The future queen was born in April 1926 and became the eldest daughter of Prince Albert and his wife Elizabeth (nee Bowes-Lyon). The girl received the name Elizaveta Alexandra Maria - in honor of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Four years later, the family was replenished with a youngest daughter, Margaret Rose.

Elizabeth received a home education, studying in depth jurisprudence, French, and the history of religion. The young princess devoted a lot of time to her main hobby - horse riding.

At birth, Elizabeth was third in line to the throne, but after the death of her grandfather George V and the abdication of her uncle Edward VII, her father became king, and the very young girl received the title of crown princess.

During the war, the royal family did not leave London; the princess was trained and became an ambulance driver. Her service lasted 5 months. After the war, it was the turn to strengthen relations in the Commonwealth countries. The princess goes on long tours with her parents. After her father's death, she becomes the official head of the British Royal House, but the coronation ceremony was not held until 1953, a few months later.

The 20th century was marked by the collapse of many monarchies, but the British Kingdom survived. This is a considerable merit of Elizabeth II. She managed to find a balance between decorative representative functions and real support for the state system. The Queen's responsibilities include strengthening external relations, frequent international tours, and weekly meetings with the Prime Minister to discuss the situation in the country.

Family and personal life

Elizabeth got married in 1947. The princess's chosen one was Philip Mountbenten from the Greek royal house. The handsome prince was not considered an enviable match, but the girl in love insisted on her own - and soon the engagement was announced in the kingdom. Before the wedding, Philip had to renounce his title to become Duke of Edinburgh Prince Consort. He was forever guaranteed an honorable, but still second role - one step behind his wife. It was not easy for the Duke, but he successfully coped with his responsibilities. Despite some difficulties, gossip and rumors, the couple managed to maintain a warm relationship and always treat each other with respect.

The marriage produced 4 children. The queen's relationship with her eldest, Charles, was not easy - primarily due to the difference in character and the fact that immediately after the birth of the baby she was forced to go on a long tour of the countries of the Commonwealth. Subsequently, the queen greatly regretted the missed moments, relations gradually normalized, and today Charles is the main support of the aging monarch.

The only daughter Anna shared her mother's passion for horses and dogs and loved hunting and horse riding. She took an active part in protocol events and for a long time was considered the most efficient of the royal children. After her daughter, Elizabeth acquired 2 more sons - Prince Andrew was born in 1960, and the last was Prince Edward.

The Queen could not devote too much time to raising children, but she was always interested in their lives and was able to build warm and harmonious relationships in the family. This was not prevented by the inevitable scandals associated with the divorces of the two eldest sons and daughter, accusations of the death of Princess Diana and problems in the personal life of the younger sister Margaret. Despite her busy work schedule, Elizaveta also devotes time to her hobbies: breeding corgi dogs and racing horses. She loves country trips to Balmoral, walks on the moors, and horse races, in which her daughter and eldest granddaughter Zara once took part.

Today the Queen is a happy mother and grandmother of 8 grandchildren. She also had great-grandchildren - the two eldest children became grandparents. Elizabeth adores the younger members of the family, and they pay their legendary grandmother and great-grandmother with great respect, respect and love.

The institution of monarchy has been the most important phenomenon in British social life since the time of the first English king, William the Conqueror, to the present day. What is this - a relic of the past or a symbol of national unity that has more than once united the British in difficult times?..

In our article we tried to give a brief historical background about the ruling dynasty of Windsor and the current reigning monarch - Queen Elizabeth II of England.

You will be able to get acquainted with the regional information necessary for everyone who has seriously decided - the biography of the Queen of Great Britain, interesting facts and even curiosities from the life of the royal family - as well as get acquainted with the original and learn the translation of the national anthem of the British Empire. Let's learn English like royalty!

Royal family name

The surname Windsor arose relatively recently. During the First World War, Elizabeth's future grandfather King George V (cousin of both the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the last German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm), who belonged to the German Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty (the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha), defiantly out of patriotic feelings abandoned his German roots, adopting the surname Windsor [ˈwɪnzə] after the castle that was home to the royal family at the time.

Thus, the beginning of the Windsor surname should be considered 1917 - a fairly young age for a European monarchical dynasty.

Until 1917, members of the royal family (British royals) did not have surnames: they were replaced by the name of the royal house and the name of the lands owned by the dynasty. Therefore, kings and queens signed only with the name - .

After the marriage of Princess Elizabeth Windsor to Prince Philip Mountbatten, it was decided that the heir to the throne would bear the surname Windsor, and descendants without the right to the throne would be called Mountbatten-Windsor.

Other royals have the right to choose their own surname: in addition to the Windsor surname, there are many others in the royal family tree (the surname is often replaced by the title).

Common forms of addressing members of the royal family:

	HM - His (Her) Majesty	His (Her) Majesty	address to the king or queen
Prince and Princess	HRH - His (Her) Royal Highness	His (Her) Royal Highness	address to a prince or princess
Duke and Duchess		His (Her) Lordship	address to the Duke or Duchess
Earl and Countess, Viscount and Viscountess	The Rt Hon - The Right Honourable	Hon.	address to the Count and Countess, Viscount and Viscountess

Young heir to the throne

Little Lilipeth, as she was later called in the family, was born on April 21, 1926 in the family of a prince belonging to one of the most ancient and proud monarchies in Europe. And, what is especially important, it is a ruling one, albeit a constitutional one (the monarch governs his state only formally, since the laws are still passed by the parliament elected by the people).

However, the golden-haired girl’s chances of ruling the state were not so great: her father Albert (Bertie) Windsor, Duke of York, was not the heir to the throne.

