Childhood and family
Elizabeth II is the eldest daughter of Prince Albert, born April 21, 1926 at the Mayfair mansion on Brewton Street during the reign of George V, who was her grandfather. The full name of the royal person is Elizabeth Alexandra Maria, the girl received the name in honor of her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. 
In 1936, after two decades of reign, King George, who loved his granddaughter very much, died. The throne passed to Edward VIII. In the name of love for the beautiful Wallis Simpson, a divorced American, he abdicated. The story of Edward and Miss Simpson is considered one of the greatest love stories of the 20th century, and it was she who brought Elizabeth's father to the British throne, who was crowned in May 1937 as George VI.
George VI's brother Henry was considered the next contender for the throne, but he refused the role of heir to the throne in favor of Princess Elizabeth, who at that time was barely 11 years old.
As befits a princess, Elizabeth studied the humanities and exact sciences, but paid special attention to law, including international law, and received a decent education without leaving the palace. The princess was proud of her excellent knowledge of the French language, which she learned on her own.
In 1940, Princess Elizabeth made her first radio appearance: a thirteen-year-old girl from Buckingham Palace supported children affected by Nazi bombings. Princess Elizabeth's sincere words have given hope to the British people, and she has won sympathy from even some of the most critical of the crown.
In 1943, the princess officially assumed the position of councillor. Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth did not serve in the military, but was in the women's self-defense unit, learned to drive an ambulance, thereby setting an example for the women of Britain.
In 1947, on her birthday, Elizabeth again spoke on the radio, assuring the British people that her whole life would be dedicated to Britain. In the same year, she was married to Philip, Prince of Denmark.
The gradually deteriorating health of the father and the unfavorable prognosis of doctors required the almost constant presence of the future queen during official receptions, meetings and negotiations. By the beginning of 1951, no one had any doubts that the bill was going on for months, and unofficially, Elizabeth took up the duties of the monarch.
Coronation
The news of the death of George VI overtook the princess in Kenya, where, together with her husband, she spent several days at the Tree Tops Hotel, located among the branches of a huge century-old tree. According to some reports, on February 7, 1952, an entry appeared in the guest registration book of the hotel that for the first time in the history of civilization, a princess climbed a tree, but descended from it as a queen. 
The coronation of the young queen took place on June 2, 1953 in the ancient cathedral of Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was broadcast on national British television, which contributed to the growth of the popularity of the new monarch. Millions of Brits literally froze in front of their TVs, trying not to miss the slightest detail of the most spectacular and beautiful event in the history of Britain.
Despite the fact that in the post-war years the economy had just begun a long period of recovery, a huge amount was allocated from the treasury for the festive decoration of the streets. The white satin dress for the coronation ceremony was made by the court tailor Norman Hartnell, it was embroidered with the national emblems of Britain and the Commonwealth countries - English roses, Canadian maple leaves and Irish clover, as well as other colors that have a symbolic meaning for Britain.
In a golden open front carriage drawn by eight gray horses, the queen, along with her husband, proceeded to Westminster Abbey, where a solemn wedding service was held for the kingdom.
Governing body
In strict accordance with the existing tradition of a parliamentary monarchy, the queen performs functions that are exclusively representative in nature and does not have the right to influence the government of the country. After the coronation, Elizabeth II made a six-month tour of the British colonies, the Commonwealth countries and many countries of the world. 
In the spring of 1956, the Queen received Nikita Khrushchev, who served as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU of the USSR, who arrived in Britain with Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikolai Bulganin. The first persons of the Soviet state presented memorable gifts to Elizabeth and family members, among which was a brooch with a royal blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds, as well as a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky and a sable cape.
During her reign, the Queen met with politicians, big businessmen, scientists and cultural figures. Among the celebrities who were honored to visit Buckingham Palace in different years were Elizabeth Taylor, Yuri Gagarin and The Beatles, as well as presidents of different states.
In 1994, Elizabeth visited Moscow and St. Petersburg, and in 2003 hosted a reception in honor of President Vladimir Putin.
Fearing that the reputation of the British royal house would suffer from rumors that overgrown with the unhappy marriage of Elizabeth's son Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, as well as caring for the happiness of her son, the Queen insisted on a divorce, the procedure of which was launched in 1996. Some part of British society did not approve of the queen's act, but subsequently the British were forced to admit that she was right.
Elizabeth II has been repeatedly called the queen of human hearts in the media. The humanity and kindness of this woman, who remains true to her oath, which she uttered back in 1953, is the key to her popularity among the people.
