Parents of Elizabeth 2 Queen of England. Style of the English Queen Elizabeth II

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Of all the royal families living in the modern world, the British is the most popular. The lives of Elizabeth II, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are closely followed by residents from different parts of the world. But even under such close scrutiny, some facts can slip through the cracks.

website collected answers to the most interesting questions about the Windsor family.

10. How many members are there in the British royal family?

In the literal sense of the word, 15 people belong to the royal family.

The corresponding titles are: Elizabeth II and her husband Philip, their children (Charles, Anne, Andrew, Edward), their grandchildren (William, Harry, Beatrice, Eugenie, James, Louise), great-grandchildren (Prince George and Princess Charlotte), as well as The queen's sister is Margaret.

In addition, another 15 people are directly related to the queen, although they do not hold titles and do not lay claim to the throne. These are dukes, earls, lords and ladies.

9. How is Queen's Day going?

The Queen gets up at 7:30 am. At this time, she is served tea without sugar and Mary cookies with milk. Since the gastronomic tastes of the royals are not widely advertised, it is impossible to say exactly what type of tea Elizabeth likes: some sources claim that it is Earl Grey, others that it is English Breakfast.

At 8:30, Elizabeth has breakfast with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in the dining room overlooking the gardens of Buckingham Palace. The table usually includes cornflakes, yogurt and toast with maple syrup or marmalade. At breakfast, the Queen reads newspapers, most often the Daily Telegraph and Racing Post.

After the morning meal, the Queen holds briefings on various issues with her aides. The mail that Elizabeth personally views is also discussed here - this is about 200-300 letters a day. Until late in the evening, the Queen is busy with official meetings and events.

And even before going to bed, Elizabeth deals exclusively with matters of national importance: she reads all the documents with the main topics of the day, which are delivered to her daily in a special red box.

8. Favorite jewelry of Elizabeth II

A three-strand pearl necklace almost always adorns the queen's neck - it is the hallmark of her style. When Elizabeth was 10 years old, she received such a necklace as a gift from her grandfather George V, and it became her favorite piece of jewelry.

Somewhat later, Queen Mary, Elizabeth's grandmother, gave her pearl earrings. To this day, they, complete with a necklace, form part of the image of a modern monarch.

7. The tradition of changing one’s name upon ascending the throne

Since ancient times, monarchs of different countries have adopted a throne name during their time in power that is different from the one given to them at birth. In Britain this tradition was also maintained. Thus, Queen Victoria was Princess Alexandrina before her coronation, and King George was named Albert. Elizabeth II chose not to change her name, because this is only permissible, but not obligatory for the monarch.

Of course, many connoisseurs of tradition still remember the queen’s choice. In 2002, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Elizabeth's accession to the throne, several letters were sent to the Queen on behalf of veterans of the nationalist Scottish National Party. The letters said that it was time for the queen to take the throne name. But, as we see many years later, Elizabeth II is firm in her decision.

6. Misconceptions about titles

Elizabeth is often called the Queen of England, but this is not true. Firstly, she is the monarch of the entire United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and England is just a part of it.

And secondly, other countries are also subject to the British monarch: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. -Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. So Elizabeth II is the queen of 16 states.

Misconceptions about princesses are no less common. Lady Di after her wedding to Prince Charles began to be called a princess. However, she was not a princess by birth, so by all rights her title should have been “Her Royal Highness Princess Charles of Wales,” no matter how strange that may sound.

As for the chosen one of their eldest son William, Kate Middleton is not a princess either. She married the Duke of Cambridgeshire, and therefore her official title is the Duchess of Cambridge.

5. What do princes do in their free time from royal affairs?

William has worked for East Anglian Air Ambulance for the past two years. The prince's work shift lasted 9.5 hours, which is approximately 20 hours a week. The Duke transferred his entire salary to the medical service charity fund. On 27 March 2017, the Duke of Cambridge left his post as an air ambulance pilot.

William began his piloting career in 2008 when he joined the RAF Search and Rescue Service. He worked there until 2014. Now, at the age of 35, second in line to the throne, the Duke of Cambridge intends to devote himself fully to the royal house and the future of the British monarchy.

