“An Unfinished Romance” is a sentimental story of two people who love each other very much, but cannot be together. Both have families and, accordingly, obligations to loved ones. For many years in a row, the heroes have been meeting at the hotel. They have only a few days a year to be with someone without whom life is impossible. It would seem that the story staged by director Natalya Bulyga is pure drama. But no! The production turned out to be fun and light, because love is not necessarily and not always a tragedy. Screen star Maria Poroshina, who, in addition to many other film roles, played the sorceress Svetlana in Timur Bekmambetov’s films “Night Watch” and “Day Watch,” herself invited Yaroslav Boyko to take part in the play “An Unfinished Romance.” For her, the choice of stage partner was obvious. Their creative tandem originated back in 2003, when the series “Always Say Always” was released. The actors turned out to be so organic in the role of a loving couple that the viewer was left with no doubt: of course they were having an affair!

Studio “Kvartal 95” goes on a world tour with concerts of “Evening Kvartal” The “Evening Kvartal” project is a humorous show with a unique format of intellectual humor. And the humor in “Evening Quarter” is always fresh and relevant, sharp and accurate. The special recognizable style of “Kvartal 95” is a combination of good humor and a positive outlook on life, relevance and sharp political satire, as well as an orientation towards universal and family values. “Evening Quarter” has been the most popular show on Ukrainian television for many years, traditionally attracting millions of viewers.

The English irregular verb trainer will help you remember their spelling and meaning. Fill in the empty cells. If you spelled it correctly, the word will change color from red to green. Refresh the page or click the Start Again button and you will see the new order of empty cells. Train again!

Modal verbs in English are a class of auxiliary verbs. Modal verbs are used to express ability, necessity, certainty, possibility or likelihood. We use modal verbs if we talk about abilities or possibilities, ask or give permission, ask, offer, etc. Modal verbs are not used independently, but only with the infinitive of the main verb as a compound predicate.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has remained for centuries parliamentary monarchy. Since February 6, 1952, the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been Queen Elizabeth II.

The system of constitutional monarchy is believed to smooth out the contradictions of multi-party politics and provide stability and continuity during periods of political and social change.

The current monarch performs two important functions - is head of state and head of nation .

As Head of State, Queen of Great Britain performs the following duties: participates in the annual opening ceremony of Parliament, meets weekly with prime ministers, receives foreign ambassadors and delegations, makes official visits to foreign countries to maintain the diplomatic and economic relations of his country with others. Many of the monarch's official powers, or "royal prerogatives", are exercised by the monarch in name only, after consultation with the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who are responsible to Parliament's House of Commons. Most prerogatives are exercised in practice by UK Cabinet Ministers. The monarch formally appoints the prime minister (the “kissing hands” ceremony), but in practice he is the head of the party that wins the parliamentary elections. In the event that no party has a majority, the monarch has the right to appoint a prime minister. The current Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, took advantage of this opportunity only once - in 1974, when she appointed Labor member Harold Wilson as Prime Minister. On the advice of the Prime Minister, the monarch has the right to dismiss ministers or the entire Cabinet (a prerogative that British monarchs never exercise). All parliamentary laws are passed in the name of the monarch and come into force after his formal approval.

Formally, the monarch has the right to convene, dissolve and prolong Parliament. But in practice, according to the Parliament Act 1911, Parliament is elected for a period of 5 years and is automatically dissolved after this period.

The oath of allegiance is taken to the monarch, British passports are issued on behalf of the monarch, and the national anthem is called “God Save the Queen.” The image of the monarch appears on banknotes, coins and postage stamps. The incumbent monarch is the head of the Royal Armed Forces and has the formal prerogative to declare war and make peace, enter into international treaties and ratify agreements.

Despite their advanced age, the royal couple continues to perform official duties. In April 2014, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Vatican and met with Pope Francis.

The monarch is considered Source of justice– has the right to appoint judges.

The monarch is Source of honor(conducts investiture ceremonies) - appoints peers, awards orders, knighthoods and other honors (usually on the advice of the prime minister).

Monarch – head of the Church of England. He has the right to appoint archbishops and bishops (on the proposal of the Prime Minister).

Since 1760, funding for the maintenance of the royal family has been carried out according to the Civil List. This means that income from the royal inheritance - the Crown Estate - goes to the UK budget, and is then allocated to the needs of the royal family.

The monarch only formally owns his estate, since it cannot be sold, but can only be transferred to the heir to the throne. Formally, the current monarch owns the county of Lancastershire, the income from which goes to replenish the “personal wallet” of the monarch and is spent on those needs that, by tradition, are not recorded in the Civil List. The County of Cornwall formally belongs to the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom.

As Head of the Nation, Queen Elizabeth II performs an equally important cultural and social function in Great Britain. It provides national identity, symbolizing the unity and pride of the nation, giving the British people a sense of stability and confidence in the future.

The Queen regularly visits different parts of the United Kingdom; her presence is mandatory at ceremonies on the occasion of Remembrance Day and at significant sporting events. Everyone remembers the appearance of the Queen in the video with James Bond at the opening of the Olympic Games in London in 2012. In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II opened the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal in Canada as Canada's head of state. The Royal Office sends out thousands of messages of congratulations to citizens celebrating their centenary and sixtieth wedding anniversaries. Every year, Queen Elizabeth II addresses her subjects with a Christmas speech.

Members of the British Royal Family form the line of succession to the throne. First in line is the Queen's eldest son, Charles. The second and third are Charles's eldest son Prince William and his son George. The order of inheritance was determined by the Act of Union of 1800, which established the rule of inheritance according to primogeniture with male priority. The Act of Succession to the Throne of 1701 established the rule that only a monarch professing the Anglican faith could inherit the British throne. According to this law, not only Catholics, but also Anglicans married to Catholics cannot ascend to the British throne.

At the Commonwealth Summit in Australia in October 2011, changes were made to the succession to the throne to avoid discrimination based on gender and religion. In December 2012, this law was approved by the parliaments of the countries that are members of the commonwealth. Now the order of succession is determined by simple seniority and the ban on marriages with Catholics for future monarchs is lifted. Currently in line for succession to the throne are 55 members of the royal family– descendants of Elizabeth II, her sister Princess Margaret and grandfather George V.

Also members royal family distributed by seniority or priority. Thus, the queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, is not among the heirs to the throne, but is the second eldest in the family after the queen. This order of precedence is followed at formal events. For example, during the laying of wreaths on Remembrance Day, the Queen lays the first wreath, the Duke of Edinburgh the second, Prince Charles the third, etc.

Title of Queen Elizabeth II differs for each country that is part of the Commonwealth.

For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland it sounds like this:

"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

"Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other countries and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926 in London at 17 Brewton Street. This house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been installed on the new house at this address. At her baptism, the daughter of Prince Albert, the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon received the name Elizabeth (in honor of her mother) Alexandra (in honor of her great-grandmother) Mary (in honor of her grandmother). Elizabeth II belongs to the Windsor dynasty. Elizabeth's father, Prince Albert, was second in line to the throne. After his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated the throne, he became King George VI, and Elizabeth became the “heir presumptive” (“heir presumptive”). This means that if the king later had a son, he would inherit the throne.

In 1947, Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921), an officer of the British navy who belonged to the Greek and Danish royal families, the great-great-grandson of the British Queen Victoria and the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. To marry Elizabeth, Philip became a naturalized British citizen, changed Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, renounced the titles “Prince of Denmark” and “Prince of Greece”. In return, George VI granted him the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron of Greenwich.

When George VI died on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth and her husband were traveling in Kenya. Princess Elizabeth has already returned to Great Britain as Queen Elizabeth II. Coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II, which took place on June 2, 1953, was first broadcast on television from Westminster Abbey. The first person to take an oath of allegiance to the new queen was her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen has four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward.

Charles, Prince of Wales– born November 14, 1948. Full name Charles (Carl) Philip Arthur George (George) Mountbatten - Windsor. Heir to the throne of Great Britain, field marshal, admiral of the fleet and marshal of the Royal Air Force. Upon accession to the throne, he can choose a royal name - Charles (Charles) III as his first name, or George (George) VII as his fourth.

