The night before, Prince Charles gave a private dinner party at [[Clarence House]] for twenty members of the Royal Family.

On the following day, 20 November, the Queen and Prince Philip went on a visit to [[Malta]], where they had stayed from 1949 to 1951 after getting married. A [[Royal Navy]] ship, which was nearby, got its sailors to line up on deck to form a big number '60' for the couple.

===Diamond Jubilee===
In 2012, the Queen's 60 years as monarch were marked by [[Diamond Jubilee]] celebrations, including a grand pageant of boats on the Thames<ref>Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, [http://www1.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ Key facts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605190353/http://www2.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ |date=2012-06-05 }}; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref> and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.<ref>Raynor, Gordon. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9297348/Diamond-Jubilee-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-given-key-role-in-service-at-St-Pauls.html "Diamond Jubilee: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge given key role in service at St Paul's,"] ''The Telegraph,'' 29 May 2012; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref>

=== Sapphire Jubilee and Platinum Wedding Anniversary ===
In 2017, the Sapphire Jubilee marked the Queen's 65 years as monarch. She was the first British monarch to have a Sapphire Jubilee. Instead of large celebrations, as usual, the Queen spent the day in "quiet reflection" because the day was also the anniversary of her father's death. Commemorative stamps and coins were made in honour of the Jubilee, and a portrait of the Queen wearing sapphire jewellery was reissued.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38872538|title=Gun salutes for Queen's Sapphire Jubilee|date=2017-02-06|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Also in 2017, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their seventieth (Platinum) wedding anniversary. They held a private celebration at Windsor Castle. Westminster Abbey, where they were married, held a three-hour bell ceremony.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/20/queen-prince-philip-portraits-platinum-wedding-70th-anniversary|title=Queen and Prince Philip portraits released to mark 70th anniversary|last=Association|first=Press|date=2017-11-20|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

=== Platinum Jubilee ===
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was held in February 2022, meaning she has been Queen for 70 years.<ref>{{Citation |title=Queen's Platinum Jubilee to include extra bank holiday |date=12 November 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54911550 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> She would surpass [[Louis XIV]] of [[Kingdom of France|France]] as the [[List of longest-reigning monarchs|longest-reigning monarch]] of a sovereign state in world history if she is still Queen on 27 May 2024.<ref>{{Citation |last=Elledge |first=Jonn |title=Queen Elizabeth II is about to become Britain's longest reigning monarch, so here are some charts |date=9 September 2015 |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/09/queen-elizabeth-ii-about-become-britains-longest-reigning-monarch-so-here-are |work=New Statesman |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref>

== Titles and styles ==
When someone is talking about the Queen, she is called "The Queen" or "Her Majesty". When someone is talking to her, she is called "Your Majesty". After the first time, the person talking to the Queen can say "Ma'am". It is pronounced "Marm". These are the titles that she has had:
* '''21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936''': ''Her Royal Highness'' Princess Elizabeth of York
* '''11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth
* '''20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
* '''6 February 1952 – present''': ''Her Majesty The Queen''

[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg|thumb|The royal coat of arms of the [[United Kingdom]]]]
[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Scotland).svg|thumb|The royal arms for use in Scotland]]
The Queen has several [[coat of arms|coats of arms]]. In the UK, they are known as the "Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom". Every British monarch has used these arms since the reign of Queen Victoria. The coats of arms used in [[Scotland]] and [[Canada]] are different to the arms used in England and Wales.

Elizabeth II is:
* Queen of [[Antigua and Barbuda]]
* Queen of [[Australia]]
* Queen of The [[Bahamas]]
* Queen of [[Belize]]
* Queen of [[Canada]]
* Queen of [[Grenada]]
* Queen of [[Jamaica]]
* Queen of [[New Zealand]]
* Queen of [[Papua New Guinea]]
* Queen of [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]
* Queen of [[Saint Lucia]]
* Queen of [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
* Queen of [[Solomon Islands]]
* Queen of [[Tuvalu]]
* Queen of the [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]]
{{clear}}

== Children ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Birth !!colspan="2"| Marriage !! Divorce !! Issue
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles, Prince of Wales]] || rowspan="2" | 14 November 1948 || 29 July 1981 || [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Lady Diana Spencer]] || 28 August 1996 || [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]] [[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex]]
|-
| 9 April 2005 || [[Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla Parker Bowles]] || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne, Princess Royal]] || rowspan="2" | 15 August 1950 || 14 November 1973 || Captain [[Mark Phillips]] || 28 April 1992 || [[Peter Phillips]] [[Zara Tindall]]
|-
| 12 December 1992 || [[Timothy Laurence]] || ||
|-
| [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] || 19 February 1960 || 23 July 1986 || [[Sarah, Duchess of York|Sarah Ferguson]] || 30 May 1996 || [[Princess Beatrice of York]] [[Princess Eugenie of York]]
|-
| [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] || 10 March 1964 || 19 June 1999 || [[Sophie, Countess of Wessex|Sophie Rhys-Jones]] || || [[Lady Louise Windsor]] [[James, Viscount Severn]]
|}

== Ancestors ==
{{pedigree chart
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
|1='''Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom'''
|2=[[George VI of the United Kingdom]]
|3=[[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon]]
|4=[[George V of the United Kingdom]]
|5=[[Mary of Teck]]
|6=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|7=[[Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|8=[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom]]
|9=[[Alexandra of Denmark]]
|10=[[Francis, Duke of Teck]]
|11=[[Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge]]
|12=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|13=[[Frances Dora Smith]]
|14=[[Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|15=[[Caroline Louisa Burnaby]]
|16=[[Victoria of the United Kingdom]]
|17=[[Albert the Prince Consort]]
|18=[[Christian IX of Denmark]]
|19=[[Louise of Hesse-Cassel]]
|20=[[Duke Alexander of Württemberg]]
|21=[[Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde]]
|22=[[Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge]]
|23=[[Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel]]
|24=[[Thomas George Lyon-Bowes, Lord Glamis]]
|25=[[Charlotte Lyon-Bowes, Lady Glamis]](née Grimstead)
|26=[[Oswald Smith]]
|27=[[Henrietta Mildred Hodgson]]
|28=Lieutenant-Colonel [[Lord William Charles Augustus Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|29=[[Anne Wellesley]]
|30=[[Edwyn Burnaby, High Sheriff of Leicestershire|Edwyn Burnaby]]
|31=[[Anne Caroline Salisbury]]
}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=fn}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book| last = Bond| first = Jennie| title = Elizabeth: Fifty Glorious Years| url = https://archive.org/details/elizabethfiftygl0000bond| year = 2002| publisher = Readers Digest| isbn = 978-0-7621-0369-0 }}
* {{cite book| last = Erickson| first = Carolly| title = Lilibet: An Intimate Portrait of Elizabeth II| url = https://archive.org/details/lilibetintimatep00caro_0| year = 2004| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-28734-4 }}
* {{cite book| last = Pimlott| first = Ben| title = The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy| url = https://archive.org/details/queenelizabethii0000piml_c9b6| year = 2002 }}
* {{cite book| last = Waller| first = Maureen| title = Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power--The Six Reigning Queens of England| url = https://archive.org/details/sovereignladiess00wall| year = 2007| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-33801-5 }}

