Think of the word “queen”. Who comes to mind? Most likely Queen Elizabeth II. She is the most popular, visible representative of royalty in the world, and has been so for well over half a century!
She was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, to Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later Queen Mary). Becoming the queen was a twist of fate for Elizabeth. It was her uncle Prince Edward who was first in line to the British throne. However, he abdicated to marry a divorcee and his brother Prince Albert became the next in line to inherit the throne.
When Prince Albert became the king, he assumed the name George VI and his eldest daughter, Elizabeth became heir to the throne. When King George died, Elizabeth was 25 years old. She became Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms including Canada, New Zealand and Australia on February 06, 1952.
During this time Britain still had a vast empire. However, many of the dominions within the empire became independent and the empire became the Commonwealth of Nations. Elizabeth’s long reign has been marked by great changes. As a constitutional monarch. Elizabeth does not interfere in political matters, nor does she share her opinions. She has strictly maintained an apolitical stance throughout her reign, which is a remarkable feat.
Elizabeth married the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on November 20, 1947. They have four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. She is the longest-reigning monarch in British history and will celebrate 70 years as the British monarch with her diamond jubilee in February 2022.
Picture Credit : Google
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