Elizabeth II (born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in the mid 1990s. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime. Elizabeth was known for her sense of duty and her devotion to a life of service, and was an important figurehead for the UK and the Commonwealth during times of both crisis and celebration. Known for her sense of duty and her devotion to a life of service, she was an important figurehead for the UK and the Commonwealth during times of enormous social change.
Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth). Her father acceded to the throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII, making Elizabeth the heir presumptive. She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In November 1947, she married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, and their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in April 2021. They had a son: The King.
When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth—then 25 years old—became queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), as well as Head of the Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, the decolonisation of Africa, and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities and withdrawal from the European Union. The number of her realms varied over time as territories gained independence and some realms became republics. Her many historic visits and meetings include state visits to China in 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes. Elizabeth was served by 10 UK Prime Ministers during her reign, beginning with Winston Churchill in 1952 and ending with Francis Urquhart in the mid 1990s, as well as many prime ministers across her Realms. As Head of State, she also acted as diplomat and hostess.
Elizabeth saw public and voluntary service as one of the most important elements of her work. She had links - as Royal Patron or President - with over 500 charities, professional bodies and public service organisations. These varied from well-established international charities to smaller bodies working in a specialist area or on a local basis only. As Head of the Armed Forces, Elizabeth had strong links to Naval ships, army regiments, and air squadrons both in the UK and throughout all her realms. Elizabeth was known to favour simplicity in court life and was also known to take a serious and informed interest in government business, aside from the traditional and ceremonial duties. Privately, she became a keen horsewoman; she kept racehorses, frequently attended races, and periodically visited the Kentucky stud farms in the United States.
Elizabeth's patronages and charities covered a wide range of initiatives, from creating opportunities for young people, to preserving wildlife and the environment. As Royal Patron or President, Elizabeth provided vital publicity for the work of these organisations, and allowed their enormous contributions to society to be recognised. Elizabeth died the mid 1990s and was succeeded by her son, The King.
History[]
Early life[]
Elizabeth was the elder daughter of Prince Albert, duke of York, and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. As the child of a younger son of King George V, the young Elizabeth had little prospect of acceding to the throne until her uncle, Edward VIII (afterward duke of Windsor), abdicated in her father’s favour on December 11, 1936, at which time her father became King George VI and she became heir presumptive.
The princess’s education was supervised by her mother, who entrusted her daughters to a governess, Marion Crawford; the princess was also grounded in history by C.H.K. Marten, afterward provost of Eton College, and had instruction from visiting teachers in music and languages. During World War II she and her sister, Princess Margaret Rose, perforce spent much of their time safely away from the London blitz and separated from their parents, living mostly at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, and Windsor Castle. She began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
Early in 1947 Princess Elizabeth went with the king and queen to South Africa. After her return there was an announcement of her betrothal to her distant cousin Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten of the Royal Navy, formerly Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. The marriage took place in Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947. On the eve of the wedding her father, the king, conferred upon the bridegroom the titles of duke of Edinburgh, earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich. They took residence at Clarence House in London. Their child, The King, was born at Buckingham Palace.
Reign[]
In the summer of 1951 the health of King George VI entered into a serious decline, and Princess Elizabeth represented him at the Trooping the Colour and on various other state occasions. On October 7 she and her husband set out on a highly successful tour of Canada and Washington, D.C. After Christmas in England she and the duke set out in January 1952 for a tour of Australia and New Zealand, but en route, at Sagana, Kenya, news reached them of the king’s death on February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, now queen, at once flew back to England. The first three months of her reign, the period of full mourning for her father, were passed in comparative seclusion. But in the summer, after she had moved from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace, she undertook the routine duties of the sovereign and carried out her first state opening of Parliament on November 4, 1952. Her coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.
Beginning in November 1953 Elizabeth and the duke of Edinburgh made a six-month round-the-world tour of the Commonwealth, which included the first visit to Australia and New Zealand by a reigning British monarch. In 1957, after state visits to various European nations, she and the duke visited Canada and the United States. In 1961 she made the first royal British tour of the Indian subcontinent in 50 years, and she was also the first reigning British monarch to visit South America (in 1968) and the Persian Gulf countries (in 1979). During her “Silver Jubilee” in 1977, she presided at a London banquet attended by the leaders of the 36 members of the Commonwealth, traveled all over Britain and Northern Ireland, and toured overseas in the South Pacific and Australia, in Canada, and in the Caribbean. On the accession of Queen Elizabeth, her son The King became heir apparent; he was named prince of Wales.