At birth, Charles received the title “His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh” - “His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh.” Upon ascending the throne of Elizabeth II in 1952, Prince Charles automatically received the title "Duke of Cornwall" and became known as "His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall." In 1969, Elizabeth II held an investiture ceremony, placing the Prince of Wales crown on her son's head. And Charles's official title changed to "His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales."

On July 29, 1981, the wedding of the heir to the throne took place with Diana Spencer. Charles and Diana had two sons: Prince William (born June 21, 1982) and Prince Henry (Harry) (born September 15, 1984). On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles married for the second time, to Camilla Parker Bowles. For the first time in the history of the royal family, the ceremony was performed in a civil manner. Due to the fact that the late wife of Prince Charles, Lady Diana, is still very popular among the British, Camila was given the title not Princess of Wales, but Duchess of Cornwall.

By tradition, Charles is involved in charity work and heads more than 350 charitable societies. His interests include nature conservation and agriculture.

Princess Anne(Anna Elizaveta Alisa Louise) was born on August 15, 1950. Currently in 11th place in the line of succession to the throne. Since 1987 she has held the title of Princess Royal. From her first marriage to Mark Phillips, she had two children: Peter Phillips (1977) and Zara Phillips (1981). Princess Anne, Mark Phillips and Zara Phillips have all represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games in equestrian sport. After her divorce from Mark Phillips, Princess Anne married Vice Admiral Timothy Lawrence.

Prince Andrew(Andrew Albert Christian Edward), Duke of York was born on 19 February 1960. Prince Andrew received the title of Duke of York in 1986 - on his wedding day with Sarah Ferguson. The marriage produced two daughters: Princess Beatrice of York (born 1988) and Eugenie of York (born 1990). The Duke of York is 5th in the line of succession to the British throne.

Prince Edward(Edward Anthony Richards Louis), Earl of Wessex was born on March 10, 1964. In the line of succession to the throne he is in 8th place after his older brothers and their descendants. He received the title of Earl on the day of his wedding to Sophie Rhys-Jones. It was announced that after his father's death he would receive the title of Duke of Edinburgh, and his children would not receive the titles of princes and princesses, but would be treated as children of an earl. The Earl of Wessex has two children: Louisa (born 2003) - “Lady Louise Windsor” and James (born 2007) - “James, Viscount Severn”.

Second in line to the British throne is Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (born 1982) is the son of the Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer. On the day of William's wedding to Kate Middleton, he was granted the title Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergue. Kate Middleton accordingly became the Duchess of Cambridge. On July 22, 2013, the couple had a son, George (Georg) Alexander Louis. Who became third in line of succession to the throne.

Prince Henry of Wales(Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor) - the youngest son of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer was born on September 15, 1984. He is currently 4th in line to the British throne.

When Queen Elizabeth II working, she divides her time between London and Windsor.

Royal palaces are not owned by the queen or royal family. Officially, they are held in “trust for future generations.”

The main royal residence of the British monarch is Buckingham Palace in Westminster. Most state banquets, investitures, receptions of heads of state and foreign ambassadors and other official events are held there. In Buckingham Palace, which most people in the world associate with British royal family, 775 rooms. Including: 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. The total area of ​​the palace is 77 thousand square meters. When the queen is in the palace, the royal standard develops above it; if she is not in the palace, the state standard.

The second most important royal residence is the largest residential castle in the world - Windsor Castle, used by the royal family for weekends.

The main residence in Scotland is Holyroodhouse Castle in Edinburgh. The Queen always spends one week a year there - the so-called “Holyrood week”.

The royal family also owns Clarencehouse (Prince Charles's home) and Kensington Palace.

Her Majesty spends her holidays (August and September) at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire or Sandringhamhouse in Norfolk. They are private residences of the royal family and are not financed from the budget.

A series of scandals related to the divorces of Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, as well as the death of Princess Diana, significantly undermined the authority of the royal family in Great Britain. However, according to polls, more than 60% of Britons are in favor of maintaining the institution of monarchy in the country.

Interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II:

• At the Queen's Elizabeth II no passport. Since a British passport is issued on behalf of Her Majesty, the Queen cannot issue a passport to herself. All other members of the royal family, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, hold British passports.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the only person in the country who is allowed to drive a car without a registration number and a driver's license. By the way, the Queen received her driver’s license back in 1945.
• – this is not a fixed date. Whether it will be the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Saturday of June is decided by the government of the country. On this day, since 1748, a royal military parade has been traditionally held - Trooping the Color.
• In Australia queen's birthday celebrated as a public holiday on the second Monday of June. In Western Australia, the monarch's birthday is celebrated at a different time - late September or early October. In New Zealand, the Queen's Birthday is also a public holiday and is celebrated on the first Monday in June. In Canada, the Queen's Birthday is celebrated as a public holiday on the Monday preceding May 24th.
• The Queen's actual birthday is April 21st. There are no special events on this day and the queen spends it with her family.
• Royal salutes are strictly regulated and
• February 6 (day of accession to the throne of Elizabeth II)
• April 21 (birthday of Elizabeth II)
• June 2 (coronation day of Elizabeth II)
• 10 June (birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh)
• Official Queen's Birthday
• Opening of Parliament by the Queen (usually November or December).
• The number of shots of the royal salute is also regulated. The main royal salute is 21 shots. In Hyde Park, another 20 shots are added to the main fireworks display. In the Tower - this is added to the main number 21 by 20 and another 21 shots.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state of 16 states and is the head of the Commonwealth, consisting of 53 countries. In 1952, at a conference of prime ministers of countries belonging to the Commonwealth, Elizabeth II was proclaimed the head of the association of countries not by right of inheritance, but by right of consent of the member states.
• U Queen Elizabeth II there are other official and unofficial titles. For example, in the Maori language it is called “kotuku” - “white heron”. In Papua New Guinea, the queen is called "Mrs Kwin" in pidgin. On the Isle of Man the Queen is called the Sovereign of Man, on the Channel Islands she is the Duchess of Normandy; in the Duchy of Lancaster - she is the Duchess of Lancaster.
• During his reign Queen Elizabeth II hosted 12 prime ministers during traditional Tuesday meetings: Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alexander Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron.
• Tony Blair became the first prime minister to be born during the reign of Elizabeth II (in May 1953).
• During the reign queens Elizabeth II There were 6 archbishops of Canterbury.
• U Queen Elizabeth II 9 thrones. One in the House of Lords, 2 in Westminster Abbey and 6 in Buckingham Palace.
• Queen should not publicly express her political views and communicates extremely correctly with all the prime ministers of the country, being above political battles. The same goes for members of the royal family, who are not allowed to speak out on political events, so the political views of the Queen and her family remain unknown.
• Queen Elizabeth II patronizes more than 620 charitable organizations.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the 40th monarch in Great Britain since William the Conqueror.
• During his reign Queen Elizabeth II has made official visits to more than 130 countries and made more than 250 trips. In October 1994, the Queen paid an official visit to Russia.
• The Queen made most of her trips on the yacht Britannia, which was built in 1954 and decommissioned in 1997. The total distance that Britain has traveled over the years is more than a million nautical miles.
• At the Queen's Elizabeth II there were more than 30 dogs of my favorite breed corgi. She received her first dog of this breed, Susan, as a gift for her eighteenth birthday. All other dogs are descendants of Susan. The Queen is even the creator of a new breed of dog - Dorgi, which came from mixing her corgis with Princess Margaret's dachshund.
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• Queen Elizabeth II sent her first email in 1976, and the first official royal website was created in 1997.
• Legally, whales, dolphins and sturgeon in UK seas belong to the Crown. Because the country still has in force a 1324 statute, passed during the reign of Edward II, stating that the monarch owns dolphins, whales and sturgeon, living and dead, within the country's territorial waters.