But chance intervened: the young princess was not yet ten when a romantic and scandalous story took place in the British Kingdom.

In 1936, Albert’s elder brother Edward, by that time already King Edward VIII, decided to marry the American Bessie Wallis Simpson, a divorced woman (twice!), and also suspected of having connections with the military intelligence of Nazi Germany.

As the head of the Church of England, the king could not have demonstrated to his subjects a more flagrant example of a violation of the Seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery”: to marry a divorced person (“divorced”), and even twice, and even a member of the royal family (“royal family”), was equated with adultery.

Everyone and everyone was against the loving couple: the Archbishop of Canterbury, government ministers, and the British people. The king made a choice: after reigning for less than a year, Edward VIII abdicated (“abdicated”) on his own behalf and on behalf of his descendants (“descendants”), declaring the following in a speech on national radio:

And Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor - Bertie, Elizabeth's father - ascended the throne, taking the name George VI and making the eldest of his two daughters heir to the imperial throne.

The Steadfast Tin Soldier

When World War II began (1 September 1939), Princess Elizabeth was thirteen. London suffered from enemy bombing and the children of many residents of the capital were evacuated. But Elizabeth’s mother flatly refused to leave London:

In 1940, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth made her first appearance on BBC radio, addressing the children of evacuated towns:

In 1943, at the age of sixteen, the princess made her first public speech to soldiers of the Grenadier Guards, of which she had been a colonel for several months. After completing a driving and mechanics course, five months later the princess was promoted to junior officer (Junior Commander).

But despite the mother’s fears, the marriage turned out to be happy: after the wedding in 1947, according to tradition - in Westminster Abbey of London, the prince and princess - and then the king and queen - lived in peace and harmony for many years , celebrating silver, gold and diamond weddings.

It is noteworthy that the princess bought fabric for her wedding dress using coupons - in the post-war period in Great Britain there were restrictions on the purchase of food, clothing, shoes, etc.; Out of solidarity with the people, the royal family adhered to the generally accepted card system.

The heir to the dynasty, Prince Charles, was born in 1948, and a few years later Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward were born.

Crown for the queen!

The coronation of the 25-year-old Elizabeth II as monarch of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon took place on June 2, 1953 (her father died a year earlier, in 1952).

The dress for the ceremony, like the Queen's wedding dress, was created by fashion designer Norman Hartnell. It was a work of art imbued with deep symbolism: the white silk of the robe was embroidered with floral motifs symbolizing the countries of the Commonwealth.

The luxurious royal dress featured: English Tudor rose, Scottish thistle [ˈθɪs(ə)l]), Welsh leek (leek), Irish clover (shamrock), Australian acacia (wattle [ˈwɒt(ə) l]), Canadian maple leaf (maple [ˈmeɪp(ə)l] leaf), New Zealand fern (fern), South African protea (protea), lotus flowers, symbolizing India and Ceylon, as well as the emblems of Pakistan - wheat ( wheat), cotton and jute.

For luck, the creator of the dress, secretly from the customer, placed a leaf of a four-leaf clover on it exactly where the queen's left hand should touch it.

The coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey was not much different from the traditional one, except that it was the first such ceremony to be shown on television.

The coronation was accompanied by magnificent celebrations in all countries of the Commonwealth, and in London, an official coronation luncheon was given in honor of the new queen, at which the chefs delighted the guests with “Coronation Chicken” - a dish created especially for this occasion.

The royal family lives in Buckingham Palace: it has 775 rooms, served by more than 800 people, each of whom is traditionally sent a Christmas pudding by the Queen once a year.
The monarchy "costs" the British people just over £36 million a year.
The Queen's fortune is estimated at £300 million, which gives her the right to take only 257th place in the ranking of the richest people in Britain.
The crown treasures do not belong to the queen - she only uses them by proxy, without the right to sell or give them away.
The Queen was born at the end of April, but celebrates her birthday twice a year: the first time - in April with her family, the second, the so-called Queen's Official Birthday - on one of the Sundays in May or June, at the choice of the government .
Why at the beginning of summer? The official birthday of the monarch was traditionally celebrated with lush open-air festivities, so the choice of the exact date of the royal birthday party always depended on weather conditions - and at this time the weather in London is as dry and sunny as ever.
In 1981, during the Trooping the Color ceremony dedicated to the Queen's official birthday, while Elizabeth was riding her horse Burmese, six pistol shots were fired (as it later turned out, the attacker fired blank cartridges) . Without losing her presence of mind, the queen continued the ceremony, showing an example of restraint and composure in the face of danger.
During her reign, the Queen answered more than 3.5 million letters and sent more than 175,000 telegrams to her subjects in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries.
The queen's breakfast consists of muesli and oatmeal, yogurt and two types of marmalade - light and dark.
Elizabeth II is a passionate lover of horses and dogs. Its purebred horses often win races, and its success in breeding new dog breeds is admirable. Officially, the Queen is the creator of the Dorgi and Fergi breeds, which were created by crossing the Corgi breed with other dog breeds.

How to address the queen

You can write to Her Majesty at the following address:
Her Majesty The Queen
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA
If you wish to adhere to all the rules of etiquette when communicating in writing with the Queen, address your addressee Madam, and end your message with the following phrase:

However, you may well adhere to a free style of presentation: after all, it is known that the queen even understands, because she often has to “SMS” with her older grandchildren.

