and Queen Mary (1867-1953), Princess of Teck, on her father's side,
Claude George Bowes-Lyon (1855-1944), Earl of Strathmore and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1961), by mother.
The early years of Elizabeth II
1. The Queen was born at 2:40 am on April 21, 1926 in the London borough of Mayfair at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at 17 Brewton Street.
2. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
3. At that time, she was the third in the line of succession to the throne after Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and her father, Duke of York. But no one expected her father to become king, much less that she would become queen.
4. Princess Elizabeth was baptized with the names of Alexander and Mary in the chapel of Buckingham Palace. She was named after her mother, and her two middle names were named after her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and her paternal grandmother, Queen Mary.
5. The early years of the princess were spent at Piccadilly 145, her parents' London home, where they moved shortly after her birth, and at the White House in Richmond Park.
6. When she was six years old, her parents received government positions at the Royal House in Great Windsor Park.
7. Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her younger sister.
8. Elizabeth was taught personally by her father, King George, and also taught by Henry Martin, Vice-Rector of Eton. The Archbishop of Canterbury studied religion with her.
9. Princess Elizabeth learned French from French and Belgian governesses. This skill served the Queen well, as she could personally take part in conversations with ambassadors and heads of state from French-speaking countries, as well as when visiting French-speaking regions of Canada.
Princess Elizabeth in 1933
10. Princess Elizabeth became a scout when she was eleven years old, and then became a sea ranger.
11. In 1940, at the height of the war, the young princesses were relocated for their safety to Windsor Castle, where they spent most of the war years.
1943 with my sister
Women's auxiliary territorial corps: Princess Elizabeth, 2nd chief of the Department of Internal Affairs, in overalls.
Royal romance
12. The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee.
13. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip met at the wedding of Prince Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece and the Duke of Kent, who was Princess Elizabeth's uncle, in 1934.
14. The engagement between Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten was announced on July 9, 1947. Prince Philip received the title of Prince of Greece and Denmark at birth. He joined the Navy in 1939 and after the war, in February 1947, was granted British citizenship. Prince Philip had to choose a surname in order to continue his career in the Royal Navy and he adopted the surname of his mother's British relatives, Mountbatten. At the wedding, King George VI elevated him to the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
15. The royal wedding rings were adorned with platinum and inlaid with diamonds by the jeweler Philip Antrobus. He used in his jewelry diamonds from a diadem belonging to the mother of Prince Philip.
16. Prince Philip had two bachelor parties before the wedding: the first was official in Dorchester, which was attended by guests from the press, and the second was with close friends at the Belfrey Club.
17. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947 at 11:30 am. The celebration was attended by 2,000 invited guests.
Video: "Wedding" The bridesmaids' dresses were made in the same style. They were sewn from cheaper materials (also purchased with coupons), but due to the embroidery and interesting design they looked decent.
Princess Margaret as a bridesmaid at Queen Elizabeth’s wedding
Princess Alexandra of Kent as a bridesmaid at the Queen ’s wedding
18. Elizabeth had eight bridesmaids: HRH Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Carolina Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambert, Pamela Mountbatten, Margaret Elphinstone, Diana Bowes-Lyon.
19. Also attending the wedding were HRH Prince William of Gloucester (aged five) and HRH Prince Michael of Kent (also aged five).
20. The Queen's wedding dress was made by designer Sir Norman Hartnell.
21. The fabric for the dress was specially manufactured by Winterthur Silks Limited in Dunfermline at the Canmore factory. For its manufacture, threads of Chinese silkworms were delivered from China. Garlands of flowers fleur-dorange (the emblem of virginity), jasmine (the emblem of happiness, purity, sincerity) and the white rose of York (white rose means purity) were embroidered with small pearls and crystal rhinestones.
22. The queen's veil was made of light sheer fabric and crowned with a diamond tiara. This diadem (which can be worn as a necklace) was made for Queen Mary in 1919. The diamonds from which it is made are taken from a necklace and tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood and a wedding present for Queen Mary in 1893. In August 1936, Queen Mary donated the tiara to Queen Elizabeth when she was still Princess Elizabeth for a future wedding.
Tiara Elizabeth "borrowed" from her mother. An hour before the celebration, in the hands of the bride, the tiara broke in half and had to wait for the jeweler, who urgently repaired it.
23. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Abbey is the only stone that is not covered with a special cover. The day after the wedding, Princess Elizabeth, following the royal tradition started by her mother, sent the wedding bouquet back to the abbey, where flowers were laid on this tomb.
24. The bride's engagement ring was made from a Welsh gold nugget sent from the Clogau St David mine near Dolgello.
25. About 10 thousand congratulatory telegrams were received at Buckingham Palace, and the royal couple received more than 2500 wedding gifts from well-wishers around the world.
26. In addition to jewelry, the couple received many useful things for the kitchen and home from close relatives, including a salt shaker from the Queen Mother, a bookcase from Queen Mary, and a picnic set from Princess Margaret.
27. The "Wedding Breakfast" (lunch) was held after the wedding at Westminster Abbey in the Round Dining Room at Buckingham Palace. The menu included "de Sole Mountbatten" fillet, "Pedro" casserole, "Princess Elizabeth" ice cream.
