Queen
Elizabeth II
Name and nationality
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8
September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom from 6
February 1952 until her death in 2022.
Date and place of birth
Elizabeth was born in London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess
of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother).
She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public
duties during the Second World War.
In 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece
and Denmark, and their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in
2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
Early life and education
• Elizabeth was born on 21 April 1926, the first child of Prince Albert,
Duke of York (later King George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of
York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). She was called
"Lilibet" by her close family.
• Elizabeth's only sibling, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930. The two
princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their
mother and their governess, Marion Crawford. Lessons concentrated
on history, language, literature, and music.
Life during the Second World War
• In September 1939, Britain entered the Second World War. Lord
Hailsham suggested that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should
be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent aerial bombings of
London. This was rejected by their mother, who declared, "The
children won't go without me. I won't leave without the King. And the
King will never leave." So that the princesses stayed at Balmoral
Castle, Scotland, until Christmas 1939, when they moved
to Sandringham House, Norfolk. From February to May 1940, they
lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle, where
they lived for most of the next five years.
Marriage
• Elizabeth first met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and
Denmark in 1934. They were second cousins. Elisabeth was only 13
years olda when she fell in love with Philip, who was 18, and they
began to exchange letters.
• Although today almost everywhere the love between Queen Elizabeth
and Prince Philip is described as a fairy tale, they had to face many
difficulties in the beginning, as Philip had no financial standing, was
foreign-born and he was a prince without a home or kingdom.
• Elizabeth and Philip were married on 20 November 1947
at Westminster Abbey.
Reign and interesting facts about Elisabeth
• As it was widely known that Elisabeth loves horses and corgies, during
her many visits abroad, she was presented an elephant, two giant
tortoises, a jaguar and a few sloths, which she placed in the London zoo.
• Queen Elizabeth did not have a passport, driver's license, or other
identity document, because she simply had no need for this, as all such
things were issued in her name. However, she often drived a car.
• Elisabeth II served as a truck driver during the Second World War and
even learned how to fix trucks. This is another point in her life that
made her go down in history, as she was the first on the British throne
to change a tire on a military truck.
Death
• She died peacefully at the age of 96, with two of her children, Charles
and Anne, by her side on 8 September 2022.