Personal life of Elizabeth II
In his youth, Prince Philip, the grandson of the King of Greece, was a tall, slender blond, distinguished by amazing beauty. At a tea party on Dartmoor in 1937, the young man did not immediately notice a thirteen-year-old girl who did not take her enthusiastic eyes off him. After the reception ended, this girl, Princess Elizabeth, locked herself in her room and wrote a letter to the handsome prince. 
The friendship that began with correspondence grew into love. King George did not approve of the choice of his daughter: it is known that he did not like the friendship of Philip's father, Prince Andrew of Greece, with Adolf Hitler. In addition, the prince was poor, and apart from the title, blue blood and tender love for Elizabeth, he had nothing.
In early 1940, Elizabeth and Philip became secretly engaged, and the king had to relent and allow a marriage that was destined to be one of the happiest and longest marriages in modern history. The relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Duke Philip is considered exemplary, but few people think that for the sake of his queen, Philip renounced the royal title and changed the Orthodox faith in which he was baptized to Catholicism.
In 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to their first child, Prince Charles. The second child was Princess Anna, who was born 2 years later. The third child of the royal family, Prince Andrew, was born in 1960, and the fourth, Prince Edward, in 1964.
Since her youth, the Queen's main hobbies have been horse riding and breeding dogs, she has a special love for the Corgi breed, which is considered the royal dog throughout Europe.
Queen Elizabeth II now
In 2018, the Queen turned 92 years old, 65 of which she has been a monarch. Headlines regularly appear in the media about the Queen's failing health, in 2017 she missed the Christmas service for the first time, citing a cold. 
As the head of the Windsor dynasty, the Queen remembers the sad events associated with the marriage of Prince Charles to an unloved girl, and, according to her, is personally responsible for the well-being of her family members. That is why she did not give permission for the wedding of Prince Harry Ivar Mountbatten and James Coyle for so long
Despite her age, Elizabeth continues to fulfill her duties and represent the interests of Britain in different countries of the world. Defending the right to her own opinion, in 2017 she openly condemned the inappropriate behavior of Mr. Trump, as well as the militant policies of Kim Jong-un, and in 2018 she expressed the hope that she would wait until the time when Russia was ruled not by Mr. Putin, but by another person who lost touch with reality.
As enshrined in the traditions of a constitutional monarchy, the queen should not interfere in politics, however, the authority of Elizabeth II and her long reign allowed her to influence the course of events in a certain way. Queen Elizabeth II is the most powerful woman in the world, but, as many researchers note, she has never used her influence for personal gain.
The British monarch has long been able to afford not to follow fashion and rules, but to set them.
ElizabethII- a real long-lived monarch: this year she turned 92 years old, of which she rules Great Britain for 66 years. Her life arouses the interest and admiration of millions of fans. She is charming and energetic, has a sense of humor, but at the same time, the queen has some rather strange habits.
Corgis and other favorite animals of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II loves animals and birds very much. Breeding carrier pigeons is a hobby that is inherited in the English royal family. Elizabeth acts as a trustee of numerous sport pigeon societies. However, despite such a tender love for birds, once, in a fit of unreasonable anger, the queen beat to death with her cane a wounded pheasant, which was brought to her by a hunting dog.
The Queen also loves horses. At the age of four, she received a gift from her grandfather (King GeorgeV) little pony. Then she learned to stay in the saddle perfectly. Subsequently, Elizabeth became a regular in the favorite national entertainment of the British - horse racing.
At the stud farm, owned by the queen, the best breeds of horses are bred. Until now, Her Majesty from time to time takes horseback rides - despite her advanced age.
However, Elizabeth's real passion is dogs. She simply loves to wander in the company of dirty and wet Labradors in wader boots through a plowed field. The queen considers such a pastime very interesting and healthy.
Elizabeth's favorite breed is Corgi. Now she has five dogs of this hunting breed. In addition, she keeps several Labradors and dozens of dogs of other breeds. Every day the queen goes for a walk surrounded by all this pack.
Queen Elizabeth II with Ronald Reagan on horseback, 1982. Source: wikimedia.org
The Queen of England does not like: mustaches, ice in squares and talkativeness ...
In order not to irritate the royal person, the environment has to be attentive to trifles. For example, the queen may become angry at the sight of a mustache and beard, so that those close to her have to constantly shave. In addition, the queen must not be seen in a vest and bow tie.
For cocktails and other drinks, all people freeze ice in cubes - and in the royal kitchen, ice is shaped like balls! Just because, according to Elizabeth, the ringing of ice of this form is more melodic: the jingling of cubes annoys her.
The Queen may get angry when she is tired of listening to a long speech. The long-liver does not forgive even the slightest hint of her own age.
When getting into a car, Her Majesty never buckles up because she hates seat belts. Close to the queen it is better not to open the windows.
The Queen of England prefers: hard rock, bright colors and letters on paper
All relatives know that Elizabeth loves bright colors and never (except for special cases - mourning) wears black clothes.