Such an age is an achievement in itself for any person, not only for a monarch. And 90-year-old Elizabeth today not only lives out her life calmly in the palace, surrounded by servants and relatives, she, like many years in a row, performs quite labor-intensive and routine work. On the eve of her anniversary, the documentary film “Our Queen at 90” was released. “What struck me most was the Queen’s work ethic,” said the film’s director, Ashley Gething. - We filmed it at 9 am and 11 pm. Surprisingly, at 90, she still works seven days a week from dawn to dusk. And so it has been for the last 64 years! I was amazed by the intensity of the schedule of events during her official visit to Germany or when receiving a delegation from China. At the end of the day I felt exhausted, I just don’t understand how Her Majesty and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is already 95 years old, cope with such a schedule!”

The first "palace"

In 1926, when Elizabeth was born, England, as well as throughout Europe, was restless - everyone expected either war or revolution. And at eight months, the parents left the baby in the care of nannies to go on a long official visit to Australia. The princess's mother was very upset, but... duty comes first. English aristocrats tried to copy their king George V, the grandfather of little Elizabeth, who established new, modern rules for monarchs that are still relevant today: leave the palace, show yourself in public, work hard!

When George V died in 1936, his eldest son, young Elizabeth's uncle, Prince Edward, ascended the throne. But he soon abdicated the throne because of an affair with a divorced woman. And the crown passed to the girl’s father, George VI, who was not at all ready for such a burden, but nevertheless coped with his fears and doubts and showed himself to be a wise monarch. By the way, this interesting historical period formed the basis for the recent Oscar-winning film “The King’s Speech.”

Despite the palace problems of adults, Lilibet's childhood, as she was called in the family, was happy and cloudless until a certain age. When the baby was four years old, she had a sister, Margaret. On her sixth birthday, Elizabeth was given a small house in the garden of Windsor Palace; it became a place where she could play, study and take care of her pets - corgi dogs. This small cottage was made in such a way that the girl and her little guests felt comfortable - the ceilings of the house were designed for children's height, and adults had to bend almost double to enter it. With plush toys scattered everywhere, soft sofas, small tea tables and the same sets, chests of drawers and cabinets, it looked like Alice’s fairy-tale home, and Lilibet felt like a real princess in it. At the same time, the parents made sure that their daughter did not grow up white-handed: the house was equipped with a small but functional gas stove, sink and washing machine. It was here that Elizabeth received her first culinary lessons and learned to keep the house clean and tidy. Later she will maintain her palaces in the same order.

This children's house was later inherited by her children and then grandchildren. Today, Elizabeth's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, is in charge of it, and renovated it several years ago. “The Queen spent many happy hours here, and she still likes to come here from time to time,” said Princess Margaret. - It’s wonderful when there is a place where your parents grew up and played, where you and your brothers and sisters grew up and played. We have been adults for a long time, but we still love our garden house, and it is ready to accept new little owners.”

The future queen did not go to school, the family invited teachers, and the mother selected literature for her daughter. Elizabeth's first adult books were novels by the popular British humorist Pelham Woodhouse. The father considered it his duty to share with his eldest daughter, and therefore with the future queen, his own opinion about history, politics and the modern structure of the world.

Youth under bombs

Elizabeth's period of growing up occurred during the Second World War. When Great Britain entered the war with Nazi Germany, Lilibet and her sister remained at Windsor Castle, while King George and his wife were in London - from there the monarch and Parliament led the country's defense. London was bombed regularly and intensively: in September 1940, one of the bombs hit the courtyard of Buckingham Palace - the king and queen miraculously escaped death. If they had been a few meters closer to the epicenter of the explosion, they would have died. Elizabeth recalled that parents, in conversations with their children, constantly came up with jokes about that German bomb, as if they had experienced some kind of fun adventure. In this way they tried to calm the children and teach them to face danger with dignity. In 1940, 14-year-old Lilibet, following the example of her father’s monarch, who strengthened the spirit of the British with his radio messages, conducted radio broadcasts for young Englishmen from Windsor Castle.

Elizabeth's childhood was spent among people in uniforms who were used to serving and knew what a sense of duty was. When she came to the throne, these were the qualities she wanted to see in her subjects and she herself strived to live up to the high standards held by her father, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the British military.

Towards the end of the war, the young princess, as was customary at the English court, went into service herself. She was assigned to one of the London units as a mechanic. Elizabeth learned to drive and maintain heavy army trucks. When Germany announced its surrender and general rejoicing began on the streets of London, the princesses, in the company of several of their cousins, quietly slipped out of Buckingham Palace and joined the jubilant crowds of Londoners.

According to historians, it was during the war that Elizabeth truly became close to her father. She saw the burden that lay on the king’s shoulders, how much strength and health it took, and she understood that the day would come when she herself would have to do the same work. George VI was the only and best teacher. “It all depends on the training. You can do a lot if we prepare you well,” this is how the father reassured the princess, who doubted her abilities, because she knew well what would be required of her. When the crown was placed on her head at 27, she took her duties as seriously as her father. “When my grandmother ascended the throne, she was much younger than I am now. It was a time when men ruled the world. At my age, it is difficult for me to always remain serious, and it is even difficult to imagine how heavy the burden was that she had to shoulder,” William, Duke of Cambridge recently shared.

The best choice

In the summer of 1939, in preparation for the coming war, King George and his family visited the Royal Naval College, where Elizabeth met the Greek prince. Philip was a tall, handsome 18-year-old cadet, and his naval uniform suited him very well. For Elizabeth it was love at first sight; the future officer also liked the young English princess. True, Philip's family became impoverished and was in exile, which made the guy's chances of success very vague. But he didn’t even think of giving up. When the royal yacht left the port, the cadet was waiting for the ship at the exit of the bay in a boat to wave goodbye to the princess and her relatives. Since it was hot, Philip was shirtless, and, apparently, made an indelible impression on young Elizabeth, since from then on she did not want to hear about the English aristocrats whom her mother wanted to woo the girl.

Philip, as part of the British naval forces, took part in battles with the Germans, and the princess was worried not only about her parents, but also about her lover. After the end of the war, she showed character and convinced her father to agree to the marriage. In 1947, Elizabeth and Philip married in London's Westminster Abbey. This wedding became the first big post-war holiday and was enthusiastically received by English society. The princess was adored, and the fact that she chose as her husband not some nondescript noble aristocrat, but a poor but handsome military officer, only strengthened her popularity.

Philip received the title Duke of Edinburgh. A year later, the newlyweds had their first child, Charles. At this time, the happy father served... in Malta, where his military unit was stationed. These English royal families are so incomprehensible. Duty above all is not just a beautiful phrase, but a rule of life. Following Charles, Elizabeth and Philip had a daughter, Anne, and then sons, Andrew and Edward. Charles, Prince of Wales is first in line to the throne, followed by his eldest son William, Duke of Cambridge.

Looking at the queen's long marriage, it becomes clear that Elizabeth was not mistaken when she fought for her husband with her relatives. All the time, Philip was a support for her, and, importantly, he remains so to this day at 95 years old! “My husband has been my strength all these years, and I owe him much more than he could ask,” the queen admitted.

The tradition lives on

Elizabeth was taught that the most important thing for a person is his duty, and personal life and feelings are in the background. That is why she did not allow Charles to marry the divorced Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom he loved. And the son was forced to enter into a marriage that was correct from the point of view of the court with Lady Diana. As a result, neither he nor Diana were happy; it all ended in a scandalous breakup, and then in the death of the princess.

However, in England they believe that the Queen has successfully ruled Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries for so long because she has the ability to change and learn from her mistakes. She had a hard time with Charles's breakup with Diana and the scandals that accompanied this breakup. Tabloids began to write about the intimate life of Elizabeth's heirs, and it seemed that the royal family would never again have the level of adoration and trust in society that they had after the war. But years passed, the foam settled, Prince Charles married the love of his life, Camilla, and young Prince William chose a non-royal girl, Kate Middleton, as his wife.

Today, the ratings of the royal family are higher than ever, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, can easily claim the title of the most popular royal couple on the planet. Prince Harry is not far behind his older brother - he is the most desirable bachelor in England. And above all of them still towers the small but very important figure of their grandmother, who, at 90, remains the living embodiment of the great British traditions.