28. On their honeymoon, the couple left Waterloo Station with the princess's dog, Susan.
29. The newlyweds spent their wedding night in Hampshire, at the house of Prince Philip's uncle, Earl of Mountbatten. The second part of the honeymoon was spent at Birkhall, in the Balmoral estate.
30. In early 1948, the couple rented their first family home, Windlesham Moore, in Surrey, near Windsor Castle, where they remained until they moved to Clarence House on July 4, 1949.
31. After marrying Princess Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh continued his naval career, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Commander in command of the frigate "HMS Magpie".
32. Although he was the husband of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh was not crowned or anointed at the 1953 coronation ceremony. He was the first to pay homage and swear an oath to Her Majesty. He kissed the newly crowned Queen with the words: "I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will become your vassal in sickness and health, I will serve you with faith and truth, with honor and respect, until my death. God help me."
Herbert James Gunn Coronation Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
33. Prince Philip accompanied the Queen on all of her Commonwealth and state visits, as well as government events and meetings in all parts of the UK. The first was the Commonwealth Coronation Tour from November 1953 to May 1954, in which the couple visited Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar, having covered a distance of 43.618 kilometers.
34. The coronation took place at Westinster Abbey on June 2, 1953. The sacred ceremony was presided over by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury.
35. The coronation was broadcast in every part of London, the navy, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Sketch by Norman Hartnell for the coronation dress of Elizabeth II
Coronation dress, made by designer Norman Hartnell
Joan Hassell. Prince Charles's Invitation, 1953
36. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh Philip have four children: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (born 1948), Princess Anne (born 1950), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born 1960) and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).
37. With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, the Queen became the first reigning monarch to have a child since Queen Victoria, whose youngest child, Princess Beatrice, was born in 1857.
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (born 1948)
Princess Anne, (born 1950)
The Queen with her son Charles and daughter Anna, 1954.
The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cornwall and Princess Anne October 1957
Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born 1960)
Queen Elizabeth II's two youngest children, Princes Andrew and Edward.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (born 1964)
Prince edward and princess sophie
38. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh Philip have eight grandchildren -
Peter Phillips (born 1977)
Zara Phillips (born 1981)
Prince William (born in 1982),
Prince Harry (born in 1984),
Princess Beatrice (born in 1988),
Princess Eugenia (born in 1990),
Lady Louise Windsor (born 2003)
and James, Viscount Severns (born 2007),
has a great-granddaughter - Savannah (born in 2011) and a great-grandson Prince George of Cambridge (2013)
The Queen and Prince Philip pose with their grandchildren (l-r) William, Harry, Zara and her brother Peter (back row) in a warm portrait sent out for Christmas 1987
Queen of England speeches
39. The Queen televises a Christmas message every year, except in 1969, when she decided that the royals had been on television enough after an unprecedented documentary about her family. Her greeting took the form of a written appeal.
40. In a 1991 communication, the Queen denied rumors of abdication, as she pledged to continue serving.
41. The Queen issued an injunction against The Sun in 1992 after it published the full text of her speech two days before the broadcast. She later accepted an apology and a £ 200,000 donation to charity.
42. The Queen's grandfather, King George V, the first of the royal family, performed live on Christmas radio from Sandringham in 1932.
43. George V was initially opposed to the use of wireless devices for transmitting information, but in the end he agreed.
44. There was no Christmas broadcast in 1936 and 1938.
45. In 2010, the Queen's speech was broadcast from Hampton Court Palace, the first time a historic building was used.
46. Each speech is personally written by the Queen, each has a strict religious framework, reflects current issues and is often based on her own experiences.
Interests and hobbies
48. An animal lover since childhood, the Queen has a great and very knowledgeable interest in horses. As a thoroughbred owner and breeder, she often comes to watch the races to see how her horses are on the run, and often attends equestrian events.
49. Elizabeth II took part in the derby, one of the classic races in Great Britain, and the summer race at Ascot, which became royal since 1911.
50. The Queen's horses have won races at Royal Ascot several times. Notable is the double win on June 18, 1954, when Landau won the Rous Memorial Stakes, Halo won the Hardwicke Stakes, and in 1957 the Queen had four winners during the races.
Zara Philips, Princess Ahn and Elizabeth II
In her young grandchildren (children of Prince Edward), Elizabeth II also encourages a passion for horses.
51. Other interests include nature and countryside walks. Also, the queen loves to walk with her Labradors, which were specially bred in Sandgreenham.
52. Less well known is the Queen's interest in Scottish dance. Each year during her stay at Balmoral Castle, the Queen puts on a dance known as the "Gillies Balls" for neighbors, estate owners, castle staff and members of the local community.
53. The Queen is the only person in the UK who can drive her car without a license or registration number. And she doesn't have a passport.
54. The Queen is the patron of over 600 charitable organizations.
55. To formally greet the queen, men must bow their heads slightly, while women make a slight curtsy. At the presentation to the queen, the correct form will be "Your Majesty" and then "ma'am".
