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| Queen Elizabeth II | |
|---|---|
| Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms (more...) | |
| |
| Elizabeth II in 2007 | |
| Reign | 6 February 1952 – Present (56 years) |
| Coronation | 2 June 1953 |
| Predecessor | George VI |
| Heir Apparent | Charles, Prince of Wales |
| Consort | Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh |
| Issue | |
| Charles, Prince of Wales Anne, Princess Royal Andrew, Duke of York Edward, Earl of Wessex | |
| Full name | |
| Elizabeth Alexandra MaryAs a titled royal, HM holds no surname, but, when one is used, it is Windsor | |
| Titles and styles | |
| HM The Queen HRH The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh HRH The Princess Elizabeth HRH Princess Elizabeth of York | |
| Royal house | House of Windsor |
| Royal anthem | "God Save the Queen" |
| Father | George VI |
| Mother | Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon |
| Born | 21 April 1926 Mayfair, London, UK |
| Baptised | 29 May 192680 Things You (Probably) Didn\'t Know About Queen Elizabeth. Time Europe. Retrieved on 2006-09-26. Buckingham Palace, London |
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926) is the Queen regnant of sixteen independent states and their overseas territories and dependencies. Though she holds each crown and title separately and equally, she is resident in and most directly involved with the United Kingdom, her oldest realm, over parts of whose territories her ancestors have reigned for more than a thousand years. She ascended the thrones of seven countries in February 1952 (see Context below).
In addition to the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II is also Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, in each of which she is represented by a Governor-General. The 16 countries of which she is Queen are known as Commonwealth realms, and their combined population, including dependencies is over 129 million. In theory her powers are vast; in practice (and in accordance with convention) she herself never intervenes in political matters. In the United Kingdom at least, however, she is known to take an active behind-the-scenes interest in the affairs of state, meeting regularly to establish a working relationship with her government ministers.
Elizabeth II holds a variety of other positions, among them Head of the Commonwealth, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Duke of Normandy, Lord of Mann, and Paramount Chief of Fiji. Her long reign has seen sweeping changes in her realms and the world at large, perhaps most notably the dissolution of the British Empire (a process that began in the last years of her father\'s reign) and the consequent evolution of the modern Commonwealth of Nations.
Since 1947, the Queen has been married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, born a prince of Greece and Denmark but after naturalisation known as Philip Mountbatten and subsequently created Duke of Edinburgh. To date the couple have four children and eight grandchildren; the eighth (Viscount Severn) was born on 17 December 2007 to Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.Baby boy for Countess of Wessex. BBC News (17 December 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
Elizabeth became Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952. As other colonies of the British Empire attained independence from the UK during her reign, she acceded to the newly created thrones as Queen of each respective realm so that throughout her 56 years on the throne she has been the sovereign of 32 nations, half of which subsequently became republics. She is currently the only monarch of more than one independent nation.
Elizabeth II is currently the second longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom ranking behind Victoria (who reigned over the UK for 63 years). She is also one of the longest-reigning monarchs of any of its predecessor states, ranking behind George III (who reigned over Great Britain and subsequently the UK for 59) and James VI (who reigned over Scotland for 57). She recently surpassed Henry III of England.
Following tradition, she is also styled Duke of Lancaster and Duke of Normandy. She is also Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of many of her realms (and Lord Admiral of the United Kingdom), and is styled Defender of the Faith in various realms for differing reasons.
Elizabeth was born at 17 Bruton Street, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926, the firstborn child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (the future King George VI) and the Duchess of York (born the Hon. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later Queen Elizabeth, and, after her daughter\'s accession to the throne, the Queen Mother).
She was baptised in the Private Chapel on the grounds of Buckingham Palace (it no longer exists, as it was destroyed during World War II) by Cosmo Lang, the Archbishop of York. Her godparents were her paternal grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary; the Princess Royal; the Duke of Connaught; her maternal grandfather, the Earl of Strathmore; and Lady Elphinstone.