== Other websites ==
{{Commons category|Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{wikisource author}}
* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/ Official website]
* [http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html Elizabeth II: Modern Monarch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615120604/http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html |date=2006-06-15 }}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/ BBC Coverage of The Queens Golden Jubilee (2002) including AUDIO/VIDEO coverage]

{{British princesses}}
{{British monarchs}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 1951–1975}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elizabeth 02 United Kingdom}}
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Current national leaders]]
[[Category:English Anglicans]]
[[Category:House of Windsor]]
[[Category:Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Nishan-e-Pakistan]]
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[[Category:Royalty from London]]
[[Category:Time People of the Year]]
[[Category:Elizabeth II| ]]

Elizabeth II

2022-09-09T07:52:35Z

2405:201:400A:8836:F09C:C309:8CC7:8ED4:

[[Image:Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in her 89th year in March 2015.]]
'''Elizabeth II''' (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926 and died on 08 September 2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |title=Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |work=Connected to India |date=8 September 2022|accessdate=8 September 2022}}</ref> is the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Queen of the United Kingdom]], and the other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth realms]].<ref>[[British overseas territories|13 UK Overseas Territories]] and three [[Crown dependencies|Crown Dependencies]]. She is also the [[monarch]] of 15 other [[countries]]: [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Jamaica]], [[Barbados]], the [[Bahamas]], [[Grenada]], [[Papua New Guinea]], the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Tuvalu]], [[Saint Lucia]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], [[Antigua and Barbuda]], [[Belize]], and [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]].</ref>

She became Queen when her father, [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]], died on 6 February 1952. Since 9 September 2015, Elizabeth II has ruled longer than any other [[king]] or queen in the [[history]] of the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/elizabeth-set-to-beat-victorias-record-as-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-history_n_5777134.html|title=Elizabeth Set To Beat Victoria's Record As Longest Reigning Monarch In British History|work=The Huffington Post|date=6 September 2014|accessdate=28 September 2014}}</ref> She has also ruled longer than any other living [[Monarch|king or queen]] in the world, since the death of [[Thailand]]'s [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] on 13 October 2016.

The countries of which she is Queen are known as Commonwealth realms. Their total population is over 129 million. Although Elizabeth II is the queen of each country separately, all are independent countries. Elizabeth II lives and spends most of her time in the United Kingdom. In all the other countries where she is queen, a person is chosen to represent her. This person may be known as the [[Governor General]].

Elizabeth II has few political powers, and is not a ruler in the usual sense. She is Queen and interested in the running of her countries, but she does not tell the [[government]]s what to do. She has regular meetings with people from her governments, but it is they who run the countries. She performs ceremonies for the governments, gives out honours, and visits and supports many [[Charitable organization|charities]].

In 1947, the Queen married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], who died in 2021. The Queen and Prince Philip had four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

== Early life ==
Elizabeth was born in her grandparents' home at 17 Bruton Street, [[Mayfair]], [[London]] on 21 April 1926. Her father was Prince Albert, Duke of York, who later became George VI. His brother was the [[Prince of Wales]]. Her mother was Elizabeth, Duchess of York.

[[File:Queen Mary with Princess Elizabeth and Margaret.jpg|thumb|left|Princess Elizabeth with Queen Mary and Princess Margaret]]

Princess Elizabeth was the granddaughter of [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] and Queen Mary. She was named after her mother. Her nickname was "Lilibet".

Princess Elizabeth had one sister, [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]]. Margaret was born in 1930. The two young princesses were taught at home. They had a [[governess]] named Marion Crawford.

Princess Elizabeth was third in the [[line of succession to the British Throne]]. The first in line was her uncle, the Prince of Wales. The second in line was her father, the Duke of York. She was third in line.

Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, died in 1936. Her uncle became [[Edward VIII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VIII]]. He was king only for a short time. He [[abdication|abdicated]].

His brother, Elizabeth's father the Duke of York, became [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]]. One day, Princess Elizabeth would be Queen.

Elizabeth was 13 years old when [[World War II]] started. [[London]] was bombed. Elizabeth and Margaret were moved to [[Windsor Castle]]. This was for their safety. People thought that they should be sent to [[Canada]]. Their mother did not approve this idea.

Princess Elizabeth joined the British army in 1945. She drove a truck. She was a mechanic. In 1947, she made her first official trip outside Britain. She went with her parents to [[South Africa]]. She made a speech on her 21st birthday. She said her whole life would be devoted to the service of British Commonwealth and Empire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.today/2005.10.01-035431/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4098.asp|title=Historic speeches: 21st birthday speech|publisher=British Monarchy Official Website|accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Princess Elizabeth married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] on 20 November 1947. The wedding was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. The couple lived mostly at [[Clarence House]] in London. The couple has four children; [[Charles, Prince of Wales]] was born 14 November 1948. Their second child is a daughter. She is [[Anne, Princess Royal]]. She was born 15 August 1950. The Royal couple had two more sons. [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] was born 19 February 1960. [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] was born 10 March 1964. The princes and princess sometimes use the name Mountbatten-Windsor. This is their official last name when they need one (royal families rarely use them).<ref>Prince of Wales's press office.</ref> Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021 at [[Windsor Castle]], aged 99.

In February 2022, Elizabeth II tested positive for [[COVID-19]] after having cold-like symptoms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Dulcie |last2=Durbin |first2=Adam |title=The Queen tests positive for Covid |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60453566 |access-date=20 February 2022 |work=BBC News |agency=BBC News |publisher=BBC News |date=20 February 2022}}</ref>

== Succession ==
[[File:Elizabeth and Philip 1953.jpg|thumb|Elizabeth II in 1953]]

In 1951, the King's health was poor. He could not go to many public events. Princess Elizabeth started to make official visits for him. The King died on 6 February 1952.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Lacey| first1 = Robert| last2 = Comp| first2 = Robert Lacey| title = Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor| url = https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace| year = 1977| publisher = New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich| isbn = 978-0-15-155684-7| page = [https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace/page/150 150] }}</ref> Elizabeth was crowned Queen on 2 June 1953. The ceremony was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. She wore a dress that was decorated with the national flowers of the countries of the Commonwealth.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| last1=Cotton| first1=Belinda| last2=Ramsey| first2=Ron| title=By Appointment: Norman Hartnell's sample for the Coronation dress of Queen Elizabeth II| publisher=National Gallery of Australia| access-date=12 February 2010| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120530044811/http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| archive-date=30 May 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> Many people bought TV sets to watch the event.

== Life as Queen ==
In 1952, Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip moved into [[Buckingham Palace]] in central London. This is the main official home of the monarch.