Queen's leisure
56. Queen Elizabeth II is the fortieth monarch of England since William the Conqueror.
57. She has visited Australia 15 times, Canada 23 times, Jamaica 6 times and New Zealand 10 times.
58. Her Majesty sent about 100 thousand telegrams to centenarians in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries.
59. The Queen dined on 23 ships and interacted with five astronauts at Buckingham Palace.
60. She made her maiden flight in an airplane in July 1945.
61. Her Majesty is the only British monarch in history who knows how to change spark plugs.
62. On Victory Day, the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret slipped in the crowd during the celebration.
63. For a wedding dress, the Queen collected coupons for clothes.
64. The Queen has a bank account at Coutts & Co.
65. The Queen celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2002 by visiting 70 cities and towns across the UK.
66. Tony Blair was the first prime minister to be born during her reign, which has had nine prime ministers before him.
67. The Queen attended 91 state banquets and posed for 139 official portraits.
68. Formally, the Queen of England still owns sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the water throughout the UK, which are recognized as "Royal Fish". In addition, she owns all wild swans that live in open water.
69. The queen bred a new breed of dog known as the "dorgi" when one of the corgi was mated to a dachshund named Pipkin.
70. The Queen is the first British monarch to see three child divorces.
71. Her Majesty demoted a footman for serving her corgi whiskey.
72. The Queen has nine Royal Thrones: one in the House of Lords, two in Westminster Abbey and six in the throne room of Buckingham Palace.
73. She is the patron saint of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association. One of the queen's birds is called Sandringham Lightning.
74. During the reign of the queen, six archbishops of Canterbury were replaced.
75. The Queen is 5 feet 4 inches or 160 centimeters tall.
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Posted by: March 20, 2013 at 01:15 AMQueen of England is another iconic symbol of London. British Queen Elizabeth 2 has been on the throne for over sixty years.
During this time, the map of the planet changed many times, states appeared and disappeared, coups, revolutions and wars took place, and Her Royal Majesty Elizabeth II personified the stability and sustainable development of her country - Great Britain.
Neither fascism, nor communism, nor any forms of extremism have passed here. Great Britain and its queen were, are and always will be.
And although the great imperial times are long gone, the glory of Britain does not fade, the country is developing, its standard of living has been and remains one of the highest in the world, and the English Queen Elizabeth is loved by millions of subjects. The recently lavishly celebrated diamond anniversary of her reign - the sixtieth anniversary - is direct evidence of this.
Was bornElizabeth Alexandra Maria(full name of Queen Elizabeth 2) April 21, 1926 in the London area, which remains rich and aristocratic to this day. The house where the future queen was born, unfortunately, has not survived, but even today, after wandering through the streets in the area of Berkeley Square and Bruton Street, it is quite possible to feel the spirit of the glorious Windsor past.
In 1947, Princess Elizabeth got married for the lieutenant of the navy of Great Britain Philip Mountbatten, a member of several royal families of Europe, the great-grandson of three monarchs, including the Russian emperor Nicholas 2. The Queen had only one younger sister - Princess Margaret (1930 - 2002).
Elizabeth became the British monarch February 6, 1952 after the death of his father George 6. Coronation took place June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.
During this time, together with her, the country was ruled by more than a dozen prime ministers and several thousand deputies of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Queen Elizabeth 2 experienced both sad and joyful moments in the history of the country, crises, wars, the Olympics, the World and European Football Championships, the British flight into space and much, much more.
The Queen of Great Britain lives in, in the very center of London.
The palace is closed for visiting. Only a few of its rooms open to tourists in the summer, when Her Royal Majesty leaves for one of her country residences.
At normal times, the country residences are open to the public, unlike Buckingham Palace.
One of the most interesting country residences of the Queen is the Palace with a huge garden, located in.
It is 20 miles east of London.
The Queen and her husband Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, have four children. Queen Elizabeth's Children 2: The Prince Charles, Princess Anna, prince Andrew and the prince Edward.
The image of Queen Elizabeth II and the English monarchy as a whole manifests itself in London at every step - in souvenirs, in the names of streets, squares, theaters and pubs, in street advertisements, and it seems even in the very air of London.
Elizabeth II in October 1942
“In general, no one taught me to be a queen: my father died too early and it happened so unexpectedly - I had to immediately get involved in the business and at the same time try not to hit my face in the mud. I had to grow up to the position that I took. It was fate, it should have been accepted and not murmured. I believe that continuity is very important. My job is for life. "
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain
I wonder what it is like to celebrate your birthday for over 50 years twice a year? This question can be answered by Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926 in London, and for many years now her birthday has been celebrated throughout the United Kingdom not only on April 21, but also on the 3rd Saturday of June.
Her Royal Majesty's title in the United Kingdom reads like this: "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other dominions and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."
Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George the Sixth. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she became queen, and has been for several decades.
The birthday is lavishly celebrated every year at Windsor Castle. It begins with a walk around the city (if this action, of course, can be called that). A 21-round salute is certainly given, which sounds at noon.
Throughout her reign, the Queen has been criticized more than once not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy, and her popularity in Great Britain is at its height.
Royal
Elizabeth II (English Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (English Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.
Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.