Elizabeth was named after her mother, while her two middle names are those of her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and grandmother, Queen Mary, respectively. As a child, her close family knew her as "Lilibet".Witchell, Nicholas (27 May 2006). Queen \'Lilibet\' letters unveiled. BBC News. Retrieved on 30 April, 2007. She had a close relationship with her grandfather, George V, and was credited for aiding his recovery from illness in 1929.Excerpt from The Queen A Biography of Elizabeth II, Pimlott, BenRose, Kenneth.; King George V; Weidenfeld and Nicolson; London, Great Britain; 1983, p389. ISBN 0-297-78245-2 On 29 April 1929, the young "P\'incess Lilybet" appeared on the cover of TIME magazine, in an article that described her third birthday.P\'incess Is Three. TIME. Retrieved on 15 December, 2007.
Princess Elizabeth\'s only sibling was the late Princess Margaret, who was born in 1930. The two young princesses were educated at home, under the supervision of their mother. Their governess was Marion Crawford, better known as "Crawfie".The Real Crawfie. Channel 4. Retrieved on 18 January, 2007. She studied history with C. H. K. Marten, Provost of Eton, and also learned modern languages; she speaks French fluently.80 Facts About The Queen. British Monarchy Official Website. Retrieved on 18 January, 2007. She was instructed in religion by the Archbishop of Canterbury and has remained a devout member of the Church of England.Queen\'s decision no snub: royal aides. CBC News. Retrieved on 23 February, 2005.
As a granddaughter of the British sovereign in the male line, she held the title of a British princess, with the style "Her Royal Highness," her full style being "Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York". At the time of her birth, she was third in the line of succession to the throne, behind her uncle, the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and her father. Although her birth generated public interest, there was no reason at the time to believe that she would ever become queen, as it was widely assumed that the Prince of Wales would marry and have children in due course. However, Edward did not produce any legitimate heirs, and Elizabeth\'s parents had no sons (who would have taken precedence over her). Therefore, she would eventually have become queen whether Edward had abdicated or not.
When her father became King in 1936 upon the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII, she became heiress presumptive and was thenceforth known as "Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth". There was some demand in Wales for her to be created The Princess of Wales, but the King was advised that this was the title of the wife of the Prince of Wales, not a title in its own right. Some feel the King missed the opportunity to make an innovation in royal practice by re-adopting King Henry VIII\'s idea; in 1525 Henry had proclaimed his eldest daughter, Lady Mary, Princess of Wales in her own right.Queen Mary I. englishhistory.net. Retrieved on 2007-09-04. But the possibility, however remote, remained that Elizabeth\'s father could have a son, who would have been heir apparent, supplanting Elizabeth in the line of succession to the throne.
Elizabeth was thirteen years old when the Second World War broke out, and she and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, were evacuated to Windsor Castle, Berkshire. There was some suggestion that the two princesses be evacuated to Canada, where they were to live at Hatley Castle in British Columbia. To this proposal their mother made the famous reply: "The children won\'t go without me. I won\'t leave the King. And the King will never leave."Biography of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Activities as Queen. British Monarchy Official Website. Retrieved on 2007-09-04. While at Windsor, Princess Elizabeth and her sister staged pantomimes at Christmas when family and friends were invited with the children of members of staff of the Royal Household. In 1940, Princess Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC\'s Children\'s Hour, addressing other children who had been evacuated. When she was 13 years old, she first met her future husband Prince Philip.Queen Elizabeth II. BBC h2g2 (3 February 2006). Retrieved on 2007-09-04. She fell in love with him and began writing to him when he was in the Royal Navy.
Elizabeth made her first official overseas visit in 1947, when she accompanied her parents to South Africa. During her visit to Cape Town, she and her father were accompanied by Prime Minister Jan Smuts when they went to the top of Table Mountain by cable car. On her 21st birthday, she made a broadcast to the British Commonwealth and Empire, pledging:Princess Elizabeth (21 April 1947). Historic speeches: 21st birthday speech. British Monarchy Official Website. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
| “ | I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. | ” |
During the Second World War, plans were developed to counter the growing Welsh Nationalist influence of Plaid Cymru in Wales, which included "rolling out" a member of the British Royal Family to "smooth things over," according to a report by then constitutional expert Edward Iwi.Royal plans to beat nationalism. BBC (8 March 2005). Retrieved on 2007-10-31. In a report he gave to then Home Secretary Herbert Morrison, Iwi proposed to make the then Princess Elizabeth as Constable of Caernarfon Castle (a post then held by the Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor), and patroness of Urdd Gobaith Cymru and a touring of Wales as Urdd\'s patroness.
