Queen of England Elizabeth II

Birth Data

Biography

British royalty, Queen of England and Head of the Commonwealth of the United Kingdom. Elizabeth became Queen at age 25 upon the death on 2/06/1952 of her father, King George V. As a young girl, she was a happy child raised in a close, protective family. At the age of ten, on 1/20/1936, her grandfather King George V died and left the throne to her uncle, Edward VIII. Her uncle abdicated the throne 12/11/1936, leaving the monarchy to her father King George VI. At 11, the eldest daughter of George VI became the heir to the British throne.

As a modern British monarch, Elizabeth has seen many changes to the British institution. Forty former British colonies, protectorates and territories have been granted their independence during her reign. Elizabeth is considered one of the world's wealthiest women. In 1992, she agreed to pay income tax on her personal income, the first time in the history of the monarchy. Media scrutiny of the Royal Family and the death of her former daughter-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 led to an intense re-evaluation of the role of the British monarchy near the end of the century.

From the time she was two years old, Elizabeth was taught how to act as a member of the Royal Family. She was polite, responsible and well-mannered around adults. She looked after her younger, livelier and willful sister Princess Margaret. Elizabeth never attended formal school but was taught at home by her mother, the Duchess of York and a string of governesses. In childhood, she developed her love of her favorite Corgi dogs, horses, rural life and equestrian events. After her father, the Duke of York, became King of England, Elizabeth worked hard in living up to family expectations of the future monarch. At 13, she accompanied her father to Dartmouth to visit the Royal Naval College. It was here the young teen met her future husband, 18-year-old cadet Prince Philip of Greece.

When WW II was declared in 1939, Prince Philip went to serve in the Royal Navy.  Princess Elizabeth knitted socks and scarves for the fighting soldiers.  She joined the women's unit of the British Army and worked as an ambulance driver and mechanic. In May 1945, Princess Elizabeth and her sister were given permission to roam around with the crowds outside Buckingham Palace in celebration of the end of WW II. Elizabeth circulated anonymously hoping no one would recognize their future queen. After she married Prince Philip, 11/20/1947, she lived with her husband at Clarence House in London. In 1948, after the birth of their son, Prince Charles, Philip resumed his naval career and the couple left to live in the Mediterranean country of Malta. In Malta, Princess Elizabeth was free to shop, drive her husband's car, go to parties and dances as the young wife of a naval officer. She was openly criticized by the press in the early 1950s, of abandoning her son and daughter to be raised by royal nannies in Buckingham Palace while she spent her time away with her husband and immersed in royal duties. In 1951, the couple made an official visit to the U.S. While the couple were touring the British Commonwealth, on 2/06/1952 her father died of a heart attack in his sleep.

On 6/02/1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned Queen of England.  In her reign, she has seen nationalized industries, economic downturns, and Britain join the European Economic Community, 1973. Today, her primary role is to symbolize the unity and continuity within the Commonwealth of Nations.

Elizabeth married Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on 11/20/1947. The couple had four royal offspring, Prince Charles on 11/14/1948, Princess Anne on 8/15/1950, Prince Andrew on 2/19/1960 and Prince Edward on 3/10/1964. While Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997, three of her children have had their first marriages end in scandals of infidelities and divorces.

In 2002, within a period of seven weeks, she lost her sister and her mother. Princess Margaret, 71, died of a stroke on 2/09/2002, and the beloved "Queen Mum" died at 101, on 3/31/2002.

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