She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the Queen of 15 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 in chief. armed forces Great Britain.
Coats of arms at different times and in different countries
Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944-1947)
Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (1947-1952)
Royal arms of Great Britain (except for Scotland)
Royal coat of arms in Scotland
Royal coat of arms in Canada
The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by God's grace of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith."
During the reign of Elizabeth II in all countries that recognize the British monarch as their head of state, laws were adopted according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as the head of this particular state, regardless of their titles in Great Britain itself or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries, the title of the queen sounds in the same way, with the replacement of the name of the state. In some countries, the words “defender of the faith” have been removed from the title. For example, in Australia the title reads as follows: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen of Australia and her other kingdoms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth."
On the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, Elizabeth II also bears the title of Duke of Normandy, on the Isle of Man - the title of "Lord of Maine".
Story
Elizabeth II is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She currently ranks second in history for the length of stay on the British throne (after Queen Victoria) and also the second in the world for the length of tenure as head of state among the current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also 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 bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.
During the reign of Elizabeth II, a very wide period of British history falls: the process of decolonization was completed, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. This period also included many other events, such as the prolonged ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1970
Public perception
At the moment, most Britons positively assess the activities of Elizabeth II as a monarch (approximately 69% believe that the country would be worse without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy helps to raise the country's image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).
Despite the positive attitude of most of her subjects, the queen was criticized several times throughout her reign, in particular:
In 1963, when a political crisis broke out in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for having personally appointed Alexander Douglas-Hume as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1997, for the lack of an instant reaction to the death of Princess Diana, the Queen was attacked not only by the anger of the British public, but even by many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death while hunting with a cane, a wave of indignation from environmental organizations about the monarch's actions swept across the country.
Elizabeth II is the last representative of the so-called "old school" of monarchs: she strictly adheres to age-old traditions and ceremonies and never deviates from the rules of established etiquette. Her Majesty never gives interviews or statements to the press. She is in full view, but at the same time, she is the most closed celebrity on the planet.
Princess Elizabeth with her pet, July 1936
Childhood
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).
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 (1883-1938).
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 girl’s name 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.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1930
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.
The future queen received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. Since childhood, she loved horses and equestrian sports. And also from childhood, unlike her more eccentric sister Margaret, she had a truly royal character. In the biography of Elizabeth II Sarah Bradford, it is mentioned that the future queen from childhood was a very serious child, who already then had a certain understanding of the responsibilities that fell on her as the heir to the throne and a sense of duty. Since childhood, Elizabeth loved order, so she, for example, going to bed, always put slippers next to the bed, never allowing herself to scatter things in the room, as is inherent in many children. And already as a queen, she always made sure that no extra light burned in the palace, personally turning off the lights in empty rooms.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1926
Photo of 1929, Elizabeth is 3 years old
Princess Elizabeth in 1933
King George VI and (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Angela, Duchess of York (1900-2002), with her daughter, future queen - Princess Elizabeth, 1929
Queen and daughters, October 1942
Princess at war
The second World War 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" - the 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 not yet retired participant in the Second World War (the penultimate was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).
Princess Elizabeth (left, in military uniform) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (left to right) her mother Queen Elizabeth, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King George VI and Princess Margaret, May 8, 1945
Wedding
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria - Prince Philip Mountbatten, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece, who was then an officer in the British Navy. She met him at the age of 13, when Philip was still a cadet at the Dortmouth Naval Academy. After becoming her husband, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
In November 2007, the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, celebrated their "Diamond Wedding", the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage. For such an occasion, the queen allowed herself a little liberty - for one day they retired with her husband for romantic memories in Malta, where Prince Philip once served, and the young princess Elizabeth visited him.
Four children were born in their family: the heir to the throne - the eldest son Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born 1948); Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (born 1950) Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (born 1960), Edward Anthony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).
On December 29, 2010, Elizabeth II became a great-grandmother for the first time. On this day, her eldest grandson - the eldest son of Princess Anne Peter Phillips - and his Canadian wife Otam Kelly had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession to the throne.
Coronation and beginning of reign
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.
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.
The queen with her six maids of honor
From left to right:
Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now The Honorable Lady Glenconner), Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (now Lady Rosemary Muir), Lady Mary Bailey-Hamilton (now Lady Mary Russell), Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond- Willoughby (now Baroness de Willoughby de Eresby), Lady Jane Van-Tempest-Stewart (now The Honorable Lady Rayne)
Young Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen began her political activities, which included the opening of Parliament and the reception of prime ministers. In the fifties of the twentieth century, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made many visits to the territory of the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth.
Meeting of Elizabeth II with the heads of the Commonwealth countries in 1960
In the sixties, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin in full swing Cold war, and also invited the Japanese Emperor Hirohito on an official visit to Britain. Despite the turbulent social and political situation, she celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977. The celebrations were a success, with thousands of people celebrating the jubilee of Elizabeth II across the country.
The mature years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II
Five years later, Great Britain took part in the hostilities against the Falkland Islands, during which Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot. In the eighties of the twentieth century, the first grandchildren of the Queen were born - Peter and Zara Phillips, the son and daughter of Anna, the royal princess and Captain Mark Phillips.