Her early years as Queen were spent traveling to many places. In 1953, the Queen and Prince Philip began an around the world tour in the Royal Yacht, ''Britannia''. Their tour went for 6 months. She was the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

In October 1957, she made an official visit to the [[United States]]. She spoke to the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. She toured [[Canada]]. She became the first monarch to open the nation's [[Parliament]]. The Queen likes to go to Canada. She calls Canada her "home away from home".<ref name="CRHT2">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| title = Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
| accessdate = 6 March 2007
| archive-date = 3 February 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070203130727/http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|title=1964 Quebec visit – speech|publisher=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030725125811/http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|archive-date=2003-07-25}}</ref>

In February 1961, she visited [[India]], [[Iran]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]] for the first time. Since then, the Queen has made visits to most Commonwealth countries. She has also been to most European countries and many countries outside [[Europe]].<ref name=chal/>

In 1991, she became the first British monarch to speak to a joint session of the [[United States Congress]]. She goes to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. She is the most widely traveled head of state in history.<ref name="chal">{{cite web
| author = Challands, Sarah
| title = Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 80th birthday
| date = 25 April 2006
| publisher = CTV Television Network News
| url = http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| accessdate = 13 June 2007
| archiveurl = https://archive.is/20120530044819/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| archivedate = 30 May 2012
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode
| title = The Real Queen
| date = 1 January 2002}}</ref>

=== Changes to the Commonwealth ===
[[File:Personal flag of Queen Elizabeth II.svg|thumb|The Queen's personal standard, which is used in her role as Head of the Commonwealth.]]

When Elizabeth became Queen on 6 February 1952, she was officially Queen of the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[Pakistan]] and Ceylon (now called [[Sri Lanka]]). These were the Commonwealth countries. She was also Queen of the Union of [[South Africa]] (which became a republic in 1961).

There were many more countries that she also ruled, because they belonged to the British Empire. One by one, many of the countries became independent, and as they gained independence she became Queen of many of them. Altogether, she was sovereign of 32 nations.

Some of the countries are now republics and have a [[president]] as "Head of State", while some of them keep the Queen as "Head of State". Queen Elizabeth II is the only monarch of more than one independent nation. The old British Empire became the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].

It includes both monarchies and republics. It is now called "The Commonwealth". The Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth. She works hard to keep peace and good communication between all the nations that are members.

=== Relationships with her governments and other countries ===
Ever since she became the Queen, Elizabeth has spent about three hours every day "doing the boxes". The "boxes" are two large red boxes that are brought to her from the Parliament every day. They are full of state papers sent to her from her various departments, embassies, and government offices.<ref>Information supplied by the Royal Household to a parliamentary inquiry into the workings of the monarchy in the early 1970s.</ref> One of the most famous photos taken of Elizabeth as a teenager shows her with her father, the King, learning about "the boxes". Because she has been doing this since 1952, she knows a great deal about the government of the UK.

[[File:Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace, 07 Mar 2006.jpeg|thumb|At a state banquet at Buckingham palace, Her Majesty wears the Grand Collar of the [[Brazil]]ian ''Order of the Southern Cross'' and a necklace of Brazilian aquamarines.]]

When the Queen is in London, she meets her [[Prime Minister]] once a week, to talk about events. She also has meetings with the [[First Minister of Scotland]] and other Ministers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the [[Prime Minister]]s and [[Minister (government)|Minister]]s of other countries, when she is in their country, or when they visit London.

In the late 1990s, there were "referendums" in which the people of Scotland and Wales were asked if they wanted parliaments that were separate from the parliament of the United Kingdom. This was called a "devolution policy". As a result, the new Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly of Wales, were set up. The Queen opened the first sessions of these two bodies.

Recently, some people in Australia wanted a [[republic]], with an elected or appointed president as Head of State instead of the Queen. In 1999, the people of Australia were asked in a referendum whether they wanted a republic. The decision of the people was to remain a monarchy. The Queen visited Australia the following year and said that she would continue to serve Australians as she had done for 48 years.

Elizabeth II is friends with many world leaders. Her first Prime Minister of Australia, Sir [[Robert Menzies]] called her "My Dear" and recited a poem that said "I will love her till I die". She has friendships with [[Mary Robinson]], President of Ireland (1990-1997) and [[George W. Bush]], who was the first [[President of the United States|American President]] in more than 80 years to stay at Buckingham Palace. [[Nelson Mandela]], in a BBC documentary, called her "my friend, Elizabeth".

In May 2007, the Queen and Prince Philip made a state visit to the [[United States]], in honour of the 400th anniversary of the [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] settlement.

== The Queen as a person ==
[[File:Queen Elisabeth II.JPG|thumb|left|Queen Elizabeth on a "walkabout" to meet members of the public]]
=== Faith and duty ===
Elizabeth II, as the Monarch of the United Kingdom, is the "Supreme Governor" of the [[Church of England]] and sworn protector of the [[Church of Scotland]]. She is very interested in the Church of England, but the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] runs the church. She rarely attends the yearly meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Queen is deeply religious. In her Christmas Day television broadcast in 2000, she said:
{{cquote|To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://archive.today/2005.12.24-062105/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4656.asp
| title = Historic speeches: Christmas Broadcast 2000
| author = Elizabeth II
| date=25 December 2000
| publisher = British Monarchy Official Website
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
}}</ref>}}

The Queen regularly goes to church wherever she is: at St. George's Chapel at [[Windsor Castle]], St. Mary Magdalene Church at [[Sandringham House]], Crathie Kirk at [[Balmoral Castle]], and Canongate Kirk in [[Edinburgh]], when she stays there in [[Holyroodhouse]], her official home in Scotland.

The Queen often meets with leaders from other religions as well. In 1980, she became the first British Monarch to visit the Vatican, where she was welcomed by [[Pope John Paul II]]. She made another visit twenty years later on 17 October 2000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_3966000/3966411.stm On this Day, 17 October 1980]</ref> Queen Elizabeth II is Patron of "The Council of Christians and Jews" in the UK.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| title = Presidents, Vice Presidents and Board
| publisher = Council of Christians and Jews
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
| archive-date = 9 July 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090709092912/http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

The Queen has shown a very strong sense of duty, ever since she was a girl. Her father, King George VI, was not meant to be king. Her uncle became king when her grandfather died. But he fell in love with an American woman who was divorced, and that wasn't allowed. So he had to give up being king very shortly after ascending. George VI didn't want to be king, because he was quite nervous and had a stammer. However, Elizabeth's grandfather said that he didn't think her uncle was very good as a king, and wanted George to reign, then Elizabeth. From the moment she realised that one day she would be Queen, she became very interested in her duties and did all she could to help her father. Her promise to serve her people all her life has always been very important to her. Some people think that now that she is old, perhaps she will retire ("abdicate") and let her son Prince Charles take over. People who know her well, including Prince Charles, have said that this will never happen.<ref>
{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4921120.stm
| title = Queen 'will do her job for life'
| publisher = BBC News
| date=19 April 2006
| accessdate = 4 February 2007
}}</ref>

=== Courage ===
[[File:ElizabethIItroopingcolour.jpg|thumb|250px|The Queen with Prince Charles and Prince Philip at the "Trooping the Colour" in 1986, riding her favourite horse, Burmese.]]
The Queen has often shown courage, ever since she joined the military at 18. During a trip to [[Ghana]] in 1961, she was warned that it was dangerous to be near the President [[Kwame Nkrumah]] because people wanted to kill him. But she refused to stay away. The [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], [[Harold Macmillan]], wrote that the Queen got very impatient with people if they tried to treat her like "a film star".

In 1964, when the Queen was invited to [[Quebec]], there were fears for her safety because there was opposition to her visit. There were suggestions that the tour should be cancelled. But the Queen's secretary said that the Queen would not want to be stopped from going to Quebec because of any danger.<ref name="CRHT1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| title = Courage of the Queen
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| accessdate = 24 July 2007
| archive-date = 9 September 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070909224557/http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> During the Trooping the Colour in 1981, she was shot at, but she carried on. The Queen was praised for her courage and for her ability to keep her horse calm. It was later discovered that the shots were blanks. In 1982, a man called Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace in the morning, and found the Queen's bedroom. He woke her up, and sat on her bed, until the guards came to take him away.

