Loved by millions, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at the time of writing this blog, has been on the throne for 69 years. An incredible achievement, which makes her Britain’s longest reigning monarch. But what of her other achievements?
In our latest blog series, we take a look at a number of British monarchs and look at the achievements for which we remember them the most.
Active Service
In 1939, Princess Elizabeth was 13 years of age. As heiress presumptive she had begun to take seriously the duties that were to one day be bestowed upon her, and she attended Eton learning about constitutional history and European history.
Her studies were to be curtailed however, by the outbreak of World War Two. In an effort to boost the morale of the nation, she embarked on a series of domestic visits with her mother and father. In 1944 at the age of 18, she performed many of the duties of a head of state when, in the absence of the King, she visited the battlefields of Italy.
The following year, in 1945, in an effort to “do her bit” for the war effort, she became the first female member of the Royal Family to join the Armed Services as a full-time active member. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service as Second Subaltern No. 230873, a rank which is equivalent to second lieutenant, where she trained as a driver and a mechanic. By the end of the war, she was a fully qualified driver.
Addressing Congress
The modern relationship between Britain and the United States of America, according to many experts, has been described as unbreakable. Describing the relationship, in a joint statement released by President Barrack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron in 2011, they were quoted as saying:
“It is a perfect alignment of what we both need and what we both believe. And the reason it remains strong is because it delivers time and again. Ours is not just a special relationship, it is an essential relationship—for us and for the world.”
But the relationship between the two nations has not always been so close, with America fighting long and hard against the British in their battle for independence.
So, when Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to address US Congress on 16th May 1991, it was a truly historic moment for both nations. In a speech that lasted 15 minutes and received three standing ovations, the Queen summed up her speech by saying:
“You will find us worthy partners, and we are proud to have you as our friends. May God Bless America”
Equal Terms
For centuries, the rule for the line of succession to the throne of the United Kingdom, was that the next in line to the throne for a King or Queen, was their eldest son regardless of whether he was born first, or second, behind a female sibling.
Another provision under the Bill of Rights (1689) and the Act of Settlement (1701) stated that a Roman Catholic was excluded from succession to the throne.
To address both of these stipulations, the Queen, through her government, brought in the Succession to the Crown Act 2013. This came into effect as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were expecting the birth of their first child.
Of course, we know now that their first born was a boy, Prince George, but the law has now essentially made succession to the throne gender neutral. The crown will now descend to heirs in order of birth only.
These are just a few of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s many great achievements. But what would you class as her greatest? Why don’t you share it with us on Facebook?
Also, while you’re thinking about it, you can take a look through the wide range of Queen Elizabeth II sovereigns and sets that we have available HERE marking many special events. With next years Platinum Jubilee creating a huge amount of interest in Her Majesty’s coinage, now would be the perfect time to purchase.