Yaroslav Stepanenko

Elizabeth II in October 1942

“In general, no one taught me to be a queen: my father died too early and it happened so unexpectedly - I had to immediately get involved in the matter and at the same time try not to lose face in the dirt. I had to grow into the position I took. It was fate, it had to be accepted and not complained. I think continuity is very important. My job is for life."
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain

I wonder what it’s like to celebrate your birthday twice a year for over 50 years? Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926 in London, can answer this question, and for many years her birthday has been celebrated throughout the United Kingdom not only on April 21, but also on the 3rd Saturday in June.

The title of Her Royal Majesty in the United Kingdom is: "Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other Dominions and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George Six. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she became queen, and has remained so for decades.

Every year the birthday is celebrated magnificently at Windsor Castle. It begins with a walk around the city (if this action, of course, can be called that). A 21-shot fireworks display is required, which sounds at noon.

Throughout her reign, the Queen has been repeatedly criticized not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy, and her popularity in Great Britain is at its highest.

Royal

Elizabeth II (English Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (English Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.

Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, following the death of her father, King George VI.

She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the queen of 15 independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. He is also the head of the Church of England and the Supreme Commander of the British Armed Forces.

Coats of arms in different periods of time and in different countries

Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944–1947)

Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (1947–1952)

Royal coat of arms in Great Britain (except Scotland)

Royal coat of arms in Scotland

Royal coat of arms of Canada

The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain is “Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.”

During the reign of Elizabeth II, in all countries that recognize the British monarch as their head of state, laws were passed according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as the head of that particular state, regardless of his titles in Great Britain itself or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries the title of queen sounds the same, with the name of the state replaced. In some countries, the words “defender of the faith” are excluded from the title. For example, in Australia the title reads as follows: “Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God Queen of Australia and her other kingdoms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth.”

On the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, Elizabeth II also bears the title of Duke of Normandy, and on the Isle of Man, the title of “Lord of Man”.

Story

Elizabeth II is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She currently ranks second in history for the longest tenure on the British throne (after Queen Victoria) and also the second longest serving head of state in the world (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the oldest female sitting head of state in the world, and the oldest sitting head of state in Europe.

He is the oldest sitting monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

The reign of Elizabeth II covers a very broad period of British history: the process of decolonization was completed, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. This period also included many other events, such as the long-term ethnopolitical conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1970

Public perception

At the moment, the majority of British people have a positive assessment of Elizabeth II’s activities as a monarch (about 69% believe that the country would be worse off without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy helps improve the country’s image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).

Despite the positive attitude of the majority of her subjects, the queen was repeatedly criticized during her reign, in particular:

In 1963, when a political crisis arose in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for personally appointing Alexander Douglas-Home as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1997, for the lack of an immediate reaction to the death of Princess Diana, the queen was attacked not only by the wrath of the British public, but also even by many major British media outlets (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death with a cane while hunting, a wave of outrage from environmental organizations over the monarch's actions swept across the country.

Elizabeth II is the last representative of the so-called “old school” of monarchs: she strictly adheres to age-old traditions and ceremonies and never deviates from the rules of established etiquette. Her Majesty never gives interviews or makes statements in the press. She is in everyone's sight, but at the same time she is the most private celebrity on the planet.

Princess Elizabeth with her pet, July 1936

Childhood

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London's Mayfair at the Earl of Strathmore's residence at No. 17 Brewton Street. The area has now been rebuilt and the house no longer exists, but there is a memorial plaque on the site. She received her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).

Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895–1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900–2002). Her grandparents: on her father's side - King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); on the mother's side - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1938).

At the same time, the father insisted that his daughter’s first name be like the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie was discussing the girl's name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, that’s what I told him, but about Victoria I absolutely agree with him. It was unnecessary." Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 25 in the chapel at Buckingham Palace, which was later destroyed during the war.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1930

In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

The future queen received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. Since childhood, she loved horses and equestrian sports. And also from childhood, unlike her more eccentric sister Margaret, she had a truly royal character. In the book biography of Elizabeth II by Sarah Bradford, it is mentioned that the future queen from childhood was a very serious child, who even then had a certain understanding of the responsibilities that fell on her as the heir to the throne, and a sense of duty. Since childhood, Elizabeth loved order; for example, when she went to bed, she always put her slippers next to the bed, never allowing herself to scatter things around the room, as is typical for many children. And already as a queen, she always made sure that no unnecessary lights were on in the palace, personally turning off the lights in empty rooms.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1926

Photo from 1929, Elizabeth is 3 years old here

Princess Elizabeth in 1933

King George VI (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Angela, Duchess of York (1900-2002), with their daughter, the future Queen, Princess Elizabeth, 1929

The Queen with her daughters, October 1942

Princess at War

World War II began when Elizabeth was 13 years old. On October 13, 1940, she spoke on the radio for the first time - with an appeal to children affected by the disasters of war. In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of Guards Grenadiers. In 1944, she became one of the five "councilors of state" (persons authorized to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizaveta joined the “Auxiliary Territorial Service” - women's self-defense units - and was trained as an ambulance driver, receiving the military rank of lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months, which gives reason to consider her the last not yet retired participant in the Second World War (the second to last was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).

Princess Elizabeth (left, in military uniform) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (from left to right) her mother Queen Elizabeth, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King George VI and Princess Margaret, May 8, 1945

Wedding

On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria - Prince Philip Mountbatten, the son of the Greek Prince Andrew, who was then an officer in the British Navy. She met him at the age of 13, when Philip was still a cadet at the Dortmouth Naval Academy. Having become her husband, Philip received the title Duke of Edinburgh.

In November 2007, the Queen and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their Diamond Wedding - sixty years of marriage. For the sake of this occasion, the queen allowed herself a little liberty - for one day she and her husband retired for romantic memories in Malta, where Prince Philip once served, and the young Princess Elizabeth visited him.

Four children were born into their family: the heir to the throne is the eldest son, Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born 1948); Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (born 1950); Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (born 1960), Edward Anthony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).

On December 29, 2010, Elizabeth II became a great-grandmother for the first time. On this day, her eldest grandson - Princess Anne's eldest son Peter Phillips - and his Canadian wife Autumn Kelly had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession to the throne.

Coronation and beginning of reign

King George VI, Elizabeth's father, died on February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, who was on holiday in Kenya at the time with her husband, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.

The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. It was the first televised coronation of a British monarch and is credited with greatly boosting the popularity of television broadcasting.

After that, in 1953-1954. The Queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth states, British colonies and other countries of the world. Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.

The Queen with her six ladies-in-waiting
From left to right:
Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now the Right Honorable Lady Glenconner), Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (now Lady Rosemary Muir), Lady Mary Bailey-Hamilton (now Lady Mary Russell), Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond- Willoughby (now Baroness de Willoughby de Eresby), Lady Jane Van-Tempest-Stewart (now the Right Honorable Lady Rayne)

Young Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen began her political activities, which included the opening of Parliament and the reception of prime ministers. In the fifties of the twentieth century, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made many visits to the territory of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries.

Meeting of Elizabeth II with heads of Commonwealth countries in 1960

In the sixties, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin at the height of the Cold War, and also invited Japanese Emperor Hirohito for an official visit to Britain. Despite the turbulent social and political situation, she celebrated her silver jubilee in 1977. The celebrations were a success, with thousands of people celebrating Elizabeth II's jubilee across the country.

The mature years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

Five years later, Britain was involved in the war against the Falkland Islands, during which Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot. In the eighties of the twentieth century, the Queen's first grandchildren were born - Peter and Zara Phillips, the son and daughter of Anne, Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips.

In 1992, a disaster occurred in which fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle. That same year, the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne were dissolved. The Queen called 1992 a "terrible year". In 1996, the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was dissolved. Tragedy followed in 1997 when Diana died in a car accident.

2002 was a sad year for Queen Elizabeth II of England as her sister Princess Margaret died.

Reign of Queen Elizabeth II

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, many changes were made in Great Britain. The Queen successfully carries out her political duties as Head of State, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, ceremonial duties, as well as visiting responsibilities within the UK and abroad.