=== Family relations ===
Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth II has been supported in her duties by her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip promised to help the Queen on the day of her Coronation. The Queen was also helped by her mother Queen Elizabeth, known as "The Queen Mother", who lived to be 101 years old, and stayed very active in her old-age. The Queen is the patron of many organisations and charities. She has many invitations and official duties. Many of the duties have been shared by other members of the Royal Family, who have also become patrons of many organisations.
[[File:Trooping the Colour, Saturday June 16th 2007.jpg|thumb|left|250px| The Queen and Prince Philip with some of their family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, 2007. On the left is Princess Eugenie, Prince William is talking to Viscount Linley. To the right is the Princess Royal, in Colonel's uniform.]]
The Queen was sad about the broken marriages and divorces of three of her children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew. Prince Charles's marriage to Lady Diana Spencer was thought to be a [[fairytale]] wedding because Diana was young and beautiful, and they seemed very happy. But soon the marriage became troubled, and after their divorce, she was killed in a car accident in 1997. On 9 April 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom he had loved for many years. In 2002, within seven weeks of each other, the Queen's mother and sister, Princess Margaret, both died on 30 March and 9 February respectively.

As the Queen is old, people worry about her health, but she is rarely sick{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}. However, she is leaving more duties to the younger members of the Royal Family, particularly to Prince Charles, who will become King when she dies.
[[File:Balmoral Castle.jpg|thumb|Balmoral Castle in Scotland is one of the Queen's homes.]]

=== Wealth ===
The Queen's wealth is private. It is difficult to estimate how much she is worth. She owns [[Sandringham House]], [[Balmoral Castle]], and other large properties. She does not own [[Buckingham Palace]], [[Windsor Castle]], or the royal collection of art. These are worth millions of pounds. In 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine estimated her personal fortune at about US$450 million (£300 million).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html | title = Richest Royals | website = [[Forbes]] |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103203953/http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html |archivedate = 2012-11-03 }}</ref>

== Jubilees ==
=== Silver Jubilee ===
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 25{{th}} [[anniversary]] of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/7/newsid_2562000/2562633.stm
| title = Queen celebrates Silver Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News: On This Day
}}</ref> There was a royal procession in the golden State Coach. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]]. Millions of people watched on television. There were parties across the UK. Five commemorative stamps were printed in honour of the event. The Jubilee line of the [[London Underground]] opened in 1979, named after the anniversary.

=== Golden Jubilee ===
In 2002, Elizabeth II celebrated Golden Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 50th anniversary of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/
| title = In Depth: The Golden Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News
}}</ref> She toured the Commonwealth countries. There was a pop concert in the gardens of [[Buckingham Palace]]. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]].

=== Diamond wedding anniversary ===
The Queen and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] celebrated their sixtieth (diamond) wedding anniversary on 19 November 2007, with a special service at [[Westminster Abbey]]. The night before, Prince Charles gave a private dinner party at [[Clarence House]] for twenty members of the Royal Family.

On the following day, 20 November, the Queen and Prince Philip went on a visit to [[Malta]], where they had stayed from 1949 to 1951 after getting married. A [[Royal Navy]] ship, which was nearby, got its sailors to line up on deck to form a big number '60' for the couple.

===Diamond Jubilee===
In 2012, the Queen's 60 years as monarch were marked by [[Diamond Jubilee]] celebrations, including a grand pageant of boats on the Thames<ref>Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, [http://www1.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ Key facts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605190353/http://www2.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ |date=2012-06-05 }}; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref> and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.<ref>Raynor, Gordon. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9297348/Diamond-Jubilee-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-given-key-role-in-service-at-St-Pauls.html "Diamond Jubilee: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge given key role in service at St Paul's,"] ''The Telegraph,'' 29 May 2012; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref>

=== Sapphire Jubilee and Platinum Wedding Anniversary ===
In 2017, the Sapphire Jubilee marked the Queen's 65 years as monarch. She was the first British monarch to have a Sapphire Jubilee. Instead of large celebrations, as usual, the Queen spent the day in "quiet reflection" because the day was also the anniversary of her father's death. Commemorative stamps and coins were made in honour of the Jubilee, and a portrait of the Queen wearing sapphire jewellery was reissued.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38872538|title=Gun salutes for Queen's Sapphire Jubilee|date=2017-02-06|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Also in 2017, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their seventieth (Platinum) wedding anniversary. They held a private celebration at Windsor Castle. Westminster Abbey, where they were married, held a three-hour bell ceremony.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/20/queen-prince-philip-portraits-platinum-wedding-70th-anniversary|title=Queen and Prince Philip portraits released to mark 70th anniversary|last=Association|first=Press|date=2017-11-20|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

=== Platinum Jubilee ===
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was held in February 2022, meaning she has been Queen for 70 years.<ref>{{Citation |title=Queen's Platinum Jubilee to include extra bank holiday |date=12 November 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54911550 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> She would surpass [[Louis XIV]] of [[Kingdom of France|France]] as the [[List of longest-reigning monarchs|longest-reigning monarch]] of a sovereign state in world history if she is still Queen on 27 May 2024.<ref>{{Citation |last=Elledge |first=Jonn |title=Queen Elizabeth II is about to become Britain's longest reigning monarch, so here are some charts |date=9 September 2015 |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/09/queen-elizabeth-ii-about-become-britains-longest-reigning-monarch-so-here-are |work=New Statesman |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref>

== Titles and styles ==
When someone is talking about the Queen, she is called "The Queen" or "Her Majesty". When someone is talking to her, she is called "Your Majesty". After the first time, the person talking to the Queen can say "Ma'am". It is pronounced "Marm". These are the titles that she has had:
* '''21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936''': ''Her Royal Highness'' Princess Elizabeth of York
* '''11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth
* '''20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
* '''6 February 1952 – present''': ''Her Majesty The Queen''

[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg|thumb|The royal coat of arms of the [[United Kingdom]]]]
[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Scotland).svg|thumb|The royal arms for use in Scotland]]
The Queen has several [[coat of arms|coats of arms]]. In the UK, they are known as the "Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom". Every British monarch has used these arms since the reign of Queen Victoria. The coats of arms used in [[Scotland]] and [[Canada]] are different to the arms used in England and Wales.