As for food, Elizabeth should not be offered soup or potatoes - she indignantly rejects these foods.
Like many other people, the Queen of Great Britain loves to receive letters. But to answer them - thank you! Interviews with journalists are also not Her Majesty's element: she usually confines herself to short answers and hurries to finish the conversation.
Interestingly, she prefers heavy rock to classical music - her favorite performer is Ozzy Osbourne. And from the lung she likes the songs performed Emma Bunton- Former member of the Spice Girls.
Queen Elizabeth's children
In total, Elizabeth II has three sons and one daughter. She immediately gave her children to be raised by nannies, but she herself almost never saw them. Wanting to see their mother, the children, like other visitors, had to make an appointment with her.
And in general, it seems that the queen does not like children, both her own and those of others. Until now, she prefers to dine alone and especially does not like it when children sit at the table: in her opinion, they must first be properly educated and instilled in good manners.
Princess Anna, the only daughter of the queen, had to experience the incredible stinginess of her mother, which is whispered in the kingdom: despite her enormous wealth, Elizabeth hates to throw away clothes and always gives her old things to her daughter - so that she wears them.
The Queen of England enjoys: gardening, crossword puzzles and photography
In addition to animals, Elizabeth loves plants. Recently, she has become very interested in gardening. The Queen herself takes care of currant and raspberry bushes, grows vegetables and offers her guests to taste all this.
The queen is especially proud of her leeks, sweet beets, and unusual beans - the variety is called the “blue queen”.
Among Elizabeth's hobbies is solving crossword puzzles, and she always solves them honestly, without looking into dictionaries and reference books, or the Internet, preferring to spend hours thinking about a word.
The Queen of Great Britain loves to travel: during her life she visited almost all countries of the world. She takes a lot of photographs when she travels.
What does the Queen of Great Britain wear?
Elizabeth II. The modern Queen of England Elizabeth 2, whose biography is a description of the life of a person who has witnessed various eras, has been on the throne since 1952. Her reign is the longest in British history.
Family and childhood
On April 21, 1926, the future Queen of England, Elizabeth 2, was born. It is difficult to imagine a biography of a member of the ruling dynasty without her pedigree. The girl was the daughter of a duke and his wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The child's father was the son of King George V.
When the monarch died in 1936, the throne passed by inheritance to his eldest son, Edward VIII (Elizabeth's uncle). However, he ruled for only a few months. According to the laws of the state, he had to marry a person equal to him in belonging to an aristocratic family. However, the king preferred to tie the knot with a divorced woman from a non-royal circle - Bessie Simpson. It was the fact that she had already been married twice that angered the government, which suggested that Edward abdicate. He really gave up power, and the throne unexpectedly passed to his younger brother, who took the crown name
This castling made ten-year-old Elizabeth the heir to the world's largest British Empire. If George had had a boy, then the title would have passed to him, but this did not happen. The future Queen Elizabeth 2 in childhood was in the public eye as a representative of a new generation of the ruling Windsor dynasty.
heir to the throne
The early biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England matched her status as Princess of York. She lived with her parents in Kensington. One of her main hobbies since childhood was horseback riding. The queen was faithful to this hobby throughout her youth. At the same time, the girl was taught a full range of sciences. Widespread knowledge was a mandatory attribute for members of the Windsor dynasty, as they personified all the best that the monarchy could give to the state. Particular emphasis in the education of Elizabeth was placed on the humanities: religious studies, jurisprudence and art history. The child showed a remarkable interest in the French language, which was encouraged by teachers.
The biography of Elizabeth 2 took a sharp turn when she became the heiress of her father, the king. Together with her parents, she moved to Buckingham Palace. Three years later, the Second World War began, and a carefree life ended with the first volleys of German guns on the continent.
Great Britain supported Poland and, together with its main ally France, declared war on the Third Reich. Despite the fact that the main political decisions were made by the government and parliament, it became an important symbol of the unity of the nation in the face of the growing Nazi threat. Elizabeth 2 in her childhood faced completely unchildish dangers and impressions that all her peers had to endure.
During World War II
Despite the fact that Hitler did not dare to send ground troops to the British Isles, his aircraft carried out regular bombardments of English cities. Particularly stubborn and frequent raids were in the first years of the war, when the Wehrmacht victoriously occupied almost all of Europe. Elizabeth's father regularly visited the troops. Already in 1940, the heiress first spoke to her compatriots with a public speech addressed to the children of the country.