Prince Harry also had a good military career. He graduated from Sandhurst Academy and, like his older brother, joined the cavalry regiment.

Prince Harry has been to Afghanistan twice, once as a military helicopter pilot. He was later awarded a medal for his participation in these hostilities.

He also took part in anti-terrorism exercises for the Australian Armed Forces. When the prince was recalled from the active army for security reasons, he organized sports competitions in Britain for military personnel who were injured during hostilities.

4. What is the common way of addressing Elizabeth among members of the royal family?

According to officials, different family members have their own privileges in addressing the queen. So, the husband of Elizabeth II calls her Lilibet. The future queen herself called herself this name when she was very little and could not pronounce “Elizabeth.”

The remaining adult family members are required to say “Your Majesty” when meeting. Even Charles's own son must comply with this formality before calling the Queen with the informal word Mommy.

The limits for great-grandchildren are less strict. Prince George has his own address to Elizabeth II - Gan-Gan. This is how he pronounces the word “Great-Grandmother”.

3. The Queen is an example of thriftiness

Elizabeth II is very economical and serves as an excellent example of this for her subjects. So, it is known that she always turns off the light when leaving the room, and demands this from all the inhabitants of the palace. The Queen wears the same dresses for a long time.

Today, the most famous woman on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II of England, celebrates her birthday. Despite her venerable age, the Queen continues to delight us with her appearances, is the constant heroine of our “Stylish Monarchs” column, and gives valuable instructions to her heirs - Prince Charles and William, as well as her young daughter-in-law - Kate Middleton. HELLO.RU congratulates Elizabeth II on her birthday and recalls 15 interesting facts about this legendary person.

Elizabeth II

1. Queen Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926. At the time of her birth, she was third in line to the throne; then they could not even think about her future elevation to the throne. Her father, George VI, began to rule after the unexpected abdication of his elder brother, King Edward, and thus Elizabeth came closer to power.

Queen Elizabeth II with her mother Elizabeth I and father George VI

On the day of her father's death, her younger sister, Princess Margaret, approached 25-year-old Elizabeth and said: Does this mean you will become queen? Poor thing!

2. Elizabeth's education was personally handled by her father, King George VI. Her teachers also included the Vice-Rector of Eton and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

From an early age, Lilibet, as she was called at home, was an enthusiastic and active person. She really enjoyed learning languages. Thanks to foreign governesses, she became fluent in French as a child. At age 11, while still a princess, Elizabeth became a scout and then a sea ranger.

Elizabeth II in scout uniform, 19423. Since childhood, the queen has been very fond of animals. She is the breeder of many thoroughbred horses, and often comes to watch equestrian competitions, as well as the races in which her horses participate.

Elizabeth II has been riding a horse almost since birth
Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip at the Hippodrome Elizabeth II also loves dogs. Her favorite breed is the Welsh Corgi. Her father gave her her first puppy for her birthday, and since then she has had more than 30 corgis, each of which is a descendant of her firstborn, Susie. The dogs live with the Queen in the castle, travel in limousines and live in hotels.

Queen Elizabeth II with her dog

4. The Queen met her husband, Prince Philip, at the age of 8. The son of a Greek prince was forced to flee his native country to England at the age of 1 in an orange box. Naturally, King George VI of Great Britain did not welcome his daughter’s union with the “impoverished prince.” According to rumors, Elizabeth herself achieved the favor of Philip, with whom she was in love from an early age, and then proposed marriage to him.

Elizabeth and Philip at their engagement party, 1947

5. The couple announced their engagement in 1947. The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten took place on November 20, 1947. 2000 invited guests attended the celebration. The wedding dress was made by designer Norman Hartnell, and the bride's head was decorated with a diamond tiara, which Queen Mary gave her as a child.

Wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

After his marriage to the princess, Philip was not anointed king. When his wife ascended the throne, he was the first to take the oath to her with the words:
I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will become your vassal in sickness and in health, and will serve you faithfully, with honor and respect, until my death. May God help me.
61 years have passed since then, and Philip is still always and everywhere next to his queen.

6. Elizabeth II is the Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces. She herself conducts all important meetings with the heads of the Commonwealth, and also visits military installations during her visits to other countries. She is preparing her son, Prince Charles, and grandchildren, William and Harry, for political affairs, but does not yet trust them to make decisions.

Queen Elizabeth II with her first child, Prince Charles

7. Despite her steely character and talent for government, the queen does not forget about femininity. The bright colors of dresses and suits, which she has preferred since a very young age, reveal her creative and mischievous nature.

A recognizable style, the main elements of which are a monochrome suit of rich color, a matching hat, black shoes and a handbag, was formed at the very beginning of her reign. Now, despite her advanced age, the queen is not at all afraid of bright colors and still does not change her habits. As Karl Lagerfeld said, in order to become a recognizable person, you need to dress in such a way that it is easy to copy a caricature of you. Queen Elizabeth II inspired the creativity of both famous creators and animators.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1986

8. Order surrounds the Queen in everything, so it is not surprising that in Elizabeth II’s dressing room all things have a serial number. The place and time at which the outfit was worn is also indicated. Given the Queen's busy work schedule, this is the only way she can avoid “fashion repetitions.”

9. The Queen's working day is scheduled minute by minute. At 7:30, a tray containing a silver teapot, a jug of water and milk is brought to her bed. She starts her duties at 10:00 and finishes work around 23:00. First thing in the morning she looks at the British daily newspapers and the racing magazine The Racing Post.

Elizabeth II, 2013

After this, from the hundreds of letters from her subjects that arrived during the day, she selects a few, which she reads, and then dictates to her assistant the answers to each of them. In the first half of the day, the queen schedules several meetings - with ambassadors, bishops, and judges. Each takes no more than 15 minutes. In the evening, Elizabeth II meets with the Prime Minister and gets acquainted with official papers. At the end of the day, she attends exhibitions, concerts and other events.

10. Queen Elizabeth II has a very large family: four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. When she is not busy with business, she loves to be at home with her loved ones.

Elizabeth II with Prince Philip, three sons and daughter

She spends several weeks in August and September alone. These days, the doors of Buckingham Palace open to everyone, and the Queen goes on vacation to the Scottish castle of Balmoral. There she enjoys reading novels, doing crossword puzzles and taking a bath. By the way, Elizabeth has a funny habit associated with her latest pastime - the queen never takes a bath without her rubber duck.

Another favorite pastime of the Queen on weekends is “fussing” with dogs. Rumor has it that Elizabeth loves to comb their fur herself and even look for fleas on them.

11. The Queen is the only resident of Great Britain who does not have a passport or license. However, this does not stop her from actively traveling and driving. By the way, she first got behind the wheel at the age of 19. With 67 years of driving experience behind her, the Queen was spotted behind the wheel by paparazzi in 2012. In an unaccompanied car, Elizabeth II was returning from her Scottish residence, where she was hunting hazel grouse.

Queen Elizabeth II driving12 .During travel, the weight of the queen's luggage can reach several tons. A record figure was recorded during Elizabeth II's trip to a meeting of the heads of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1953 - the queen carried 12 tons of clothing with her. Considering the number of her dogs that travel with her everywhere, she has also accumulated several tons of grooming supplies.

Elizabeth II

13. Elizabeth II has a number of secret signs. For example, if during official events she places her handbag on the table, then it becomes clear to those accompanying her that the Queen wishes to leave the meeting after 5 minutes. When she begins to twirl a ring on her finger or shift her bag from one hand to another, this means that she is bored with communication with her interlocutor.

Queen Elizabeth II
14. The most difficult times in the queen's life were 1992 and 2002. In the early 90s, the reputation of the monarchy was under attack due to the divorce of the Queen's heir, Prince Charles, from Princess Diana. And in 2002, the queen lost two loved ones at once - her sister Margaret and her mother Elizabeth I.

Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Diana

15. Despite the fact that the Queen turns 88 today, this event will be celebrated on a national scale only in the summer. According to a tradition that has developed over the years, the birthday of the reigning monarch of Great Britain is celebrated twice: directly on the day of the celebration with loved ones and on one of the weekends in June. It is in the summer that lavish festivities take place, people take to the streets to celebrate another year in the life and reign of the most popular monarch in the world.

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 matter and at the same time try not to lose face in the dirt. I had to grow into the position I took. It was fate, it had to be accepted and not complained. I think continuity is very important. My job is for life."
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain

I wonder what it’s like to celebrate your birthday twice a year for over 50 years? Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926 in London, can answer this question, and for many years her birthday has been celebrated throughout the United Kingdom not only on April 21, but also on the 3rd Saturday in June.

The title of Her Royal Majesty in the United Kingdom is: "Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her 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 Six. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she became queen, and has remained so for decades.

Every year the birthday is celebrated magnificently at Windsor Castle. It begins with a walk around the city (if this action, of course, can be called that). A 21-shot fireworks display is required, which sounds at noon.

Throughout her reign, the Queen has been repeatedly criticized 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 highest.

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, following 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, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. 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 in different periods of time and in different countries

Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944–1947)

Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (1947–1952)

Royal coat of arms in Great Britain (except Scotland)

Royal coat of arms in Scotland

Royal coat of arms of Canada

The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain is “Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other Realms 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 passed according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as the head of that particular state, regardless of his titles in Great Britain itself or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries the title of queen sounds the same, with the name of the state replaced. In some countries, the words “defender of the faith” are excluded 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, and on the Isle of Man - the title of “Lord of Man”.

Story

Elizabeth II is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She is currently the second longest-serving British throne in history (after Queen Victoria) and also the second-longest serving head of state in the world (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the oldest female sitting head of state in the world, and the oldest sitting head of state in Europe.

He is the oldest sitting monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

The reign of Elizabeth II covers a very broad period of British history: 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 long-term ethnopolitical conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1970

Public perception

At the moment, the majority of British people have a positive assessment of Elizabeth II’s activities as a monarch (about 69% believe that the country would be worse off without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy helps improve the country’s image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).

Despite the positive attitude of the majority of her subjects, the queen was repeatedly criticized throughout her reign, in particular:

In 1963, when a political crisis arose in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for personally appointing Alexander Douglas-Home as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1997, for the lack of an immediate reaction to the death of Princess Diana, the queen was attacked not only by the wrath of the British public, but also even by many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death with a cane while hunting, a wave of outrage from environmental organizations over 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 makes statements in the press. She is in everyone's sight, but at the same time she is the most private celebrity on the planet.

Princess Elizabeth with her pet, July 1936

Childhood

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London's Mayfair at the Earl of Strathmore's residence at No. 17 Brewton Street. The area has now been rebuilt and the house no longer exists, but there is a memorial plaque on the 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); on the mother's side - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1938).

At the same time, the father insisted that his daughter’s first name be like the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie was discussing the girl's name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, that’s what I told him, but about Victoria I absolutely agree with him. It was unnecessary." Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 25 in the chapel at Buckingham Palace, 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 book biography of Elizabeth II by Sarah Bradford, it is mentioned that the future queen was a very serious child from childhood, who even 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; for example, when she went to bed, she always put her slippers next to the bed, never allowing herself to scatter things around the room, as is typical for many children. And already as a queen, she always made sure that no unnecessary lights were on in the palace, personally turning off the lights in empty rooms.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1926

Photo from 1929, Elizabeth is 3 years old here

Princess Elizabeth in 1933

King George VI (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Angela, Duchess of York (1900-2002), with their daughter, the future Queen, Princess Elizabeth, 1929

The Queen with her 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 disasters 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 "councilors of state" (persons authorized to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizaveta joined the “Auxiliary Territorial Service” - women's self-defense units - and was trained as an ambulance driver, 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 second to last 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 (from 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 the Greek Prince Andrew, 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. Having become her husband, Philip received the title Duke of Edinburgh.

In November 2007, the Queen and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their Diamond Wedding - sixty years of marriage. For the sake of this occasion, the queen allowed herself a little liberty - for one day she and her husband retired for romantic memories in Malta, where Prince Philip once served, and the young Princess Elizabeth visited him.

