Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary). Born April 21, 1926 in London. Queen of Great Britain since 1952.

She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of twenty-five, after the death of her father, King George VI. Is among all the monarchs in the history of Great Britain.

The oldest British (English) monarch in history.

She also ranks second in the world in terms of the length of tenure as head of state among all current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is the oldest female incumbent in the world and the oldest incumbent in Europe.

He is the oldest operating monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of the King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Comes from the Windsor dynasty.

She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the queen of fifteen independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica.

He is also the head of the Church of England and the Supreme Commander of the British Armed Forces.

Queen of Great Britain

Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her grandparents: on her father's side - King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); maternal - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1862-1938).

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in Mayfair, London, at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at 17 Bruton Street. The area has now been rebuilt, and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been installed on this site. She received her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).

At the same time, the father insisted that the first name of his daughter was like that of the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie discussed the name of the girl with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, I told him so, and about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was superfluous ".

Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 25 at the Buckingham Palace chapel, which was later destroyed during the war.

In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

She received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities - she studied the history of the constitution, jurisprudence, religious studies, art history, and also (practically independently) the French language.

From a young age she was interested in horses and was engaged in horse riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.

At birth, Elizabeth became Princess of York and was the third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII) and father. Since Prince Edward was young enough and, it was believed, was supposed to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially seen as a real candidate for the throne.

However, Edward was forced to abdicate eleven months after the death of George V in 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became the heir to the throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. However, she remained in the role "Heir presumptive"("Prospective heir"), and if George VI had a son, he would have succeeded to the throne.

World War II began when Elizabeth was 13 years old.

On October 13, 1940, she spoke on the radio for the first time - with an appeal to children affected by the scourge of war.

In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of guards grenadiers.

In 1944 she became one of the five "state advisers" (persons entitled to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity).

In February 1945, Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - women's self-defense squads - and trained as a driver-mechanic of an ambulance, receiving the military rank of lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months, which gives reason to consider her the last participant in World War II who had not yet retired (the penultimate was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).

In 1947, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on a trip to South Africa and, on her 21st birthday, she spoke on the radio with a solemn promise to devote her life to the service of the British Empire.

King George VI, Elizabeth's father, died on February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, while vacationing with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.

The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. This was the first televised coronation of a British monarch and is believed to have contributed significantly to the rise in popularity of television broadcasts.

Coronation of Elizabeth II

The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other kingdoms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

After that, in 1953-1954. the queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth states, the British colonies and other countries of the world.

Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.

In 1957, after the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, due to the lack of clear rules for choosing a leader in the Conservative Party, Elizabeth II was to appoint a new head of government from among the Conservatives. After consultation with prominent party members and former Prime Minister Churchill, 63-year-old Harold Macmillan was appointed head of government.

In the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. She also spoke for the first time at a session of the UN General Assembly. She attended the opening session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of a British monarch). She continued her travels in 1961, when she made visits to Cyprus, the Vatican, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, as well as Ghana.

In 1963, following the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Hume as Prime Minister.

In 1976, Elizabeth II inaugurated (as Queen of Canada) the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.

1977 became an important date for the Queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's stay on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many solemn enterprises were held in the countries of the Commonwealth.

Late 1970s - early 1980s a number of assassination attempts were made on the royal family... In particular, in 1979 there was the murder by terrorists of the "Provisional Irish Republican Army" of the uncle of Prince Philip (the Queen's husband) - an influential statesman and military leader Lord Louis Mountbatten. And in 1981, there was an unsuccessful attempt on the life of Elizabeth II herself during a military parade in honor of the Queen's “official birthday”.

In 1981, the wedding of the son of Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, took place, which would later become a big problem for the royal family.

At this time in 1982, as a result of changes in the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British queen still remained the head of state of Canada. In the same year, the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Great Britain in the past 450 years took place (the Queen, who is the head of the Church of England, received him personally).

In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to speak at a joint session of the chambers of the United States Congress.

1992 was a "terrible year" by the definition of Elizabeth II herself. Two of the Queen's four children - Prince Andrew and Princess Anne - divorced their spouses, Prince Charles divorced Princess Diana, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, an obligation for the Queen to pay income tax was introduced, and funding for the royal court was significantly reduced.

In 1996, at the insistence of the Queen, an official divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

A year later, in 1997, there was the tragic death of Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris, which shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For restraint and lack of any reaction to the death of the former daughter-in-law, critical remarks immediately fell on the Queen.

In 2002, solemn events were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of the stay of Elizabeth II on the British throne (Golden Jubilee). But in the same year, the death of the queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and the queen mother, Queen Elizabeth, took place.

In 2008, for the first time in history, the Anglican Church, of which Elizabeth is the head, held a service on Maundy Thursday, in which the reigning monarch traditionally participates, outside England or Wales - at St. Patrick in Armagh, Northern Ireland.

In 2010, she spoke for the second time at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Introducing the Queen, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called her "the saving anchor of our era."

In 2011, the first-ever state visit of a British monarch to independent Ireland took place. In the same year, the wedding of Prince William (grandson of Elizabeth II) and Catherine Middleton took place.

In 2012, the XXX Olympic Games in London were held, inaugurated by Elizabeth II, and a new law was approved, changing the order of succession, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.