In such an atmosphere, the future Queen of England, Elizabeth 2, grew up. The biography of the child became an indicative cast of the era. In 1943, she visited the troops for the first time, visiting a grenadier regiment. A few months before the surrender of Germany, Elizabeth joined the army and became a driver of an auxiliary ambulance in the women's self-defense squad. The princess received the rank of lieutenant, and since she is the current monarch today, her military rank remains in force. This means that Elizabeth is the last non-military veteran of World War II in the entire world.
Wedding with Philip
With the advent of peace, the future Queen of England, Elizabeth 2, returned to her standard duties. The biography of the princess in 1947 was marked by her wedding to Philip Mountbatten.
In the first half of the 20th century, all the ruling European dynasties were closely intertwined. Philip was the grandson of the Greek King George I, as well as a member of the Danish royal family and a descendant of the British Queen Victoria. The newlyweds met in childhood in the 30s. After his marriage, Philip received the honorary title of Duke of Edinburgh. Despite the fact that he was born back in 1921, he is still in good health and regularly fulfills his dynastic duties. Interestingly, the queen's husband did not accept the title of prince consort, which was customary for his position, and remained the Duke of Edinburgh.
Philip and Elizabeth had four offspring: Charles, Anna, Andrew, and Edward. All of them today have children and grandchildren, who, in turn, make up the vast royal family of Great Britain. Charles, as the eldest son, became his mother's heir in 1952, when she took the royal throne, and remains so to this day.
Coronation
Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne under unusual circumstances. In 1952, she and her husband traveled to Kenya, then a British colony, for a holiday. It was in this exotic country that the heir to the throne received the sad news of the death of her father, George V, who ruled the country for sixteen years.
It took several months to organize the coronation, which would become a symbol of the beginning of the reign of the new monarch. The solemn ceremony was held in its traditional place - Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth 2 became the new queen. When the young 25-year-old ruler ascended the throne, the eyes of the whole world were turned in her direction in the literal sense of the word, because it was then that cameras broadcasting the event were used for the first time at such an event.
First years of government
The British Queen Elizabeth II traveled a lot in her youth. She did not leave this habit from the first days of her reign. With her accession to the throne, the ruler visited the countries that were part of the Commonwealth of British Colonies. In the 50s and 60s, the process of granting independence to these states, located in all parts of the world, began. Most of them were in Africa. In addition, for the first time in history, a British monarch visited Australia and New Zealand. This person turned out to be Queen Elizabeth 2. The fascinating biography of the ruler was superimposed on her unique status, which attracted the attention of the whole world to her person.
The Queen did not forget about internal affairs at home. She met regularly with representatives of Parliament and discussed the agenda. In 1957, the first political crisis broke out in the ruling party in the era of its being on the throne. Then it was the conservatives. Prime Minister Anthony Eden has resigned. Since the party did not have well-established mechanisms for electing its leader, the queen had to take responsibility into her own hands.
In her first steps in power, Elizabeth often consulted with the legendary Winston Churchill. After consultations with a venerable politician, it was decided to propose the candidacy of Harold Macmillan, which was accepted. He became the 65th British Prime Minister from 1957 to 1964.
Relations with the Commonwealth of Nations
Even in her youth, it became clear that the further fate of Queen Elizabeth 2 would be connected only with serving her native country. She became the ruler at a time when in other countries the power of monarchs was already either swept away by revolutions, or became only a decorative appendage.
In the UK, things were different. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were several empires, somewhat similar to its state structure. For example, Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary. In all these countries, the monarchical institutions of power were dismantled after bloody wars. Britain avoided this.
However, already after the Second World War it was clear that the imperial consciousness would have to be abandoned. Even under the father of Elizabeth George VI, India gained independence - the pearl of the British crown. Now the young ruler had to consistently abandon the rest of the vestiges of the past imperial era.
The most important tool for realizing this goal was British diplomacy did everything to establish friendly relations with their former colonies, while giving them a platform to talk on an equal footing. There were especially many problems in the African region, where revolutions and civil wars began after the departure of the British authorities.
Traditionally, Elizabeth devoted much of her time to her country's relations with Canada. Until 1982, the British government had a certain weight in making decisions within this country. After the reforms, such a system was left in the past, which was another step towards abandoning the previous British policy of meddling in the affairs of their former colonies. Nevertheless, Elizabeth remains the nominal queen of Canada today. In 1976, she, as a monarch, opened the Olympic Games, held in Montreal. Many years later, she will take part in the same ceremony in London. The opening of the Olympics took place in 2012.
As for the current state of the Commonwealth of Nations, Elizabeth remains the head of this system even today, although all organizational issues can be resolved without her participation, while the Queen is a symbolic figure.
The tragedy of the royal family
Over the years, the personal life of the royal family, of which Elizabeth is the head, has been overgrown with more and more unpleasant and shocking news. In 1979, Irish Republican Army terrorists killed Prince Philip's uncle Louis Mountbatten. He was not only a close relative of the queen, but also an important statesman under George VI, in particular, he was the last Viceroy of India.