Elizabeth II introduced many reforms to the monarchy. In 1992, she proposed taxes on profits and capital gains. She opened official royal residences to the public, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, to finance the upkeep of the royal family.

She supported the abolition of male primogeniture and unity of inheritance, which means that the eldest child can now inherit the throne, regardless of gender.

In 2012, the Queen of England celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of her reign, celebrations were held throughout the country, which once again demonstrated the love of the British.

Clothing style of the English Queen Elizabeth II

The style of the English queen can be roughly divided into two periods: the style of the young queen - a conservative and elegant style, and the style of the elderly queen, I would call it the “cheerful grandmother” style or even the “rainbow style”, because of the incredible number of changing colors in her suits and hats . However, the Queen of England always loved colorful flowers.

Throughout her life, the main elements of Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe were: dresses or suits of medium length, always covering the knee, coats and raincoats cut a-line, plus floor-length dresses for special occasions, as well as hats, always matching the suit, gloves, closed shoes , a brooch on a jacket and a string of pearls. The Queen of England also always preferred short hair. Favorite colors are pink, lilac and indigo.

Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Odeon Cinema, October 31, 1955. (Photo: Monty Fresco/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth II became Queen after the death of her father in February 1952, and her coronation took place on June 2, 1952. At that time, namely in the 1940s and 1950s, dresses for the princess and then the queen were made by Norman Hartnell. And Elizabeth more than once appeared in public in dresses with fluffy skirts made of duchesse satin or silk. Her ivory, silver-trimmed wedding dress was also designed by Norman Hartnell, as was her coronation dress.

From the mid-1950s through the 1960s, Hardy Amies sewed for the Queen. It is he who brings a sense of simplicity to the Queen’s outfits, but this simplicity is only external, because behind it lies a very complex cut. He made his first dresses for the Queen back in 1948, when Elizabeth asked him to create a wardrobe for a trip to Canada.

Since the 1970s, Ian Thomas, a former assistant to Norman Hartnell and now the owner of his own salon, has been sewing for the Queen. Its distinctive feature was the flowing chiffon dresses that appeared in the queen’s wardrobe. After his death and until the late 1980s, Queen Elizabeth was sewn by Maureen Rose from the design house of Ian Thomas.

From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the Queen of England's wardrobe was replenished with outfits from John Anderson, because after his death his partner Karl Ludwig Rese became the queen's court designer.

Since 2000, Stuart Parvin, the youngest of Her Majesty's court designers, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, has been sewing for Elizabeth II. In 2002, Angela Kelly became his assistant.

The Queen of England is 86 years old. But she still steadily fulfills all the duties assigned to her and appears in public, always following her style.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Prince Andrew (center), Princess Anne (left) and Charles, Prince of Wales near Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Queen Victoria's husband purchased Balmoral Castle in 1846. Queen Victoria visited Scotland frequently with her family, especially after the death of her husband in 1861, and Balmoral is still a favorite holiday destination for the royal family. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). September 9, 1960.

Hobby

The Queen's interests include breeding dogs (including corgis, spaniels and Labradors), photography, horse riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively throughout her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has made more than 325 foreign visits (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). I started gardening in 2009. In addition to English, he is also fluent in French

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Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were photographed with penguins at London Zoo. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Circa 1938

Interesting Facts

Elizabeth II does not give interviews. Nevertheless, interesting facts about this extraordinary woman periodically appear in the press, which allow us to look at the most famous reigning person of our time from an unexpected side; we have selected the most striking, in our opinion, moments.

The celebration of the royal birthday in 1981 was overshadowed by an unpleasant event: shots rang out near the horse on which Elizabeth was sitting, receiving the parade, causing everyone around to flinch. The Queen, to the delight of the public, did not even raise an eyebrow and managed to stay in the saddle.

Self-control came in handy a year later, when, while waiting for the police, she had to conduct a conversation for several minutes with a madman who managed to get into the chambers.

In 1945, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, the future Queen of England, served as a mechanic in a reserve battalion of the British Army with the rank of junior officer. Obviously, the example of the “combat” grandmother inspired the young princes William and Harry, who also did not shy away from military service.

Family values ​​for Elizabeth The second is not an empty phrase. For the sake of her son’s happiness, she crossed strict rules and blessed the second marriage of Prince Charles of Wales with socialite Camilla Parker Bowles, despite the uproar about it.

On April 17, 2013, the Queen attended the funeral of a British politician for the second time in the history of her reign: she said goodbye to Margaret Thatcher.

Despite her solid image, the queen is no stranger to female coquetry and small weaknesses. Slick paparazzi more than once caught the moment when she publicly adjusted her makeup at social events, not embarrassed by the crowd or her high position. Etiquette is etiquette, but a real queen should look chic!

The Queen's passion is horses and corgi dogs. In her youth, Elizabeth rode horses very well, but now she pays more attention to the charming red dogs, which thanks to her have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.

Elizabeth II is the oldest English monarch in history and the second longest-serving British monarch. She is also the oldest female current head of state.

The rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named in honor of Elizabeth II.

Films about Elizabeth II

In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years was released, where Neve Campbell played the role of Elizabeth.

In 2006, the biographical film “The Queen” was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA Award winner in the Best Film category. Actress Helen Mirren, who played the main role in the film, received Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA awards, as well as the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture.

In 2009, Channel 4 of British television produced a 5-part feature mini-series “The Queen”, directed by Edmund Coulthard and Patrick Reams. The Queen was played by 5 actresses at different periods of her life: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.

On July 27, 2012, the television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both jump with parachutes from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the queen was awarded a BAFTA award for best performance as a James Bond girl.

In architecture

The Queen Elizabeth Walk in Esplanade Park in Singapore is named after the queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called the “Elizabeth Tower” since September 2012.
The Duford Bridge, built in 1991, is also named after the Queen.
On August 1, 2013, the Elizabeth II Olympic Park was opened in London.

Lifetime monuments

Statue of Elizabeth II in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Canada

Statue in Regina, Saskatchewan, erected in 2005

Statue in Windsor Great Park

Photo gallery

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose (1930-2002) with their parents at the Boy Scouts Parade at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. (Photo: /Getty Images). 1932

King George and Queen Elizabeth with Princesses Elizabeth (center) and Margaret, and members of the Royal Family in full uniform on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the coronation, May 12, 1937.

The Queen, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose and the Royal Archers, 1937

Princess Elizabeth with a pony in Windsor Park, Berkshire. Photo taken April 21, 1939

King George VI with his wife, Queen Elizabeth and children, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, at Royal Lodge, Windsor, 11 April 1942. (Photo: Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Getty Images)

Princess Elizabeth rides from Buckingham Palace in London to the Horse Guards Parade wearing a military hat with the emblem of the Grenadier Guards. (Photo: Getty Images). June 12, 1947

Queen Elizabeth II at a parade in Central London, 7 June 1952. (Photo: William Vanderson/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth in the park of Buckingham Palace. 1939

Princess Elizabeth, March 1945

With newborn Prince Charles, December 1948

Princess Elizabeth with her son Prince Charles. September 1950

Queen Elizabeth II on her way to Westminster to preside over the Opening of Parliament after her accession to the throne, November 4, 1952

Princess Anne at her mother's coronation

The Queen with her newborn son Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace. March 1960

In 1960, the Queen gave birth to her second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, her third son, Prince Edward.

Queen Elizabeth II of England was born on April 21, 1926 in London. The birth of the charming baby did not cause a stir at court. It never occurred to anyone that this young creature would eventually occupy the royal throne. At that time, Elizabeth's grandfather George V reigned. The eldest son Edward was considered the heir to the throne. The girl's father was Prince Albert, the king's second son. He didn’t even think that he would become a crowned person. Everyone thought that the eldest son would soon marry, acquire heirs and, after the death of his father, take on royal responsibilities.

Lilibet, as everyone called Elizabeth in childhood, loved her grandfather very much, and he reciprocated his affection, although by nature he was a very stern and tough person. The king did not have any good feelings towards his sons. He raised them in the Spartan style and often went too far. The result of this upbringing was the girl’s father’s stuttering, which he never got rid of until the end of his life.

