As the longest-serving monarch in British history, she has tried to make her reign more modern and sensitive to a changing public while maintaining traditions associated with the crown. At the time of her birth, most people did not realize Elizabeth would someday become the queen of Great Britain. Elizabeth, nicknamed Lilibet, got to enjoy the first decade of her life with all the privileges of being a royal without the pressures of being the heir apparent.
Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret were educated at home by tutors. Academic courses included French, mathematics and history, along with dancing, singing and art lessons. From there she made the first of her famous radio broadcasts in , with this particular speech reassuring the children of Britain who had been evacuated from their homes and families.
The year-old princess, showing her calm and firm personality, told them "that in the end, all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace. Elizabeth soon started taking on other public duties. Appointed colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards by her father, Elizabeth made her first public appearance inspecting the troops in She also began to accompany her parents on official visits within Britain. In , Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to help in the war effort.
She trained side-by-side with other British women to be an expert driver and mechanic. While her volunteer work only lasted a few months, it offered Elizabeth a glimpse into a different, non-royal world. She had another vivid experience outside of the monarchy when she and Margaret were allowed to mingle anonymously among the citizenry on Victory in Europe Day.
In the end, Edward chose Simpson and abdicated the crown. The event changed the course of her life, making her the heir presumptive to the British crown. Her father was crowned King George VI in , taking on the name George to emphasize continuity with his father. Elizabeth had assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch on February 6, , when her father, King George VI, died.
For the first time ever, the coronation ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the pomp and spectacle of the event. Elizabeth married her distant cousin Philip Mountbatten a surname adopted from his mother's side on November 20, , at London's Westminster Abbey.
Elizabeth first met Philip, son of Prince Andrew of Greece, when she was only She was smitten with him from the start. The two kept in touch over the years and eventually fell in love. They made an unusual pair. Elizabeth was quiet and reserved while Philip was boisterous and outspoken. Her father, King George VI, was hesitant about the match because, while Mountbatten had ties to both the Danish and Greek royal families, he didn't possess great wealth and was considered by some to have a rough personality.
At the time of their wedding, Great Britain was still recovering from the ravages of World War II, and Elizabeth collected clothing coupons to get fabric for her gown. The family took on the name Windsor, a move pushed by her mother and Prime Minister Winston Churchill which caused tension with her husband.
In , she reversed course, issuing orders that her descendants who did not carry royal titles or needed last names for legal purposes such as weddings would use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. Over the years, Philip inspired numerous public relations headaches with his off-the-cuff, controversial comments and rumors of possible infidelities. Elizabeth and Philip wasted no time in producing an heir: Son Charles was born in , the year after their wedding, and daughter Anne arrived in Elizabeth had two more children — sons Andrew and Edward — in and , respectively.
In , she officially made Charles her successor by granting him the title of Prince of Wales. Hundreds of millions of people tuned in to see the ceremony on television. In year-old Charles wed year-old Diana Spencer best known as Princess Diana , with later rumors surfacing that he was pressured into the marriage from his family.
The wedding drew enormous crowds in the streets of London and millions watched the proceedings on television. Public opinion of the monarchy was especially strong at that time. Elizabeth has emerged as a devoted grandmother to William and Harry. Prince William has said that she offered invaluable support and guidance as he and Kate Middleton planned their wedding. She is also a great-grandmother to Her mother was Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Elizabeth has ties with most of the monarchs in Europe.
The queen celebrates two birthdays each year, the actual day of her birth in April, and an official birthday in June, when the traditional Trooping the Colour parade takes place featuring soldiers in ceremonial uniforms, a tradition dating back to the 18th century. The queen marked her last big birthday, her 90th, on the official birthday in June , with a big street party near Buckingham Palace for guests from charities of which she is patron.
Next year, the queen will mark 70 years on the throne, known in Britain as the platinum jubilee. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. While the queen has continued with a busy schedule until now, she has in the past few years handed over more of her roles and responsibilities to her son, Prince Charles, and his son, Prince William.
Philip retired from his public duties in At 72, Charles is now at an age when many people retire. Until last year, it had been assumed that his younger son, Prince Harry, would share the royal responsibilities with his brother, William, but the palace announced in February that Harry and his wife, Meghan, will not be returning to their roles as senior royals.
The couple moved to the United States last year. Perhaps in the future we will sound out Her Majesty once more," Brandreth wrote on the magazine's website. Subscribe for our daily curated newsletter to receive the latest exclusive Reuters coverage delivered to your inbox. More from Reuters. Sign up for our newsletter Subscribe for our daily curated newsletter to receive the latest exclusive Reuters coverage delivered to your inbox.
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