In 2012, the 60th ("diamond") anniversary of Elizabeth II's rule on the throne was solemnly celebrated in Great Britain and other countries. On June 3, a solemn water parade of more than a thousand ships and boats took place on the Thames. It is believed to be the grandest river procession in history. On June 4, 2012, a concert was held on the square in front of Buckingham Palace with the participation of such stars of British and world music as Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Tom Jones and others. The event was organized by Take That lead singer Gary Barlow.

In 2013, Elizabeth II for the first time in 40 years refused to go to the summit of the heads of the British Commonwealth countries, taking place in Sri Lanka. Britain was represented at the summit by Prince Charles, which indicates the gradual transfer of power from Elizabeth to her son.

Among the interests of the queen are dog breeding (among them corgi, spaniels and labradors), photography, horse riding, as well as travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as the queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively through her possessions, and also happens to other countries of the world: she has more than 325 foreign visits to her account.

Since 2009, she began to engage in gardening.

In addition to English, he is also fluent in French.

The rise of Elizabeth II: 163 centimeters

Personal life of Elizabeth II:

In 1947, at the age of 21, she married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921) - an officer in the British Navy, a member of the Greek (son of the Greek Prince Andrew) and Danish royal families and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

They met in 1934, and fell in love, it is believed, after Elizabeth visited the Naval College in Dartmouth in 1939, where Philip studied.

Becoming the consort of the princess, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

A year after the wedding - in 1948 - the eldest son was born to Elizabeth and Philip. And on August 15, 1950 - a daughter, Princess Anne.

Elizabeth II and Philip Mountbatten

In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew. In 1964, she gave birth to her third son, Prince Edward.

Children of Elizabeth II:

Born November 14, 1948. He married Lady Diana Spencer on July 29, 1981. On August 28, 1996, the couple filed for divorce. They had two sons: the Duke of Cambridge and Wales.

Prince William, married to, has two children: Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.

Princess anna, "Princess Royal" - was born on August 15, 1950. She was married to Mark Phillips from November 14, 1973 to April 28, 1992 (divorced). The couple had two children: Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York- was born on February 19, 1960. He was married to Sarah Ferguson between July 23, 1986 - May 30, 1996 (divorced). The couple had two daughters: Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie (Eugenia) of York.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex- was born on March 10, 1964. Married to Sophie Rhys-Jones (married on June 19, 1999). The couple have two children: Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.

The role of Elizabeth II in the political and public life of Great Britain:

In accordance with the British tradition of a parliamentary monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, practically having no influence on the government of the country. However, during her reign, she successfully maintains the authority of the British monarchy. Her duties include visiting various countries on diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking government officials (especially with the Prime Minister), reading annual messages to parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc.

Also, the queen looks through the main British newspapers every day and answers with the help of the servants to some letters that are sent to her in huge quantities (200-300 pieces daily).

Throughout her tenure on the throne, the queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers. At the same time, she always remained faithful to the tradition of the English kings of modern times - to be above political battles. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth II should not publicly express her political sympathies or antipathies. She has always complied with this rule, acting non-publicly - therefore, her political views remain unknown.

Three times during her reign, the Queen had constitutional problems with the formation of the British government.

In 1957 and 1963, in the absence of a clear mechanism for electing a leader in the Conservative Party, it was the Queen who had to decide who to entrust the formation of the government after the resignations of Anthony Eden and Harold Macmillan.

In 1957, Anthony Eden refused to advise the Queen on whom to appoint as his successor, and she turned for advice to, as the only living conservative prime minister at the time (following the precedent for which, after the resignation of Andrew Bonar Law in 1923, King George V consulted with Lord Salisbury's father and former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour).

In 1963, Harold Macmillan himself advised the appointment of Alec Douglas-Home as his successor. And in 1974, after the resignation of Edward Heath as a result of an unclear election outcome, Elizabeth II appointed opposition leader Harold Wilson as prime minister.

In all these cases, the Queen acted in accordance with British constitutional tradition, according to which she should not make any important decisions without the advice of her ministers and privy councilors.

Other than that, British premieres meet with the Queen every week. The Queen is more knowledgeable on most issues than meets the eye. In addition, the Queen has regular meetings with other ministers and prime ministers of the Commonwealth states when they visit the UK. Also, during her stay in Scotland, she meets with the first minister of Scotland. The UK ministry and diplomatic missions send her regular reports.

Although it is accepted that the queen does not interfere in politics, but due to the fact that during her long reign she had the opportunity to work with many prime ministers and leaders of other countries, her advice is always carefully considered. In her memoirs, she wrote about her weekly meetings with Queen Elizabeth: "Anyone who thinks that they [meetings] are mere formality or social convention is deeply mistaken. In fact, they take place in a calm business atmosphere, and Her Majesty always demonstrates her ability to cover a wide range of issues and her extensive experience.".

Elizabeth II is actively involved in charity and social activities. The Queen of Britain is the trustee of over 600 different community and charitable organizations.

In addition to her duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights as a monarch (royal prerogatives). For example, she can dissolve parliament, reject the candidacy of the prime minister (which she finds unsuitable), etc.

Financial costs for the queen:

So, according to data from Buckingham Palace, in the 2008-2009 financial year for the maintenance of the monarchy, every Briton spent $ 1 14 cents, which totaled $ 68.5 million.

