Figure 1.--Here we see the Queen Mother with her two daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. The portrait was taken at Royal Lodge, Windsor during June 1936, only about 6 months before the Princess' uncle Edward VIII abdicated.

The Princess Elizabeth was born in 1926. She was the elest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, the second son of King George V. Everyone at the time assumed that the Duke's personable, outgoing elder brother would be king and that the Duke would lead a relatively quiet life out of the spotlight to which royalty was subjected. The Princess was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. The first few years of her life were uneventful, until in 1936 her Uncle Edward VIII, the uncrowned king abdicated in favor of his younger brother. Elizabeth's father was shocked. He ws not prepared to be king, he was shy and spoke with a stammer. Suddenly the little princess was next inline to inherit the British crown. The British people admired the plucky teenage princess who drove an ambulance and maintained the engine. After the War, Elizabeth began participating in official functions, especially after her father's health began to fail. Windsor. The Queen ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 upon the death of her father, King George VI.

Parents

Elizabeth was the elest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York. The Duke was the second son of King George V.

George VI (1895-1952)

George VI was born Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor in 1895 at York Cottage, Sandringham, Norfolk. He was called Bertie in the family. Albert was never intended to be king. A biographer calls him, the reluctant king. It was his older brother who was to be king. But Albert rose to the occassion and it was his qualities, rather than those of his popular but undiscplined older brother, that reflected the needs of the British people in perhaps their darkest hour. He was the son of King George V and Mary of Teck (Queen Mary). As the second son he became the Duke of York. George unlike his older brother had difficulties in public appearances. He stammered and public appearances were a terrible ordeal for him. Many thought him unsuited to be king. It was his older brother who was destined from the beginning to be king. Bertie was shocked when he learbned of his brothers abdication, meaning that he would be king. He proved his detractors wrong, courageosly leading Britain and the Empire through the terrible ordeal of World War II. it was during his reign, after the war, that India became independent, in August 1947. George VI was the last Emperor of India, giving up that title in 1948.

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002)

She become perhaps the best loved peson on the British Isles. Elizabeth had a bumpy start in that she was born in an ambulance. The Queen Mother was born Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on August, 4 1900, the ninth of 10 children. Her father was Claude George Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore (1855- ). Her mother was Cecilia Nina Cavendish-Bentinck, Countess of Strathmore (1862- ). Elizabeth

Princess Margaret Rose

Princess Margaret Rose was born at Glamis Castle (1930). She was Princess Elibeth's only sister. The two grew up together. There was a 4 years age difference between the two which as children was significant. Princess Elizabeth took on a kind of guiding role with her younger sister. The two grew up in relative anonimity until their unlcle Edward VIII abdicated, afterwards the Family spent a great deal of time at Windsor and were more in the public eye. The two sisters were very different and that difference became apparent at an early age. Princess Elizabeth was always seen as the more more 'responsible' of the two. Princess Rose was much less inhibited, exhibiting a more bubly, outgoing personality. Some used willful and mischievous to describe her, partly true but surely a bit harsh. Princess Margaret was a keen Girl Guide. Because of her age, unlike her older sister she was unable to join the Services. She apparently complained about that. They appeared with their parents and Primeminister Churchill on the famous balcony at Buckingham Palace during the VE Day celebration. Less well known is before those pictures were taken they had been milling with the crows outside and jointing the chant to see the King and Queen. After the War, Princess Margaret had her ups and downs with the British press. Eventually she settled down to participate in the Royal Family's public work. Sge was acrive in welfare work and in the arts. She was patron or president of over 80 different organisations, ranging from charities, especially children's, to dance companies. Her sister forbade her from marrying the love of her life. She eventually married Antony Armstrong-Jones. The marriage did not last. They had two children: Lord Linley (1961) and Lady Sarah Chatto (1964). Princess Margaret died in London (2002).

Childhood

The Princess Elizabeth was born in 1926. The Princess was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. The first few years of her life were uneventful, until in 1936 her Uncle Edward VIII, the uncrowned king abdicated in favor of his younger brother.

Edward VIII

Everyone at the time assumed that the Duke's personable, outgoing elder brother would be king and that the Duke would lead a relatively quiet life out of the spotlight to which royalty was subjected. Elizabeth's father was shocked. He ws not prepared to be king, he was shy and spoke with a stammer. Suddenly the little princess was next inline to inherit the British crown.