Elizabeth II is:
* Queen of [[Antigua and Barbuda]]
* Queen of [[Australia]]
* Queen of The [[Bahamas]]
* Queen of [[Belize]]
* Queen of [[Canada]]
* Queen of [[Grenada]]
* Queen of [[Jamaica]]
* Queen of [[New Zealand]]
* Queen of [[Papua New Guinea]]
* Queen of [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]
* Queen of [[Saint Lucia]]
* Queen of [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
* Queen of [[Solomon Islands]]
* Queen of [[Tuvalu]]
* Queen of the [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]]
{{clear}}

== Children ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Birth !!colspan="2"| Marriage !! Divorce !! Issue
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles, Prince of Wales]] || rowspan="2" | 14 November 1948 || 29 July 1981 || [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Lady Diana Spencer]] || 28 August 1996 || [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]] [[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex]]
|-
| 9 April 2005 || [[Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla Parker Bowles]] || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne, Princess Royal]] || rowspan="2" | 15 August 1950 || 14 November 1973 || Captain [[Mark Phillips]] || 28 April 1992 || [[Peter Phillips]] [[Zara Tindall]]
|-
| 12 December 1992 || [[Timothy Laurence]] || ||
|-
| [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] || 19 February 1960 || 23 July 1986 || [[Sarah, Duchess of York|Sarah Ferguson]] || 30 May 1996 || [[Princess Beatrice of York]] [[Princess Eugenie of York]]
|-
| [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] || 10 March 1964 || 19 June 1999 || [[Sophie, Countess of Wessex|Sophie Rhys-Jones]] || || [[Lady Louise Windsor]] [[James, Viscount Severn]]
|}

== Ancestors ==
{{pedigree chart
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
|1='''Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom'''
|2=[[George VI of the United Kingdom]]
|3=[[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon]]
|4=[[George V of the United Kingdom]]
|5=[[Mary of Teck]]
|6=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|7=[[Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|8=[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom]]
|9=[[Alexandra of Denmark]]
|10=[[Francis, Duke of Teck]]
|11=[[Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge]]
|12=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|13=[[Frances Dora Smith]]
|14=[[Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|15=[[Caroline Louisa Burnaby]]
|16=[[Victoria of the United Kingdom]]
|17=[[Albert the Prince Consort]]
|18=[[Christian IX of Denmark]]
|19=[[Louise of Hesse-Cassel]]
|20=[[Duke Alexander of Württemberg]]
|21=[[Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde]]
|22=[[Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge]]
|23=[[Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel]]
|24=[[Thomas George Lyon-Bowes, Lord Glamis]]
|25=[[Charlotte Lyon-Bowes, Lady Glamis]](née Grimstead)
|26=[[Oswald Smith]]
|27=[[Henrietta Mildred Hodgson]]
|28=Lieutenant-Colonel [[Lord William Charles Augustus Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|29=[[Anne Wellesley]]
|30=[[Edwyn Burnaby, High Sheriff of Leicestershire|Edwyn Burnaby]]
|31=[[Anne Caroline Salisbury]]
}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=fn}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book| last = Bond| first = Jennie| title = Elizabeth: Fifty Glorious Years| url = https://archive.org/details/elizabethfiftygl0000bond| year = 2002| publisher = Readers Digest| isbn = 978-0-7621-0369-0 }}
* {{cite book| last = Erickson| first = Carolly| title = Lilibet: An Intimate Portrait of Elizabeth II| url = https://archive.org/details/lilibetintimatep00caro_0| year = 2004| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-28734-4 }}
* {{cite book| last = Pimlott| first = Ben| title = The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy| url = https://archive.org/details/queenelizabethii0000piml_c9b6| year = 2002 }}
* {{cite book| last = Waller| first = Maureen| title = Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power--The Six Reigning Queens of England| url = https://archive.org/details/sovereignladiess00wall| year = 2007| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-33801-5 }}

== Other websites ==
{{Commons category|Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{wikisource author}}
* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/ Official website]
* [http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html Elizabeth II: Modern Monarch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615120604/http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html |date=2006-06-15 }}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/ BBC Coverage of The Queens Golden Jubilee (2002) including AUDIO/VIDEO coverage]

{{British princesses}}
{{British monarchs}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 1951–1975}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elizabeth 02 United Kingdom}}
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Current national leaders]]
[[Category:English Anglicans]]
[[Category:House of Windsor]]
[[Category:Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Nishan-e-Pakistan]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Aztec Eagle]]
[[Category:Royalty from London]]
[[Category:Time People of the Year]]
[[Category:Elizabeth II| ]]

Elizabeth II

2022-09-09T07:51:23Z

2405:201:400A:8836:F09C:C309:8CC7:8ED4: Updated Queen Elizabeth II death date

[[Image:Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in her 89th year in March 2015.]]
'''Elizabeth II''' (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926 and died 08 September 2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/breaking-britains-longest-serving-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96-10249.html |title=Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 |work=Connected to India |date=8 September 2022|accessdate=8 September 2022}}</ref> is the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Queen of the United Kingdom]], and the other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth realms]].<ref>[[British overseas territories|13 UK Overseas Territories]] and three [[Crown dependencies|Crown Dependencies]]. She is also the [[monarch]] of 15 other [[countries]]: [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Jamaica]], [[Barbados]], the [[Bahamas]], [[Grenada]], [[Papua New Guinea]], the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Tuvalu]], [[Saint Lucia]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], [[Antigua and Barbuda]], [[Belize]], and [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]].</ref>

She became Queen when her father, [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]], died on 6 February 1952. Since 9 September 2015, Elizabeth II has ruled longer than any other [[king]] or queen in the [[history]] of the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/elizabeth-set-to-beat-victorias-record-as-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-history_n_5777134.html|title=Elizabeth Set To Beat Victoria's Record As Longest Reigning Monarch In British History|work=The Huffington Post|date=6 September 2014|accessdate=28 September 2014}}</ref> She has also ruled longer than any other living [[Monarch|king or queen]] in the world, since the death of [[Thailand]]'s [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] on 13 October 2016.

The countries of which she is Queen are known as Commonwealth realms. Their total population is over 129 million. Although Elizabeth II is the queen of each country separately, all are independent countries. Elizabeth II lives and spends most of her time in the United Kingdom. In all the other countries where she is queen, a person is chosen to represent her. This person may be known as the [[Governor General]].

Elizabeth II has few political powers, and is not a ruler in the usual sense. She is Queen and interested in the running of her countries, but she does not tell the [[government]]s what to do. She has regular meetings with people from her governments, but it is they who run the countries. She performs ceremonies for the governments, gives out honours, and visits and supports many [[Charitable organization|charities]].

In 1947, the Queen married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], who died in 2021. The Queen and Prince Philip had four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

== Early life ==
Elizabeth was born in her grandparents' home at 17 Bruton Street, [[Mayfair]], [[London]] on 21 April 1926. Her father was Prince Albert, Duke of York, who later became George VI. His brother was the [[Prince of Wales]]. Her mother was Elizabeth, Duchess of York.

[[File:Queen Mary with Princess Elizabeth and Margaret.jpg|thumb|left|Princess Elizabeth with Queen Mary and Princess Margaret]]

Princess Elizabeth was the granddaughter of [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] and Queen Mary. She was named after her mother. Her nickname was "Lilibet".

Princess Elizabeth had one sister, [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]]. Margaret was born in 1930. The two young princesses were taught at home. They had a [[governess]] named Marion Crawford.

Princess Elizabeth was third in the [[line of succession to the British Throne]]. The first in line was her uncle, the Prince of Wales. The second in line was her father, the Duke of York. She was third in line.

Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, died in 1936. Her uncle became [[Edward VIII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VIII]]. He was king only for a short time. He [[abdication|abdicated]].

His brother, Elizabeth's father the Duke of York, became [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]]. One day, Princess Elizabeth would be Queen.

Elizabeth was 13 years old when [[World War II]] started. [[London]] was bombed. Elizabeth and Margaret were moved to [[Windsor Castle]]. This was for their safety. People thought that they should be sent to [[Canada]]. Their mother did not approve this idea.