Mountbatten was on his yacht when a radio-controlled bomb planted by terrorists exploded on it. Several of his relatives and an Irish boy who worked on the ship died with him. On the same day, the massacre of the radicals was supplemented by their organized attack on British soldiers, which killed 18 people.
A couple of years after this terrible tragedy, the heir to the throne, the son of Elizabeth Charles, married Diana Spencer. The Princess of Wales enjoyed great popularity among the people due to her charitable and social activities.
The couple had two children, William and Harry. The eldest son is the next contender for the royal title after his father. However, the family life of Charles and Diana still failed. They had a difficult relationship. In the early 90s, the prince began dating another woman. This state of affairs was unacceptable for Elizabeth, who believed that the couple's tangled personal life cast a shadow over the entire royal family. On her initiative, in 1996, Charles and Diana divorced. This created a huge social scandal.
Before the passions subsided, in 1997 the UK was shocked by the shocking news of Diana's death in a car accident in Paris. A few years after this event, Prince Charles married his longtime girlfriend for the second time. The wedding took place in 2005, when his children from his first marriage had already grown up and lived an independent life.
80s
Despite the scandals and tragedies that shook Buckingham Palace from time to time, Elizabeth successfully coped with her royal duties for several decades. The British monarch, by tradition, was also the head of the Anglican Church, which was formed during the Reformation in the 16th century.
In the old days, a long conflict smoldered between Catholics and Protestants. In a new era, the time has come for a historic reconciliatory meeting of the heads of the two churches - the Pope and the British Queen. John Paul arrived in London in 1982. He was met by the Queen of England herself. Photos of these people spread all over the world.
Then it broke out between Great Britain and Argentina. The Queen did not make any formal decisions related to tactics and strategy. However, this conflict could not pass her by. The youngest son of Elizabeth - Andrew - served in the British army during this conflict and was a member of the helicopter crew.
The war began because of the uncertainty of the ownership of the Falkland Islands, located off the coast of Argentina. After nearly three months of naval battles, Britain was victorious and retained the archipelago.
Elizabeth and Margaret Thatcher
While Elizabeth did not make decisions related to the war, this burden fell on the shoulders of another influential British woman - Margaret Thatcher. She was the leader and prime minister of the country from 1981-1990. For her tough character and determination, the politician received the nickname "Iron Lady". Thus, in the 80s, a female tandem was formed, which was at the head of the British state.
According to the laws and traditions, the head of government held a working meeting every week, which was attended by Elizabeth 2. The Queen of Great Britain and her dynasty maintained close relations with Thatcher. From time to time, rumors spread throughout the country that fundamental differences in domestic and foreign policy were forming between the prime minister and the monarch. These conversations were actively exaggerated by the press. Despite this, Thatcher herself and the official representatives of Elizabeth each time refuted such judgments.
At the same time, in the 1980s, British society was going through difficult times. First of all, this was due to the tense social situation. Due to the policy of austerity, privatization and monetarism, of which Thatcher was an adherent, the country wandered on the verge of an economic crisis. Such measures were necessary for state reforms. The queen, due to her status, as a rule, turned out to be on the sidelines of the wave of public criticism.
Diamond Jubilee
In 2012, the diamond jubilee of the reign (60 years) came, which was celebrated by the Queen of England. Photos of the celebrations of the country hit the front pages of newspapers around the world. Elizabeth became the second after Queen Victoria, who managed to live up to this significant date.
The apogee of the holiday was the parade of several hundred ships descending the Thames in London. According to statistics, this is the largest water procession in history. On June 4, a solemn musical concert was held at the walls of Buckingham Palace. The Queen was personally congratulated by such legendary British performers as Paul McCartney, Elton John and others.
A year before, the biography of Elizabeth 2 and the entire royal family was marked by another joyful event. The eldest grandson of the ruler and heir William married. His wife was Catherine Middleton. In 2013, Elizabeth became a great-grandmother for the third time. William had a son and heir to the throne, George.
Modern Status of the Queen
The eventful biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England is an example of the life of a monarch who, over the years, increasingly abandoned his former privileges and became a statesman who performed representative functions. Today, the ruler continues to follow the traditions of her stay on the throne. Once a year, she organizes a speech before Parliament.
The Queen also regularly meets ambassadors and diplomatic delegations. In previous years, she often traveled to various parts of the world, but with age, the intensity of travel decreased. However, more recently, in 2011, Elizabeth traveled to Ireland. It was a historic visit. Great Britain and its western neighbor have been in conflict for many centuries. In the 20th century, the Irish struggle for independence (including in Northern Ireland) took the form of terrorist attacks, witnessed by Elizabeth II herself. England, however, overcame this crisis and improved relations with Dublin.