In 2010-2011, due to the new economic program of the government, the Queen was forced to reduce her spending to $ 51.7 million.

Starting in 2012, Elizabeth's income began to grow again (at an approximate rate of 5% per year).

Such figures cause discontent among the republican-minded part of the UK population, which considers it necessary to cut them.

States, the head of which was or is Elizabeth II:

Upon accession to the throne in 1952, Elizabeth became queen of seven states: Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.

During her reign, some of these countries became republics. Simultaneously, as a result of the decolonization process, numerous British colonies gained independence. In some of them, the Queen of Great Britain retained the status of head of state, in others she did not.

The abolition of the monarchy in the original possessions of Elizabeth II:

Pakistan - in 1956 (formerly Dominion Pakistan)
South Africa - in 1961 (formerly South Africa)
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - in 1972 (formerly the Dominion of Ceylon).

Newly independent states that retained the monarchy:

Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Grenada
Papua New Guinea
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Solomon islands
Tuvalu
Jamaica

Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy:

Guyana
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Mauritius
Malawi
Malta
Nigeria
Sierra leone
Tanganyika
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Fiji

Name:
Full name: Elizabeth Alexandra Maria
Born: April 21, 1926, Bruton Street, 17
Parents: George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
House: Windsor
Enthroned: February 6, 1952 at the age of 25
Crowned: June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.
Husband: Philip Mountbatten.
Children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward

Princess Elizabeth of Alexandria Mary was born in London on April 21, 1926; she was privately educated and took over the official duties at age 16. During World War II, she served in the Territorial Auxiliary Service, and by an amendment to the Regency Act, she became a State Counselor on her 18th birthday.

After the death of George VI in 1952, she ascended the throne, while she was crowned only 18 months later on June 2, 1953.

The reign of Queen Elizabeth II since 1952 brought about a period of rapid and sometimes turbulent change. The UK's position in the world, its economy and the very form and structure of society have been transformed, and many traditional institutions have suffered in the process. Thanks to all this, the path of the Crown was marked by the Queen herself, in a long-lasting display of unwavering dedication and calm pragmatism that met national need and won her the respect and love of her peoples.

As the hereditary head of state for Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the head of the Commonwealth, she has symbolic and formal roles and responsibilities, but no direct authority. She is the embodiment of national identity and continuity.

With the support of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whom she has been married to since November 20, 1947, the Queen is the head of a large family.

In 2012, she opened the London Olympics and celebrated her diamond jubilee of 60 years on the throne.The debate about the future of the monarchy continues, but the Royal Family has shown a willingness to embrace evolutionary changes, including the Queen's decision to pay taxes, changes to the Civil List, and the opening of Buckingham palace to the public to help fund the restoration of Windsor Castle.

On September 10, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-lived reign of the British monarch, surpassing her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

In 1940, 14-year-old Princess Elizabeth was a guest of the Children's Hour radio program. She sent her best wishes to children who were evacuated from Britain to the United States, Canada and other countries during the worst times of the Second World War for Britain. This is the very first entry of the future queen in the BBC archives. On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her fourth cousin, Prince Philip of Greece at Westminster Abbey. Their first child, Charles, was born in 1948. For several years the couple enjoyed a relatively ordinary life. In 1950, Charles' sister Anna was born. Elizabeth and Philip lived with their children at Clarence House in London. Her father was terminally ill with lung cancer. In January 1952, while on a visit to Kenya, Elizabeth learned of the death of the king. As a queen, she immediately returned to London. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Mother and Duke of Gloucester watch the Royal Armed Forces air parade after coronation on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Her coronation in June 1953 was televised. Millions of people - many for the first time - flocked to the television screens to watch Queen Elizabeth II take her oath. Queen Elizabeth II in the library at Sandringham Palace after her first televised address to the nation on Christmas Day 1963. The queen in a ladies' saddle returns to Buckingham Palace after attending a military parade. Elizabeth attended the Trooping the Color ceremony in honor of the monarch's birthday every year of her reign, with the exception of once in 1955, when it had to be canceled due to a general strike on railroad transport. The Queen began traveling in a carriage in 1987. England captain Bobby Moore holds the Queen's Jules Rimet Trophy following his team's 4-2 victory over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
In 1969, Queen Elizabeth II formally endowed her son, Prince Charles, with the Prince of Wales Crown in a ceremony at Carnarvon Castle. He actually accepted the title at the age of nine, but the Queen insisted that the ceremony be postponed until he fully realized its significance. Queen Elizabeth II strolls in Portsmouth during the Silver Jubilee celebrations
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her 25th birthday on the throne with a massive trip across Britain - in 10 weeks she visited 36 counties. She also traveled around the world, covering a total of 56 thousand miles (more than 90 thousand kilometers). Queen Elizabeth II with a Jersey cow presented to her at the Le Petit Catel exhibition in St. John's Parish, Jersey. Over the years, the queen was given an impressive number of animals, including a canary from Germany, jaguars and sloths from Brazil, two black beavers from the Seychelles and an elephant named Jumbo from Cameroon. All of them were placed in the London Zoo. Official photograph of the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince and Princess of Wales following Harry's baptism in 1984. The Queen has eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Badaling site on the Great Wall of China on the third day of their state visit to the country in 1986. No British monarch has ever visited mainland China, let alone a visit to the wall, so this royal visit is historic. Queen Elizabeth II inspects Windsor Castle after a fire in 1992. This year she called "annus horribilis" (terrible year), because at the same time Princess Anne divorced her husband and the Duke and Duchess of York, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales parted. In this unusual photo, the Queen, under the supervision of Chief Instructor, Lieutenant George Harvey, fires an SA80 assault rifle while visiting the Army Rifle Association in Beasley. Following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the royal family has been criticized for restraining the official response to her death. The Queen was accused of indifference and isolation from the mood of society. Elizabeth was struck by this outburst of anger, and she acknowledged that "there is a need to learn from her life and from the extraordinary reaction of society to her death." Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visit the Broadlands estate in Hampshire to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary (60 years) after their wedding in November 1947. By 17:30 on September 9, 2015, Elizabeth II ruled 23,226 days, 16 hours and approximately 30 minutes. On this day, she broke the record of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. While in Scotland, she thanked many well-wishers at home and abroad for "their touching good messages." She traveled with Prince Philip on a steam train from Edinburgh to the village of Tweedbank, where the new Scottish Railroad was officially opened.