In 1992, a catastrophe occurred, as a result of which a fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle. In the same year, the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne were dissolved. The Queen called 1992 "a terrible year." In 1996, the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was dissolved. Tragedy followed in 1997 when Diana died in a car accident.
2002 was a sad year for Queen Elizabeth II of England, as her sister Princess Margaret died.
The reign of Queen Elizabeth II
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, many changes were made in Great Britain. The Queen successfully fulfills her political duties as head of state, head of the Commonwealth of Nations, ceremonial duties, and duties of visits within the UK and abroad.
Elizabeth II introduced many reforms to the monarchy. In 1992, she proposed introducing taxes on profits and capital gains. She opened official royal residences to the people, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, in order to fund the maintenance of the royal family.
She supported the abolition of male primogeniture and single inheritance, which means that now the eldest child can inherit the throne, regardless of gender.
In 2012, the Queen of England celebrated her sixtieth anniversary of her reign with celebrations across the country, once again demonstrating the love of the British.
Queen Elizabeth II's clothing style
The style of the English queen can be conditionally divided into two periods: the style of the young queen - the style of conservative and elegant, and the style of the elderly queen, I would call it the style of the "cheerful grandmother" or even the "rainbow style", because the incredible number of changing colors in her suits and hats ... However, the English queen always loved colors.
Throughout her life, the main elements of Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe were: dresses or suits of medium length, necessarily covering the knee, coats and raincoats in a-line cut, plus floor-length dresses for special events, as well as hats, always in tune with the suit, gloves, closed shoes , a brooch on a jacket and a string of pearls. The Queen of England has also always preferred short haircuts. Favorite colors are pink, lilac and indigo.
Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Odeon Cinema, October 31, 1955. (Photo: Monty Fresco / Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II becomes after the death of her father in February 1952, and her coronation took place on June 2, 1952. At that time, namely in the 1940s and 1950s, dresses for the princess, and then the queen, were sewn by Norman Hartnell. And Elizabeth more than once appeared in public in dresses with fluffy skirts made of satin duchess or silk. Her wedding dress in ivory and decorated with silver threads is also designed by Norman Hartnell, as well as the design of the coronation dress.
From the mid-1950s and throughout the 60s, Hardy Amis sews for the Queen. It is he who brings a sense of simplicity to the queen's outfits, but this simplicity is only external, because behind it is a very complex cut. He sewed his first dresses for the Queen back in 1948, when Elizabeth asked him to create a wardrobe for a trip to Canada.
Since the 1970s, Ian Thomas, former assistant to Norman Hartnell, and now the owner of his own salon, sews for the Queen. Its distinctive feature was the flying chiffon dresses that appeared in the queen's wardrobe. After his death and until the end of the 1980s, Maureen Rose from the Ian Thomas design house sewed for Queen Elizabeth.
From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the Queen's wardrobe was replenished with outfits from John Anderson, because after his death his partner Karl Ludwig Rese became the Queen's court designer.
Since 2000, the youngest, in age, of Her Majesty's court designers, Stuart Parvin, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, sews for Elizabeth II. In 2002, Angela Kelly becomes his assistant.
The Queen of England is 86 years old. But she still steadily fulfills all the duties assigned to her and appears in public, invariably following her style.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Prince Andrew (center), Princess Anne (left) and Charles, Prince of Wales near Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Queen Victoria's husband acquired Balmoral Castle in 1846. Queen Victoria often visited Scotland with her family, especially after the death of her husband in 1861, and Balmoral is still a favorite vacation spot for the royal family to this day. (Photo by Keystone / Getty Images). September 9, 1960.
Hobby
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 visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). Since 2009, she began to engage in gardening. Besides English, he also speaks fluently French
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Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret took pictures with penguins at the London Zoo. (Photo: Hulton Archive / Getty Images). Around 1938
Interesting Facts
Elizabeth II does not give interviews. Nevertheless, the press periodically flashes Interesting Facts about this extraordinary woman, which allow us to look at the most famous reigning person of our time from an unexpected side, we have chosen the most striking, in our opinion, moments.
The celebration of the royal birthday in 1981 was overshadowed by an unpleasant event: near the horse on which Elizabeth was sitting, receiving the parade, shots rang out, making everyone around her shudder. The queen, to the delight of the audience, did not even raise an eyebrow and managed to stay in the saddle.
Self-control came in handy for her a year later, when, while waiting for the police, for several minutes she had to talk with a madman who managed to get into the chambers.
In 1945, Elizabeth Alexandra Maria Windsor, the future Queen of England, served as a junior officer as a mechanic in the reserve battalion of the British army. Obviously, the example of the "fighting" grandmother inspired the young princes William and Harry, who also did not shy away from military service.
Family values for Elizabeth II is not an empty phrase. For the sake of her son's happiness, she overstepped strict rules and blessed the second marriage of Prince of Wales Charles with socialite Camilla Parker Bowles, despite the hype about this.
On April 17, 2013, the Queen attended the British politician's funeral for the second time in the history of her reign: she said goodbye to Margaret Thatcher.
