Celebrating a 70-year reign
ELIZABETH II (born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926), Queen of England and 14 other Commonwealth realms, was born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth).
Her father ascended the throne in 1936 on the abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII, making Elizabeth the heir presumptive (the person entitled to inherit a throne).
According to Wikipedia.org, she was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during World War II, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (the women’s branch of the British Army).
In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, with whom she had four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.
When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth – then 25 – became queen regent of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, as well as head of the Commonwealth.
The number of her realms has varied over time as territories have gained independence, and as realms, including South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon (renamed Sri Lanka), became republics.
Elizabeth is the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the longest-serving female head of state in history, the oldest living and longestreigning current monarch, and the oldest and longest-serving incumbent head of state. |