Quotes:

“I declare before you that my whole life, whether long or short, will be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family, to which we all belong.” - Queen Elizabeth II

"This is all about learning: you can do a lot if you are trained correctly." Queen Elizabeth II

“Like all the best families, we have a share of eccentrics, fast-paced and headstrong young people and family discord.” - Queen Elizabeth II:

“I cannot bring you into battle. I do not give you laws and I am not guided by justice, but I can do something else - I can give my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations. " - Queen Elizabeth II.

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23 thousand days of Elizabeth II

at the head of the British monarchy

65 years ago, after the death of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain ascended the throne. The British monarch holds the absolute record for the length of his stay on the British throne. At the moment, she has been occupying it for 23,742 days.

During the reign of Elizabeth, great changes took place both in Great Britain and in the world.

Great Britain ceased to be an empire and granted independence to the countries it once ruled. The royal family now pays income and wealth taxes, and Buckingham Palace is open to the public.

Elizabeth II is the monarch of 16 states of the world.

Her external ability to listen and understand others provided the Queen with a special place in British society.

As one English philosopher remarked, "the monarchy is a house that stands above politics."

Princess Lilibet

When she was baptized at Buckingham Palace, she was named Elizabeth Alexandra Maria (in honor of her mother, great-grandmother and grandmother).

Elizabeth II is the eldest daughter of King George VI, a representative of the Windsor dynasty, dating back to 1901.

Elizabeth was not born to the throne. Lilibet, as she was called at home, was only third in line to the throne. In 1936, her grandfather (George V) passed away. His successor was Elizabeth's uncle, King Edward VIII. He ruled for only 325 days. He gave up the British throne to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson. In Great Britain, according to the laws, the king could not marry a divorced woman and at the same time fulfill the duties of a monarch.

Great Britain was ruled by Lilibet's father, George VI.

11-year-old Elizabeth moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace.

Princess Elizabeth was educated at home. She studied art and music and became an excellent horsewoman.

After Lilibet's father came to the throne, she began to take lessons in constitutional history and law from the rector of Eton College.

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Junior Commander Windsor

Three years after the coronation of George VI, World War II began. The king refused to leave London and remained at Buckingham Palace even during the bombing raids. George VI and his wife visited the city blocks destroyed by the bombing.

Princess Elizabeth lived at Windsor Castle. It was from there that on October 13, 1940, she first spoke on the radio - with an appeal to children who lost their homes due to the war.

And three years later, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of guards grenadiers. Elizabeth's closer acquaintance with royal duties began in 1944, when she became one of the five "state advisers", having received the right to replace her father when he went on a trip to the fronts.

In 1945, for several months, Elizabeth served military and labor service in the Auxiliary Women's Territorial Service as a driver and mechanic of a military truck, after passing the exam for driving vehicles, she was awarded the honorary title of junior commander.

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Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Elizabeth met her husband at the age of 13, when Prince Philip Mountbatten was still a cadet at the Dartmouth Naval Academy.

The son of the Greek prince Andrew Philip is a distant relative of Elizabeth. He is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

When Elizabeth turned 21, the couple officially announced their engagement. The next day, they were formally presented to the world at an open reception at Buckingham Palace.

For the ring of the princess, the jeweler used diamonds from a diadem belonging to Prince Philip's mother.

On the eve of his daughter's wedding, the king granted the future son-in-law the title. Prince Philip became Duke of Edinburgh. Elizabeth was made Dame of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the highest British order for knighthood, established by King Edward III in 1348.

Since the UK is still not recovering from the consequences of the war, the bride was allocated 100 coupons for clothes, which everyone was using at that time.

Elizabeth's dress in ivory satin was created by the official tailor of the British royal court, Norman Hartnell. Starting to work on an outfit, he was inspired by the canvases of the Renaissance artists.

After the wedding, the couple lived for some time in Buckingham Palace, and then moved to the Clarence House, specially restored for them.

In 2007, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated a Diamond Wedding, 60 years of marriage.

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"God save the queen!"

On April 21, 1947, in honor of her majority, which came when she turned 21, Elizabeth made a heartfelt speech.

Elizabeth II

Elizabeth took the coronation oath, vowing to honor the laws of Great Britain and uphold the Law of God.