But George V had the most tender feelings for the small female creature. He not only loved his granddaughter, but adored him, which proved to those around him that even in a cruel and callous soul there is always a bright corner capable of sincere and pure love.

George V passed away on January 20, 1936, at the age of 70. He reigned for 24 years and established himself as a wise politician caring for the good of the nation.

King George VI, his wife Elizabeth and their daughters: Elizabeth (right) and Margaret

The throne rightfully passed to Edward. He became Edward VIII, but was never crowned. The man was unable to put the heavy burden of the monarch on his shoulders. He became involved with a twice-divorced lady named Wallis Simpson (1896-1986). She married a military pilot in 1916, but he began to beat her, and in 1927 Wallace ran away from him.

She moved to London and hooked up with a businessman named Ernst Simpson. She married him in 1928. In 1931, Wallace met the heir to the throne at a party with close friends. But this couple’s love affair began only in 1934. The feeling was so strong that Simpson divorced her husband. Edward responded with no less strong love. In order not to part with Wallace, he abdicated the throne.

All these matters of the heart, casting an unsightly shadow on the representatives of the Windsor dynasty, brought Elizabeth's father Albert Frederick to the English throne. He was crowned on May 12, 1937 under the name of George VI.

The newly-made king had no sons. Therefore, Henry's younger brother was declared heir to the throne. But he flatly refused such an honorable role in favor of Elizabeth. Thus, at the age of 11, our heroine became the legitimate heir to the royal throne of one of the most powerful countries in the world.

During the Second World War, the future Queen of England worked as a simple driver on an ambulance.

In 1939, World War II began. The girl was 13 years old at that time. In 1940, on October 13, she spoke on the radio with an appeal to children who suffered during German bombings. And at the age of 18, she received her driver’s license for an ambulance. Until the last days of the war, the future Queen of England turned the wheel, transporting sick and wounded soldiers.

As a very young girl, Elizabeth fell in love once and for the rest of her life. She met her future betrothed just before the war at the Royal Naval College. The king, along with both daughters (the youngest daughter Margaret), arrived there to communicate with the cadets.

It was within the walls of this establishment that the heiress to the English throne saw the Greek Prince Philip. He was listed as one of the cadets, and in age he was 5 years older than Elizabeth. The young people talked for only a couple of hours, but this time was enough for Elizabeth to fall in love with the young man seriously and for a long time.

Prince Philip had the most brilliant pedigree. He was the grandson of the Greek and great-grandson of the Danish king, as well as the great-great-grandson of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. But after the revolution in Greece, the prince had nothing but a title. His mother ended her days in a psychiatric hospital, and his father became a gambling addict. England sheltered a poor child and enrolled him in the Royal Naval School, so that the boy would receive a decent profession and be able to earn his daily bread.

From the above it is clear that Philip was not a match for Elizabeth. At least that's what the royal court thought. But the girl showed amazing tenacity and perseverance. Throughout the war, she wrote letters to the young officer, while he bravely fought on the destroyer.

Immediately after the end of hostilities, the heir to the throne proposed getting engaged to the Greek prince, trampling all existing norms and conventions. On November 20, 1947, the wedding took place in Westminster Abbey.

It was a hard time, post-war. Elizabeth had to sell some jewelry to make her wedding dress. Products were sent from Australia for the wedding cake. The cake turned out luxurious, 3 meters high. They did not cut him with knives, but chopped him with sabers. The guests only got a small piece. Everything else was sent to schools and hospitals.

At the end of January 1952, a young happy couple went on vacation to Kenya. The couple lived at the Tree Tops Hotel. It was located among the branches of a huge ficus. On February 7, an entry appeared in the registration book: “For the first time in the history of human civilization, a princess climbed a tree and came down from it as a queen.”

The reason for the recording was the death of George VI. He died on the night of February 5-6. Elizabeth automatically became Queen of England. In many countries around the world, headlines in large print appeared on the front pages of newspapers: “The King is Dead, Long Live the Queen.”

Queen Elizabeth II of England walks the guard of honor after her accession to the throne

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of England took place in Westminster Abbey (the traditional place of coronation of British monarchs) on June 2, 1953, that is, a year and 5 months after the death of George VI. But the official day of accession to the throne is considered to be February 6, 1952.

The husband was not crowned. He was the first to swear allegiance to his queen and was forced to leave the fleet. Now his presence was required at all official ceremonies of the royal court.

Private life with Philip did not turn out to be like a fairy tale. In his youth, my husband often made various politically incorrect and rather tactless statements. So in New Guinea he asked a passerby: “Listen, my dear, how come you haven’t been eaten here yet?”

In China, he casually remarked to an English tourist: “Make sure you don’t stay here too long, or your eyes will narrow.” In Paraguay, at a meeting with the bloody dictator Stroessner, Philip said: “It is amazingly pleasant to be in a country that is not governed by the people.”

There were rumors at court about Prince Philip's love affair with Elizabeth's cousin. They talked about illegitimate children from various women. The Queen of England did everything to stop such rumors. Over the years, the prince calmed down. Age and health began to make themselves felt.

Queen Elizabeth II of England and her daily routine

All the days of the Queen of England are like twins. They wake Her Majesty at exactly 8 am. Such an important task was entrusted to the maid. She brings a tray of tea into the royal chambers. In this case, the handle of the cup is always directed to the right, the spoon on the saucer lies strictly diagonally.

Having placed the tray, the maid opens the curtains. Sunlight penetrates the bedroom, and gentle rays touch the face of the crowned lady. At the same time, the royal dogs, coming from a walk, joyfully run into the bedroom. This is a corgi. There are four of them: Linnet, Willow, Holly and Monty.

Queen Elizabeth II of England with her beloved dogs

The Queen drinks morning tea, communicates with the dogs, and at this time the maid fills the bath. Her Majesty takes water procedures, and at 9 o'clock leaves the bedroom and heads to the dining room. Here Queen Elizabeth II of England has breakfast.

The morning meal is very modest. Toast, buttered and a thin layer of marmalade, and a cup of tea. During breakfast, the crowned lady looks through the newspapers. These are The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail, The Sporting Life. In the latest newspaper she looks at the section on horse racing. Her Majesty loves this sport. She has an excellent understanding of horses and owns several magnificent horses herself.

At 10 o'clock the Queen of England begins her working day. She sits in her office and looks through the letters that come to her from all over the world. The information in the letters is very different. Someone asks for help, someone asks for recipes for the original dishes that were served at the royal table at the last official banquet.

Then comes the turn of state papers requiring the royal signature. This is a mandatory formality, although the Cabinet of Ministers never asks the Queen's opinion. Elizabeth II can express her point of view on some issue, but it will not be of decisive importance.

From 11 o'clock Her Majesty receives officials. These are diplomats, judges, ministers. Each of them, upon entering, kneels on one knee and takes the queen's right hand with his right hand. He touches her with his lips and then gets to his feet. This ceremony lasts at least 2 hours. All this time the queen stands. She has no way to sit down and rest.

At the end of such a physically demanding event, it’s time for lunch. Queen Elizabeth II of England eats salmon, cucumber or chicken sandwiches. Leftover food is used the next day. They can go into a casserole or pie. Uneaten food is never given to dogs.

After lunch there is a short rest and an official reception. Dinner starts at 20:15. The whole family gathers at the table. In England, the evening meal is always hearty. Very rarely does Her Majesty dine alone. This is when all members of the royal family go on business trips.

After dinner, the Queen watches television and goes to bed around midnight. Elizabeth II has been living such a measured life for almost 60 years.

Scandals in the royal family

Queen Elizabeth II of England has four children. These are Prince Charles (born 1948), Prince Andrew (born 1960), Princess Anne (born 1950), Prince Edward (born 1964). The father was mainly involved in raising the children, since the queen always had many important government affairs.

Family of Elizabeth II, 1972. From left to right: Anna, Charles, Edward, Andrew, Elizabeth, Philip

The eldest son Charles caused the greatest trouble. In 1970, he unwisely fell in love with a lady named Camilla. The girl was of noble blood, but despised the conventions of high society. She swore, smoked, drank whiskey and changed lovers from time to time. All this was considered the height of indecency. But poor Charles, having a soft and romantic nature, fell under the influence of this cynical, strong-willed and arrogant person.

