Elizabeth II

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born 21 April 1926) is the queen regnant of 16 independent states and their overseas territories and dependencies. queen regnantdependencies

Though she holds each crown and title separately and equally, and carries out duties in and on behalf of the other states of which she is monarch, Elizabeth is resident in and most directly involved with the United Kingdom, her oldest realm; part of her lineage traces through the royal houses of England, Wessex, and Scotland for over 1500 years.England WessexScotland

She ascended the thrones of seven countries in February 1952, on the death of her father King George VI.

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, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, in each of which she is represented by a Governor-General.Canada AustraliaNew ZealandJamaica BarbadosBahamasGrenadaPapua New GuineaSolomon IslandsTuvalu Saint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesBelizeAntigua and BarbudaSaint Kitts and NevisGovernor-General

The 16 countries of which she is Queen are known informally and unofficially as Commonwealth realms; their combined population, including dependencies, is over 129 million, and their total land area makes Elizabeth one of only a few monarchs to reign over parts of every continent on earth. In theory her powers are vast; however, in practice (and in accordance with convention ), she rarely intervenes in political matters. Commonwealth realms

Elizabeth II also 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 FijiHead of the CommonwealthSupreme Governor of the Church of EnglandDuke of Normandy Lord of Mann Paramount Chief of Fiji

Elizabeth was born at 17 Bruton Street, in Mayfair, London, the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Elizabeth, Duchess of York, the first granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary. Mayfair Prince Albert, Duke of York Elizabeth, Duchess of YorkGeorge VMary

Elizabeth was named after her mother, while her two middle names are those of her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and grandmother, respectively. As a child, her close family called her Lilibet. Winston Churchill describedWinston Churchill her when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant.“ Her cousin, Margaret Rhodes,Margaret Rhodes described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved". Her only sibling was Princess MargaretPrincess Margaret, born in The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion CrawfordMarion Crawford, who was casually known as Crawfie.

To the dismay of the royal family, Crawford later published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses, which describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness and responsibility.

Since 1947, Elizabeth has been married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The couple have four children and eight grandchildren. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh The marriage was not without controversy: Philip was GreekGreek OrthodoxOrthodox, had no financial standing, and had sisters who had married Nazi supporters.Nazi Elizabeth's mother was reported, in later biographies, to have strongly opposed the union. Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, he surname adopted by his mother's family. Just before the wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style of His Royal Highness.

Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles, on 14 November 1948,Prince Charles

Though the Royal House is named Windsor, it was decreed through a British Order-in-Council in 1960, that those male-line descendants of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip who were not princes and princesses of the United Kingdom should have the personal surname Mountbatten-Windsor. In practice, however, all of their children have used Mountbatten- Windsor as their surname. A second child, Princess Anne was born in 1950.Royal HouseWindsorOrder-in-Council Mountbatten-Windsor Princess Anne

Charles Philip Arthur George, whose family name is Windsor, was born in London at Buckingham Palace on Nov. 14, Unlike previous heirs to the throne, who were educated at the palace by tutors, Prince Charles went to boarding schools. He attended Cheam School in Headley and Gordonstoun School in Scotland, where his father Prince Philip, the duke of Edinburgh, had also studied.

Charles studied archaeology and anthropology at Trinity College of Cambridge University, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1970—the first ever earned by an heir to the Crown. He took time off to study the Welsh language in preparation for his investiture (ceremonial inauguration) as prince of Wales on July 1, 1969.

After attending the Royal Air Force College and the Royal Naval College, Charles had a tour of duty in the Royal Navy until He piloted aircraft and served on ships. On July 29, 1981, Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, the daughter of an English earl, in a wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral that was televised worldwide.

Prince William, their first son and second in line for the throne, was born on June 21, A second son, Henry (called Harry), was born on Sept. 15, Charles and Diana announced their separation in 1992 and were divorced in Diana died in an automobile accident on Aug. 31, 1997.

Do you know the people? Diana, Princess of Wales

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Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles