Queen Elizabeth II

Biography

Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch.

Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London, the elder daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Her younger sister was Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.

Elizabeth was not originally expected to become queen. Her life changed dramatically in 1936, when her uncle King Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson. Elizabeth's father became King George VI, making the 10-year-old Princess Elizabeth heir presumptive to the throne.

During World War II, Elizabeth made public broadcasts intended to reassure children affected by the war. In 1945, at age 18, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she trained as a driver and mechanic.

Marriage and family

Elizabeth married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey. Their marriage lasted more than 73 years, until Philip's death in April 2021.

They had four children:

• Charles III — born 1948

• Anne, Princess Royal — born 1950

• Prince Andrew, Duke of York — born 1960

• Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh — born 1964

Becoming Queen

King George VI died on 6 February 1952, while Elizabeth was visiting Kenya. At only 25 years old, she became Queen.

Her coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. It became a landmark television event, helping bring the ancient coronation ceremony into the modern media age.

Elizabeth's reign encompassed enormous political and social changes: the decline of the British Empire, expansion of the Commonwealth, the Cold War, decolonization, Britain's entry into and later departure from the European Union, and the transformation of the monarchy in the television and internet eras.

She worked with 15 British prime ministers, beginning with Winston Churchill and ending with Liz Truss.

Diana, Charles and the Royal Family

One of the most difficult periods of Elizabeth's reign came during the 1990s as the marriages of three of her children broke down. The troubled marriage of Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales attracted extraordinary international attention.

After Diana died in Paris on 31 August 1997, the monarchy faced significant public criticism over its initial response. Elizabeth subsequently delivered a televised address paying tribute to Diana.

Over the following decades, the monarchy's public standing recovered, and Elizabeth became an enduring symbol of continuity.

Final years and death

Elizabeth celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, marking 70 years on the throne.

She died peacefully at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on 8 September 2022, aged 96. Her eldest son immediately succeeded her as King Charles III.

Following several days of ceremonial events, Elizabeth's state funeral was held at Westminster Abbey on 19 September 2022. She was buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, alongside Prince Philip and near her parents and sister.