Over the decades of being on the throne, the ruler acquired her own style in dealing with parliament. As a rule, she tries to stay away from political fights between parties and supporters of different programs.
But it was the cold-blooded and impregnable Queen who had to make important decisions when crises occurred in Parliament. For example, this happened in 1957 and 1963. In both cases, the prime minister resigned, and the ruling party could not decide on a successor. Then the Queen herself chose the President of Parliament. Each time it allowed to defuse the situation in Downing Street.
Today, in the UK, every resident of the country knows about everything that Queen Elizabeth II of England is connected with. The biography, full name and other facts from her life are well known to everyone. She managed, despite the volatility of the modern era, to maintain the authority of the monarchy.
What do you call a person who does not have a passport and does not need it? And if he does not have a driver's license, again, without needing one?
Shrug your shoulders: you never know the inhabitants of New Guinea, the Amazonian selva, ordinary vagrants live like this ...
Let's narrow down the search: this person, not embarrassed by his age, famously drives one of his two favorite cars on his estates, his profile is sometimes minted on the coins of 35 countries.
Didn't guess the answer? Let's solemnly call the name/position: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
Is it possible to separate the UK and the monarchy? If people are ready to live in a tent in the open air of a London street for two or three days, with children, for the sake of being able to see the passage of the wedding royal carriage for a minute, it turns out: for citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in addition to football, cricket, Magna Carta (it already 803) there is a higher priority - the monarchy. The opinion is confirmed by gambling “sickness” for planned / unscheduled events that occur in the royal family: from birthdays, weddings to scandals, divorces.
Elizabeth II a few decades ago became the world-famous brand of Great Britain and the entire Commonwealth, which has existed since 1931 and now includes five dozen countries. Can an unsuccessful project exist for so long?
The “reigning but not ruling” queen has many duties, serious powers, some of which are traditionally not applies. Elizabeth II (the head of the country, commander in chief of all armed forces) has the right to veto legislative acts adopted by Parliament; can please parliament with an extraordinary session; can overclock it (sorry, dissolve) by setting the date for early elections 1 . Plus, the Queen of Great Britain, being the head of the Commonwealth of Nations, expands the “soft influence” of the country (linguistic, cultural, scientific) almost a third of the modern countries of the world.
Of course, the British Prime Minister (in her lifetime, Elizabeth II fruitfully collaborated with thirteen; a similar number of US presidents; seven Popes) has full executive power, a similar responsibility, being the most important civil servant of Great Britain. They come and go, but monarchs reign - and indirectly rule.
How was the childhood and youth of the future Queen of Great Britain?
A positive example of a father influences children correctly. The young heiress to the throne, brought up at home, observing the responsible attitude of her father - King George VI - to his royal duties (which he not sought), was a disciplined, punctual, attentive, diligent child. Scattering toys/clothes was unfamiliar to her; even sweets she could lay out strictly according to the color scheme of the wrapper.
However, it should be noted cases of disobedience of Elizabeth (who was called Lilibet at home) to her parental will. The first heir to the throne refused to go to Scotland/Canada at the outbreak of hostilities, away from the bombings, because her parents, the king and queen, considered it indecent to leave their people in trouble. The king denied the heiress a job as a London nurse; in February 1945 (date of birth - 04/21/1926) she joined the ranks of ATS 2, becoming Lieutenant Elizabeth Windsor; service life was five months 3 .
Marriage, the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth 2
Does etiquette provide for a small slice of love when concluding crowned marriages? Rather not, but Lilibet, who has been corresponding with her fourth cousin Philip for five years, wished just that.
In 1922, the King of Greece abdicated; together with his relatives was expelled from the country. The one-year-old son of the king's brother, Prince Andrew - Philip - ended up in Paris, in 1928 he moved to London.
A high-born aristocrat, the grandson of the King of Denmark, the son of the Prince of Greece Philip deigned to arrive in the UK by special transport (we are talking about a box in which oranges traveled comfortably in front of him). After leaving school in 1939-40, he graduated from the Royal Naval College (Dartmouth), received the rank of midshipman, went through World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant.
In 1946, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark turned to King George VI, asking for permission to marry the heir to the throne. The royal family was against (non-compliance with the requirements - a ruined family that lost power ...), but Lilibet was "for"; this turned out to be enough.
Philip had to
- give up existing titles;
- become Mountbatten (an anglicized version of the mother's surname);
- accept British citizenship;
- accept Anglicanism (was baptized in Greek Orthodoxy);
- most respectfully accept the titles bestowed by King George VI before the marriage, which made him Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, Baron of Greenwich.