During the ceremony, Elizabeth's husband knelt down and said: "I, Philip, become your vassal in soul and body; I swear to serve you with faith and truth until the end of my days, protecting me from any enemies. God help me."

A gala dinner for the guests of honor took place at Westminster Hall. The best British chefs have prepared a special dish called Coronation chicken - chicken with curry, mayonnaise and apricot jam. The recipe for the dish was pre-printed in local newspapers, so any Briton could prepare a "royal" dish in his kitchen.

It started raining on the day of the coronation in London. Returning to Buckingham Palace, the queen, despite the bad weather, was greeted on the streets of the city by about 3 million people - they all wanted to see the new monarch. The royal procession passed by the audience for 45 minutes and stretched for 4 km.

Photo: © AP Photo. Video: © Youtube / TheRoyalChannel

Live

The coronation of Elizabeth II was first shown on live television.

Prime Minister Churchill objected to media representatives being allowed access to the abbey. The Queen insisted on the presence of journalists.

"People must see me in order to believe me" - this is how Elizabeth argued her decision.

More than 8.2 thousand guests then witnessed the historic event, and, according to some estimates, more than 20 million people in the UK watched what was happening on TV.

Film cameras filmed the ceremony in color, and the edited chronicle was shown in cinemas for many months.

2 thousand journalists, 500 photographers from 92 countries broadcast news from the ceremony. The BBC channel commented on the broadcast in 44 different languages.

The recordings of the ceremony were delivered by aircraft of the country's Air Force across the Atlantic. On the same day, 87 million residents of the United States and Canada were also able to see the coronation.

The Queen and her 13 Prime Ministers

It is impossible to say with certainty what political views Elizabeth holds, since she never expresses them publicly.

One of the Queen's duties is weekly meetings with the Prime Minister, most often at Buckingham Palace.

Most of the heads of government had or have a close and trusting relationship with the British monarch, since in her position Elizabeth must know, and in character, she must be able to keep state secrets.

For more than 60 years of the Queen's reign, 12 British prime ministers have changed, and the current head of government, Theresa May, is the 13th.

The Royal National Theater in London even staged a play by Peter Morgan, The Audience. The play is a dialogue between Queen Elizabeth II and all British Prime Ministers.

The play, in which the role of the Queen was performed by English actress Helen Mirren, was first shown in London in 2012.

In June 2015, it became known that the Netflix video service plans to release The Crown TV series based on the Audience.

The series, with a budget of 100 million pounds, was very warmly received by viewers and critics. At the 74th Golden Globe Awards, Crown won Best Serial Drama. And for the role of the queen, actress Claire Foy received the statuette.

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Assassination attempt on the crown

Not much is known about the personal protection of Elizabeth II and the rest of the royal family.

An elite unit is responsible for ensuring the safety of the crowned heads. Buckingham Palace and Scotland Yard do not spoil the public with information about him. According to rumors, the royal bodyguards, who are on duty around the clock, are only about 50 people.

The most important task falls on the "bullet catchers".

During trips, especially outside the United Kingdom, specially trained drivers are allocated for monarchs, who sit behind the wheel of the cars and motorcycles of the motorcade.

During the years of Elizabeth's reign, the royal guard recorded more than 20 incidents related to violations of the personal safety of members of the royal family.

In 1966, during a visit by Elizabeth II to Belfast, a concrete block fell on one of the cars of her motorcade.

In April 1970, Elizabeth II traveled from Sydney to Orange, the agricultural center of New South Wales. At the point of the track where the train, following through the mountainous terrain, had to pick up high speed, the conspirators put a log on the railway sleepers in the expectation that the train would derail and hit the retaining wall at full speed.

The tragedy was avoided only because the train, contrary to expectations, moved very slowly on this section. Exactly one hour before the British Queen's train passed, the railroad track was inspected on a special locomotive, but no suspicious items were found. According to the investigators, the log was deliberately laid on the sleepers in the dark after this inspection.

In 1974, an attempt to kidnap Princess Anne was prevented near Buckingham Palace in London.

In May 1981, an assassination attempt on Prince Charles was thwarted when an envelope filled with explosives addressed to the Prince of Wales was intercepted at a post office in West London.

The attack on the queen was carried out a month after the bombing letter incident.

In June, during the traditional parade, a young man shot Elizabeth II's horse six times. The pistol was loaded with blank cartridges. The attacker is unemployed Briton Marcus Sargent. He was accused of violating a law passed in 1842, which provided for punishment for shooting weapons in the immediate vicinity of the royal person in order to scare her.

Photo: © AP Photo / Bob Dear. Video: © Youtube / PRESSIMAGEBANK

Four years later, Michael Fagan invaded Her Majesty's chambers almost unhindered, and in 1994 in Sydney, the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, was shot from a starting pistol.

In 2014, Scotland Yard thwarted another assassination attempt on the British queen. In London, four people were detained on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack.

According to the media, they were planning an attack on Elizabeth II using knives, knives and daggers.

Scandals around the royal family

The film, commissioned by the BBC for the 40th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, portrays the royal family as a happy large family with numerous children playing on the green lawns at Balmoral Castle.

However, a month after the film was shown on the air, it became known about the discord in the family of the Queen's second son, Prince Andrew. In 1996, he divorced his wife Sarah Ferguson after 10 years of marriage.

