Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Her
6 5 y e a r s b i r t h d a y w a s celebrated on the throne in F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 w i t h h e r
Sapphire Jubilee. She became queen on February 6, 1952, was crowned on June 2, 1953. She is the biological mother of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, as well as the grandmother of Princes William and Harry. As the longest-serving monarch in British history, she has tried to make her reign more modern and sensitive to a changing
public while maintaining traditions associated with the crown.
Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, to Prince Albert, Duke of York (later known as King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. At the time of her birth, most people did not realize Elizabeth would
someday become the queen of G r e a t B r i t a i n . E l i z a b e t h , nicknamed Lilibet, got to enjoy the first decade of her life with all the privileges of being a royal without the pressures of being the heir apparent.
Elizabeth’s father and mother divided their time between a home in London and Royal Lodge, the family’s home on the grounds of Windsor Great Park. Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret were educated at home by tutors. Academic courses included
French, mathematics and history, along with dancing, singing and art lessons.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Elizabeth and her sister largely stayed out of London, having been relocated to Windsor
Castle.
From there she made the first of her famous radio broadcasts in 1940, with this particular speech reassuring the children of Britain who had been evacuated from their homes and
families.
The 14-year-old princess, showing her calm and rm personality, told them “that in the end, all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace.”Elizabeth soon
started taking on other public duties. Appointed colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards by her father, Elizabeth made her rst public appearance inspecting the troops in
1942. She also began to accompany her parents on of In 1945, Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to help in the war effort. She trained side-by-side with other British women to be an expert driver and mechanic. While her volunteer work only lasted
a few months, it offered Elizabeth a glimpse into a different, non-royal
world. She had another vivid experience outside of the monarchy when she and Margaret were allowed to mingle anonymously among the citizenry on Victory in Europe Day.
The Coronation
Elizabeth was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey, at the age of 27.
Elizabeth had assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch on February 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI died. For the first time ever, the coronation ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the pomp and spectacle of the event.