The idea of posting the princess as constable of Caernarfon Castle was rejected by the Home Secretary as it might cause conflict between north and south Wales, and King George VI refused to let the then princess tour Wales as to not add undue pressure on her. Additionally, the plan to make the princess patroness of Urdd Gobaith Cymru was dropped as two of the leading members were conscientious objectors.
In 1945, Princess Elizabeth convinced her father that she should be allowed to contribute directly to the war effort. She joined the Women\'s Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she was known as No 230873 Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor, trained as a driver, and drove a military truck while she served.HM Queen Elizabeth - Queen Consort 1936–1952. BBC h2g2 (4 September 2002). Retrieved on 12 September, 2007.Butler, Desmond (8 May 2007). Queen Elizabeth Wraps Up Whirlwind Tour. ABC News. Retrieved on 12 September, 2007. This training was the first time she had been taught together with other students. It is said that she greatly enjoyed this and that this experience led her to send her own children to school rather than have them educated at home. She was the first, and so far only, female member of the royal family to actually serve in the armed forces,Royal Insight – Out and About – Founder\'s Day 2006. British Monarchy Official Website (June 2006). Retrieved on 12 September, 2007. although every monarch is nominally the Commander-in-Chief of both the British and Canadian Armed Forces, and other royal women have been given honorary ranks. During the VE Day celebrations in London, she and her sister, Princess Margaret, mingled with the crowd after midnight to celebrate with everyone.Kynaston, David (7 May 2007). Austerity Britain 1945-51. London: Bloomsbury, p. 12. ISBN 978-0-7475-7985-4. An interview with The Hon. Mrs Rhodes, as part of Channel 4\'s The Queen\'s Wedding
Elizabeth married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark) on 20 November 1947. The couple are second cousins once removed: they are both descended from Christian IX of Denmark – Elizabeth II is a great-great-granddaughter through her paternal great-grandmother Alexandra of Denmark, and the Duke is a great-grandson through his paternal grandfather George I of Greece. As well as second cousins once removed, the couple are third cousins: they share Queen Victoria as a great-great-grandmother. Elizabeth\'s great-grandfather was Edward VII, while Edward\'s sister Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine was the Duke\'s great-grandmother. Prince Philip had renounced his claim to the Greek throne and was simply referred to as Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten before being created Duke of Edinburgh prior to their marriage. As a Greek royal, Philip is a member of the house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the Danish royal house and a line of the House of Oldenburg. "Mountbatten" was an anglicisation of his mother\'s titular designation, Battenberg. The marriage was controversial; Philip was Greek Orthodox, with no financial resources behind him, and had sisters who had married Nazi supporters. Elizabeth\'s mother was reported in later biographies to have strongly opposed the marriage, even referring to Philip as "the Hun".Davies, Caroline (20 April 2006). Philip, the one constant through her life. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 23 January, 2007. Still, the wedding was seen as the first glimmer of hope in a post-war Commonwealth, and, though the royal couple received over 2,500 wedding gifts from around the world, rationing required that the Princess save up her ration coupons to buy the material for her wedding dress.Royal Insight Magazine: Behind-the-Scenes at the Royal Wedding of 1947
At the wedding itself, the Princess\' bridesmaids were: her sister, The Princess Margaret; her cousin Princess Alexandra of Kent; Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, a cadet relative via their mutual aunt, the Duchess of Gloucester; her second cousin, Lady Mary Cambridge; Lady Elizabeth Mary Lambart (now Longman), daughter of the 10th Earl of Cavan; The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten (now Hicks), Prince Philip\'s cousin; and two maternal cousins, The Hon. Margaret Elphinstone (now Rhodes) and The Hon. Diana Bowes-Lyon (now Somervell).Royal.gov.uk – 60 Facts, Fact 16 The Princess\' page boys were her young paternal first cousins, Princes William of Gloucester and Michael of Kent.Fact 9
After their wedding, the couple leased their first home, Windlesham Moor until 4 July 1949,Fact 50 when they took up residence at Clarence House, London. At various times between 1946 and 1953, the Duke of Edinburgh was stationed in Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer. Lord Mountbatten of Burma had purchased the Villa Gwardamangia (also referred to as the Villa G\'Mangia), in the hamlet of Gwardamangia in Malta, in about 1929. Princess Elizabeth stayed there when visiting Philip in Malta. Philip and Elizabeth lived in Malta for a period between 1949 and 1951 (Malta being the only other country in which the Queen has lived, although at that time Malta was a British Protectorate).