Princess Elizabeth joined the British army in 1945. She drove a truck. She was a mechanic. In 1947, she made her first official trip outside Britain. She went with her parents to [[South Africa]]. She made a speech on her 21st birthday. She said her whole life would be devoted to the service of British Commonwealth and Empire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.today/2005.10.01-035431/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4098.asp|title=Historic speeches: 21st birthday speech|publisher=British Monarchy Official Website|accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Princess Elizabeth married [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] on 20 November 1947. The wedding was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. The couple lived mostly at [[Clarence House]] in London. The couple has four children; [[Charles, Prince of Wales]] was born 14 November 1948. Their second child is a daughter. She is [[Anne, Princess Royal]]. She was born 15 August 1950. The Royal couple had two more sons. [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] was born 19 February 1960. [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] was born 10 March 1964. The princes and princess sometimes use the name Mountbatten-Windsor. This is their official last name when they need one (royal families rarely use them).<ref>Prince of Wales's press office.</ref> Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021 at [[Windsor Castle]], aged 99.

In February 2022, Elizabeth II tested positive for [[COVID-19]] after having cold-like symptoms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Dulcie |last2=Durbin |first2=Adam |title=The Queen tests positive for Covid |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60453566 |access-date=20 February 2022 |work=BBC News |agency=BBC News |publisher=BBC News |date=20 February 2022}}</ref>

== Succession ==
[[File:Elizabeth and Philip 1953.jpg|thumb|Elizabeth II in 1953]]

In 1951, the King's health was poor. He could not go to many public events. Princess Elizabeth started to make official visits for him. The King died on 6 February 1952.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Lacey| first1 = Robert| last2 = Comp| first2 = Robert Lacey| title = Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor| url = https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace| year = 1977| publisher = New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich| isbn = 978-0-15-155684-7| page = [https://archive.org/details/majestyelizabet000lace/page/150 150] }}</ref> Elizabeth was crowned Queen on 2 June 1953. The ceremony was held in [[Westminster Abbey]]. She wore a dress that was decorated with the national flowers of the countries of the Commonwealth.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| last1=Cotton| first1=Belinda| last2=Ramsey| first2=Ron| title=By Appointment: Norman Hartnell's sample for the Coronation dress of Queen Elizabeth II| publisher=National Gallery of Australia| access-date=12 February 2010| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120530044811/http://www.nga.gov.au/ByAppointment/| archive-date=30 May 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> Many people bought TV sets to watch the event.

== Life as Queen ==
In 1952, Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip moved into [[Buckingham Palace]] in central London. This is the main official home of the monarch.

Her early years as Queen were spent traveling to many places. In 1953, the Queen and Prince Philip began an around the world tour in the Royal Yacht, ''Britannia''. Their tour went for 6 months. She was the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

In October 1957, she made an official visit to the [[United States]]. She spoke to the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. She toured [[Canada]]. She became the first monarch to open the nation's [[Parliament]]. The Queen likes to go to Canada. She calls Canada her "home away from home".<ref name="CRHT2">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| title = Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
| accessdate = 6 March 2007
| archive-date = 3 February 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070203130727/http://www.crht.ca/DiscoverMonarchyFiles/QueenElizabethII.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|title=1964 Quebec visit – speech|publisher=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030725125811/http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-69-70-236|archive-date=2003-07-25}}</ref>

In February 1961, she visited [[India]], [[Iran]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Nepal]] for the first time. Since then, the Queen has made visits to most Commonwealth countries. She has also been to most European countries and many countries outside [[Europe]].<ref name=chal/>

In 1991, she became the first British monarch to speak to a joint session of the [[United States Congress]]. She goes to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. She is the most widely traveled head of state in history.<ref name="chal">{{cite web
| author = Challands, Sarah
| title = Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 80th birthday
| date = 25 April 2006
| publisher = CTV Television Network News
| url = http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| accessdate = 13 June 2007
| archiveurl = https://archive.is/20120530044819/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060418/queen_liz_birthday_060418
| archivedate = 30 May 2012
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode
| title = The Real Queen
| date = 1 January 2002}}</ref>

=== Changes to the Commonwealth ===
[[File:Personal flag of Queen Elizabeth II.svg|thumb|The Queen's personal standard, which is used in her role as Head of the Commonwealth.]]

When Elizabeth became Queen on 6 February 1952, she was officially Queen of the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[Pakistan]] and Ceylon (now called [[Sri Lanka]]). These were the Commonwealth countries. She was also Queen of the Union of [[South Africa]] (which became a republic in 1961).

There were many more countries that she also ruled, because they belonged to the British Empire. One by one, many of the countries became independent, and as they gained independence she became Queen of many of them. Altogether, she was sovereign of 32 nations.

Some of the countries are now republics and have a [[president]] as "Head of State", while some of them keep the Queen as "Head of State". Queen Elizabeth II is the only monarch of more than one independent nation. The old British Empire became the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].

It includes both monarchies and republics. It is now called "The Commonwealth". The Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth. She works hard to keep peace and good communication between all the nations that are members.

=== Relationships with her governments and other countries ===
Ever since she became the Queen, Elizabeth has spent about three hours every day "doing the boxes". The "boxes" are two large red boxes that are brought to her from the Parliament every day. They are full of state papers sent to her from her various departments, embassies, and government offices.<ref>Information supplied by the Royal Household to a parliamentary inquiry into the workings of the monarchy in the early 1970s.</ref> One of the most famous photos taken of Elizabeth as a teenager shows her with her father, the King, learning about "the boxes". Because she has been doing this since 1952, she knows a great deal about the government of the UK.

[[File:Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace, 07 Mar 2006.jpeg|thumb|At a state banquet at Buckingham palace, Her Majesty wears the Grand Collar of the [[Brazil]]ian ''Order of the Southern Cross'' and a necklace of Brazilian aquamarines.]]

When the Queen is in London, she meets her [[Prime Minister]] once a week, to talk about events. She also has meetings with the [[First Minister of Scotland]] and other Ministers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the [[Prime Minister]]s and [[Minister (government)|Minister]]s of other countries, when she is in their country, or when they visit London.

In the late 1990s, there were "referendums" in which the people of Scotland and Wales were asked if they wanted parliaments that were separate from the parliament of the United Kingdom. This was called a "devolution policy". As a result, the new Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly of Wales, were set up. The Queen opened the first sessions of these two bodies.

Recently, some people in Australia wanted a [[republic]], with an elected or appointed president as Head of State instead of the Queen. In 1999, the people of Australia were asked in a referendum whether they wanted a republic. The decision of the people was to remain a monarchy. The Queen visited Australia the following year and said that she would continue to serve Australians as she had done for 48 years.

Elizabeth II is friends with many world leaders. Her first Prime Minister of Australia, Sir [[Robert Menzies]] called her "My Dear" and recited a poem that said "I will love her till I die". She has friendships with [[Mary Robinson]], President of Ireland (1990-1997) and [[George W. Bush]], who was the first [[President of the United States|American President]] in more than 80 years to stay at Buckingham Palace. [[Nelson Mandela]], in a BBC documentary, called her "my friend, Elizabeth".

In May 2007, the Queen and Prince Philip made a state visit to the [[United States]], in honour of the 400th anniversary of the [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] settlement.

