Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of sixteen independent states and their overseas territories and their dependencies. She was born on April 21, 1926 and was already known to take the place of her father’s throne, since she was the only child. She was baptized in the Private Chapel on the grounds of the Buckingham Palace. Elizabeth was named after her mother, in whom her two middle names were given from her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and her grandmother, Queen Mary. Queen Elizabeth’s full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor. She grew up educated by her father and her grandmother Queen Mary. Her parents always took an easy-going way to their daughters education, but they made a great effort to prepare Elizabeth for her future as a queen. Her father gave her newspaper articles to familiarize her with politics, and her mother, taught her about the history of the British constitution. Queen Elizabeth II was trained by her mother Queen Elizabeth I. When she was thirteen year old, she was introduced to her future husband, who’s name was Prince Phillip. She had automatically fallen in love with him and when he left for the Navy, she wrote him. In 1947, Princess Elizabeth went on her first overseas visit with her parents and sister to South Africa. During the trip, she turned twenty-one and made an historic radio broadcast in which she pledged to dedicate her whole life to the British people. She quoted, “I declare you that my whole life, whether is be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial Commonwealth to which we all belong,” she said. “But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do; I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God Bless all of you who are willing to share it.”

In 1946, Elizabeth became secretely engaged to Prince Philip, who had served in Britain’s Royal Navy during World War II and was now a lieutenant. She then faced a difficult conversation with her father, who thought she was too young to get married, but he finally gave in and Princess Elizabeth’s engagement was officially announced in June 1947. Philip had to now give up his Greek citizenship and title. Before the wedding, Elizabeth’s father gave Philip the British titles Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich, but Philip was no longer called a “prince.” They were married at Westminister Abbey on November 20, 1947. After their honeymood was celebrated at Broadlands, which was an historic house in Hampshire. Eventually they moved into Clarence House at St. James Palace. Elizabeth began carrying