On 14 November 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Charles. Several weeks earlier, letters patent had been issued so that her children would enjoy a royal and princely status to which they would not otherwise have been entitled, instead being styled merely as children of a duke.Letters Patent, 22 October 1948. Heraldica. Retrieved on 9 September, 2007. The couple had four children in all:
Though the Royal House is named Windsor, it was decreed, via a 1960 Order-in-Council, that those descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip who were not Princes or Princesses of the United Kingdom should have the personal surname Mountbatten-Windsor.London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 41948, page 1003, 5 February 1960. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. In practice all of their children, in honour of their father, have used Mountbatten-Windsor as their surname (or in Anne\'s case, her maiden surname). Both Charles and Anne used Mountbatten-Windsor as their surname in the published banns for their first marriages.Prince of Wales\'s press office.
Her father\'s health declined during 1951, and Elizabeth was soon frequently standing in for him at public events. She visited Greece, Italy and Malta (where Philip was then stationed) during that year. In October, she toured Canada and visited President Harry S Truman in Washington, D.C. In January 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand. They had reached Kenya when word arrived of the death of her father, on 6 February 1952, from lung cancer.
Elizabeth was staying at Sagana Lodge in Kenya when she was told of her father\'s death and of her own succession to the throne. It was Prince Philip who broke the news of her father\'s death to Elizabeth.Lacey, Robert.; Majesty: Elizabeth II and the House of Windsor; Harcourt Brace Jovanovich; New York; Rose, Kenneth.; 1977, p. 150. ISBN 0-15-155684-9 After that, Martin Charteris, then Assistant Private Secretary to the new Queen, asked her what she intended to be called. "Oh, my own name; what else?" she replied.Lacey, 151. The royal party returned immediately to the United Kingdom.
Elizabeth was proclaimed Queen in Canada first, by the Queen\'s Privy Council for Canada, on 6 February, 1952.Canada\'s New Queen. CBC. Retrieved on 22 August, 2007. Her British proclamation was read at St. James\'s Palace the following day.
One year later, the Queen\'s grandmother, Queen Mary, died of lung cancer on 24 March 1953. Reportedly, the dowager queen\'s dying wish was that the coronation not be postponed. Elizabeth II\'s coronation took place in Westminster Abbey, on 2 June 1953. Her coronation gown, commissioned from Norman Hartnell, was embroidered with the floral emblems of the countries of the Commonwealth: the Tudor rose of England, the Scots thistle, the Welsh leek, shamrock of Ireland, wattle of Australia, the maple leaf of Canada, the New Zealand fern, South Africa\'s protea, two lotus flowers for India and Ceylon, and Pakistan\'s wheat, cotton and jute.National Gallery of Australia: By Appointment: Norman Hartnell\'s sample for the Coronation dress of Queen Elizabeth II
After the Coronation, The Queen and Prince Philip moved to Buckingham Palace, in central London, the main official residence of the monarch. It has been reported, however, that, as with many of her predecessors, she dislikes the Palace as a residence and considers Windsor Castle, another official residence, to be her home.English, Rebecca (20 April 2006). \'The Queen will NEVER consider abdicating\'. Daily Mail. Retrieved on 15 October, 2006.
Not long after, the Queen and Prince Philip, from 1953 to 1954, made a six-month, around the world tour, becoming the first monarch to circumnavigate the globe. She also became the first reigning monarch of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji to visit those nations. Since then, Elizabeth II has undertaken many overseas voyages. In October 1957, she made a state visit to the United States, addressing the United Nations General Assembly, and proceeded to tour Canada, wherein she became the first Canadian monarch to open a session of that nation\'s parliament. She made another state visit to the United States, as Queen of Canada, hosting the return dinner for President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the Canadian Embassy in Washington. In February 1961, she visited Ankara with Cemal Gursel, and later toured India, Iran, Pakistan and Nepal for the first time. She has made state visits to most European countries and to many outside Europe. In 1969, Elizabeth II sent one of 73 Apollo 11 Goodwill Messages to NASA for the historic first lunar landing. The message is etched onto a tiny silicon disc and still rests on the lunar surface today. She greeted the Apollo 11 crew during their tour of the world.http://www.anagrammy.com/misc/queen.html In 1991, she became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the United States Congress during another state visit to that country, and in 2007 became the first British monarch to address the Virginia General Assembly. She has also regularly attended Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings since the practice was established in Canada in 1973. Altogether, Elizabeth II is the most widely-travelled head of state in history.Challands, Sarah (25 April 2006). Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 80th birthday. CTV News. Retrieved on 13 June, 2007.The Real Queen. 2002-01-01.