Four children were born into their family: the heir to the throne is 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 - Princess Anne's eldest son Peter Phillips - and his Canadian wife Autumn 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, who was on holiday in Kenya at the time with her husband, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.

The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. It was the first televised coronation of a British monarch, and the event is credited with significantly boosting the popularity of television broadcasting.

After that, in 1953-1954. The queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth states, 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 ladies-in-waiting
From left to right:
Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now the Right 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 Right 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 Commonwealth countries.

Meeting of Elizabeth II with heads of Commonwealth countries in 1960

In the sixties, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin at the height of the Cold War, and also invited Japanese Emperor Hirohito for 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 Elizabeth II's jubilee across the country.

The mature years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

Five years later, Britain was involved in the war 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 Queen's first grandchildren were born - Peter and Zara Phillips, the son and daughter of Anne, Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips.

In 1992, a disaster occurred in which fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle. That 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.

Reign of Queen Elizabeth II

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, many changes were made in Great Britain. The Queen successfully carries out her political duties as head of state, head of the Commonwealth of Nations, ceremonial duties, as well as visiting responsibilities within the UK and abroad.

Elizabeth II introduced many reforms to the monarchy. In 1992, she proposed taxes on profits and capital gains. She opened official royal residences to the public, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, to finance the upkeep of the royal family.

She supported the abolition of male primogeniture and unity of inheritance, which means that the eldest child can now inherit the throne, regardless of gender.

In 2012, the Queen of England celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of her reign, celebrations were held throughout the country, which once again demonstrated the love of the British.

Clothing style of the English Queen Elizabeth II

The style of the English queen can be roughly divided into two periods: the style of the young queen - a conservative and elegant style, and the style of the elderly queen, I would call it the “cheerful grandmother” style or even the “rainbow style”, because of the incredible number of changing colors in her suits and hats . However, the Queen of England always loved colorful flowers.

Throughout her life, the main elements of Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe were: dresses or suits of medium length, always covering the knee, coats and raincoats cut a-line, plus floor-length dresses for special occasions, as well as hats, always matching the suit, gloves, closed shoes , a brooch on a jacket and a string of pearls. The Queen of England also always preferred short hair. 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 became Queen 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 made by Norman Hartnell. And Elizabeth more than once appeared in public in dresses with fluffy skirts made of duchesse satin or silk. Her ivory, silver-trimmed wedding dress was also designed by Norman Hartnell, as was her coronation dress.

From the mid-1950s through the 1960s, Hardy Amies sewed 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 lies a very complex cut. He made 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, a former assistant to Norman Hartnell and now the owner of his own salon, has been sewing for the Queen. Its distinctive feature was the flowing chiffon dresses that appeared in the queen’s wardrobe. After his death and until the late 1980s, Queen Elizabeth was sewn by Maureen Rose from the design house of Ian Thomas.

From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the Queen of England'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, Stuart Parvin, the youngest of Her Majesty's court designers, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, has been sewing for Elizabeth II. In 2002, Angela Kelly became 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, always 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 purchased Balmoral Castle in 1846. Queen Victoria visited Scotland frequently with her family, especially after the death of her husband in 1861, and Balmoral is still a favorite holiday destination for the royal family. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). September 9, 1960.

Hobby

The Queen's interests include breeding dogs (including corgis, spaniels and Labradors), photography, horse riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively throughout her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has made more than 325 foreign visits (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). I started gardening in 2009. In addition to English, he is also fluent in French

.

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were photographed with penguins at London Zoo. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Circa 1938

Interesting facts

Elizabeth II does not give interviews. Nevertheless, interesting facts about this extraordinary woman periodically appear in the press, which allow us to look at the most famous reigning person of our time from an unexpected side; we have selected the most striking, in our opinion, moments.

The celebration of the royal birthday in 1981 was overshadowed by an unpleasant event: shots rang out near the horse on which Elizabeth was sitting, receiving the parade, causing everyone around to flinch. The Queen, to the delight of the public, did not even raise an eyebrow and managed to stay in the saddle.

