'I promise to devote my whole life to serving you': the amazing fate of 94-year-old Elizabeth II
'21.04.2020'
Source: lady.tut.by
Who would have thought that one day she would become the longest reigning monarch in world history, because she was far from the first in the line for the throne? Who would have imagined that her marriage, which was so criticized by society and her inner circle, would happily mark its 70th anniversary? Who would have predicted that in the IT age it was thanks to her that interest in the monarchy would not only not weaken, but would only become stronger? In one article, it is simply impossible to list all the facts of her unique biography, so we will dwell on the most-most, writes Lady.tut.by.
Elizabeth II, and it will be specifically about her, was born on April 21, 1926 in the family of Prince Albert and Elizabeth Bose-Lyon. The young princess was named Elizabeth Alexandra Maria. The first name was chosen by the pope: he wanted it to be "like the duchess". Grandfather King George V approved: “Bertie discussed the name of the girl with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Mary. The names are all good, I told him so. ” True, in the early years, none of them were used. In the family, the princess was called by the diminutive name "Lilibet."
Elizabeth was almost ten when the royal grandfather was gone. Her uncle, King Edward, ascended the throne. True, his reign did not last even a year: once again confirming the truth, "that kings cannot marry for love," he voluntarily abdicated in favor of his younger brother. Suddenly, the young princess becomes the number one heiress.
Together with her parents, she moves to the magnificent Buckingham Palace. She is given an excellent education: the princess studies law, foreign languages, religion and art. He is engaged in horse riding. Looking ahead, we say that the future queen will carry her love for horses, dogs and hunting through her whole life. Of all the breeds, he prefers the Welsh Corgi. True, in recent years he has refused to make new pets: he does not want them to survive their beloved mistress and suffer.
But let us return to her childhood, beginning with which Lilibet performed the duties of a princess assigned to her by her family. When Elizabeth was 13 years old, the Second World War began. And then she first appeared on the radio with an appeal to children affected by the bombing. At 18, she became one of the five state advisers who have the right to fulfill the functions of a king in the absence of him. The princess also enters the women's self-defense detachment and undergoes military service (the first of the women of the royal family): drives and repairs ambulances, having risen to the rank of lieutenant.
On her adulthood, at age 21, she made a very simple but promising statement on the radio:
“I want to make one statement now. Very simple. I declare to all of you that my whole life, long or short, will be dedicated to serving you and that great empire to which we all belong. ”
And so it happened. But before that, 21-year-old Elizabeth got married. Her chosen one is 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten, an officer in the British Navy, a participant in World War II and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. They met back in 1934, and five years later a romantic relationship began between them. Philip's family was noble, but very poor. The king-father was not enthusiastic about the choice of his daughter, but she managed to find the right words for persuasion.
The lovers got married at Westminster Abbey, and a year later their first-born, Charles, was born. Two years later, Elizabeth gave her beloved daughter Anna. In total, the couple has four children. Princes Andrew and Edward were born after their mother ascended the throne. The queen found time to go on maternity leave.
She became the queen in 1952. The sad news of the death of his beloved father found them with her husband in Kenya, during a visit to the countries of the Commonwealth. There she was proclaimed the Queen of Great Britain. And on June 2, 1953, Elizabeth was crowned in Westminster Abbey. For the first time, the coronation of the British monarch was broadcast on television and gathered an audience of a record 27 million people.
For her reign, Elizabeth heard a lot of criticism and rave reviews. However, even opponents could never reproach the queen for the fact that she refers to her duties through the sleeves.
Every Tuesday at six in the evening she meets to talk and exchange views with the current Prime Minister: in person or by phone. “Everyone who thinks that meetings are a mere formality or social convention is deeply mistaken. In fact, they are held in a relaxed business atmosphere, and Her Majesty always demonstrates her ability to cover a wide range of problems and her wide experience, ”recalled Margaret Thatcher, the former head of the UK government.
Every day, the Queen scans several dozen government documents, returning them with her notes. And with the help of his assistants, he answers correspondence (up to three hundred letters arrive every day in the palace).
The Queen also constantly meets with the heads of other states and people who have earned a calling in various fields of activity. In different years, Elizabeth II met with the couple Kennedy and Ceausescu, Khrushchev and Barack Obama, Marilyn Monroe and The Beatles, astronauts Armstrong and Gagarin. For the first time in 450 years, the pope paid a visit to Great Britain: the Queen, as the head of the Church of England, hosted the head of the Catholics of John Paul II.
