The current Queen Elizabeth Windsor, little Lilibeth - as it was called in the family - was born on April 21, 1926 in the Prince family, belonging to one of the oldest monarchies in Europe and proud. And most importantly - the ruling, albeit a constitutional monarchy.
However, the chances to run the state in golden-haired girls were not so great: her father Albert Windsor, the Duke of York, was not the heir to the throne. But chance intervened. It is under the young princess Lilibeth and ten, as in the British kingdom there was a romantic and scandalous story.
In 1936, the elder brother Albert Edward, by then King Edward VIII of, decided to marry not aristocrat or even an Englishwoman, an American Bessie Wallis Simpson, a divorced woman (twice!), and also a suspect in connection with Hitler's military intelligence Germany.
As the head of the king was not able to demonstrate the Anglican Church subjects more glaring example of the violation of the seventh commandment, "Do not commit adultery ": to marry a divorced man, and even twice, but still a member of the royal family, was equal to adultery. All and all were against couples in love: and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the ministers of the government and the British people. The King made a choice: a reign of less than a year, Edward VIII abdicated the throne on his own behalf and on behalf of their children.
And in the reign of Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor - Bertie, Elizabeth's father - he took the name George VI and making the eldest of two daughters heir to the imperial throne.
Windsor surname originated relatively recently. During the First World War, the future Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V (a cousin at the same time the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the last German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm), who belonged to the German House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from patriotic feelings defiantly renounced his German roots, adopting the name in honor of Windsor Castle, which resides at the Royal family. Windsor surnames beginning to be considered the year 1917 - the age for the European monarchical dynasty young enough. Until 1917, the royal family had no names: they were replacing the name of the royal house and the name of the land, who controlled the dynasty. Therefore, kings and queens were signed only by the name.
When the Second World War (September 1, 1939), Princess Elizabeth was thirteen. London suffered from enemy bombing and children of many residents of the capital were evacuated.
But her mother Elizabeth to leave London flatly refused. It is interesting that before the peace-loving lady Elizabeth I and "smiling Queen" earned by Adolf Hitler the nickname "the most dangerous woman in Europe. When London was bombed, the royal family in full force was there. On the proposal to leave the city the queen said: "The children will not go without me. I will not leave the king. The king will never leave the country. "
In 1940, 14-year-old Elizabeth first came on the radio the BBC, referring to the children of evacuated towns: "We try to do everything we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers and airmen, and try to endure the dangers and sorrows of war, fell to our lot. We know - each of us - that all will end well. "
In 1943, at the age of sixteen, the princess said in his first public speech in front of the soldiers of the Guards Grenadier Regiment, Colonel whom she was already several months. After passing the course and driving mechanics, five months later, the princess has been made in the junior officers. 1947, at age 21, Queen married Prince Philip, who for the sake of his beloved had to give up not only on all the titles, but also the faith of his own family.
It is curious that Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Philip the Greek and Danish, in the age of eight. And at thirteen, she admitted that she is in love with Philip - they were allowed to correspond, and after 8 years announced their engagement. The queen-mother was against the marriage with the daughter of "Prince of Denmark": he did not have the condition, was not born on British soil, to Besides, his sisters were married to members of the German nobility, gravitating toward Nazism: the Queen is even called the bridegroom "Hun".
But in spite of the mother's worries, marriage was a happy one: after the wedding in 1947, according to tradition - in Westminster Abbey in London (Westminster Abbey of London), prince and princess, - and then the king and queen, - lived in peace and harmony for many years, noting the silver, gold and diamond wedding. In this loving couple had four children, who are the father's name - Mountbatten-Windsor.
The very first of the heirs, in line for the royal throne after Elizabeth, considered Prince Charles Windsor - the first son of the queen, which we have heard of his first marriage to Princess Diana, who died tragically in car crash.
63-year-old Charles, who was married for the second time at the Princess Camilla, is not very popular and in demand in the society, so the queen is more inclined towards the 32-year-old William - her grandson, positive on all sides.
But until today Elizavetta is a huge success and respect among the people, thanks to the confidence, humility, fairness and ease of communication. This reigning modern person, as a public person, is very popular with the press, as well as loved and admired the British.
Interesting facts about Elizabeth II
- The royal family lives in Buckingham Palace: it is 775 rooms, which serves more than 800 people, each of them every year, according to tradition, the Queen sends Christmas pudding.
- Crown treasures do not belong to Queen Elizabeth - she uses them only by proxy, without having the right to sell or donate.
- The Queen was born at the end of April, however, celebrates his birthday twice a year: first - in April, in the family, Second, the so-called official birthday of Queen - one Sunday of May or June, at the option of the government.
- The official day of the monarch's birthday is traditionally celebrated lavish celebrations in the open air, so the choice of the exact date royal birthday party has always depended on the weather conditions, and at this time the weather in London like never dry and sunny.
- In 1981, during the ceremony of Trooping (Trooping the Colour), on the official day of the Queen's birthday, at a time when Elizabeth rode his horse Burmese (Burmese), was made six pistol shots (as it turned out, the attacker fired blanks cartridges). Without losing his presence of mind, the Queen ceremony continued, showing an example of restraint and composure in the face of danger.
- Favorite dog breeds queen - Corgi.