Self-control came in handy a year later, when, while waiting for the police, she had to conduct a conversation for several minutes with a madman who managed to get into the chambers.

In 1945, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, the future Queen of England, served as a mechanic in a reserve battalion of the British Army with the rank of junior officer. Obviously, the example of the “combat” grandmother inspired the young princes William and Harry, who also did not shy away from military service.

Family values for Elizabeth The second is not an empty phrase. For the sake of her son’s happiness, she crossed strict rules and blessed the second marriage of Prince Charles of Wales with socialite Camilla Parker Bowles, despite the uproar about it.

On April 17, 2013, the Queen attended the funeral of a British politician 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 publicly adjusted her makeup at social events, not embarrassed by the crowd or her high position. Etiquette is etiquette, but a real queen should look chic!

The Queen's passion is horses and corgi dogs. In her youth, Elizabeth rode horses very well, but now she pays more attention to the 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 the second longest-serving British monarch. She is also the oldest female current 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 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 Award winner in the Best Film category. Actress Helen Mirren, who played the main role in the film, received Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA awards, as well as 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 of British television produced a 5-part feature mini-series “The Queen”, directed by Edmund Coulthard and Patrick Reams. The Queen was played by 5 actresses at different periods of her life: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.

On July 27, 2012, the 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 a BAFTA award for best performance as a James Bond girl.

In architecture

The Queen Elizabeth Walk in Esplanade Park in Singapore is named after the queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called the “Elizabeth 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 Windsor Great Park

Photo gallery

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose (1930-2002) with their parents at the Boy Scouts Parade at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. (Photo: /Getty Images). 1932

King George and Queen Elizabeth with Princesses Elizabeth (center) and Margaret, and members of the Royal Family in full uniform on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the 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 April 21, 1939

King George VI with his wife, Queen Elizabeth and children, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, at Royal Lodge, Windsor, 11 April 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 with the emblem of the Grenadier Guards. (Photo: Getty Images). June 12, 1947

Queen Elizabeth II at a parade in Central London, 7 June 1952. (Photo: William Vanderson/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth in the park of Buckingham Palace. 1939

Princess Elizabeth, March 1945

With newborn Prince Charles, December 1948

Princess Elizabeth with her son Prince Charles. September 1950

Queen Elizabeth II on her way to Westminster to preside over the Opening of Parliament after her accession to the throne, November 4, 1952

Princess Anne at her mother's coronation

The Queen with her newborn son Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace. March 1960

In 1960, the Queen gave birth to her second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, her third son, Prince Edward.

1 * TWO ROYAL BIRTHDAY

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) was born on April 21, 1926. However, the official birthday of the monarch in Great Britain does not coincide with the real one. Since the reign of King Edward VII (1901-1910), this holiday has been celebrated on one of the first Saturdays in June - for the reason that the weather will be good on these days. In addition, it is in June that a solemn event takes place - the removal of the banner at the Horse Guards Parade. By the way, this year, during the celebration of the Queen’s official birthday, British pubs were allowed to stay open until 1 am (and not until 11 pm, as usual) on the occasion of the Queen’s 90th birthday on June 10 and 11.

2 * NOT ONLY BRITAIN

Elizabeth the Second is primarily the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. But not only that. She is also the queen of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. However, that’s not all: Elizabeth Second is considered the queen of 12 more independent states - Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda , Saint Kitts and Nevis. And of course, the head of the Commonwealth of Nations, which unites fifty countries - mostly former British possessions.

3 * MONARCHES AND RECORDS

Queen Elizabeth II became Queen in 1952 while on vacation in Kenya when news of the death of her father, King George VI, arrived there. The coronation took place in June 1953 in Westminster Abbey - the first time this ceremony was broadcast on television. The young queen's coronation dress was, according to her instructions, embroidered with floral emblems of the countries of the British Commonwealth. England was symbolized by the rose, Scotland by the thistle, Wales by the leek, Ireland by the shamrock, Australia by the mimosa, Canada by the maple leaf, New Zealand by the fern, South Africa by the protea, India and Ceylon by the lotus flowers, Pakistan by wheat, cotton and jute.