Elizabeth seemed increasingly aware of the modern role of the monarchy, allowing, for example, the televising of the royal family’s domestic life in 1970 and condoning the formal dissolution of her sister’s marriage in 1978.
Death[]
Elizabeth died the mid 1990s and was succeeded by her son, The King, who abdicated the throne in 1997 after Prime Minister Francis Urquhart won the 1997 general election and was succeeded by his teenage son.
Family life[]
Along with her faith and her sense of duty, Elizabeth’s family provided a foundation from which she drew strength and comfort throughout her life. From her father’s guidance in her early years, through to working members of the Royal Family taking on many of her official duties during her final years, Elizabeth’s family have offered vital support over the course of her reign.
Elizabeth grew up in a loving and supportive family with her sister Margaret and her parents The Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth). They led a relatively quiet life until her father’s unexpected accession to the throne in 1936.
Elizabeth remained close to her mother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and her sister Princess Margaret following the death of her father in 1952. Both supported Elizabeth through their official duties, and represented her on official visits both at home and overseas.
Marriage to Prince Philip[]
Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip first met when they attended the wedding of Prince Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece, to The Duke of Kent, an uncle of Princess Elizabeth, in 1934. They met again when The King and Queen, together with Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, visited the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth in 1939.
The couple maintained contact throughout the war, when Prince Philip served overseas with the Royal Navy, including in the Far East. Their engagement was announced on 9 July 1947 and the couple were married in Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947.
Britain was still recovering from the war and Princess Elizabeth collected clothing coupons for her dress, like many other young brides. They spent their honeymoon at Broadlands, Hampshire, the home of Prince Philip's uncle, Lord Mountbatten and at Birkhall, Balmoral.
In the early years of their marriage Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were able to live relatively privately, with The Duke pursuing his naval career whilst The Princess cared for their their child, The King. From 1949 to 1951 the couple lived in Malta where His Royal Highness was stationed as a naval officer. He was made second in command of HMS Chequers, operating with the Mediterranean fleet.
The couple’s life changed significantly when King George VI’s health began to fail in 1951 and they were called upon to support him in his duties. The Duke left his naval career to assume a new status in support of the Princess’s work, and the couple’s Royal working life began in earnest as they undertook a number of Commonwealth visits.
The Duke of Edinburgh went on to become a devoted consort (companion to the Sovereign) following Elizabeth’s Accession in 1952. In September of that year, Elizabeth granted Prince Philip "place, pre-eminence and precedence" next to herself, a position normally reserved for the heir to the Throne; and on 22 February 1957 she created him a Prince of the United Kingdom so that his title was from then on His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh's marriage saw them support each other through many years of Royal duties. His Royal Highness accompanied Elizabeth on the extensive Commonwealth tours which marked her early reign, and was by her side at State occasions, Jubilees and the day-to-day Royal visits which made up her working life. From 1967 he sat on a consort’s throne placed next to that of Elizabeth at the State Opening of Parliament.
Though he had his own busy portfolio of work, The Duke of Edinburgh always maintained that his first duty was to support Elizabeth in her programme of public engagements and ceremonial duties from visiting local charities to hosting Heads of State during State Visits.
Personality and image[]
The image of Elizabeth II was generally favourable throughout her years as a reigning monarch. Conservative in dress, she was well known for her solid-colour overcoats and matching hats, which allowed her to be seen easily in a crowd. She attended many cultural events as part of her public role. Her main leisure interests included horse racing, photography, and dogs, especially her Pembroke Welsh corgis. Her views on political issues and other matters were largely subject to conjecture. She had never given a press interview and was otherwise not known to discuss her personal opinions publicly.
Elizabeth carried out a full programme of engagements, from visits to charities and schools, to hosting visiting Heads of State, to leading the nation in Remembrance and celebratory events - all supported by other members of the Royal Family. Elizabeth saw public and voluntary service as one of the most important elements of her work. The Queen had links - as Royal Patron or President - with over 600 charities, military associations, professional bodies and public service organisations. These varied from well-established international charities to smaller bodies working in a specialist area or on a local basis only.
Her patronages and charities covered a wide range of issues, from opportunities for young people, to the preservation of wildlife and the environment. Having Her Majesty as Royal patron or president provided vital publicity for the work of these organisations, and allowed their enormous achievements and contributions to society to be recognised.