The poor guy even proposed marriage, but was turned away. Camilla married officer Andrew Parker-Bowles. But after 6 years of family life, discord began to appear between the spouses. Camilla again began to favorably accept Charles's advances. This did not escape the attention of the royal court.

Elizabeth II in the center, sister Margaret on the left, the Queen Mother on the right

The queen and her husband, seeing that their son was being brazenly and shamelessly scammed, began to urgently look for a wife for him. Diana Spencer (1961-1997) turned up very opportunely. A girl of noble blood and with an excellent pedigree. She was a virgin, which was a prerequisite for the bride of the heir to the throne. The wedding took place on July 29, 1981. In 1982 and 1984, Princess Diana gave birth to two sons.

The marriage was very successful for Charles. His wife was passionately loved not only by England, but by the whole world. Diana had amazing charm, purity and spontaneity. But male stupidity knows no bounds. The heir to the throne continued to meet with Camilla. Soon the wife found out about this connection. The couple divorced in 1996, but have lived separately since 1992.

Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II of England is seated on the left. Princess Diana sits in the center with her son William, and the queen mother is on the right. Prince Charles and Philip standing

This divorce dealt a serious blow to the prestige of the royal family. England was on the side of the deceived Diana. The situation was aggravated by the tragic death of this amazing woman in 1997. It was rumored that Prince Charles was involved in the death. Allegedly, on his orders, the attackers cut the brake hoses of the car in which the princess was riding. But the official investigation completely dismissed such rumors.

In 1992, Anna and Andrew's marriages broke up. True, there were no loud scandals surrounding these 2 events. Everything went quietly and unnoticed, but left an unpleasant aftertaste in the souls of the British. Still, the royal family should be an example in all respects. For several years, her subjects greeted Elizabeth II with cold silence. She pretended not to notice anything. Although it’s not difficult to imagine what was going on in her soul.

Charles with Camilla and Elizabeth II

Gradually, the English moved away and fell in love with their queen again. Even the marriage of Prince Charles to Camilla in 2005 could no longer undermine the authority of the Queen of England. After all, many years have passed since the death of Princess Diana, and people’s memory is very short.

Currently, Kate Middleton, the wife of William, the eldest son from the marriage of Princess Diana and Charles, is very popular among the British. Elizabeth II herself treats the girl warmly. Rumor has it that the queen wants to change the rules of succession to the throne and appoint William as her heir. After all, the British do not like Prince Charles, and Camilla will never be recognized as their queen.

Customs of the Royal Court

The whole life of the royal court is a ritual. It has been practiced for hundreds of years. For example, Buckingham Palace has a dressmaker on staff. Her duties include darning socks and bed linen. This does not mean that the Queen does not have money for such trifles. A dressmaker costs much more than new socks and sets of underwear. The royal court simply pays tribute to tradition. About 500 years ago, fabric was very expensive, and crowned heads saved in this way. Times have changed, but the custom remains. He is not the only one in the royal palace.

The liveries worn by the servants were made 200 years ago. Each new employee is given an old uniform and is fitted to fit. The entire service staff numbers about 300 people. The staff includes personal pages, chambermaids, ladies-in-waiting, keepers of silverware, and royal purses. There are even front and back room pages.

During official receptions, a huge table is set. It is impossible to reach its middle. The lackeys wrap rags around their shoes and climb onto the table with their feet. During the meal, the first course is served to the queen. She immediately starts eating. After this, the footmen serve the dishes to the guests. When the crowned person's plate is empty, the servants immediately take the plates from everyone present. Many guests do not even have time to try what they are served.

However, Queen Elizabeth II of England abolished this not very kind custom. She declared that no one at her table should ever go hungry. But this is the only concession to ancient traditions.

As for the servants, they must walk around the palace, keeping to a narrow edge near the wall. If the queen or someone from the reigning family comes towards you, the servants must hide somewhere. This could be some kind of closet, a closet in the wall, that is, any shelter that is nearby. Upon seeing the queen, noble ladies must curtsy and men bow.

These traditions have been strictly observed for centuries. For people they are not a burden at all. On the contrary, there are many who want to serve in the royal palace. But all positions, as a rule, are inherited. From an early age, children absorb the unique atmosphere of the royal palace and jealously guard its traditions and customs. It seems that time itself freezes within the walls, which for hundreds of years have protected the reigning persons from the vicissitudes of the external, changeable and unpredictable world.

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II), full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary). Born 21 April 1926 in London. Queen of Great Britain since 1952.

She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, at the age of twenty-five, following the death of her father, King George VI. Is among all monarchs in British history.

The oldest British (English) monarch in history.

She also ranks second in the world for the longest tenure as head of state among all current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is the oldest female sitting head of state in the world, and the oldest sitting head of state in Europe.

He is the oldest sitting monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

Comes from the Windsor dynasty.

She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the queen of fifteen independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica.

He is also the head of the Church of England and the Supreme Commander of the British Armed Forces.

Queen of Great Britain

Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her grandparents: on her father's side - King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); on the mother's side - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1862-1938).

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London's Mayfair at the Earl of Strathmore's residence at No. 17 Brewton Street. The area has now been rebuilt and the house no longer exists, but there is a memorial plaque on the site. She received her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).

At the same time, the father insisted that his daughter’s first name be like the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie was discussing the girl's name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, that’s what I told him, but about Victoria I absolutely agree with him. It was unnecessary".

Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 25 in the chapel at Buckingham Palace, which was later destroyed during the war.

In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.

She received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities - she studied the history of the constitution, jurisprudence, religious studies, art history, and also (virtually independently) the French language.

From a young age she was interested in horses and practiced horse riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.

At birth, Elizabeth became Princess of York and was third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VIII) and her father. Because Prince Edward was quite young and expected to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially considered a viable candidate for the throne.

However, Edward was forced to abdicate eleven months after the death of George V in 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became heir to the throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. At the same time, she remained in the role "heir presumptive"(“heir presumptive”), and if George VI had a son, he would inherit the throne.

World War II began when Elizabeth was 13 years old.

On October 13, 1940, she spoke on the radio for the first time - with an appeal to children affected by the disasters of war.

In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of Guards Grenadiers.

In 1944, she became one of the five "councilors of state" (persons authorized to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity).

In February 1945, Elizaveta joined the “Auxiliary Territorial Service” - women's self-defense units - and was trained as an ambulance driver, receiving the military rank of lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months, which gives reason to consider her the last not yet retired participant in the Second World War (the second to last was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).

In 1947, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on a trip to South Africa and, on her 21st birthday, made a solemn announcement on the radio to dedicate her life to the service of the British Empire.

King George VI, Elizabeth's father, died on February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, who was on holiday in Kenya at the time with her husband, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.

The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. It was the first televised coronation of a British monarch and is credited with greatly boosting the popularity of television broadcasting.

Coronation of Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II's full title in Great Britain is: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

After that, in 1953-1954. The Queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth states, British colonies and other countries of the world.

Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.

In 1957, after the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, due to the lack of clear rules for choosing a leader in the Conservative Party, Elizabeth II had to appoint a new head of government from among the Conservatives. After consultations with prominent party members and ex-Prime Minister Churchill, 63-year-old Harold Macmillan was appointed head of government.

In the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. She also spoke for the first time at a session of the UN General Assembly. She was present at the opening of the session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of the British monarch). She continued her travels in 1961, when she made visits to Cyprus, the Vatican, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, and Ghana.

In 1963, after the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as Prime Minister.

In 1976, Elizabeth II inaugurated (as Queen of Canada) the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.

1977 was an important year for the Queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's tenure on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many ceremonial events were held in the Commonwealth countries.

Late 1970s - early 1980s a number of assassination attempts were made against the royal family. In particular, in 1979, the Provisional Irish Republican Army terrorists assassinated Prince Philip's uncle (the Queen's husband), an influential statesman and military leader, Lord Louis Mountbatten. And in 1981, there was an unsuccessful attempt on the life of Elizabeth II herself during a military parade in honor of the queen’s “official birthday.”