The Queen\'s personal standard, used in her role as Head of the Commonwealth, and for when she visits Commonwealth countries of which she is not head of state.
The British Empire began its metamorphosis following the Balfour Declaration at the Imperial Conference of 1926, followed by the formalization of the declaration in the Statute of Westminster, 1931.
By the time of Elizabeth\'s accession in 1952, there was much talk of a "new Elizabethan age". Since then, one of the Queen\'s roles has been to preside over the United Kingdom as it has shared world economic and military power with a growing host of independent nations and principalities. As nations have developed economically and culturally, the Queen has witnessed, over the past 50 years, a gradual transformation of the British Empire into its modern successor, the Commonwealth of Nations. She has worked hard to maintain links with former British possessions, and in some cases, such as South Africa, she has played an important role in retaining or restoring good relations.
In 2007, papers from 1956 were declassified in which the then French Prime Minister Guy Mollet and British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden discussed the possibility of France joining in a union with the United Kingdom; among the ideas put forward was having Elizabeth II as the French head of state. A paper from 28 September 1956 stated that Mollet "had not thought there need be difficulty over France accepting the headship of Her Majesty." This proposal was never accepted, and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome.France and UK considered 1950s \'merger\'. The Guardian (15 January 2007). Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
The Queen has shown a strong constitution in the face of turmoil; for example, during a trip to Ghana in 1961 she pointedly refused to keep her distance from the then President, Kwame Nkrumah, despite the fact that he was a target for assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote at the time: "the Queen has been absolutely determined all through. She is impatient of the attitude towards her to treat her as… a film star... She has indeed \'the heart and stomach of a man\'... She loves her duty and means to be a Queen." One author describes another incident thus: " …in 1964, when the Queen was invited to Quebec, according to Robert Speaight in Vanier, Soldier, Diplomat and Governor General: A Biography. There were fears for the Queen’s safety, while the media whipped up a campaign of fear around the risks involved from separatist threats, and there was talk of cancelling the tour. The Queen’s Private Secretary replied that the Queen would have been horrified to have been prevented from going because of the activities of extremists."Courage of the Queen. Canadian Royal Heritage Trust. Retrieved on 24 July, 2007. Further, during the Trooping the Colour in 1981 there was an apparent attempt on the Queen\'s life: six rounds of blanks were fired at her from close range as she rode down The Mall. Her only reaction was to duck slightly and then continue on. The Canadian House of Commons was so impressed by her display of courage that a motion was passed praising her composure.
As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth II does not express her personal political opinions publicly. She has maintained this discipline throughout her reign, doing little in public to reveal what they might be, and thus her political views are not clearly known. However, there is some evidence to suggest that, in economic terms, she leans towards a One Nation point of view. During Margaret Thatcher\'s years as British Prime Minister, it was rumoured that the Queen worried that Mrs. Thatcher\'s economic policies were fostering social divisions, and she was reportedly alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots in 1981, and the violence of the miners\' strike.John Campbell, Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady (Jonathan Cape, 2003) Mrs. Thatcher once said to Brian Walden, referring to the Social Democratic Party: "The problem is, the Queen is the kind of woman who could vote SDP."
While not speaking directly against Quebec sovereignty in Canada, she has publicly praised Canada\'s unity and expressed her wish to see the continuation of a unified Canada, sometimes courting controversy over the matter. Like her mother, the Queen has shown an affection for Canada, stating in 1983, when departing California, "I am going home to Canada tomorrow," and at a dinner in Saskatchewan in 2005: "this country and Canadians everywhere have been a constant presence in my life and work."Struck, Doug (17 May 2005). A royal visit by Canada\'s head of state. The Washington Post. She has also stated that Canada feels like "a home away from home".Queen says it\'s good to be back in Canada. CTV News (19 May 2005).