Despite her solid image, the queen is no stranger to female coquetry and small weaknesses. Slick paparazzi more than once caught the moment when she at social events, without being embarrassed by the crowd and her high position, publicly corrected her makeup. Etiquette is etiquette, and a real queen should look gorgeous!
The Queen's passion is horses and corgi dogs. In her youth, Elizabeth rode well, but now she pays more attention to charming red dogs, which thanks to her have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.
Elizabeth II is the oldest English monarch in history and is the second longest in the UK throne. She is also the oldest female acting head of state.
The rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named in honor of Elizabeth II.
Films about Elizabeth II
In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years - "Churchill Goes to War!" Was released, where Neve Campbell played the role of Elizabeth.
In 2006, the biographical film "The Queen" was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA winner in the Best Picture category. Actress Helen Mirren, who starred in the film, won Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture.
In 2009, Channel 4 filmed the 5-episode fiction miniseries The Queen, directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reems. The Queen at different periods of her life was played by 5 actresses: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.
On July 27, 2012, a television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both jump with parachutes from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the Queen was awarded the BAFTA Award for Best Performance as a James Bond Girl.
In architecture
The Queen Elizabeth Alley in the Esplanade Park in Singapore is named after the Queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called “Elizabeth's Tower” since September 2012.
The Duford Bridge, built in 1991, is also named after the Queen.
On August 1, 2013, the Elizabeth II Olympic Park was opened in London.
Lifetime monuments
Statue of Elizabeth II in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Canada
Statue in Regina, Saskatchewan, erected in 2005
Statue in Great Windsor Park
Photo gallery
Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose (1930-2002) with their parents at the Boy Scout Parade at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. (Photo: / Getty Images). 1932
King George and Queen Elizabeth with Princesses Elizabeth (center) and Margaret, as well as members of the royal family in full uniform, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their coronation, May 12, 1937.
The Queen, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose and the Royal Archers, 1937
Princess Elizabeth with a pony in Windsor Park, Berkshire. Photo taken on April 21, 1939
King George VI with his wife, Queen Elizabeth and children, Princess Elizabeth and Margaret at Royal Lodge, Windsor, April 11, 1942. (Photo: Lisa Sheridan / Studio Lisa / Getty Images)
Princess Elizabeth rides from Buckingham Palace in London to the Horse Guards parade wearing a military hat bearing the emblem of the Grenadier Guard. (Photo: Getty Images). June 12, 1947
Queen Elizabeth II attends a parade in Central London on June 7, 1952. (Photo: William Vanderson / Fox Photos / Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace park. 1939 year
Princess Elizabeth, March 1945
With newborn Prince Charles, December 1948
Princess Elizabeth with her son Prince Charles. September 1950
Queen Elizabeth II en route to Westminster to preside over the Opening of Parliament following her accession to the throne, 4 November 1952
Princess Anne at the coronation of her mother
The Queen with her newborn son Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace. March 1960
In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, a third son, Prince Edward.
“In general, no one taught me to be a queen: my father died too early and it happened so unexpectedly - I had to immediately get involved in the business and at the same time try not to hit my face in the mud. I had to grow up to the position that I took. It was fate, it should have been accepted and not murmured. I believe that continuity is very important. My job is for life. "
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain
I wonder what it is like to celebrate your birthday for over 50 years twice a year? This question can be answered by Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926 in London, and for many years now her birthday has been celebrated throughout the United Kingdom not only on April 21, but also on the 3rd Saturday of June.
Her Royal Majesty's title in the United Kingdom reads like this: "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other dominions and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."
Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George the Sixth. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she became queen, and has been for several decades.
The birthday is lavishly celebrated every year at Windsor Castle. It begins with a walk around the city (if this action, of course, can be called that). A 21-round salute is certainly given, which sounds at noon.
Throughout her reign, the Queen has been criticized more than once not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy, and her popularity in Great Britain is at its height.
Royal
Elizabeth II (English Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (English Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.
Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.
She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the Queen of 15 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.
Coats of arms at different times and in different countries
Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944-1947)
Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (1947-1952)
Royal arms of Great Britain (except for Scotland)
Royal coat of arms in Scotland
Royal coat of arms in Canada
The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by God's grace of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith."
During the reign of Elizabeth II in all countries that recognize the British monarch as their head of state, laws were adopted according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as the head of this particular state, regardless of their titles in Great Britain itself or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries, the title of the queen sounds in the same way, with the replacement of the name of the state. In some countries, the words “defender of the faith” have been removed from the title. For example, in Australia the title reads as follows: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen of Australia and her other kingdoms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth."
On the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, Elizabeth II also bears the title of Duke of Normandy, on the Isle of Man - the title of "Lord of Maine".
Story
Elizabeth II is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She currently ranks second in history for the length of stay on the British throne (after Queen Victoria) and also the second in the world for the length of tenure as head of state among the current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also 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 bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.
During the reign of Elizabeth II, a very wide period of British history falls: the process of decolonization was completed, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. This period also included many other events, such as the prolonged ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1970
Public perception
At the moment, most Britons positively assess the activities of Elizabeth II as a monarch (approximately 69% believe that the country would be worse without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy helps to raise the country's image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).