Education

Princess Elizabeth had her sister Margaret Rose were educated at home by tutors. Her mother was not very well educated and saw little need to give her daughter's a serious education. After her father became king, Elizabeth's education took on considerably greater importance bcause she was now the heiress presumptive. When old enough, Elizabeth's studies were expanded to include constitutional history and law.

World War II

The British people admired the plucky teenage princess who drove an ambulance and maintained the engine.

Preparation

After the War, Elizabeth began participating in official functions, especially after her father's health began to fail. Elizabeth's first major official function was a trip overseas in 1947. She made a trip with her parents and sister to South Africa.

Philip

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and baron Greenwich, was born Prince of Greece and Denmark in Corfu (Greek: Korfou) on June 10, 1921. We was exiled in 1922, in fact rescued by the Royal Navy. Shortly before the wedding, the bridegroom was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich with the style of His Royal Highness and appointed a Knight of the Garter by the King. The dashing image of Prince Phillip is a far cry from the current image, which today tends to be that of an arrogant, not very well educated, cantankerous elderly man suffering from a severe case of foot-in-mouth disease. Phillip may well be one of the least understood members of the royal family. Few royals have changed so over the years, evolving from princely refugee to debonair naval officer and from modernising royal to arch traditionalist.

Marriage

Elizabeth had been a duitful, obedient daughter. The choice of her husband was the first time she exerted hger personal choice. He was Philip Mountbatten, her fourth cousin. The engagement of the dashing Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten to Princess Elizabeth was announced in July 1947 and the marriage took place in Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947, a rare ray of light in an England still recovering from World War II.

Children

Elizabeth and Philip have had five children. Two children (Prince Charles, Princess Anne) arrived before Elizabeth became queen. Two more children (Prince Andrew, Prince Edward) arrived after she became queen. The Queen by all accounts has proven true to her peldge to do her bet to servethe British people. She is by all accounts a dutiful monarch. She appearch, however, to have taken much less interest in motherhood.

Charles (1948- )

Charles is the current heir to the British throne. He will become King Charles III on either the abdication or the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Charles was the first heir to the throne of modern times to not be born in the presence of the government's Home Secretary, a custom since abolished. Charles mostly wore shorts as a boy. As a younger boy he often was dressed in mary Jane strap sandals and white socks--usually white ankle socks for dressy occasions. He did not commonly wear sailor suits like his father and grandfather. He did, however often wear kilts. Charles in many respects had a pioneering royal childhood. While his mother like other royal children was educated within the confines of the Palace and Windsor Castle, Charles went to a private pre-preparatory school in London's Knightsbridge (Hill House). This was a precedent-making decission made to keep pace with changing times. His male predecesors had been schooled at home and then thrown into some rather tough military schools, where they encountered all sorts of difficulties adjusting. After his preparatory school (Cheam). He wore short pants school uniforms pre-prep at Hill House and at prep school Cheam. Charles continued to often appear in kilts as a boy and teenager. In fact he still wears them on occassion, unlike his sons. Charles went to Gordonstoun in the rugged north of Scotland. Gordonstoun is one of Britain's elite private secondary (Public) schools and is famed for its rugged character-building routine of work and physical discipline. Sent mainly on the wishes of his father, Charles did not feel entirely at home here, a fact decribed by many commentators and news reports. The Gordonstoun uniform inckuded shorts as a everyday school uniform. The boys also wore kilts for church and other formal events. Charles has two sons, William, second in line to the throne, and Henry who now face their own problems in dealing with the press.