In a speech to the Quebec Legislature, at the height of the Quiet Revolution of 1964, she ignored the national controversy (including riots during her appearance in Quebec City – see History of Monarchy in Canada) in favour of praising Canada\'s two "complementary cultures", speaking, in both French and English, about the strength of Canada\'s two founding peoples, stating, "I am pleased to think that there exists in our Commonwealth a country where I can express myself officially in French," and, "whenever you sing [the French words of] \'O Canada\' you are reminded that you come of a proud race."Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. Canadian Royal Heritage Trust. Retrieved on 6 March, 2007.1964 Quebec visit – speech. CBC.
After she proclaimed the Constitution Act in 1982, which was the first time in Canadian history that a major constitutional change had been made without the agreement of the government of Quebec, the Queen attempted to demonstrate her position as head of the whole Canadian nation, and her role as conciliator, by privately expressing to journalists her regret that Quebec was not part of the settlement.
In 1995, during a separatist referendum campaign, the Queen was tricked into speaking, in both French and English, for fourteen minutes with 29-year-old Pierre Brassard, a DJ for Radio CKOI-FM Montreal, pretending to be the then Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. When told that the separatists were showing a lead, the Queen revealed that she felt the "referendum may go the wrong way," adding, "if I can help in any way, I will be very happy to do so." However, she pointedly refused to accept Chrétien\'s advice that she intervene on the issue without first seeing a draft speech sent by him. (Her tactful handling of the call won plaudits from the DJ who made it.)Bousfield, Arthur (April 1996). A Queen Canada Should be Proud Of. Monarchy Canada. Chrétien later, in his memoirs, recounted the Queen\'s tongue-in-cheek comments to him regarding this affair: "\'I didn\'t think you sounded quite like yourself,\' she told me, \'but I thought, given all the duress you were under, you might have been drunk.\'"Thompson, Elizabeth (14 October 2007). Chretien\'s Revenge. The Gazette. Retrieved on 15 October, 2007.
On 18 November 1965, the Governor of Rhodesia, Sir Humphrey Vicary Gibbs, was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, an honour in the personal gift of the Queen, a week after Ian Smith had made his Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). Gibbs was intensely loyal to Rhodesia, and, although he had refused to accept the UDI, the award was criticised by some as badly timed. Others praised it as indicating support for her Rhodesian representative in the face of an illegal action by her Rhodesian prime minister.
During an event in Westminster Hall marking her Silver Jubilee in 1977, the Queen stated, "I cannot forget that I was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland." This reference came at a time when the Labour government was attempting to introduce a controversial devolution policy to Scotland and Wales, and was interpreted as opposition to devolution. Her reference in the Silver Jubilee speech is also believed, by some, to refer to the disturbances in Northern Ireland at that time.
Her statement of praise for the Northern Ireland Belfast Agreement raised some complaints among some Unionists (who were traditionally strong monarchists). Ian Paisley, leader of the right-wing Democratic Unionist Party and founder of the evangelical Free Presbyterian church, famously broke with Unionism\'s traditional deference for the British Crown by calling the Queen "a parrot" of Tony Blair. He suggested that her support for the Belfast Agreement would weaken the monarchy\'s standing among Northern Irish Protestants, a substantial number of whom remained opposed to certain parts of the Agreement. However, Paisley\'s criticism of the Queen on this matter was rejected by more traditional and moderate unionists.Paisley\'s stance is not as unusual as it might appear, since unlike the more conventionally conservative Ulster Unionists, his views are heavily influenced by the Scottish Covenanting tradition with its emphasis on conditional loyalty; for example, he marked the Queen\'s Silver Jubilee in 1977 by preaching a sermon recalling and justifying the execution of Charles I and deposition of James II, implying that while the Queen was then worthy of celebration she would deserve the same fate as those two monarchs if she failed to live up to her office as defender of the Protestant Constitution. \'The Queen is a parrot\' - Paisley. BBC News (26 May 1998).
In the late 1990s, after referendums approved a devolution policy, the Queen sent her best wishes to the new Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly of Wales, the first sessions of which she opened in person. Several MSPs stayed away from the ceremony, attending a republican rally instead. A number of AMs boycotted her opening of the first session of the National Assembly for Wales. Plaid Cymru\'s Leanne Wood AM also boycotted the opening of National Assembly\'s new building (the Senedd) in 2006 and was thrown out of chamber for calling the Queen \'Mrs. Windsor\' during an Assembly debate.AM expelled for \'Mrs Windsor\' jibe. BBC News (1 December 2004). Retrieved on 17 March, 2007.