== The Queen as a person ==
[[File:Queen Elisabeth II.JPG|thumb|left|Queen Elizabeth on a "walkabout" to meet members of the public]]
=== Faith and duty ===
Elizabeth II, as the Monarch of the United Kingdom, is the "Supreme Governor" of the [[Church of England]] and sworn protector of the [[Church of Scotland]]. She is very interested in the Church of England, but the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] runs the church. She rarely attends the yearly meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Queen is deeply religious. In her Christmas Day television broadcast in 2000, she said:
{{cquote|To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://archive.today/2005.12.24-062105/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4656.asp
| title = Historic speeches: Christmas Broadcast 2000
| author = Elizabeth II
| date=25 December 2000
| publisher = British Monarchy Official Website
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
}}</ref>}}

The Queen regularly goes to church wherever she is: at St. George's Chapel at [[Windsor Castle]], St. Mary Magdalene Church at [[Sandringham House]], Crathie Kirk at [[Balmoral Castle]], and Canongate Kirk in [[Edinburgh]], when she stays there in [[Holyroodhouse]], her official home in Scotland.

The Queen often meets with leaders from other religions as well. In 1980, she became the first British Monarch to visit the Vatican, where she was welcomed by [[Pope John Paul II]]. She made another visit twenty years later on 17 October 2000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_3966000/3966411.stm On this Day, 17 October 1980]</ref> Queen Elizabeth II is Patron of "The Council of Christians and Jews" in the UK.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| title = Presidents, Vice Presidents and Board
| publisher = Council of Christians and Jews
| accessdate = 9 September 2007
| archive-date = 9 July 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090709092912/http://www.ccj.org.uk/Presidents.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

The Queen has shown a very strong sense of duty, ever since she was a girl. Her father, King George VI, was not meant to be king. Her uncle became king when her grandfather died. But he fell in love with an American woman who was divorced, and that wasn't allowed. So he had to give up being king very shortly after ascending. George VI didn't want to be king, because he was quite nervous and had a stammer. However, Elizabeth's grandfather said that he didn't think her uncle was very good as a king, and wanted George to reign, then Elizabeth. From the moment she realised that one day she would be Queen, she became very interested in her duties and did all she could to help her father. Her promise to serve her people all her life has always been very important to her. Some people think that now that she is old, perhaps she will retire ("abdicate") and let her son Prince Charles take over. People who know her well, including Prince Charles, have said that this will never happen.<ref>
{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4921120.stm
| title = Queen 'will do her job for life'
| publisher = BBC News
| date=19 April 2006
| accessdate = 4 February 2007
}}</ref>

=== Courage ===
[[File:ElizabethIItroopingcolour.jpg|thumb|250px|The Queen with Prince Charles and Prince Philip at the "Trooping the Colour" in 1986, riding her favourite horse, Burmese.]]
The Queen has often shown courage, ever since she joined the military at 18. During a trip to [[Ghana]] in 1961, she was warned that it was dangerous to be near the President [[Kwame Nkrumah]] because people wanted to kill him. But she refused to stay away. The [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], [[Harold Macmillan]], wrote that the Queen got very impatient with people if they tried to treat her like "a film star".

In 1964, when the Queen was invited to [[Quebec]], there were fears for her safety because there was opposition to her visit. There were suggestions that the tour should be cancelled. But the Queen's secretary said that the Queen would not want to be stopped from going to Quebec because of any danger.<ref name="CRHT1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| title = Courage of the Queen
| publisher = Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
| accessdate = 24 July 2007
| archive-date = 9 September 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070909224557/http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/CourageoftheQueen.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> During the Trooping the Colour in 1981, she was shot at, but she carried on. The Queen was praised for her courage and for her ability to keep her horse calm. It was later discovered that the shots were blanks. In 1982, a man called Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace in the morning, and found the Queen's bedroom. He woke her up, and sat on her bed, until the guards came to take him away.

=== Family relations ===
Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth II has been supported in her duties by her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip promised to help the Queen on the day of her Coronation. The Queen was also helped by her mother Queen Elizabeth, known as "The Queen Mother", who lived to be 101 years old, and stayed very active in her old-age. The Queen is the patron of many organisations and charities. She has many invitations and official duties. Many of the duties have been shared by other members of the Royal Family, who have also become patrons of many organisations.
[[File:Trooping the Colour, Saturday June 16th 2007.jpg|thumb|left|250px| The Queen and Prince Philip with some of their family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, 2007. On the left is Princess Eugenie, Prince William is talking to Viscount Linley. To the right is the Princess Royal, in Colonel's uniform.]]
The Queen was sad about the broken marriages and divorces of three of her children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew. Prince Charles's marriage to Lady Diana Spencer was thought to be a [[fairytale]] wedding because Diana was young and beautiful, and they seemed very happy. But soon the marriage became troubled, and after their divorce, she was killed in a car accident in 1997. On 9 April 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom he had loved for many years. In 2002, within seven weeks of each other, the Queen's mother and sister, Princess Margaret, both died on 30 March and 9 February respectively.

As the Queen is old, people worry about her health, but she is rarely sick{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}. However, she is leaving more duties to the younger members of the Royal Family, particularly to Prince Charles, who will become King when she dies.
[[File:Balmoral Castle.jpg|thumb|Balmoral Castle in Scotland is one of the Queen's homes.]]

=== Wealth ===
The Queen's wealth is private. It is difficult to estimate how much she is worth. She owns [[Sandringham House]], [[Balmoral Castle]], and other large properties. She does not own [[Buckingham Palace]], [[Windsor Castle]], or the royal collection of art. These are worth millions of pounds. In 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine estimated her personal fortune at about US$450 million (£300 million).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html | title = Richest Royals | website = [[Forbes]] |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103203953/http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/richest-royals-wealth-monarch-wedding-divorce-billionaire.html |archivedate = 2012-11-03 }}</ref>

== Jubilees ==
=== Silver Jubilee ===
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 25{{th}} [[anniversary]] of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/7/newsid_2562000/2562633.stm
| title = Queen celebrates Silver Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News: On This Day
}}</ref> There was a royal procession in the golden State Coach. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]]. Millions of people watched on television. There were parties across the UK. Five commemorative stamps were printed in honour of the event. The Jubilee line of the [[London Underground]] opened in 1979, named after the anniversary.

=== Golden Jubilee ===
In 2002, Elizabeth II celebrated Golden Jubilee. This jubilee marked the 50th anniversary of her coming to the throne.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/
| title = In Depth: The Golden Jubilee
| publisher = BBC News
}}</ref> She toured the Commonwealth countries. There was a pop concert in the gardens of [[Buckingham Palace]]. A service of thanksgiving was held at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]].

=== Diamond wedding anniversary ===
The Queen and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] celebrated their sixtieth (diamond) wedding anniversary on 19 November 2007, with a special service at [[Westminster Abbey]]. The night before, Prince Charles gave a private dinner party at [[Clarence House]] for twenty members of the Royal Family.

On the following day, 20 November, the Queen and Prince Philip went on a visit to [[Malta]], where they had stayed from 1949 to 1951 after getting married. A [[Royal Navy]] ship, which was nearby, got its sailors to line up on deck to form a big number '60' for the couple.

