Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II
Name	Elizabeth II
Reign	6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022
Predecessor	George VI
Successor	Charles III
Full name	Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor
House	House of Windsor
Father	George VI
Mother	Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Birth date	21 April 1926
Birth place	Mayfair, London
Death date	8 September 2022
Death place	Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire

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Queen Elizabeth II

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor served as monarch of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until 2022. Her reign spanned major events such as the Suez Crisis, the Cold War, the decolonisation of Africa, and the creation of the European Union alongside transformations in institutions like the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the Royal Navy, and the British Armed Forces. She was head of state for realms including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and later involved with the Commonwealth of Nations.

Early life and education

Born on 21 April 1926 at Mayfair to Prince Albert, Duke of York and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, she was christened at The Queen's Chapel and raised within the House of Windsor. Her early years included residences at York Cottage, Birkhall, and Buckingham Palace. Tutors provided instruction in constitutional history related to institutions such as the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the role of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom. During World War II, she served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service under commanders who had served in campaigns like the North African campaign and interacted with figures associated with the Ministry of Defence and the War Office.

Her accession followed the death of George VI on 6 February 1952, triggering constitutional processes involving the Accession Council and proclamations in locations such as St James's Palace and Edinburgh. The coronation on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury and attended by representatives from dominions, protectorates, and members of the Commonwealth of Nations, including leaders from India, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The ceremony incorporated regalia like the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's Orb, and involved officers from the Household Division and the College of Arms.

Her reign encompassed interactions with a succession of prime ministers from the United Kingdom such as Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, David Cameron, and Boris Johnson, through weekly audiences at Buckingham Palace and state functions at 10 Downing Street and Holyrood Palace. She fulfilled duties as head of state for realms including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and Papua New Guinea, and accepted letters from governments via institutions like the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and the Cabinet Office. Constitutional moments during her reign included responses to events like the Suez Crisis, negotiations over membership of the European Communities, decolonisation in places such as Kenya and Malta, and evolving relations within the Commonwealth of Nations. She appointed governors-general such as those in Canada and Australia and presided over state openings of parliament at venues including the Palace of Westminster.

She married Prince Philip in 1947 at Westminster Abbey; their partnership connected dynasties including the House of Mountbatten and the House of Windsor. Their children include Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward. Extended family ties involved figures from European royal houses such as the House of Glücksburg and connections to the former German Empire through ancestry. Personal residences included Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Balmoral Castle; patronages encompassed charities and organisations like the British Red Cross, Rugby Football Union, and institutions in the arts such as the Royal Opera House and the British Museum.

She conducted state visits and tours to nations across six continents, including tours of Canada (notably the 1951 and 1959 visits), Australia (including the 1954 tour), countries of West Africa during decolonisation, and tours to India and Pakistan. She hosted state visits by leaders such as John F. Kennedy, Charles de Gaulle, Nelson Mandela, and Barack Obama at venues like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Her overseas travel involved coordination with foreign ministries like the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and engagements with multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the Commonwealth Secretariat. She opened parliaments, attended commemorations for events such as the Remembrance Day services at the Cenotaph, Whitehall, and presided over jubilees marking milestones of the monarchy.

In later decades she adapted ceremonial practices amid health episodes and constitutional changes including the accession of successors in Commonwealth realms and evolving arrangements with governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. She celebrated milestones including the Silver Jubilee, Golden Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee, and Platinum Jubilee. On 8 September 2022 she died at Balmoral Castle; her passing initiated accession procedures involving the Accession Council, national mourning, ceremonial events at Westminster Hall and Westminster Abbey, and state arrangements in coordination with the UK Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, and governments across the Commonwealth of Nations.

Category:British monarchs Category:House of Windsor Category:20th-century monarchs Category:21st-century monarchs