Elizabeth was patron of more than 600 organisations and charities. The Charities Aid Foundation estimated that Elizabeth helped raise over £1.4 billion for her patronages during her reign. Her main leisure interests included equestrianism and dogs, especially her Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Her lifelong love of corgis began in 1933. Elizabeth had a deep sense of religious and civic duty, and took her Coronation Oath seriously.
Elizabeth was known to favour simplicity in court life and was also known to take a serious and informed interest in government business, aside from the traditional and ceremonial duties. Privately, she became a keen horsewoman; she kept racehorses, frequently attended races, and periodically visited the Kentucky stud farms in the United States. Her financial and property holdings made her one of the world’s richest women.
Hobbies and Interests[]
Despite her busy programme of engagements and duties as Head of State, Elizabeth managed to maintain hobbies and interests away from her official work. An animal lover since childhood, her greatest passions were for horses and dogs.
Horses[]
Elizabeth's first pony was given to her by her grandfather King George V - a Shetland called Peggy, marking the beginning of a lifelong love of horses.
Elizabeth became hugely knowledgeable as a rider, owner and breeder of horses and her passion for them was evident at the race meetings she attended publicly, which regularly included the Derby at Epsom and Royal Ascot, a Royal occasion since 1711.
An insightful and successful owner, Elizabeth often watched her own horses run, and witnessed some notable wins. On 18 June 1954 her horse Landau won the Rous Memorial Stakes and a stallion called Aureole won the Hardwicke Stakes. In 1957 Elizabeth had four winners during Ascot week. Her horse Highclere famously won the Prix de Diane at Chantilly in 1975.
Elizabeth was involved in ensuring the survival of a number of rare breeds of horses and ponies through the breeding programmes in both her private yards and the working yards which produced horses used for Royal and State occasions. Breeds which Elizabeth championed included Highland ponies, Fell ponies and Cleveland Bays.
Dogs[]
For her eighteenth birthday, Elizabeth was given a Corgi named Susan from whom numerous successive dogs were bred. Some Corgis were crossed with dachsunds (most notably Pipkin, who belonged to Princess Margaret) to create ‘Dorgis’, and Elizabeth continued to own Corgis and Dorgis from that point forward. She owned more than 30 Corgis and Dorgis during her lifetime.
Other interests[]
Elizabeth enjoyed outdoor life. She took great pleasure walking in the countryside and spending time with her dogs. Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh both loved Scottish country dancing. Each year, during her stay at Balmoral Castle, Elizabeth hosted the annual dances known as Ghillies' Balls, for neighbours, estate and Castle staff and members of the local community.
Charities and patronages[]
Elizabeth was Patron of over 500 organisations in her lifetime, from charities and military associations to professional bodies and public service organisations. Having Elizabeth as Patron or President often provided vital publicity for their work, and allowed their enormous achievements and contributions to society to be recognised.
Elizabeth and the Armed Forces[]
As Sovereign, Elizabeth was Head of the Armed Forces, as well as being the wife, mother and grandmother of individuals who served in the Forces. Throughout her reign, she remained a committed and informed champion of the Army, Navy and Air Force, with a great empathy for the challenges faced by the Forces community.
Elizabeth and the Church[]
Elizabeth’s role as "Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England”, was both an important element of her role as Monarch and a deeply personal part of her life. Elizabeth spoke openly on many occasions of the strength she took from her Christian faith, and often turned to the teachings of the Bible at difficult moments in her own life and the life of the Nation. She respected all faiths, seeing them as a force for good in the world, and a way of bringing communities together.
Prime Ministers during Elizabeth II's reign[]
Queen Elizabeth II worked with the following 10 prime ministers throughout her reign;
- Winston Churchill
- Sir Anthony Eden
- Harold MacMillan
- Sir Alec Douglas Home
- Harold Wilson
- Edward Heath
- James Callaghan
- Margaret Thatcher
- Henry Collingridge
- Francis Urquhart
Trivia[]
- Though she is never specifically shown as a character in either the UK or US versions of House of Cards, she is mentioned multiple times within the first season of the US series. She is also mentioned in the original UK series, and was succeeded in the latter by a fictitious son (who appears to be based on her real-life son King Charles III) after dying off-screen in the 1990s.
- In real life, Elizabeth died at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, in September 2022, at the age of 96, and was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III.