Queen Elizabeth II is the longest and oldest reigning monarch in British history; reigning for an incredible 70 years and 214 days.
In our latest blog of “The House of Windsor” series, we take a look at the remarkable life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Early Life
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on 21st April 1926. She was the eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York and his wife Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, and as her father was the younger son of King George V, she was never thought to have assumed the throne. This was until her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated the throne in 1936, and her father became King George VI, making Elizabeth heir presumptive at the age of 10.
Known as ‘Lilibet’ to her family, Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with her only sibling, Princess Margaret, by their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford. During the second world war, both Princesses were separated from their parents and the London blitz, mainly residing at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the Royal Lodge, Windsor, and Windsor Castle.
Marriage and Children
During the war, Princess Elizabeth met Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark when she was just 13 years old, and the two developed a relationship through visits and correspondence. In July 1947, after an official visit to South Africa and Rhodesia, the Royal Family announced the engagement of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. The couple were married at Westminster Abbey on 20th November 1947 and their marriage was the longest of any British monarch, lasting until Prince Philip died on 9th April 2021.
The couple had a total of four children together. Their first son, Charles (now King Charles III), was born on 14th November 1948. Their only daughter, Anne, was born two years later, and the couple welcomed two further sons, Andrew and Edward, in 1960 and 1964. As of 2022, they have a total of 8 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
Becoming Queen
As of 1951, King George VI’s health had declined rapidly, resulting in Princess Elizabeth representing him during tours and other state occasions. In January 1952, she and Prince Philip set off for a tour of Australia and New Zealand. On 6th February 1952, while they were both in Kenya, the tragic news reached them of the King’s death. Elizabeth, now Queen, rushed back to England, with the first three months of her reign signalling the full mourning period for her father.
Queen Elizabeth II was the 6th woman in history to ascend the British throne. On 4th November 1952, she carried out her first state opening of Parliament, as well as undertaking the routine duties of the sovereign once she had moved to Buckingham Palace. Her coronation took place on 2nd June 1953 at Westminster Abbey.
Reign
Over her seventy-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II reached remarkable milestones. Not only was she the first to reach the Platinum Jubilee milestone, making her our longest reigning monarch, but she is also our oldest reigning monarch. She reigned through the Jet Age, the Space Age, the Computer Age, and into the Internet Age, devoting her entire life to the service of the British people.
Since the start of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II maintained strong relationships and continued the evolution of the Commonwealth by making numerous state trips abroad. She actively took steps to modernise the Royal Family, and overcome increased criticism and public scrutiny as a result of royal scandals over the years.
In 2017, Prince Philip stepped down from his royal duties and Queen Elizabeth II began delegating her royal obligations to Prince Charles, Princess Anne, and Prince William. In April 2021, at the age of 99, Prince Philip died, making Queen Elizabeth II the first monarch to reign as a widower since Queen Victoria. She remained a consistent head of Britain’s reigning monarchy until her death.
Death
On 8th September 2022 at 3:10pm, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, with her two children, Charles and Anne, by her side. It was announced publicly at 6:30pm that day, and her cause of death was recorded as ‘old age’. As she was the first monarch to die in Scotland since James V in 1542, Operation London Bridge and Operation Unicorn were set in motion, in order to bring the late monarch back to London for the funeral service.
The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on 19th September 2022, followed by a Committal Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The day was declared as a holiday in multiple Commonwealth countries, and more than a million people lined the streets of London. Later that day, Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest with her husband in the King George VI Memorial Chapel during a private ceremony attended by her closest family members.
A new one-eighth sovereign coin has been announced in tribute to the life of service and devotion of Queen Elizabeth II, secure yours HERE.