The Duke and Princess were married on 11/20/1947 (61 years ago), the place of the ceremony was Westminster Abbey Fr. The wedding was one of the most lavish in history; at the same time - the first, broadcast on television, which contributed to the popularity of the newlyweds.
Probably, it will not work to call their married life ideal: the Duke of Edinburgh was a rather proud and obstinate husband, so the preservation of the marriage is, first of all, the merit of the loving queen.
The first child who made the spouses a family - Prince Charles, heir to the throne - was born on 11/14/1948, his sister, Princess Anna - 08/15/1950.
After that, the time of testing came: on February 6, 1952, the king died of lung cancer; Lilibet was proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The official coronation took place on 06/02/1953, and two months before that, the grandmother of Elizabeth II, Queen Mary, died of cancer. Her last will was to hold the coronation at the appointed time, without taking into account the declared mourning.
The beginning of the reign was not easy - the coming and going of prime ministers, the growing unrest in the colonies, the high level of expectations of subjects. The queen was able to comprehend the incredible complexity of royal duties, to overcome then (and later) the most difficult problems.
Already "under the crown" Elizabeth gave birth to two more sons - Princes Andrew (02/19/1960) and Edward (03/10/1964) 5 .
Elizabeth's lifestyle and habits 2
Is the royal title a symbol of idleness? The Queen of Great Britain has been working every day for over 66 years of reign; the exception is the main holiday of the Nativity of Christ in Western Europe, which a large family - the royal couple, three sons and a daughter, numerous grandchildren (eight!), great-grandchildren (five, but there will be more) celebrates together.
The red briefcase is a container of various documents (including data from special services and intelligence) that Elizabeth II receives by nine in the morning every day; some of them require her signature. This information greatly contributes to the weekly professional communication of the monarch with the next prime minister.
The Queen is still fond of riding and car riding, in the first case - without a jockey helmet, in the second - without wearing a belt. Fishing also enjoys her favor. A family royal hobby can be called pheasant hunting (from October to November), whose chickens are specially bred for this purpose on estates. Let's clarify: men shoot, women are only present. Pheasants are served at the royal table for three to four months, then thawed and fed to hunting dogs. It’s time to howl from such a dog’s life ...
The queen is not a supporter of exotic food, preferring game, fish, vegetables, fruits from her own estates; drinks a cocktail before dinner (gin + vermouth) 6 .
Elizabeth II also pays hundreds of thousands of pounds in taxes on her private property - voluntarily, since the law does not provide for this 7 .
The Queen of Great Britain and the heirs to the throne
The eldest son of the royal couple, Prince Charles, is not a stupid person, but his line of behavior often resembles an offended teenager who was promised, but never handed over the desired toy - the royal crown. Since he celebrated his 70th birthday a month ago, he is unlikely to want to change his behavior.
Recently, on 04/20/2018, the leaders of the countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations approved the candidacy of Prince Charles for the role of head of the Commonwealth 8 . However, he refuses to accept the main rule: the royal mission is service for the good of one's own country, maintaining a polite smile under all circumstances. His desire is to to him allowed to impose their own point of view on fellow citizens. Question: will such an heir be allowed to rule, if so, for how many days? After all, it will take a diligent prince a little time to destroy the sacred meaning of the monarchy ...
Next in line is the grandson-heir, Prince William. Is he ready to maintain his posture under the weight of the crown? The attitude of his subjects towards him is quite favorable; he seems to be associated with his mother, Princess Diana, and not with an unpopular father. Most likely, the roles have already been distributed, but a couple of years will have to wait for the final resolution of the situation. Perhaps it will be very unexpected.
Elizabeth II recently complained about the weight of the crown (1.3 kg), which is becoming unsafe for her health 9 . It is impossible to raise / lower the head in it, since the mentioned movement is fraught with a dislocation of the neck (at best).
Let's put forward a fruitful idea: the first persons of even one hundred percent republican countries, in order to raise personal / state authority, should wear crowns of precious metals encrusted with diamonds / rubies / sapphires, weighing one and a half kilograms, every year, and every year a “headdress” should be weighted by 200-500 grams. Restrictions on tenure in elective office can be safely canceled as unnecessary. True, this threatens to increase the cost of the burial of the "leaders of the nations." But what will you not do for the sake of the continuous prosperity of the country ...
Egbert the Great (Anglo-Saxon. Ecgbryht, English Egbert, Eagberht) (769/771 - February 4 or June 839) - King of Wessex (802 - 839). A number of historians consider Egbert the first king of England, since for the first time in history he united under the rule of one ruler most of the lands located on the territory of modern England, and the remaining regions recognized his supreme power over themselves. Officially, Egbert did not use such a title and for the first time it was used in his title by King Alfred the Great.