Despite the positive attitude of most of her subjects, the queen was criticized several times throughout her reign, in particular:
In 1963, when a political crisis broke out in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for having personally appointed Alexander Douglas-Hume as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1997, for the lack of an instant reaction to the death of Princess Diana, the Queen was attacked not only by the anger of the British public, but even by many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death while hunting with a cane, a wave of indignation from environmental organizations about the monarch's actions swept across the country.
Elizabeth II is the last representative of the so-called "old school" of monarchs: she strictly adheres to age-old traditions and ceremonies and never deviates from the rules of established etiquette. Her Majesty never gives interviews or statements to the press. She is in full view, but at the same time, she is the most closed celebrity on the planet.
Childhood
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).
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 (1883-1938).
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 girl’s name 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.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1930
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.
The future queen received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. Since childhood, she loved horses and equestrian sports. And also from childhood, unlike her more eccentric sister Margaret, she had a truly royal character. In the biography of Elizabeth II Sarah Bradford, it is mentioned that the future queen from childhood was a very serious child, who already then had a certain understanding of the responsibilities that fell on her as the heir to the throne and a sense of duty. Since childhood, Elizabeth loved order, so she, for example, going to bed, always put slippers next to the bed, never allowing herself to scatter things in the room, as is inherent in many children. And already as a queen, she always made sure that no extra light burned in the palace, personally turning off the lights in empty rooms.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1926
Photo of 1929, Elizabeth is 3 years old
Princess Elizabeth in 1933
King George VI and (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Angela, Duchess of York (1900-2002), with her daughter, future queen - Princess Elizabeth, 1929
Queen and daughters, October 1942
Princess at war
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" - the 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 not yet retired participant in the Second World War (the penultimate was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).
Princess Elizabeth (left, in military uniform) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (left to right) her mother Queen Elizabeth, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King George VI and Princess Margaret, May 8, 1945
Wedding
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria - Prince Philip Mountbatten, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece, who was then an officer in the British Navy. She met him at the age of 13, when Philip was still a cadet at the Dortmouth Naval Academy. After becoming her husband, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
In November 2007, the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, celebrated their "Diamond Wedding", the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage. For such an occasion, the queen allowed herself a little liberty - for one day they retired with her husband for romantic memories in Malta, where Prince Philip once served, and the young princess Elizabeth visited him.
Four children were born in their family: the heir to the throne - the eldest son Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born 1948); Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (born 1950) Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (born 1960), Edward Anthony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).
On December 29, 2010, Elizabeth II became a great-grandmother for the first time. On this day, her eldest grandson - the eldest son of Princess Anne Peter Phillips - and his Canadian wife Otam Kelly had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession to the throne.
With newborn Prince Charles, December 1948
Coronation and beginning of reign
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.
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.
Elizabeth II after her coronation in 1953
The queen with her six maids of honor
From left to right:
Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now The Honorable Lady Glenconner), Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (now Lady Rosemary Muir), Lady Mary Bailey-Hamilton (now Lady Mary Russell), Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond- Willoughby (now Baroness de Willoughby de Eresby), Lady Jane Van-Tempest-Stewart (now The Honorable Lady Rayne)
Young Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen began her political activities, which included the opening of Parliament and the reception of prime ministers. In the fifties of the twentieth century, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made many visits to the territory of the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth.
In the sixties, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin at the height of the Cold War, and also invited the Japanese Emperor Hirohito on an official visit to Britain. Despite the turbulent social and political situation, she celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977. The celebrations were a success, with thousands of people celebrating the jubilee of Elizabeth II across the country.
The mature years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II
Five years later, Great Britain took part in the hostilities against the Falkland Islands, during which Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot. In the eighties of the twentieth century, the first grandchildren of the Queen were born - Peter and Zara Phillips, the son and daughter of Anna, the royal princess and Captain Mark Phillips.
In 1992, a catastrophe occurred, as a result of which a fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle. In the same year, the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne were dissolved. The Queen called 1992 "a terrible year." In 1996, the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was dissolved. Tragedy followed in 1997 when Diana died in a car accident.
2002 was a sad year for Queen Elizabeth II of England, as her sister Princess Margaret died.
The reign of Queen Elizabeth II
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, many changes were made in Great Britain. The Queen successfully fulfills her political duties as head of state, head of the Commonwealth of Nations, ceremonial duties, and duties of visits within the UK and abroad.
Elizabeth II introduced many reforms to the monarchy. In 1992, she proposed introducing taxes on profits and capital gains. She opened official royal residences to the people, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, in order to fund the maintenance of the royal family.
She supported the abolition of male primogeniture and single inheritance, which means that now the eldest child can inherit the throne, regardless of gender.
In 2012, the Queen of England celebrated her sixtieth anniversary of her reign with celebrations across the country, once again demonstrating the love of the British.
Queen Elizabeth II's clothing style
The style of the English queen can be conditionally divided into two periods: the style of the young queen - the style of conservative and elegant, and the style of the elderly queen, I would call it the style of the "cheerful grandmother" or even the "rainbow style", because the incredible number of changing colors in her suits and hats ... However, the English queen always loved colors.