Today, Elizabeth II is the oldest reigning monarch in the world. (In terms of time on the throne, she is ahead of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, who led the country in 1946). In September 2015, she also broke her great-great-grandmother Victoria's record for longest life among the kings and queens of Britain - by this time she had been on the throne for more than 23,226 days.

4 * NAZI SALUTES SCANDAL

Last year, The Sun tabloid published footage taken in the early 1930s showing little Princess Elizabeth standing next to her mother and sister raising her hand in a Nazi salute. The future queen’s uncle, Prince Edward (aka King Edward VIII), is also visible in the footage, known not only for his abdication of the British throne, but also for his sympathy for Hitler’s Germany. If everything was more or less clear with her uncle, it is unlikely that the seven-year-old girl understood what exactly she was depicting. Moreover, during the war with the Nazis, the British royal family did a lot to inspire their compatriots fighting the Nazis.

5 * MILITARY PAST

When World War II began, Princess Elizabeth was 13 years old. Her mother refused to evacuate her daughters to Canada: “The children will not leave without me. I won't leave without the king. But the king will never leave.”

In February 1945, the grown-up Elizabeth put on a military uniform and joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she trained as a driver and mechanic.

When the war ended, Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret incognito infiltrated the crowds celebrating the victory in the streets of London.

6 * LOVE OF HER LIFE

Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, back in the thirties - they were relatives through King Christian IX of Denmark and Queen Victoria. She was only 13 when the princess fell in love with Philip and they began to correspond. The official engagement took place only after the war - in July 1947. At the same time, Philip was not rich, he was a foreigner (although he served during the war in the British Royal Navy), Orthodox - in a word, not everyone considered him a suitable match for Elizabeth. Be that as it may, the wedding took place in November 1947 in Westminster Abbey. To buy material for a wedding dress in a post-war country, Elizabeth needed cards for manufactured goods. The newlyweds received 2,500 wedding gifts from all over the world.

Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles, in November 1948. In 1950, Princess Anne was born. Ten years later - in 1960 - the Queen gave birth to another son, Prince Andrew. And finally, in 1964, the Queen gave birth to Prince Edward.

7 * ROYAL MONEY

The personal financial state of the British Queen has always aroused wide interest among the media and the public. When reports emerged in the early 1990s that Elizabeth II had a fortune estimated at £100 million, Buckingham Palace called these figures “grossly exaggerated.” And in 2015, The Sunday Times estimated the Queen's personal wealth at £340 million, placing her as the 302nd richest person in the United Kingdom. It is worth noting that the Royal Collection, which includes thousands of works of art and royal jewels, is not the personal property of the Queen, but is held in trust, just like the official royal residences (Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Duchy of Lancaster).

8 * QUEEN IN RUSSIA

In October 1994, Elizabeth II arrived in Russia on her yacht Britannia and was received by President Yeltsin. This was the first ever visit by a British monarch to our country. After the revolution, the main reason that prevented such a visit was the execution by the Bolsheviks of the royal family, which was related to the British royal house. The Queen visited Moscow and St. Petersburg. By the way, in 1986, Elizabeth II became the first among British monarchs to visit China.

9 * SIMPLE TASTES OF THE CROWNED MAN

Elizabeth II prefers simple food to culinary delights: she loves lamb cutlets and roast beef, fried flounder and chicken salad. Desserts include ice cream and pudding. When it comes to drinks, Queen Elizabeth prefers champagne and white wines. He doesn’t shy away from cocktails, such as martinis. The British royal family sits down to the table four times a day: breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. In the mornings, the queen brews herself Chinese tea and drinks it with milk, but without sugar. During the royal breakfast, under the dining room windows, a Scottish bagpiper plays the morning tune for the queen. This custom dates back to the times of Queen Victoria. A formal dinner with the Queen begins with soup, followed by a fish dish. The most common roast at royal dinners is baked and roasted leg of lamb, one of Elizabeth II's favorite dishes. The meat is accompanied by 3-4 types of vegetable side dishes. This is followed by a salad and then a cold dessert. 5 types of the best wine are served with dinner.