Anne (1950- )

Ann was the second child of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. . She was the royal family's only daughter. She was born at Clarence House, London (1950). Her mother at the time was Princess Elizabeth, heir presumptive to the throne. Princess anne was baptised Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise at Buckingham Palace. Anne was more outward and agressive than Charles as a child, qualities that appealed to her father. Some authors claim that it affected their father's attitude toward Charles. Princess Anne was educated in a small private class at Buckingham Palace The Queen moved with her family to the Palace after her accession (1952). Princess Anne traveled to France as a kind of educational trip (1962). She began her formal schooling at Benenden School, a boarding school in Kent (1963). She married to Lieutenant (later Captain) Mark Phillips of The Queen's Dragoon Guards in a well publicized ceremony at Westminster Abbey (1973). Only 4 months after the marriage, an attempt to abduct Princess Anne as she and Captain Phillips were being driven along the Mall after a charity event. Princess Anne was not harmed, but her personal protection officer was shot. Princess Anne's first child, Peter Mark Andrew Phillips, was born at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington (1977). He was christened at a service conducted in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Her second child, Zara Anne Elizabeth, was also born at St Mary's Hospital (1981). She was christened at a service conducted in the Chapel at Windsor Castle by the Dean of Windsor (1981). Princess Anne and Capt. Phillips divorced (1992). She then married Timothy Laurence, a commoner and Royal Navy officer. They were married at a quiet private ceremony at Crathie Church, near Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Princess Anne received the title Princess Royal from The Queen (1987). This was not a step ordinarily taken. Princess Anne was only the seventh holder of the title. Princess Anne and her family lives at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire. Princess Anne is an active participant in the work of the royal family.

Andrew (1960- )

Prince Andrew, Duke of York is the second son of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and by all accounts the Queen's favorite. Andrew was dressed much like his brother as a small boy. He also attended private schools, ending the private schooling of royal children. As fashions were changing in the late 1960s, Andrew began wearing long pants at a earlier age than his older brother. As with his brothers and father, Andrew attended Gordonstoun school in Scotland.

Edward (1964- )

: Prince Edward is the youngest of the Queen's children. His education followed in the now family tradition of a preparatory school and Public school (Gordonstoun) in Scotland. Edward threw himself into the outdoor and physical life of Gordonstoun, he enjoyed skiing and had learned to fly before he left school. Edward won a Royal Marine cadetship and went to study at Jesus College, Cambridge. On leaving Cambridge, Edward joined the Royal Marines to train as an officer, an effort to meet the very traditional expectations of his rathervstraight-laced father. This proved to be a mistake. The Royal Marines are one of the most demanding military units in the world. The Royal Marines turned out to be more than Edward could handle and he soon left the Marines to follow an alternative and less traditional career of his own choosing. Prince Edward is now in a London theatre company working as a producer/director and with a good degree of success.

Parenthood

While Charles and his brothers and sisters had two of the most famous parents in the world. They were not, however, the best of parents. Prince Philip was not a very giving father. He instructed the nanny to be very strict. When one nanny was a bit too affectionate was soon dismissed. The Queen also seems to have been remarakably detached as a mother. One after returning from a long trip, she meerly patted Charles. There was no embrace. In fact, neither parents appear to have embraced their children, even when they were little. There was no open display affection. We suspect such displays were also limured in private. Some believe this was why Charles was shy and unhappy during his boyhood. The image of Princess Diana with William and Harry contrasts sharply, a point that was not lost on the Queen and must have affected her attitude toward her daughter-in-law. The Queen was very young when she had Charles and Anne and was spending a great oif time leaning how to be the monarch. Andrew came 12 years after Charles. The queen was older and had the role of monarchy well in hand. She spent much more time with andrew when hw was little than her older children.

Figure 2.--These are the pages at Queen Elizabeth's corronationin 1953. The desire to see the cornonation caused a vast expansion of the British TV audidence as many rushed out to buy a set for the first time.

Accension and Coronation

Elizabeth ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 upon the death of her father, King George VI. She was crowned June 2, 1953. The desire to see the cornonation caused a vast expansion of the British TV audidence as many rushed out to buy a set for the first time. Here we see a scene from the cironation (figure 2).

Reign

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the British Empire changed into the Commonwealth of Nations. When she came to the throne, the Queen was sovereign of the United Kingdom and the dominions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon. Each dominion was specifically named in the Coronation ceremony. India had just become the first republic in the Commonwealth. The Queen 50 years later is sovereign of the sixteen independent realms of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, The Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Queen is the only monarch in the world who is sovereign of many countries at once. She is best known as Queen of the United Kingdom, but many people often forget that she is also sovereign of 15 other realms.

Created: October 12, 2003
Last updated: 3:19 PM 11/26/2005