Elizabeth II bears many titles and honorary titles, including the seemingly “masculine” titles of Duke of Normandy and Lord of Maine. But the official website of the British monarchy, when communicating with the queen, advises at the beginning of the conversation to simply address her: Your Majesty ("Your Majesty"), and after that - Madam or Ma "am. By the way, it is becoming increasingly popular with the queen, do not miss your chance:

National anthem of the British Empire

Its origin dates back to the eighteenth century. Depending on the gender of the monarch - and there are 40 monarchs in the United Kingdom: 34 kings and 6 queens, including the current one - the anthem was called God Save The King or God Save The Queen. queen"). The authorship of the words and music has not been established.

God save the queen!

(free translation)

God save our merciful queen!
Long live our noble queen!
God save the queen!
Bless her with victories,
Happiness and glory
And long reign over us,
God save the queen!

With your chosen gifts
Shower her with Thy mercy,
May she reign for a long time.
May she protect our laws,
To always give us a reason
Sing with your heart and voice:
"God save the queen!"

There are many different variations of the British anthem: we have given only a short official version, but you can find expanded and modified versions in the English-language Wikipedia.

From the point of view of English grammar, the British anthem is interesting primarily for two reasons:

The use of archaisms (the shortened version included only the obsolete form of the pronoun your - thy [ðʌɪ]).
Widespread use of the subjunctive mood - the Present Subjunctive, the subjunctive mood of the present tense - which is formed using the infinitive of the semantic verb without the particle to and means wish:
God to save the Queen! God to bless you!

Wherein:
The verb be remains unchanged regardless of person:
I will be
he, she, it be
we, you, they be
In other cases, compared to the indicative mood, verbs in the 3rd person have singular. there is no ending -s:
he/she/it makes s
The modal verb may is also used in wishes:
May the force be with you! - May the force be with you!

So, God save the Queen! Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, Her Majesty Elizabeth II, By the Grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Her Other Kingdoms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, Defender of the Faith.

A symbol of the English state, a mother of four children, a persistent and courageous person, a passionate animal lover and a woman pleasant in every way!

In contact with

When Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday, she became not only the oldest monarch in the world, but also the longest-reigning head of state in British history. She comes from the Windsor dynasty and, in addition to her native island, is recognized as queen in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas and eight other small countries. The reign of Elizabeth Alexandra Maria saw the final collapse of the British Empire and the withdrawal of the colonies from English rule. Despite quite impressive criticism, Elizabeth II is quite a popular person in her native country.

She was born on April 21, 1926 in the family of the future king, and. The girl received her name in honor of her mother, but the princess’s full name is also made up of the names of her grandmother and great-grandmother. The queen's zodiac sign is Taurus. Elizabeth II had a sister, who was born four years after her, but died at the age of 72.

The first title in the biography of Elizabeth II appeared immediately after birth: the girl was named Princess of York. At that time, her father and uncle Edward VIII stood in front of her on the way to the throne, as did any boy who could theoretically be born to each of the candidates for the throne. The uncle initially became king, but less than a year later he lost the title to his brother.

Elizabeth II and her parents move to a luxurious castle - Buckingham Palace, where they spend their childhood and youth. Elizabeth II studied at home, but received an excellent humanities education. She studied art, religion, law, and specifically the British Constitution at a high level. Elizabeth II is fluent in French and is believed to have learned it on her own.

For the first time, Elizabeth II addressed her future subjects at the age of 13. During World War II, she appeared on the radio and expressed support for children who were affected by the bombing. At the age of 16, the girl already independently appears in public, and a year later she becomes a state adviser and joins the women's self-defense unit. The princess learned to drive an ambulance, received training as a mechanic, and rose to the rank of lieutenant. She is the only head of state who served in real life in that war.

Governing body

On the day of her coming of age, Elizabeth II officially promised the British Empire to devote her life to serving people, although at that time her inheritance of the crown was still in doubt. After the death of her father George VI, on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen. It is curious that the coronation of the girl was broadcast on television for the first time in history and many believe that this event gave a sharp impetus to the popularity of this media in Britain.

At the time of Queen Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, the ruler's possessions were much wider than they are today. The empire then included South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, which later abolished British rule. Interestingly, Elizabeth II visited each country almost immediately, becoming the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.

By tradition, Queen Elizabeth II has virtually no influence on the governance of the country. A woman’s task is to represent the country at international summits and maintain the authority of the British monarchy. Throughout her entire tenure on the throne, Elizabeth II maintains correct relations with all prime ministers. And although she is above the political fray and does not publicly express her own political opinions, statesmen consider it important to consult with her on many issues. She valued the queen's opinion, which she wrote about in her memoirs.

During her long reign over Great Britain, Elizabeth received both praise and harsh criticism. But both the queen's supporters and opponents emphasize the queen's humanity. The events of 1986 are an indicative fact. Elizabeth II was sailing on her yacht Britannia to one of her subject countries when she learned of the outbreak of civil war in Yemen. She immediately ordered a change of course and take on board as many ordinary people as possible. Thanks to the direct assistance of Queen Elizabeth II of England, over a thousand people were evacuated.

In 2015, "Canada's sexiest politician" visited Buckingham Palace. Then the Queen noted that the meeting with the Prime Minister was a unique occasion, because the last time they saw each other was 40 years ago: Justin’s father took him to see Elizabeth II when the boy was 3 years old. At the meeting, the Queen noted: “Nice to see you again, but under different circumstances.”. To which the politician retorted: “The last time we met, you were much taller.”.

Today, the queen’s height is 152 cm and her weight is 55 kg.

Personal life

Elizabeth II's personal life changed immediately after coming of age. The princess married a British naval officer, who after the wedding received the title Duke of Edinburgh. The husband of Elizabeth 2 is a descendant of Queen Victoria and a scion of the Greek and Danish royal dynasties. They met when the future Queen Elizabeth II was eight years old, and the romantic relationship between the lovers began in 1939, when the princess visited the naval college, where young Philip was then studying.