Elizabeth II, as the Monarch of the United Kingdom, is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and sworn protector of the Church of Scotland. She holds no religious role as Sovereign of the other Realms.
The Queen takes a keen personal interest in the Church of England, but, in practice, delegates authority in the Church of England to the Archbishop of Canterbury. She regularly worships at St. George\'s Chapel at Windsor Castle, or at St. Mary Magdalene Church when staying at Sandringham House, Norfolk.
The Royal Family also regularly attends services at Crathie Kirk when holidaying at Balmoral Castle, and when in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the family attends services at the Canongate Kirk. The Queen has attended the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on several occasions, most recently in 1977 and 2002, although, in most years, she appoints a Lord High Commissioner to represent her.
The Queen made particular reference to her Christian convictions in her Christmas Day television broadcast in 2000, in which she spoke about the theological significance of the Millennium as marking the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ:Elizabeth II (25 December 2000). Historic speeches: Christmas Broadcast 2000. British Monarchy Official Website. Retrieved on 9 September, 2007.
| “ | To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ\'s words and example. | ” |
The Queen often meets with leaders from other religions as well. She is Patron of The Council of Christians and Jews in the UK.Presidents, Vice Presidents and Board. Council of Christians and Jews. Retrieved on 9 September, 2007.
The Jubilee year coincided with the deaths, within a few months, of the Queen\'s mother and sister. Her relations with her children have become much warmer in recent years. She is particularly close to her daughter-in-law, Sophie, Countess of Wessex and is very close to her grandchildren, noticeably Prince William, Princess Beatrice and Zara Phillips.
The Queen (left) walks with then American First Lady Pat Nixon upon the Nixons\' visit to the United Kingdom, 1970
In late February 2003, the Queen\'s reign, then just over 51 years, surpassed the combined reigns of her four immediate predecessors: Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and George VI. She is currently the second-longest-serving head of state in the world, after King Bhumibol of Thailand (fourth if one includes the rulers of the subnational entity Ras Al Khaimah and of the Government of Tibet in Exile), and the third-longest serving British or English monarch. Her reign of over half a century has seen eleven different Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom (twelve terms) and numerous Prime Ministers in the Commonwealth Realms.
In June 2005, she was forced to cancel several engagements after contracting what the Palace described as a bad cold. Nonetheless, the Queen has been described as being in excellent health, and is seldom ill.Queen Catches A Cold. Sky News (20 June 2005). Retrieved on 20 October, 2006.
In October 2006, she suffered a burst blood vessel in her right eye, causing her entire eye to appear deep red in colour.Leyland, Joanne (11 October 2006). The Queen Proves She\'s A Real Trooper. The Royalist. Retrieved on 20 October, 2006. While the palace would not comment on the Queen\'s condition, medical experts stated that the Queen would be in no pain and that her eye would heal within a week or two with no lasting damage. They also stated that blood vessel bursts are common amongst the elderly, but can also be a sign of high blood pressure. Later that month, on 26 October, she was due officially to open the new Emirates Stadium, the home of Arsenal F.C., but she was forced to cancel the engagement due to a strained back muscle that had troubled her since the end of her Balmoral holiday."Queen cancels visit due to injury", BBC News, 26 October 2006. Her back troubles appear to be ongoing. There was serious concern in November 2006 that she wouldn\'t be well enough to open Parliament, and plans were drawn up to cover her possible absence. However, she was able to attend. The following month, the Queen faced more rumours that she was in declining health when she was seen in public with a plaster on her right hand. The positioning of the plaster seemed to suggest that the Queen may have been fitted with an intravenous drip. Medical experts suggest that given her back troubles and age she may be suffering from osteoporosis. Buckingham Palace refused to comment.Greenhill, Sam and Hope, Jenny. "Plaster on Queen\'s hand: minor cut or IV drip?", Daily Mail, 6 December 2006. However, it was later revealed that the plaster was as a result of one of her corgis biting her hand as she separated her two fighting pets.Whittaker, Thomas. "Corgi put the queen in plaster", The Sun, 14 December 2006.
