Biography

Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor;

Early Life

Elizabeth was born on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London. She was the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Her younger sister, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930.

Within her family, Elizabeth was affectionately known as “Lilibet.” Her early childhood was relatively private for a member of the Royal Family. Elizabeth and Margaret were educated at home under the supervision of their governess, Marion Crawford. Elizabeth also received instruction in constitutional history and law in preparation for the responsibilities that increasingly appeared likely to become part of her future.

When Elizabeth was born, her grandfather King George V was on the throne. Her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, stood first in the line of succession, followed by Elizabeth's father. Because Edward was expected to marry and have children of his own, there was initially little expectation that Elizabeth would someday become Queen.

That changed dramatically in 1936. Following the death of George V, Elizabeth's uncle became King Edward VIII. Less than a year later, Edward abdicated because of his determination to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée.

Elizabeth's father unexpectedly became King George VI, and the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth became heir presumptive to the British throne.

The Second World War

Elizabeth spent much of her adolescence against the backdrop of the Second World War. When Britain entered the war in September 1939, there were suggestions that Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated abroad for their safety. Their mother rejected the idea, and the princesses remained in Britain.

During the war, Elizabeth began assuming a more visible public role. In 1940, at the age of fourteen, she made her first radio broadcast during the BBC's Children's Hour, speaking to children who had been evacuated from their homes.

As she grew older, Elizabeth undertook additional public duties. In 1945, shortly before the end of the war in Europe, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She trained as a driver and mechanic and became the first female member of the Royal Family to serve as a full-time active member of the armed services.

On Victory in Europe Day, 8 May 1945, Elizabeth and Margaret famously joined the crowds celebrating in London, temporarily leaving the palace in a group so they could experience the celebrations among the public.

Marriage to Prince Philip

Elizabeth had known Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark since she was young. Their relationship developed through correspondence during the war, and their engagement was formally announced in 1947.

They married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947.

Before the marriage, Philip relinquished his Greek and Danish royal titles, became a naturalized British subject, and adopted the surname Mountbatten. He was created Duke of Edinburgh shortly before the wedding.

Elizabeth and Philip eventually had four children:

• Charles, born in 1948

• Anne, born in 1950

• Andrew, born in 1960

• Edward, born in 1964

Their marriage lasted for more than 73 years, making Philip the longest-serving consort of a British monarch before his death in April 2021.

Becoming Queen

By the early 1950s, King George VI's health had deteriorated. Elizabeth increasingly represented her father at public engagements.

In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip departed on a Commonwealth tour. While they were in Kenya, news arrived that George VI had died on 6 February 1952.

At the age of 25, Elizabeth became Queen.

She returned to Britain as Queen Elizabeth II and began a reign that would ultimately span seven decades.

Her coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. Although British coronations were ancient ceremonies, Elizabeth's coronation became a landmark in modern broadcasting. Millions watched the ceremony on television, helping establish television as a major part of British public life.

A Changing Britain and Commonwealth

Elizabeth's reign coincided with extraordinary political, technological and social transformation.

When she became Queen, Britain still possessed remnants of a vast global empire. During the following decades, many territories achieved independence, and the relationship between Britain and its former colonies continued to evolve through the Commonwealth of Nations.

Elizabeth placed considerable importance on the Commonwealth throughout her reign. She traveled extensively, making hundreds of overseas visits and meeting generations of political leaders.

At home, Britain underwent enormous changes in culture, technology and society. Elizabeth's reign stretched from the postwar era through the development of commercial air travel, television, computers, the internet and social media.

The monarchy itself gradually adapted. Royal ceremonies and family events became increasingly accessible through television and other forms of mass media, bringing the Royal Family closer to the public while simultaneously subjecting it to greater scrutiny.

The Queen and Her Prime Ministers

As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth remained politically neutral. Nevertheless, she held regular private meetings with the prime minister and received government papers throughout her reign.

She was served by 15 British prime ministers, beginning with Winston Churchill and ending with Liz Truss.

The Queen's constitutional role required her to remain above party politics. Although she possessed formal royal powers, in practice those powers were exercised according to constitutional convention and on the advice of elected ministers.

Her longevity gave her an unusual perspective on British government. Prime ministers considerably younger than the Queen often described their private audiences with her as valuable opportunities to speak with someone possessing decades of institutional experience.

Family Difficulties and the 1990s

The Royal Family experienced a particularly difficult period during the 1990s.

In 1992, which Elizabeth famously described as her “annus horribilis,” the marriages of several of her children were experiencing serious difficulties, and Windsor Castle suffered a devastating fire.

The troubled marriage between Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales attracted enormous international attention. Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.

Diana died following a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.

The Royal Family's initial response to Diana's death drew intense public criticism. Elizabeth eventually returned to London and delivered a televised address in which she paid tribute to Diana.

The episode demonstrated how expectations surrounding the monarchy had changed. Over subsequent years, the institution increasingly adjusted its public communications and presentation.

Later Reign

Elizabeth continued carrying out an extensive program of public engagements well into old age.

She celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2002, marking fifty years on the throne, followed by her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

On 9 September 2015, Elizabeth surpassed Queen Victoria to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history.

Her later years brought significant changes within the Royal Family. Younger generations assumed increasing responsibilities, while Elizabeth gradually reduced some of her travel and public engagements.

Prince Philip retired from official public duties in 2017. He died at Windsor Castle on 9 April 2021, aged 99.

Because his funeral occurred during COVID-19 restrictions, the Queen was photographed sitting alone during the service at St George's Chapel. The image became one of the most memorable photographs from the final years of her reign.

Platinum Jubilee

In 2022, Britain and the Commonwealth marked Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, celebrating an unprecedented seventy years on the throne.

By this point, mobility difficulties had limited her public appearances, and other members of the Royal Family increasingly represented her.

Nevertheless, she appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Jubilee celebrations and participated in several highly publicized events.

Only two days before her death, Elizabeth formally appointed Liz Truss as prime minister at Balmoral Castle. It was the fifteenth and final prime-ministerial appointment of her reign.

Death and Funeral

Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on 8 September 2022, aged 96.

Her eldest son immediately succeeded her as King Charles III.

Elizabeth's coffin traveled from Balmoral to Edinburgh before being taken to London. She lay in state at Westminster Hall, where large numbers of people waited for hours to pay their respects.

Her state funeral was held at Westminster Abbey on 19 September 2022 and was attended by members of royal families and political leaders from around the world.

Following the funeral, the Queen's coffin was taken to Windsor.

She was interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, alongside Prince Philip. Her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and the ashes of her sister Princess Margaret are also interred there.

Legacy

Elizabeth II's reign connected dramatically different periods of British history. She became Queen when Winston Churchill was prime minister and Joseph Stalin still ruled the Soviet Union; she lived to see an era of smartphones, social media and instantaneous global communication.

Throughout those changes, Elizabeth emphasized continuity, constitutional duty and public service.

Her political influence was deliberately limited by the constitutional nature of the monarchy, but her longevity made her a familiar presence for generations of people in Britain and throughout the Commonwealth.

By the time of her death, most people in the United Kingdom had never known another monarch.

Her reign of 70 years and 214 days remains the longest in British history. With her death in September 2022, the crown passed to her eldest son, beginning the reign of King Charles III and bringing the second Elizabethan age to a close.