===Diamond Jubilee===
In 2012, the Queen's 60 years as monarch were marked by [[Diamond Jubilee]] celebrations, including a grand pageant of boats on the Thames<ref>Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, [http://www1.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ Key facts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605190353/http://www2.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ |date=2012-06-05 }}; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref> and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.<ref>Raynor, Gordon. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9297348/Diamond-Jubilee-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-given-key-role-in-service-at-St-Pauls.html "Diamond Jubilee: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge given key role in service at St Paul's,"] ''The Telegraph,'' 29 May 2012; retrieved 2012-6-3.</ref>

=== Sapphire Jubilee and Platinum Wedding Anniversary ===
In 2017, the Sapphire Jubilee marked the Queen's 65 years as monarch. She was the first British monarch to have a Sapphire Jubilee. Instead of large celebrations, as usual, the Queen spent the day in "quiet reflection" because the day was also the anniversary of her father's death. Commemorative stamps and coins were made in honour of the Jubilee, and a portrait of the Queen wearing sapphire jewellery was reissued.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38872538|title=Gun salutes for Queen's Sapphire Jubilee|date=2017-02-06|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Also in 2017, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their seventieth (Platinum) wedding anniversary. They held a private celebration at Windsor Castle. Westminster Abbey, where they were married, held a three-hour bell ceremony.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/20/queen-prince-philip-portraits-platinum-wedding-70th-anniversary|title=Queen and Prince Philip portraits released to mark 70th anniversary|last=Association|first=Press|date=2017-11-20|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

=== Platinum Jubilee ===
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was held in February 2022, meaning she has been Queen for 70 years.<ref>{{Citation |title=Queen's Platinum Jubilee to include extra bank holiday |date=12 November 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54911550 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> She would surpass [[Louis XIV]] of [[Kingdom of France|France]] as the [[List of longest-reigning monarchs|longest-reigning monarch]] of a sovereign state in world history if she is still Queen on 27 May 2024.<ref>{{Citation |last=Elledge |first=Jonn |title=Queen Elizabeth II is about to become Britain's longest reigning monarch, so here are some charts |date=9 September 2015 |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/09/queen-elizabeth-ii-about-become-britains-longest-reigning-monarch-so-here-are |work=New Statesman |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref>

== Titles and styles ==
When someone is talking about the Queen, she is called "The Queen" or "Her Majesty". When someone is talking to her, she is called "Your Majesty". After the first time, the person talking to the Queen can say "Ma'am". It is pronounced "Marm". These are the titles that she has had:
* '''21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936''': ''Her Royal Highness'' Princess Elizabeth of York
* '''11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth
* '''20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952''': ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
* '''6 February 1952 – present''': ''Her Majesty The Queen''

[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg|thumb|The royal coat of arms of the [[United Kingdom]]]]
[[File:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Scotland).svg|thumb|The royal arms for use in Scotland]]
The Queen has several [[coat of arms|coats of arms]]. In the UK, they are known as the "Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom". Every British monarch has used these arms since the reign of Queen Victoria. The coats of arms used in [[Scotland]] and [[Canada]] are different to the arms used in England and Wales.

Elizabeth II is:
* Queen of [[Antigua and Barbuda]]
* Queen of [[Australia]]
* Queen of The [[Bahamas]]
* Queen of [[Belize]]
* Queen of [[Canada]]
* Queen of [[Grenada]]
* Queen of [[Jamaica]]
* Queen of [[New Zealand]]
* Queen of [[Papua New Guinea]]
* Queen of [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]
* Queen of [[Saint Lucia]]
* Queen of [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
* Queen of [[Solomon Islands]]
* Queen of [[Tuvalu]]
* Queen of the [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]]
{{clear}}

== Children ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Birth !!colspan="2"| Marriage !! Divorce !! Issue
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles, Prince of Wales]] || rowspan="2" | 14 November 1948 || 29 July 1981 || [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Lady Diana Spencer]] || 28 August 1996 || [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]] [[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex]]
|-
| 9 April 2005 || [[Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla Parker Bowles]] || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne, Princess Royal]] || rowspan="2" | 15 August 1950 || 14 November 1973 || Captain [[Mark Phillips]] || 28 April 1992 || [[Peter Phillips]] [[Zara Tindall]]
|-
| 12 December 1992 || [[Timothy Laurence]] || ||
|-
| [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York]] || 19 February 1960 || 23 July 1986 || [[Sarah, Duchess of York|Sarah Ferguson]] || 30 May 1996 || [[Princess Beatrice of York]] [[Princess Eugenie of York]]
|-
| [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex]] || 10 March 1964 || 19 June 1999 || [[Sophie, Countess of Wessex|Sophie Rhys-Jones]] || || [[Lady Louise Windsor]] [[James, Viscount Severn]]
|}

== Ancestors ==
{{pedigree chart
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
|1='''Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom'''
|2=[[George VI of the United Kingdom]]
|3=[[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon]]
|4=[[George V of the United Kingdom]]
|5=[[Mary of Teck]]
|6=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|7=[[Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|8=[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom]]
|9=[[Alexandra of Denmark]]
|10=[[Francis, Duke of Teck]]
|11=[[Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge]]
|12=[[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]
|13=[[Frances Dora Smith]]
|14=[[Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|15=[[Caroline Louisa Burnaby]]
|16=[[Victoria of the United Kingdom]]
|17=[[Albert the Prince Consort]]
|18=[[Christian IX of Denmark]]
|19=[[Louise of Hesse-Cassel]]
|20=[[Duke Alexander of Württemberg]]
|21=[[Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde]]
|22=[[Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge]]
|23=[[Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel]]
|24=[[Thomas George Lyon-Bowes, Lord Glamis]]
|25=[[Charlotte Lyon-Bowes, Lady Glamis]](née Grimstead)
|26=[[Oswald Smith]]
|27=[[Henrietta Mildred Hodgson]]
|28=Lieutenant-Colonel [[Lord William Charles Augustus Cavendish-Bentinck]]
|29=[[Anne Wellesley]]
|30=[[Edwyn Burnaby, High Sheriff of Leicestershire|Edwyn Burnaby]]
|31=[[Anne Caroline Salisbury]]
}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=fn}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book| last = Bond| first = Jennie| title = Elizabeth: Fifty Glorious Years| url = https://archive.org/details/elizabethfiftygl0000bond| year = 2002| publisher = Readers Digest| isbn = 978-0-7621-0369-0 }}
* {{cite book| last = Erickson| first = Carolly| title = Lilibet: An Intimate Portrait of Elizabeth II| url = https://archive.org/details/lilibetintimatep00caro_0| year = 2004| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-28734-4 }}
* {{cite book| last = Pimlott| first = Ben| title = The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy| url = https://archive.org/details/queenelizabethii0000piml_c9b6| year = 2002 }}
* {{cite book| last = Waller| first = Maureen| title = Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power--The Six Reigning Queens of England| url = https://archive.org/details/sovereignladiess00wall| year = 2007| publisher = Macmillan| isbn = 978-0-312-33801-5 }}

== Other websites ==
{{Commons category|Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{wikisource author}}
* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/ Official website]
* [http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html Elizabeth II: Modern Monarch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615120604/http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/060417/story.html |date=2006-06-15 }}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/the_golden_jubilee/ BBC Coverage of The Queens Golden Jubilee (2002) including AUDIO/VIDEO coverage]

{{British princesses}}
{{British monarchs}}
{{Time Persons of the Year 1951–1975}}

{{Authority control}}

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