Wedding of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband had four children: Anne, Andrew and Edward. The last two were born after their mother’s accession to the British throne. The family tree of the British royal family continues to grow: children have long since acquired their own families and presented the reigning queen with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In the family of Elizabeth II there was and, the first wife of Prince Charles and the mother of and. One of the strongest waves of criticism swept over Elizabeth II when she reacted with obvious delay to a car accident.

Queen Elizabeth II's favorite hobbies are breeding purebred dogs and horse riding. As she grew older, she replaced horses with cars and even today gets behind the wheel herself. By the way, the Queen does not have a driver's license. Even in her old age, Elizabeth II became interested in gardening. She is considered one of the world's most traveled heads of state and has already visited over 130 countries. The personality of Elizabeth II attracts attention and motivates creative people to create works of art. There are many lifetime monuments and sculptures of Elizabeth II. In honor of the queen, bridges and buildings are built, parks and alleys are laid out, stamps and coins are issued, and a variety of roses is even named after the monarch.

Elizabeth II often becomes a character in films. The queen was portrayed on screen, along with a dozen other actresses. And once Queen Elizabeth II herself starred in a promotional video for the opening of the London 2012 Olympics. Together with the actor who portrayed her, she flies to the Olympic Stadium by helicopter and “jumps” with a parachute. For this role, the 87-year-old Queen of Great Britain was awarded the BAFTA film award for best actress.

Royals are prohibited from maintaining social media accounts. However, the royal family has a person who monitors their official " Instagram" And " Twitter", where he posts photos and recordings with the permission of the highest authorities.

It is known that a whole team works on the queen's wardrobe. Experts suggest that Elizabeth's favorite color is blue. It was in clothes of this shade that the woman most often appeared in public. This may be due to the fact that Elizabeth II's eye color is blue. Designers have always noted the elegance and refined taste of the monarch.

Despite her age, Elizabeth II prefers to go without makeup and usually only uses lipstick. The woman puts on her makeup herself.

The Queen has a collection of hats. Elizabeth has more than 5,000 of these hats in her arsenal. Moreover, the monarch appeared in public in each of them.

In 2016, for the Queen's 90th birthday, a documentary film about Elizabeth II was released. Director John Bridcut was allowed to look into the personal video chronicle of the royal family.

Elizabeth II now

In January 2017, subjects were worried about the health of the ruler. Elizabeth II became very ill: the woman was struck down by a cold. For this reason, the Queen missed the Christmas and New Year's services.

In June, the monarch gave a speech from the throne in parliament. Elizabeth II presented the government program for the next two years.

In September, Elizabeth II said she plans to wait for someone other than “Mr. Putin” to rule Russia. According to the British monarch, he has lost touch with reality and there is nothing to talk about with him. The woman is sure that the time will come when Russians will again look at the British with aspiration.

In December, the Queen took part in a hunt at her country residence Sandringham. Sources reported that when the dog brought a wounded pheasant to the monarch’s feet, Elizabeth II was not at a loss and finished off the bird with a cane.

In November 2017, it became known that Prince William's brother, Harry, was officially engaged to the actress. The lovers were scheduled for May 19, 2018. However, Queen Elizabeth II did not give her consent to the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry for a long time, and according to the law regulating royal marriages, before the celebration, the monarch must give official written permission to marry. And only a week before the wedding, Buckingham Palace published the consent of the British Queen. The public was sure that Elizabeth would not approve of Harry’s union with a former actress who had previously been married.

And on May 19, 2018, the whole world watched the royal celebration. 600 guests were invited to the wedding, among whom were, with his wife and others. During the wedding, the queen did not show joyful emotions and never smiled. After the ceremony, Meghan was given the title of Duchess of Sussex.

Now the British public is waiting for Markle to announce her pregnancy and give Prince Harry an heir. The press periodically reports facts that confirm that spouses are striving to have offspring.

In February, the queen rented a plot in the center of Kyiv. The media were tormented by guesses why Elizabeth II needed land in Ukraine. It turned out that the embassies of Canada and Australia, which are members of the British Commonwealth and recognize the authority of the British crown, are located on this site.

On June 18, Elizabeth II attended the traditional ceremony for presenting the highest order of knighthood in Great Britain.

On June 19, an important public event started - the royal races at Ascot. Her Majesty attended this event.

That same month, the Queen's cousin Ivar Mountbatten announced that he planned to marry boyfriend James Coyle. Two years ago, a man caused a real stir in the family when he announced his non-traditional sexual orientation. Until 2011, Ivar was married to a woman named Penelope Thomson. In this marriage, the couple had three children. Ivar's ex-wife knew about her husband's inclinations and supported him. It will be Penny who will lead Ivar to the altar. The woman immediately found a common language with Mountbatten’s lover. This will be the first same-sex marriage in the royal family.

The Queen is scheduled to meet with the President of the United States on July 13, 2018. The working visit of the American leader will take place at Windsor Castle. In addition to meeting with Elizabeth, the president plans to spend several hours with the British Prime Minister.

Scandals

A loud scandal occurred in the 90s associated with Prince Charles. As you know, the man married Diana Spencer, who fell in love with the royal family and the British public, but all his life the queen’s son loved Camilla Shand. However, the monarchs were against their son’s marriage to a rootless girl, so she also quickly found a gentleman. But meetings with the prince did not stop. Diana knew about her husband's infidelities. William and Harry's mother tried to save the marriage, but it didn't work out. In 1992, recordings of a telephone conversation between Charles and Camilla were presented to the public. The words that the lovers said to each other made the royals’ ears “sag.”