In 1981, the wedding of Elizabeth II's son Prince Charles took place, which would later become a big problem for the royal family.

At this time in 1982, as a result of changes to the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British Queen still remained the head of state of Canada. In the same year, the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Great Britain in the last 450 years took place (the Queen, who is the head of the Anglican Church, received him personally).

In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the US Congress.

1992 was a “terrible year”, as defined by Elizabeth II herself. Two of the Queen's four children - Prince Andrew and Princess Anne - divorced their spouses, Prince Charles separated from Princess Diana, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, the Queen was required to pay income tax, and funding for the royal household was significantly reduced.

In 1996, at the insistence of the Queen, an official divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

A year later, in 1997, Princess Diana died tragically in a car accident in Paris, which shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For her restraint and lack of any reaction to the death of her former daughter-in-law, the queen immediately received criticism.

In 2002, ceremonial events were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of Elizabeth II on the British throne (Golden Jubilee). But in the same year, the queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, and the queen mother, Queen Elizabeth, died.

In 2008, for the first time in history, the Anglican Church, of which Elizabeth is the head, held a service on Maundy Thursday, which traditionally involves the reigning monarch, outside of England or Wales - in St. Patrick's in Armagh in Northern Ireland.

In 2010, she spoke for the second time at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Introducing the Queen, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called her "the saving anchor of our era."

In 2011, the first ever state visit of a British monarch to independent Ireland took place. In the same year, the wedding of Prince William (grandson of Elizabeth II) and Catherine Middleton took place.

In 2012, the XXX Olympic Games were held in London, inaugurated by Elizabeth II, and a new law was approved changing the order of succession to the throne, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.

In 2012, the 60th (“diamond”) anniversary of Elizabeth II’s tenure on the throne was solemnly celebrated in Great Britain and other countries. On June 3, a solemn water parade of more than a thousand ships and boats took place on the Thames. It is believed that this is the most grandiose river procession in history. On June 4, 2012, a concert took place on the square in front of Buckingham Palace with the participation of such stars of British and world music as Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Tom Jones and others. The organizer of the evening was Take That lead singer Gary Barlow.

In 2013, Elizabeth II, for the first time in 40 years, refused to go to the summit of the heads of the countries of the British Commonwealth, held in Sri Lanka. Britain was represented at the summit by Prince Charles, indicating the gradual transfer of Elizabeth's powers to her son.

The Queen's interests include breeding dogs (including corgis, spaniels and Labradors), photography, horse riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively throughout her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world: she has made more than 325 foreign visits.

I started gardening in 2009.

In addition to English, he is also fluent in French.

Elizabeth II's height: 163 centimeters

Personal life of Elizabeth II:

In 1947, at the age of 21, she married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921), a British naval officer, a member of the Greek (son of Prince Andrew of Greece) and Danish royal families and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

They met in 1934, and fell in love, it is believed, after Elizabeth visited the Naval College at Dartmouth in 1939, where Philip studied.

Having become the princess's husband, Philip received the title Duke of Edinburgh.

A year after the wedding - in 1948 - Elizabeth and Philip had their eldest son. And on August 15, 1950 - daughter, Princess Anne.

Elizabeth II and Philip Mountbatten

In 1960, the Queen gave birth to her second son, Prince Andrew. In 1964, she gave birth to her third son, Prince Edward.

Children of Elizabeth II:

Born November 14, 1948. On 29 July 1981 he married Lady Diana Spencer. On August 28, 1996, the couple filed for divorce. They had two sons: the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Wales.

Prince William, married to , has two children: Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.

Princess Anne, “Princess Royal” - born August 15, 1950. She was married to Mark Phillips from November 14, 1973 to April 28, 1992 (divorced). The couple had two children: Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York- born February 19, 1960. He was married to Sarah Ferguson from July 23, 1986 to May 30, 1996 (divorced). The couple had two daughters: Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie (Eugenia) of York.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex- born March 10, 1964. Married to Sophie Rhys-Jones (wedding on June 19, 1999). The couple have two children: Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.

The role of Elizabeth II in the political and social life of Great Britain:

In accordance with the British tradition of parliamentary monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, having virtually no influence on the governance of the country. However, during her reign she successfully maintained the authority of the British monarchy. Her duties include visiting various countries on diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking government officials (especially the Prime Minister), reading annual messages to parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc.

The Queen also looks through the main British newspapers every day and, with the help of servants, responds to some letters that are sent to her in huge quantities (200-300 pieces daily).

Throughout her time on the throne, the Queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers. At the same time, she always remained faithful to the tradition of English kings of modern times - to remain above political battles. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth II should not publicly express her political likes or dislikes. She has always followed this rule, acting non-publicly - therefore her political views remain unknown.

Three times during her reign, the Queen had constitutional problems with the formation of the British government.

In 1957 and 1963, in the absence of a clear mechanism for electing a leader in the Conservative Party, it was the Queen who had to decide who to entrust the formation of the government after the resignations of Anthony Eden and Harold Macmillan.

In 1957, Anthony Eden refused to advise the Queen on who to appoint as his successor, and she sought advice from, as the only living Conservative Prime Minister at the time (following the precedent that, after the resignation of Andrew Bonar Law in 1923, King George V was consulted with Lord Salisbury's father and former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour).

In 1963, Harold Macmillan himself advised the appointment of Alec Douglas-Home as his successor. And in 1974, after the resignation of Edward Heath as a result of an unclear election outcome, Elizabeth II appointed opposition leader Harold Wilson as prime minister.

In all these cases, the Queen acted according to the British constitutional tradition that she should not make any important decisions without the advice of her ministers and privy councilors.

In addition, British prime ministers meet with the Queen every week. The Queen is more knowledgeable on most matters than she appears at first glance. In addition, the Queen has regular meetings with other Commonwealth ministers and premiers when they are visiting the UK. Also, during her stay in Scotland, she meets with the First Minister of Scotland. The Ministry and British diplomatic missions send her regular reports.

Although it is customary that the Queen does not interfere in politics, due to the fact that during her long reign she had the opportunity to work with many prime ministers and leaders of other countries, her advice is always taken seriously. In her memoirs she wrote about her weekly meetings with Queen Elizabeth: "Anyone who thinks that they [meetings] are a mere formality or a social convention is deeply mistaken. In fact, they take place in a calm business atmosphere, and Her Majesty always demonstrates her ability to cover a wide range of issues and her wide experience.".

Elizabeth II is actively involved in charity and social activities. The Queen of Britain is a trustee of more than 600 different public and charitable organizations.

In addition to her duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights as a monarch (royal prerogatives). For example, she can dissolve parliament, reject a candidate for prime minister (who seems unsuitable to her), and so on.

Financial costs for the queen:

Thus, according to data from Buckingham Palace, in the 2008-2009 financial year, each Briton spent 1 dollar 14 cents on the maintenance of the monarchy, which amounted to a total of $68.5 million.

In 2010-2011, due to the government's new economic program, the Queen was forced to reduce her spending to $51.7 million.

Starting in 2012, Elizabeth’s income began to grow again (at an approximate rate of 5% per year).

Such figures cause dissatisfaction among the republican-minded part of the British population, which considers it necessary to cut them.

States whose head was or is Elizabeth II:

Upon her accession to the throne in 1952, Elizabeth became queen of seven states: Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.

During her reign, some of these countries became republics. At the same time, as a result of the decolonization process, numerous British colonies gained independence. In some of them, the Queen of Great Britain retained the status of head of state, in others - not.

Abolition of the monarchy in the original dominions of Elizabeth II:

Pakistan - in 1956 (formerly Dominion of Pakistan)
South Africa - in 1961 (formerly South Africa)
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - in 1972 (former Dominion of Ceylon).

Newly independent states that retained the monarchy:

Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Grenada
Papua New Guinea
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Solomon islands
Tuvalu
Jamaica

Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy:

Guyana
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Mauritius
Malawi
Malta
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanganyika
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Fiji