The newspapers wrote that the queen put a lot of pressure on Andrew so that he broke up with Sarah, whom the court considered vulgar and eccentric.

The media reported about her affair with the Texas oil millionaire Steve Wyatt, with whom Sarah spent a vacation in the Mediterranean. The newspapers published photographs of the couple taken at that time, leaving no doubt that these rumors had a solid foundation.

In the same year, Prince Charles divorced Princess Diana. She retained the title, equal to Charles' rights to raising children.

The popularity of the "People's Princess" after the divorce peaked, and Charles began to be treated as the man who betrayed the most charming woman in Britain.

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These family feuds did not damage the monarchy, but they deeply wounded the queen. Elizabeth II disapproved of the divorce of her children, remembering how her uncle was forced to renounce the throne in order to marry a divorced woman.

In 1997, the queen came under the gun of almost all the world's media. On August 31, Diana died in a car accident.

People filled up the fences of Buckingham and Kensington palaces with flowers, stuffed toys, balloons, letters of condolence.

The British believed that after the death of Princess Elizabeth, who was at that moment in Balmoral Castle (residence in Scotland), remained silent for too long.

"Where is the queen?" - asked the newspaper The Sun. “Your people are in misery. Turn to them,” the queen called from the front page of The Mirror.

Then-Premier Tony Blair also urged the Queen to reach out to the people.

Later, in his memoirs, the politician will write that he considered himself obliged "to protect the monarchy from itself."

The Queen's popularity plummeted after the death of Princess Diana. For the first time in 10 years - from 13 to 30% - the number of those who were sure that without the monarchy of Great Britain "would be better" increased. In 1987, 77% of Britons could not imagine life without the royal family.

Blair said he tried to persuade Elizabeth to make a public statement, but she found him presumptuous.

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I passionately argued to her the need to learn from life. She found me arrogant and behaved arrogantly, but then she admitted that I was right.

Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister

Elizabeth returned to London 5 days after Diana's death.

Together with Prince Philip, she walked to a pile of flowers at Buckingham Palace, showing her sympathy to the people. The crowd started clapping.

“The discontent hadn't gone away yet, but the atmosphere was already changing,” said Mary Francis, assistant to Elizabeth’s personal secretary.

On the same day, the Queen addressed the nation on live television, calling Diana "an exceptional and gifted person."

“Neither in joy nor in sorrow did she lose the ability to laugh and support others with her warmth and kindness,” Elizabeth said.

Photo: © AP Photo / Pool. Video: © Youtube / iconic

At Diana's funeral, the queen bowed her head in violation of etiquette.

Elizabeth managed to regain the favor of the British - the popularity of the monarch, according to polls, rose sharply.

Charles married only 8 years after the death of Diana - the wedding with Camilla Parker-Bowles was not solemn, they registered their relationship with the Municipal Department of Windsor.

The royal family gave their blessing, however, Elizabeth II was not present at the wedding.

British crown income and expenses

Local media estimate that in fiscal 2013/14, every British taxpayer allocated 56p for the maintenance of the monarchy.

More than a third of all expenses - 13.3 million pounds - went to the maintenance and repair of the royal palaces. This is almost 50% more than a year earlier. However, representatives of the royal family explained this fact by the completion of "a large number of long-term projects", as well as "the repayment of debts over the past years."

However, the Queen's main source of income is a fixed percentage of the profits of the Crown Estate, or the so-called Sovereign Grant. It was introduced in 2011 to replace the civil list.

Until 1760, monarchs received income from their property, but by the middle of the 18th century, these funds were sorely lacking to support the royal family. King George III, who ascended the throne in 1760, transferred all the property of the crown under the control of the government in exchange for receiving maintenance according to the civil list, the size of which was determined by the cabinet in agreement with the court.

According to the law, all income of the Crown Estate company goes to the state treasury, after which the British monarch receives 15% of his share. This is called the Sovereign Grant, which is used to pay for ceremonial duties.

Crown Estate is an independent business with the largest real estate portfolio in the UK. The company's capital is estimated at 11.5 billion pounds.

Crown Estate owns properties in London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The properties include Great Windsor Park and the Royal Ascot Racecourse, but the majority of the portfolio is residential and commercial properties, including offices, shops and shopping centers, as well as some buildings on Regent Street in London's West End.

In June 2015, the Financial Times reported that Elizabeth II would receive record income from transactions with her property, which is operated by the Crown Estate.

In the first three months of this year, the Crown Estate earned £ 285 million, of which Elizabeth II will receive £ 43 million.

Last year, the Sovereign Grant was £ 37.9 million, of which the Queen spent £ 35.7 million.

This money, among other things, went to pay staff, property maintenance, travel, utilities.

Nevertheless, in 2015, Elizabeth II left the list of the richest people in Great Britain, which is annually compiled by The Sunday Times. This year, the queen has lost 17 positions and is in 302nd place.

The Queen has been on the list annually since 1989.

Independent experts estimate the fortune of Elizabeth II at 110 million pounds. Over the past year, the Queen's income amounted to about 10 million pounds. When assessing the state of the queen, the value of the art collection, which includes works by Rembrandt, Monet and other famous painters, was not taken into account.

Photo: © AP Photo / Lefteris Pitarakis. Video: © Youtube / TheRoyalChannel

What awaits the British monarchy

According to the Act of Succession to the throne of 1701, the sons of the monarch had priority over their daughters, inheriting the throne by seniority.