Diana then became furious. As a result, the marriage turned into a war that ended in divorce.

After the tragic death of Princess Diana, those who blamed Prince Charles for what happened appeared. We went, and this happened not without the participation of Elizabeth II.

They also said that Prince Philip, the queen's husband, cheated on his wife many times. The woman did not comment on such statements.

In 2012, there was a scandal associated with the name of Prince William and. The future parents of George, Charlotte and Louis were vacationing in a private villa in France. The couple thought that they were alone on the beach, and calmly walked there, either in swimsuits or without any clothes at all. At this moment, the husband and wife were caught by the paparazzi lens.

At one time, the Queen’s sister Margaret “shone” in the center of gossip columns. In her youth, the girl was not allowed to marry for love, and she began to often visit dubious establishments. It was rumored that the ruler's closest relative was addicted to cocaine. Then she married an unloved man, whom she left after 18 years. During and after marriage, the woman did not give up pleasure walks. As a result, Margaret ended her life unhappy in a wheelchair.

The press wrote that Elizabeth II could help her sister and approve a bill that would allow her to marry her loved one. But this did not happen.

Once the queen was even buried. This happened live on the BBC. Then presenter Danny Kelly announced the death of the monarch. Later, the management of the television and radio corporation had to make an official apology to the royal family.

In 2016, there were rumors that the Queen was planning to abdicate in favor of Prince William and Kate Middleton, bypassing Prince Charles. But the rumors remained rumors.

On January 20, 1961, he ascended to the presidency of the United States. Four months later, the man and his wife met with the queen. The couple was invited to dinner. John came to visit Elizabeth II with a gift: the man presented the monarch with his photographic portrait. Historians wonder what the newly minted US president was trying to demonstrate with such a gesture. Elizabeth was surprised, but accepted the gift.

Jacqueline admitted that she was very worried before meeting the queen, but she warmly greeted the president’s wife and, so that she could calm down, showed the first lady a collection of works of art. Nine months later, Jacqueline Kennedy visited the Queen again, alone. And I was delighted with the visit. Six months later, the woman planned to host Elizabeth II, but when it turned out that the queen was pregnant, the meeting was postponed.

On April 12, 1961, a Soviet pilot-cosmonaut made his first flight into space. As a result, the young man turned into a world celebrity. Yuri Alekseevich was invited by foreign governments and organizations, including Great Britain. As a result, the queen herself wanted to talk to Gagarin, inviting the man for breakfast. Contrary to protocol, Elizabeth II sat the astronaut next to her and asked questions. Those present noted that the atmosphere in the hall was relaxed.

Queen Elizabeth II is the only UK resident who does not have a passport.

Interestingly, no one except the husband has the right to touch the Queen in public. And Elizabeth the Second never raises her voice or gives interviews.

“An Unfinished Romance” is a sentimental story of two people who love each other very much, but cannot be together. Both have families and, accordingly, obligations to loved ones. For many years in a row, the heroes have been meeting at the hotel. They have only a few days a year to be with someone without whom life is impossible. It would seem that the story staged by director Natalya Bulyga is pure drama. But no! The production turned out to be fun and light, because love is not necessarily and not always a tragedy. Screen star Maria Poroshina, who, in addition to many other film roles, played the sorceress Svetlana in Timur Bekmambetov’s films “Night Watch” and “Day Watch,” herself invited Yaroslav Boyko to take part in the play “An Unfinished Romance.” For her, the choice of stage partner was obvious. Their creative tandem originated back in 2003, when the series “Always Say Always” was released. The actors turned out to be so organic in the role of a loving couple that the viewer was left with no doubt: of course they were having an affair!

Studio “Kvartal 95” goes on a world tour with concerts of “Evening Kvartal” The “Evening Kvartal” project is a humorous show with a unique format of intellectual humor. And the humor in “Evening Quarter” is always fresh and relevant, sharp and accurate. The special recognizable style of “Kvartal 95” is a combination of good humor and a positive outlook on life, relevance and sharp political satire, as well as an orientation towards universal and family values. “Evening Quarter” has been the most popular show on Ukrainian television for many years, traditionally attracting millions of viewers.

The English irregular verb trainer will help you remember their spelling and meaning. Fill in the empty cells. If you spelled it correctly, the word will change color from red to green. Refresh the page or click the "Start Again" button and you will see the new order of empty cells. Train again!

Modal verbs in English are a class of auxiliary verbs. Modal verbs are used to express ability, necessity, certainty, possibility or likelihood. We use modal verbs if we talk about abilities or possibilities, ask or give permission, ask, offer, etc. Modal verbs are not used independently, but only with the infinitive of the main verb as a compound predicate.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has remained for centuries parliamentary monarchy. Since February 6, 1952, the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been Queen Elizabeth II.

The system of constitutional monarchy is believed to smooth out the contradictions of multi-party politics and provide stability and continuity during periods of political and social change.

The current monarch performs two important functions - is head of state and head of nation .

As Head of State, Queen of Great Britain performs the following duties: participates in the annual opening ceremony of Parliament, meets weekly with prime ministers, receives foreign ambassadors and delegations, makes official visits to foreign countries to maintain the diplomatic and economic relations of his country with others. Many of the monarch's official powers, or "royal prerogatives", are exercised by the monarch in name only, after consultation with the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who are responsible to Parliament's House of Commons. Most prerogatives are exercised in practice by UK Cabinet Ministers. The monarch formally appoints the prime minister (the “kissing hands” ceremony), but in practice he is the head of the party that wins the parliamentary elections. In the event that no party has a majority, the monarch has the right to appoint a prime minister. The current Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, took advantage of this opportunity only once - in 1974, when she appointed Labor member Harold Wilson as Prime Minister. On the advice of the Prime Minister, the monarch has the right to dismiss ministers or the entire Cabinet (a prerogative that British monarchs never exercise). All parliamentary laws are passed in the name of the monarch and come into force after his formal approval.