Edward II (eng. Edward II, 1284-1327, also called Edward of Caernarvon, at his place of birth in Wales), is the English king (from 1307 until his deposition in January 1327) from the Plantagenet dynasty, the son of Edward I.
The first English heir to the throne, who bore the title of "Prince of Wales" (according to legend, at the request of the Welsh to give them a king who was born in Wales and did not speak English, Edward I presented them with his newborn son, who had just been born in his camp) . Having inherited his father's throne at the age of less than 23, Edward II fought very unsuccessfully against Scotland, whose troops were led by Robert the Bruce. The popularity of the king also undermined his commitment to the favorites hated by the people (as it was believed, the king's lovers) - the Gascon Pierre Gaveston, and then the English nobleman Hugh Despenser Jr. Philip IV the Handsome, who fled to France.
Edward III Edward III .
Richard II (eng. Richard II, 1367-1400) - English king (1377-1399), representative of the Plantagenet dynasty, grandson of King Edward III, son of Edward the Black Prince.
Richard was born in Bordeaux - his father fought in France on the fields of the Hundred Years' War. When the Black Prince died in 1376, during the life of Edward III, the young Richard received the title of Prince of Wales, and a year later inherited the throne from his grandfather.
Henry IV Bolingbroke (Eng. Henry IV of Bolingbroke, April 3, 1367, Bolingbroke Castle, Lincolnshire - March 20, 1413, Westminster) - King of England (1399-1413), founder of the Lancaster dynasty (a younger branch of the Plantagenets).
Henry V (Eng. Henry V) (August 9, according to other sources, September 16, 1387, Monmouth Castle, Monmouthshire, Wales - August 31, 1422, Vincennes (now in Paris), France) - King of England from 1413, from the Lancaster dynasty, one of the greatest commanders of the Hundred Years War. Defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt (1415). Under an agreement in Troyes (1420), he became the heir of the French king Charles VI the Mad and received the hand of his daughter Catherine. He continued the war with the son of Charles, who did not recognize the treaty, the Dauphin (the future Charles VII) and died during this war, just two months before Charles VI; if he had lived these two months, he would have become the king of France. He died in August 1422, presumably from dysentery.
Henry VI (eng. Henry VI, fr. Henri VI) (December 6, 1421, Windsor - May 21 or 22, 1471, London) - the third and last king of England from the Lancaster dynasty (from 1422 to 1461 and from 1470 to 1471). The only one of the English kings who wore the title "King of France" during the Hundred Years War and after it, who was actually crowned (1431) and reigned over a large part of France.
Edward IV (April 28, 1442, Rouen - April 9, 1483, London) - King of England in 1461-1470 and 1471-1483, a representative of the York Plantagenet line, seized the throne during the War of the Scarlet and White Roses.
Eldest son of Richard, Duke of York and Cecilia Neville, brother of Richard III. On his father's death in 1460, he inherited his titles of Earl of Cambridge, March and Ulster and Duke of York. In 1461, at the age of eighteen, he ascended the English throne with the support of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick.
He was married to Elizabeth Woodville (1437-1492), children:
Elizabeth (1466-1503), married to King Henry VII of England
Maria (1467-1482),
Cecilia (1469-1507),
Edward V (1470-1483?),
Richard (1473-1483?),
Anna (1475-1511),
Catherine (1479-1527),
Bridget (1480-1517).
The king was a great hunter of the female sex, and in addition to his official wife, he was secretly engaged to one or more women, which later allowed the royal council to declare his son Edward V illegitimate and, together with his other son, imprison him in the Tower.
Edward IV died unexpectedly on April 9, 1483.
Edward V (November 4, 1470 (14701104) -1483?) - King of England from April 9 to June 25, 1483, son of Edward IV; not crowned. Deposed by his uncle the Duke of Gloucester, who declared the king and his younger brother Duke Richard of York illegitimate children, and himself became King Richard III. 12-year-old and 10-year-old boys were imprisoned in the Tower, their further fate is not exactly known. The most common point of view is that they were killed on the orders of Richard (this version was official under the Tudors), however, various researchers accuse many other figures of that time, including Richard's successor Henry VII, of the murder of the princes.
Richard III (Eng. Richard III) (October 2, 1452, Fotheringay - August 22, 1485, Bosworth) - King of England c 1483, from the York dynasty, the last representative of the male Plantagenet line on the English throne. Brother of Edward IV. He took the throne, removing the minor Edward V. At the Battle of Bosworth (1485) he was defeated and killed. One of only two kings of England to die in battle (after Harold II, who was killed at Hastings in 1066).
Henry VII (Eng. Henry VII; )