Throughout her life, the main elements of Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe were: dresses or suits of medium length, necessarily covering the knee, coats and raincoats in a-line cut, plus floor-length dresses for special events, as well as hats, always in tune with the suit, gloves, closed shoes , a brooch on a jacket and a string of pearls. The Queen of England has also always preferred short haircuts. Favorite colors are pink, lilac and indigo.
Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Odeon Cinema, October 31, 1955. (Photo: Monty Fresco / Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II becomes after the death of her father in February 1952, and her coronation took place on June 2, 1952. At that time, namely in the 1940s and 1950s, dresses for the princess, and then the queen, were sewn by Norman Hartnell. And Elizabeth more than once appeared in public in dresses with fluffy skirts made of satin duchess or silk. Her wedding dress in ivory and decorated with silver threads is also designed by Norman Hartnell, as well as the design of the coronation dress.
From the mid-1950s and throughout the 60s, Hardy Amis sews for the Queen. It is he who brings a sense of simplicity to the queen's outfits, but this simplicity is only external, because behind it is a very complex cut. He sewed his first dresses for the Queen back in 1948, when Elizabeth asked him to create a wardrobe for a trip to Canada.
Since the 1970s, Ian Thomas, former assistant to Norman Hartnell, and now the owner of his own salon, sews for the Queen. Its distinctive feature was the flying chiffon dresses that appeared in the queen's wardrobe. After his death and until the end of the 1980s, Maureen Rose from the Ian Thomas design house sewed for Queen Elizabeth.
From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the Queen's wardrobe was replenished with outfits from John Anderson, because after his death his partner Karl Ludwig Rese became the Queen's court designer.
Since 2000, the youngest, in age, of Her Majesty's court designers, Stuart Parvin, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, sews for Elizabeth II. In 2002, Angela Kelly becomes his assistant.
The Queen of England is 86 years old. But she still steadily fulfills all the duties assigned to her and appears in public, invariably following her style.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Prince Andrew (center), Princess Anne (left) and Charles, Prince of Wales near Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Queen Victoria's husband acquired Balmoral Castle in 1846. Queen Victoria often visited Scotland with her family, especially after the death of her husband in 1861, and Balmoral is still a favorite vacation spot for the royal family to this day. (Photo by Keystone / Getty Images). September 9, 1960.
Hobby
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 visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). Since 2009, she began to engage in gardening. Besides English, he is also fluent in French
Interesting Facts
Elizabeth II does not give interviews. Nevertheless, the press periodically flashes interesting facts about this extraordinary woman, which allow us to look at the most famous reigning person of our time from an unexpected side, we have chosen the brightest, in our opinion, moments.
The celebration of the royal birthday in 1981 was overshadowed by an unpleasant event: near the horse on which Elizabeth was sitting, receiving the parade, shots rang out, making everyone around her shudder. The queen, to the delight of the audience, did not even raise an eyebrow and managed to stay in the saddle.
Self-control came in handy for her a year later, when, while waiting for the police, for several minutes she had to talk with a madman who managed to get into the chambers.
In 1945, Elizabeth Alexandra Maria Windsor, the future Queen of England, served as a junior officer as a mechanic in the reserve battalion of the British army. Obviously, the example of the "fighting" grandmother inspired the young princes William and Harry, who also did not shy away from military service.
Family values for Elizabeth II is not an empty phrase. For the sake of her son's happiness, she overstepped strict rules and blessed the second marriage of Prince of Wales Charles with socialite Camilla Parker Bowles, despite the hype about this.
On April 17, 2013, the Queen attended the British politician's funeral for the second time in the history of her reign: she said goodbye to Margaret Thatcher.
Despite her solid image, the queen is no stranger to female coquetry and small weaknesses. Slick paparazzi more than once caught the moment when she at social events, without being embarrassed by the crowd and her high position, publicly corrected her makeup. Etiquette is etiquette, and a real queen should look gorgeous!
The Queen's passion is horses and corgi dogs. In her youth, Elizabeth rode well, but now she pays more attention to charming red dogs, which thanks to her have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.
Elizabeth II is the oldest English monarch in history and is the second longest in the UK throne. She is also the oldest female acting head of state.
The rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named in honor of Elizabeth II.
Films about Elizabeth II
In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years - "Churchill Goes to War!" Was released, where Neve Campbell played the role of Elizabeth.
In 2006, the biographical film "The Queen" was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA winner in the Best Picture category. Actress Helen Mirren, who starred in the film, won Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture.
In 2009, Channel 4 filmed the 5-episode fiction miniseries The Queen, directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reems. The Queen at different periods of her life was played by 5 actresses: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.
On July 27, 2012, a television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both jump with parachutes from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the Queen was awarded the BAFTA Award for Best Performance as a James Bond Girl.
In architecture
The Queen Elizabeth Alley in the Esplanade Park in Singapore is named after the Queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called “Elizabeth's Tower” since September 2012.
The Duford Bridge, built in 1991, is also named after the Queen.
On August 1, 2013, the Elizabeth II Olympic Park was opened in London.
Lifetime monuments