Formally, the monarch has the right to convene, dissolve and prolong Parliament. But in practice, according to the Parliament Act 1911, Parliament is elected for a period of 5 years and is automatically dissolved after this period.

The oath of allegiance is taken to the monarch, British passports are issued on behalf of the monarch, and the national anthem is called “God Save the Queen.” The image of the monarch appears on banknotes, coins and postage stamps. The incumbent monarch is the head of the Royal Armed Forces and has the formal prerogative to declare war and make peace, enter into international treaties and ratify agreements.

Despite their advanced age, the royal couple continues to perform official duties. In April 2014, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Vatican and met with Pope Francis.

The monarch is considered Source of justice– has the right to appoint judges.

The monarch is Source of honor(conducts investiture ceremonies) - appoints peers, awards orders, knighthoods and other honors (usually on the advice of the prime minister).

Monarch – head of the Church of England. He has the right to appoint archbishops and bishops (on the proposal of the Prime Minister).

Since 1760, funding for the maintenance of the royal family has been carried out according to the Civil List. This means that income from the royal inheritance - the Crown Estate - goes to the UK budget, and is then allocated to the needs of the royal family.

The monarch only formally owns his estate, since it cannot be sold, but can only be transferred to the heir to the throne. Formally, the current monarch owns the county of Lancastershire, the income from which goes to replenish the “personal wallet” of the monarch and is spent on those needs that, by tradition, are not recorded in the Civil List. The County of Cornwall formally belongs to the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom.

As Head of the Nation, Queen Elizabeth II performs an equally important cultural and social function in Great Britain. It provides national identity, symbolizing the unity and pride of the nation, giving the British people a sense of stability and confidence in the future.

The Queen regularly visits different parts of the United Kingdom, her presence is mandatory at ceremonies on the occasion of Remembrance Day for those killed in wars, and at significant sporting events. Everyone remembers the appearance of the Queen in the video with James Bond at the opening of the Olympic Games in London in 2012. In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II opened the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal in Canada as Canada's head of state. The Royal Office sends out thousands of messages of congratulations to citizens celebrating their centenary and sixtieth wedding anniversaries. Every year, Queen Elizabeth II addresses her subjects with a Christmas speech.

Members of the British Royal Family form the line of succession to the throne. First in line is the Queen's eldest son, Charles. The second and third are Charles's eldest son Prince William and his son George. The order of inheritance was determined by the Act of Union of 1800, which established the rule of inheritance according to primogeniture with male priority. The Act of Succession to the Throne of 1701 established the rule that only a monarch professing the Anglican faith could inherit the British throne. According to this law, not only Catholics, but also Anglicans married to Catholics cannot ascend to the British throne.

At the Commonwealth Summit in Australia in October 2011, changes were made to the succession to the throne to avoid discrimination based on gender and religion. In December 2012, this law was approved by the parliaments of the countries that are members of the commonwealth. Now the order of succession is determined by simple seniority and the ban on marriages with Catholics for future monarchs is lifted. Currently in line for succession to the throne are 55 members of the royal family– descendants of Elizabeth II, her sister Princess Margaret and grandfather George V.

Also members royal family distributed by seniority or priority. Thus, the queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, is not among the heirs to the throne, but is the second eldest in the family after the queen. This order of precedence is followed at formal events. For example, during the laying of wreaths on Remembrance Day, the Queen lays the first wreath, the Duke of Edinburgh the second, Prince Charles the third, etc.

Title of Queen Elizabeth II differs for each country that is part of the Commonwealth.

For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland it sounds like this:

"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

"Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other countries and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926 in London at 17 Brewton Street. This house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been installed on the new house at this address. At baptism, the daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon received the name Elizabeth (in honor of her mother) Alexandra (in honor of her great-grandmother) Mary (in honor of her grandmother). Elizabeth II belongs to the Windsor dynasty. Elizabeth's father, Prince Albert, was second in line to the throne. After his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated the throne, he became King George VI, and Elizabeth became the “heir presumptive” (“heir presumptive”). This means that if the king later had a son, he would inherit the throne.

In 1947, Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921), an officer of the British navy who belonged to the Greek and Danish royal families, the great-great-grandson of the British Queen Victoria and the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. To marry Elizabeth, Philip became a naturalized British citizen, changed Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, renounced the titles “Prince of Denmark” and “Prince of Greece”. In return, George VI granted him the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron of Greenwich.

When George VI died on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth and her husband were traveling in Kenya. Princess Elizabeth has already returned to Great Britain as Queen Elizabeth II. Coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II, which took place on June 2, 1953, was first broadcast on television from Westminster Abbey. The first person to take an oath of allegiance to the new queen was her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen has four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward.

Charles, Prince of Wales– born November 14, 1948. Full name Charles (Carl) Philip Arthur George (George) Mountbatten - Windsor. Heir to the throne of Great Britain, field marshal, admiral of the fleet and marshal of the Royal Air Force. Upon accession to the throne, he can choose a royal name - Charles (Charles) III by his first name, or George (George) VII by his fourth.

At birth, Charles received the title “His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh” - “His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh.” Upon ascending the throne of Elizabeth II in 1952, Prince Charles automatically received the title "Duke of Cornwall" and became known as "His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall." In 1969, Elizabeth II held an investiture ceremony, placing the Prince of Wales crown on her son's head. And Charles's official title changed to "His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales."