The queen is strict in the observance of palace etiquette: she does not give interviews, never takes off her gloves, does not allow herself to be touched first (only to her husband), and when Russian President Vladimir Putin was late for a meeting with the queen for 12 minutes, she came back to see him off with a similar delayed. At the same time, Elizabeth forgot about etiquette and about her own safety, when in 1986 she sailed on her yacht Britannia to one of the subordinate countries and found out about the beginning of the civil war in Yemen. She immediately changed course to evacuate as many people as possible on board. And thereby saved over a thousand lives.
Elizabeth II is a famous innovator. She became the first British monarch to congratulate his subjects on Christmas on television. The first in the UK to make a trunk call and the first among the heads of state to use email. And it also approved a new law of succession: according to it, male heirs lose priority over women.
The style of Elizabeth II will not be confused with any other. Not only boards, but also in clothes: a hat and coat (dress) of rich colors, shoes with a modest heel (with a height of 152 cm), gloves and a handbag in tone. Her collection of 5000 hats. Favorite color is blue-blue. The Queen neglects decorative cosmetics, using only lipstick, which she applies herself. For a long time, the weight of Elizabeth II is unchanged at 55 kg.
In adolescence, the Queen was most troubled by her adorable younger sister, Princess Margaret: she loved noisy parties, provocative antics and romance with handsome men.
But it turned out that all these were just flowers: when the four children of the queen grew up and a huge number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and newfound relatives appeared. The Queen experiences the greatest stresses not by controlling her influential power, but by calming the passions, which every now and then boil in a noble family.
The “most terrible year” was certainly 1992, when three of her children divorced, and a terrible fire occurred in Windsor Castle. Especially painful was the divorce of the first-born Charles and the “people's” Princess Diana, which was preceded by several years of media scandals. For some reason, it was the queen, and not the cheater prince, who was blamed for the collapse of this family. Elizabeth also got a belated reaction to the death of Lady Dee in a car accident 5 years later. But didn’t her mother-in-law of royal blood really love her ex-daughter-in-law, if she didn’t allow her beloved eldest one to have a magnificent wedding with the lovable Camilla Parker Bowles? Moreover, she did not even mention her name in the wedding greeting. And instead of a fun feast, after a modest wedding ceremony, I went to watch the races on TV with the newly-married ex-husband!
He inherits from the queen and in appearance the ideal wife of William's grandson, Lady Catherine of Cambridge. First, Kate received a reprimand for working part-time, when the recession in the British economy. Then she was scolded for refusing to perform monastic duties during the toxicosis of each of the three pregnancies. And the parents of the duchess have never received an invitation for Christmas at Sandringham Palace for the long years of marriage.
But the queen is supportive of the younger grandson of Harry and his rebel wife Megan Markle. She allowed them to relinquish their authority, leave England and live the private life of philanthropists and philanthropists, quietly raising a young son.
But to whom the queen favors unconditionally is to her great-grandchildren: only with them does she behave like a grandmother, and not as the ruling monarch of a state - a leader among world powers.
Today she is 94 years old. For the first time in 68 years of her reign in the country there will be no large-scale celebration and salute due to the epidemic of coronavirus. The health of subjects is above all. There will be a regular dinner in a narrow family circle and a traditional post on social networks. Where everyone can leave their congratulations. Buckingham Palace assures that the queen will read each with pleasure.
As members of the royal family congratulated Elizabeth II
A film about the Queen's childhood and adolescence was published on the official Instagram of the royal family, with the caption: "Happy birthday, Your Majesty!" and thanking the account subscribers for the congratulations.
On their official Instagram page, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge posted a photo taken in 2019 at the Chelsea flower show.
“Congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen on her 94th birthday!” Is the picture signed.
The same signature can be seen on the official instagram of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla. The account has published a selection of photos with Elizabeth II, Charles, Camilla and Queen's daughter Princess Anne.
How Elizabeth II will celebrate her birthday
The queen asked not to arrange a salute in honor of her birthday, writes Limon postimees. According to the monarch, salute is not appropriate in the current circumstances.
This means that volleys of guns on the birthday of Elizabeth II will not sound for the first time in all 68 years of her reign.
In turn, the flags of Great Britain at state institutions will be posted according to the adopted protocol.
This year, the queen will limit herself to a symbolic celebration in a narrow circle, but she will publish her traditional post on social networks.
Recall that the UK is one of the countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country ranks fifth in the list of epidemiologically unfavorable countries.
According to "Lenta.ru", the Queen will celebrate her 94th birthday with a video conference with relatives.
Now the queen is isolated in Windsor Castle with her husband, 98-year-old Prince Philip. Other members of the royal family will not be able to visit her on her birthday due to the strict isolation regime introduced due to the threat of the spread of coronavirus.
The assistants plan to organize video calls to allow Elizabeth II's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to wish her a happy birthday.
A representative of Buckingham Palace noted that all calls will be made privately.