Elizabeth became queen only because her father had no sons. If she had a brother, for example, a younger one, then the crown would have passed to him.

Attempts to change existing laws have been made several times since 1981, but each time they did not find support from the government of the country.

In 2011, the reform of the law on succession to the throne was finally brought up for discussion.

Even Prime Minister David Cameron said that the current system is outdated and must be "modernized".

In 2013, the rules of succession were changed. The law gave the descendants of the British crown of both sexes equal rights, now they will inherit the throne by seniority.

Elizabeth II's successor is her eldest son Charles, Prince of Wales.

In January 2006, the queen transferred part of her powers to him. So far, however, she has not given up on such duties as weekly meetings with the prime minister and attending the official opening of the parliamentary session.

In February, The Times published excerpts from a new unofficial biography of the Prince of Wales. The publication of excerpts from the book caused a stir in the local press. The text noted that Britain may not be ready for the radical changes that Prince Charles could bring with him if he ascends to the throne. And this fear was expressed by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The author of the biography of the prince "Charles: The Heart of the King" is the correspondent of The Times Catherine Mayer. According to her, Charles is more inclined than his mother to an autocratic style of government, but some courtiers of Buckingham Palace, "like the Queen herself," believe that the country is not ready for the "shock of change."

Mayer claims, citing sources close to the palace, that the prince "will never agree to be a figurehead."

"In speaking of his role as heir, the prince made it clear that he intends to redefine the monarchy," Mayer writes.

Critics of the Prince of Wales "led by his father Prince Philip" believe that he "behaves selfishly", preferring his "crazy ideas" to royal duties.

The prince's representatives noted in an interview with reporters that the book was not authorized, since they did not receive any preliminary copies and did not agree on the text.

The second in line to the British throne is the eldest son of Prince Charles William, Duke of Cambridge, who was born on June 21, 1982.

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She (Queen Elizabeth II) is a professional, she always thinks carefully about her every step and never makes hasty decisions.

(In an interview with the BBC for the documentary "The Queen", The Queen, 2012)

Prince William, grandson of Elizabeth II

William graduated from Eton College and entered the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 2006. He was promoted to officer rank and joined the Royal Cavalry.

In Buckingham Palace, they do not hide the fact that the grandson of Elizabeth II sees in the queen an example to follow, an example of a monarch. He declared that although he was ready to fulfill the heavy duty of being king, he would ascend the throne only after his father. In 2011, the Duke of Cambridge started a family that should determine the future of the British monarchy in the second half of the 21st century.

He met his future wife Catherine Middleton while studying at the University of St. Andrews.

Katherine and William got engaged in October 2010 during a joint vacation in Kenya. While proposing, William presented Catherine with his mother's engagement ring.

On April 29, 2011, the wedding of the “team of the future”, as David Cameron called the young couple, took place at Westminster Abbey.

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 the history of Great Britain.

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 the 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 the eldest son Edward VIII (uncle of Elizabeth). However, he ruled for 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 chose 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 invited Edward to abdicate. He really gave up power, and the throne suddenly passed to his younger brother, who took the crown name

This castling made the ten-year-old Elizabeth the heir to the world's largest British empire. If George had a boy, the title would have passed to him, but this did not happen. As a child, the future Queen Elizabeth II was in the center of public attention as a representative of the new generation of the ruling Windsor dynasty.

Heiress 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. Horseback riding has become one of her main hobbies since childhood. The queen was faithful to this hobby throughout her youth. At the same time, the girl was taught the full range of sciences. Large-scale knowledge was a mandatory attribute for members of the Windsor dynasty, as they personified all the best that the monarchy could give 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 the teachers.

Elizabeth 2's biography 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, World War II broke out, and the 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. As a child, Elizabeth 2 faced completely childish dangers and impressions that all her peers had to endure.

During the Second World War

Despite the fact that Hitler did not dare to send ground troops to the British Isles, his aircraft conducted regular bombing of British 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 visited the troops regularly. Already in 1940, the heiress first spoke to her compatriots with a public speech addressed to the children of the country.

The future Queen of England, Elizabeth 2, grew up in such an atmosphere. The child's biography became an exemplary cast of the era. In 1943, she visited the troops for the first time, having visited the grenadier regiment. A few months before Germany's surrender, Elizabeth joined the army and became a driver-mechanic for an auxiliary ambulance in the women's self-defense squad. The princess received the rank of lieutenant, and since today she is the current monarch, her military rank remains valid. This means that Elizabeth is the last non-retired World War II participant in the world.

Wedding with Philip

With the onset of peace, the future Queen of England Elizabeth 2 returned to her standard duties. The princess's biography 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 King George I of Greece, as well as a member of the Danish royal family and a descendant of Queen Victoria of Britain. 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 performs his dynastic duties. Interestingly, the Queen's husband did not accept the title of Prince Consort, which was customary for his position, and remained Duke of Edinburgh.

Philip and Elizabeth had four offspring: Charles, Anna, Andrew, and also Edward. They all have children and grandchildren today, who in turn make up the vast royal family of Great Britain. Charles, as the eldest son, became the heir to his mother 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 went to Kenya, then a British colony, on vacation. It was in this exotic country that the heiress 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 her traditional place - Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth 2 became the new queen. When a young 25-year-old ruler ascended the throne, the eyes of the whole world in the literal sense of the word were turned towards her, because it was then that cameras broadcasting the event were used for the first time at such an event.