On July 29, 1981, the wedding of the heir to the throne took place with Diana Spencer. Charles and Diana had two sons: Prince William (born June 21, 1982) and Prince Henry (Harry) (born September 15, 1984). On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles married for the second time, to Camilla Parker Bowles. For the first time in the history of the royal family, the ceremony was performed in a civil manner. Due to the fact that the late wife of Prince Charles, Lady Diana, is still very popular among the British, Camila was given the title not Princess of Wales, but Duchess of Cornwall.

By tradition, Charles is involved in charity work and heads more than 350 charitable societies. His interests include nature conservation and agriculture.

Princess Anne(Anna Elizaveta Alisa Louise) was born on August 15, 1950. Currently in 11th place in the line of succession to the throne. Since 1987 she has held the title of Princess Royal. From her first marriage to Mark Phillips, she had two children: Peter Phillips (1977) and Zara Phillips (1981). Princess Anne, Mark Phillips and Zara Phillips have all represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games in equestrian sport. After her divorce from Mark Phillips, Princess Anne married Vice Admiral Timothy Lawrence.

Prince Andrew(Andrew Albert Christian Edward), Duke of York was born on 19 February 1960. Prince Andrew received the title of Duke of York in 1986 - on his wedding day with Sarah Ferguson. The marriage produced two daughters: Princess Beatrice of York (born 1988) and Eugenie of York (born 1990). The Duke of York is 5th in the line of succession to the British throne.

Prince Edward(Edward Anthony Richards Louis), Earl of Wessex was born on March 10, 1964. In the line of succession to the throne he is in 8th place after his older brothers and their descendants. He received the title of Earl on the day of his wedding to Sophie Rhys-Jones. It was announced that after his father's death he would receive the title of Duke of Edinburgh, and his children would not receive the titles of princes and princesses, but would be treated as children of an earl. The Earl of Wessex has two children: Louisa (born 2003) - “Lady Louise Windsor” and James (born 2007) - “James, Viscount Severn”.

Second in line to the British throne is Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (born 1982) is the son of the Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer. On the day of William's wedding to Kate Middleton, he was granted the title Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergue. Kate Middleton accordingly became the Duchess of Cambridge. On July 22, 2013, the couple had a son, George (Georg) Alexander Louis. Who became third in line of succession to the throne.

Prince Henry of Wales(Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor) - the youngest son of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer was born on September 15, 1984. He is currently 4th in line to the British throne.

When Queen Elizabeth II working, she divides her time between London and Windsor.

Royal palaces are not owned by the queen or royal family. Officially, they are held in “trust for future generations.”

The main royal residence of the British monarch is Buckingham Palace in Westminster. Most state banquets, investitures, receptions of heads of state and foreign ambassadors and other official events are held there. In Buckingham Palace, which most people in the world associate with British royal family, 775 rooms. Including: 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. The total area of the palace is 77 thousand square meters. When the queen is in the palace, the royal standard develops above it; if she is not in the palace, the state standard.

The second most important royal residence is the largest residential castle in the world - Windsor Castle, used by the royal family for weekends.

The main residence in Scotland is Holyroodhouse Castle in Edinburgh. The Queen always spends one week a year there - the so-called “Holyrood week”.

The royal family also owns Clarencehouse (Prince Charles's home) and Kensington Palace.

Her Majesty spends her holidays (August and September) at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire or Sandringhamhouse in Norfolk. They are private residences of the royal family and are not financed from the budget.

A series of scandals related to the divorces of Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, as well as the death of Princess Diana, significantly undermined the authority of the royal family in Great Britain. However, according to polls, more than 60% of Britons are in favor of maintaining the institution of monarchy in the country.

Interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II:

At the Queen's Elizabeth II no passport. Since a British passport is issued on behalf of Her Majesty, the Queen cannot issue a passport to herself. All other members of the royal family, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, hold British passports.
Queen Elizabeth II is the only person in the country who is allowed to drive a car without a registration number and a driver's license. By the way, the Queen received her driver’s license back in 1945.
– this is not a fixed date. Whether it will be the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Saturday of June is decided by the government of the country. On this day, since 1748, a royal military parade has been traditionally held - Trooping the Color.
In Australia queen's birthday celebrated as a public holiday on the second Monday of June. In Western Australia, the monarch's birthday is celebrated at a different time - late September or early October. In New Zealand, the Queen's Birthday is also a public holiday and is celebrated on the first Monday in June. In Canada, the Queen's Birthday is celebrated as a public holiday on the Monday preceding May 24th.
The Queen's actual birthday is April 21st. There are no special events on this day and the queen spends it with her family.
Royal salutes are strictly regulated and
February 6 (day of accession to the throne of Elizabeth II)
April 21 (birthday of Elizabeth II)
June 2 (coronation day of Elizabeth II)
10 June (birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh)
Official Queen's Birthday
Opening of Parliament by the Queen (usually November or December).
The number of shots of the royal salute is also regulated. The main royal salute is 21 shots. In Hyde Park, another 20 shots are added to the main fireworks display. In the Tower - this is added to the main number 21 by 20 and another 21 shots.
Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state of 16 states and is the head of the Commonwealth, consisting of 53 countries. In 1952, at a conference of prime ministers of countries belonging to the Commonwealth, Elizabeth II was proclaimed the head of the association of countries not by right of inheritance, but by right of consent of the member states.
U Queen Elizabeth II there are other official and unofficial titles. For example, in the Maori language it is called “kotuku” - “white heron”. In Papua New Guinea, the queen is called "Mrs Kwin" in pidgin. On the Isle of Man the Queen is called the Sovereign of Man, on the Channel Islands she is the Duchess of Normandy; in the Duchy of Lancaster - she is the Duchess of Lancaster.
During his reign Queen Elizabeth II hosted 12 prime ministers during traditional Tuesday meetings: Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alexander Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron.
Tony Blair became the first prime minister to be born during the reign of Elizabeth II (in May 1953).
During the reign queens Elizabeth II There were 6 archbishops of Canterbury.
U Queen Elizabeth II 9 thrones. One in the House of Lords, 2 in Westminster Abbey and 6 in Buckingham Palace.
Queen should not publicly express her political views and communicates extremely correctly with all the prime ministers of the country, being above political battles. The same goes for members of the royal family, who are not allowed to speak out on political events, so the political views of the Queen and her family remain unknown.
Queen Elizabeth II patronizes more than 620 charitable organizations.
Queen Elizabeth II is the 40th monarch in Great Britain since William the Conqueror.
During his reign Queen Elizabeth II has made official visits to more than 130 countries and made more than 250 trips. In October 1994, the Queen paid an official visit to Russia.
The Queen made most of her trips on the yacht Britannia, which was built in 1954 and decommissioned in 1997. The total distance that Britain has traveled over the years is more than a million nautical miles.
At the Queen's Elizabeth II there were more than 30 dogs of the favorite breed corgi. She received her first dog of this breed, Susan, as a gift for her eighteenth birthday. All other dogs are descendants of Susan. The Queen is even the creator of a new breed of dogs - Dorgi, which came from mixing her corgis with Princess Margaret's dachshund.
Queen Elizabeth II sent her first email in 1976, and the first official royal website was created in 1997.
Legally, whales, dolphins and sturgeon in UK seas belong to the Crown. Because the country still has in force a 1324 statute, passed during the reign of Edward II, stating that the monarch owns dolphins, whales and sturgeon, living and dead, within the country's territorial waters.
Queen Elizabeth II is a major employer: the royal residences employ about 1,200 people in positions ranging from kitchen workers to private secretaries.
During her reign, the Queen received more than 3 million letters. If you want to write a letter to the Queen Elizabeth II, then you need to send it to:

Elizabeth fell in love with Philip at first sight: they met when she was 13 years old and he was 18. The well-built blond, cadet at the Royal Naval College, immediately fell in love with Philip. A correspondence began between her and Philip.

2. Elizabeth's parents were against her marriage to Philip.

Philip comes from a royal family: at birth he bore the title of Prince of Greece and Denmark. However, Philip's family was expelled from Greece. Leaving his native country, his relatives settled in Paris, and Philip was sent to London, where he studied, received the rank of midshipman and went to serve in the navy during World War II. Although the young man wrote long and tender letters to the future Queen of England from the front, Elizabeth’s relatives were not at all delighted with their daughter’s choice. They believed that Philip was not a match for the princess - his family was ruined. The only inheritance Philip received from his father was a signet ring.

3. Philip had to renounce his title and religion

The wedding of Philip and Elizabeth, however, still took place. True, for her sake the young man had to sacrifice a lot. So, he ceased to be called a Greek prince, became a British subject and converted from Orthodoxy to Anglicanism. He was ready to forever remain in history as the queen's husband.

4. Elizabeth and Philip's wedding was modest

Elizabeth and Philip got married at the end of 1947 - the war had just ended... By royal standards, the wedding was quite modest, although very beautiful. The dress for the main day in her life was made by court designer Norman Hartnell, who was inspired by Sandro Botticelli’s painting “Spring”. “I discovered a painting by Botticelli in the museum, which depicted a girl in ivory silk flowing along her body, strewn with flowers, asparagus and rosebuds. I recreated all this flora using crystal beads and pearls,” he recalled. Elizabeth's head was adorned with her mother's precious tiara, and a five-meter veil was carried by two pages. The outfit was completed with satin heeled sandals, the silver buckles of which were decorated with pearls.

5. Philip became the first to swear an oath of allegiance to Elizabeth as queen

Elizabeth and Philip were inseparable after their wedding. The girl took care of the house and was happy as a wife. Soon the couple had children - Charles and Anna. But in February 1952 the family's quiet life ended. The King of England and Elizabeth's father, George VI, died of a blood clot in the heart... Philip became the first to bend the knee and take an oath of allegiance to Elizabeth II as queen.

6. At first, Elizabeth forbade Philip from giving his children his last name.

After Elizabeth's coronation, Philip had to not only leave his naval service, but devote himself entirely to royal duties. He accompanied the queen on all her trips, helped her in state affairs... The man dreamed that his wife and children would bear his surname, but then the Windsors would officially cease to be rulers - and the Mountbattens would become rulers. Just the thought of this caused indignation among all Elizabeth's relatives. The Queen consulted with Prime Minister Winston Churchill and refused her husband's request to assign his surname to Charles and Anne. Philip was very worried and joked bitterly, calling himself the only person in the country who could not give his own surname to his own children.

7. Philip and Elizabeth were on the verge of divorce

In the mid-50s, Elizabeth was completely absorbed in state affairs, and Philip suffered because he had to leave his service in the navy. The relationship between the spouses became cool and, perhaps, things were even heading towards divorce - but the Duke unexpectedly found himself involved in charity work. And then Elizabeth became pregnant again - and suddenly allowed her husband to give the newborn, a boy, Andrew, his last name. The royal couple's fourth child, Edward, also took his father's surname. Thus, the couple's eldest children, Charles and Anne, bear the surname Windsor, while the younger ones, Andrew and Edward, bear the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.