On 21 December 2007, the Queen surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as the oldest reigning monarch in both British and the Commonwealth realms\' history. Should she still be living on 29 January 2012, she would surpass Richard Cromwell as the longest-lived British ruler, including those who did not hold the office to their death. If she lives until 19 September 2013 but is still survived by the Prince of Wales, he would be the oldest to succeed to the throne, surpassing William IV, who was 64. Should she still be reigning on 10 September 2015, at the age of 89, her reign will surpass that of Queen Victoria and she will become the longest reigning monarch in British history.
In 1977, the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee, marking the 25th anniversary of her accession to the Throne.1977 Queen celebrates Silver Jubilee. BBC News: On This Day. The occasion was marked by a royal procession in the golden state coach and a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul\'s Cathedral attended by dignitaries and heads of state. Millions watched events on television and numerous public street parties were held across the UK to mark the occasion, culminating in several "Jubilee Days" held in June. Five commemorative stamps were also printed.
The Jubilee line of the London Underground, which opened in 1979, was also named in honour of the anniversary, and several other locations and public spaces were named to commemorate the Jubilee, including the Jubilee Gardens in London\'s South Bank.
In 2002, Elizabeth II celebrated her Golden Jubilee, marking the 50th anniversary of her accession to the Throne.In Depth: The Golden Jubilee. BBC News. The year saw an extensive tour of the Commonwealth realms, including the first ever pop concert in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, and as had been held in 1977, a service of thanksgiving took place at St Paul\'s Cathedral. Public celebrations in the UK were more muted than they had been 25 years previously, in part because earlier the same year both the Queen\'s mother and sister had died, and in part due to changing public attitudes towards the monarchy. However, street parties and commemorative events were still organised in many areas.
The Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their sixtieth (Diamond) wedding anniversary on Monday 19 November 2007, with a special service at Westminster Abbey, where they wed sixty years prior. Their actual anniversary came a day later, on 20 November. Distinguished guests included immediate members of the Royal Family, Sir John Major, Baroness Thatcher, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Jack Straw and the surviving bridesmaids and pages from the wedding. The night before, Prince Charles hosted a private dinner at Clarence House for twenty of the most immediate members of the Royal Family in recognition of his parents\' enduring marriage.
On the following day, 20 November, The Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a visit to Malta, where they had stayed from 1949 to 1951 after getting married. A Royal Navy ship which had docked in the vicinity arranged for its sailors to assemble on deck in the formation of the number \'60\' in recognition of the couple\'s sixtieth wedding anniversary.
On Saturday, 21 April 2007, the Queen turned 81 years old and has since begun to hand over some public duties to her children and other members of the Royal Family.[citation needed] In early 2006, reports began to surface that the Queen planned to reduce her official duties significantly,[citation needed] though she has made it clear that she has no intention of abdicating. The 2007 State Visit to the United States tends to show this to be an unfounded rumour. The British press has speculated that Prince Charles will start to perform many of the day-to-day duties of the monarch, while the Queen will effectively go into "retirement".This is London – Key aides move to Windsor ahead of Queen\'s retirement It was later confirmed[citation needed] by the Palace that Prince Charles will begin to hold the regular audiences with the Prime Minister and other Commonwealth leaders. However, while the Queen would be increasing the length of her weekends by two days,[citation needed] she would continue with public duties well into the future.[http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page3956.asp Royal.gov.uk – Corrections However, the Queen still meets with the Prime Minister – she has not handed over this duty to the Prince of Wales. Buckingham Palace already gives the Prince access to government papers.[citation needed] For a number of years, Prince Charles and the Princess Royal have each been standing in for the Queen when she has been unavailable for investitures. Whilst the Prince regularly meets foreign dignitaries, he does not, and cannot, take the place of the Queen in welcoming ambassadors at the Court of St. James\'s unless he is acting as a Counsellor of State with another senior member of the royal family in the same role.
Unproven media speculation rumoured that her recent trip to Canada and Australia will be amongst her last visits to her overseas realms. The Canadian and Australian governments and the Palace have denied it.
In May 2007, the Queen and Prince Philip made a state visit to the United States, in honour of the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement.
Despite her good health and intention to stay on the throne, some saw the wedding of the Prince of Wales to Camilla as a message from the Queen that, by allowing Charles to marry, she is attempting to ensure that Charles\' succession to the throne will be smooth. In 2004, a copy of the Queen\'s newly-revised funeral plans was stolen.Queen\'s funeral plans \'stolen from car\'. The Sydney Morning Herald (30 July 2004). And for