The first years of reign

British Queen Elizabeth II traveled a lot in her youth. She did not abandon 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 during its time on the throne. Then they were 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 consultation with the eminent politician, it was decided to propose the candidacy of Harold Macmillan, which was accepted. He became the 65th Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1957 to 1964.

Relations with the Commonwealth of Nations

Even in his youth, it became clear that the further fate of Queen Elizabeth 2 would be connected only with serving her native country. She became a ruler at a time when in other countries the power of monarchs was either swept away by revolutions, or became only a decorative appendage.

This was not the case in Great Britain. 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, monarchical institutions of power were dismantled after bloody wars. Great Britain avoided this.

Nevertheless, after the Second World War it was clear that the imperial consciousness would have to be abandoned. Even during the reign of Elizabeth's father George VI, India, the pearl of the British crown, gained independence. Now the young ruler had to consistently abandon the rest of the remnants of the past imperial era.

The most important instrument for realizing this goal was British diplomacy did everything to establish friendly relations with their former colonies, while giving them a platform for conversation on equal terms. There were especially many problems in the African region, where, after the departure of the British authorities, revolutions and civil wars began.

Traditionally, Elizabeth devoted a lot of time to her country's relations with Canada. Until 1982, the British government had a certain weight in domestic decision-making. After the reforms, such a system remained in the past, which was another step towards abandoning the previous British policy of interfering in the affairs of its former colonies. Nevertheless, Elizabeth remains the nominal queen of Canada today. In 1976, she opened the Montreal Olympics as monarch. Many years later, she will take part in a similar ceremony in London. The opening of that Olympics took place in 2012.

As for the current state of the Commonwealth of Nations, Elizabeth today remains the head of this system, although all organizational issues can be resolved without her participation, while the queen is a symbolic figure.

Tragedies of the royal family

Over the years, the personal life of the royal family, of which Elizabeth is the head, has acquired more and more unpleasant and shocking news. In 1979, terrorists from the Irish Republican Army killed the uncle of Prince Philip Louis Mountbatten. He was not only a close relative of the queen, but also was an important statesman even 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. Together with him, several of his relatives and an Irish boy who worked on the ship died. On the same day, the massacre of the radicals was complemented 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 for 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 confused personal life cast a shadow over the entire royal family. On her initiative, in 1996, Charles and Diana divorced. This caused a huge secular scandal.

No sooner had passions subsided, as in 1997 the UK was shaken by the shocking news of Diana's death in a car accident in Paris. A few years after this event, Prince Charles married a second time to his longtime girlfriend.The wedding took place in 2005, when his children from their first marriage had already grown up and lived an independent life.

80th

Despite the scandals and tragedies that from time to time shook Buckingham Palace, 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, there was a long conflict between Catholics and Protestants. In a new era, the time has come for a historic reconciliatory meeting between 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 have 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. Elizabeth's youngest son, Andrew, served in the British army during this conflict and was a member of the helicopter crew.

The war began because of the uncertainty about the ownership of the Falkland Islands, located off the coast of Argentina. After nearly three months of naval battles, Great 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 the tough character and decisiveness of the politician she 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 laws and traditions, the head of government held a weekly working meeting, 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 there were fundamental differences between the prime minister and the monarch in domestic and foreign policy. These conversations were actively exaggerated by the press. Despite this, Thatcher herself and Elizabeth's officials each time refuted such judgments.

At the same time, British society was going through difficult times in the 1980s. This was primarily due to the tense social situation. Because of the policies of austerity, privatization and monetarism, of which Thatcher was an adherent, the country wandered on the brink of an economic crisis. Such measures were necessary for government reforms. The Queen, due to her status, as a rule, found herself on the sidelines of the wave of public criticism.

Diamond jubilee

2012 marked the diamond anniversary of the reign (60 years), which was celebrated by the Queen of England. Photos of the country's celebrations hit the front pages of newspapers around the world. Elizabeth became the second after Queen Victoria, who managed to live to this momentous date.

The culmination 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 took place 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 was married. Catherine Middleton became his wife. In 2013, Elizabeth became a great-grandmother for the third time. William had a son and heir to the throne, George.

Queen's current status

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 state figure performing representative functions. Today the ruler continues to follow the traditions of her tenure on the throne. Once a year, she organizes a speech in front of parliament.

Also, the queen regularly meets ambassadors and diplomatic delegations. In previous years, she often traveled to different parts of the planet, but with age, the intensity of travel has decreased. However, as recently as 2011, Elizabeth traveled to Ireland. This was a historic visit. Britain and its western neighbor have been in conflict for centuries. In the 20th century, the struggle of the Irish 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 on the throne, the ruler has acquired her own style in dealing with parliament. As a rule, she tries to stay away from political clashes between parties and supporters of different programs.

But it was the cold-blooded and unapproachable 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 chairman of parliament. Each time it helped to defuse the situation on Downing Street.

Today in Great Britain every resident of the country knows about everything that Queen Elizabeth 2 of England is connected with. Biography, full name and other facts from her life are well known to everyone. She managed, despite the changeability of the modern era, to maintain the authority of the monarchy.