Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, born 21 April 1926) is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, 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. As Head of the Commonwealth, she is the figurehead of the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations; as the British monarch, she is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
Miley Cyrus meets the Queen of England
Ascended British and Commonwealth thrones on February 6th, 1952.
Was crowned in Westminster Abbey in London on June 2, 1953. This coronation became the first major international television broadcast.
Son, Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, born Nov. 14, 1948.
Son, ‘Prince Andrew” Albert Christian Edward, born Feb. 19, 1960.
Son, Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis, (aka Edward Wessex )born March 10, 1964.
Daughter, Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, born Aug. 15, 1950.
Daughter of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and King George VI.
Owns one of the world’s largest private collections of postage stamps.
She formally approves all government legislation, though she does this on the advice of the Prime Minister. It would create a massive crisis if she did not approve a piece of legislation.
She enjoys watching horse-racing, “Doctor Who” and the British comedy “Last of the Summer Wine” (1973) .
She has owned over 30 corgis over the years, and her four current dogs are named Pharos, Swift, Emma, and Linnet (as of February 2002).
Sister of Princess Margaret
Formerly the mother-in-law of Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson.
Grandmother of Peter Phillips, Zara Phillips, Prince William Windsor, Prince Harry Windsor, ‘Princess Beatrice’, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and James Mountbatten-Windsor (Viscount Severn).
Granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary.
Niece of King Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor), Mary the Princess Royal (aka Victoria, 1897-1965), Prince Henry (Duke of Gloucester), Prince George (Duke of Kent), and Prince John (1905-1919).
Great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
First cousin, twice removed, of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Tsarina Alexandra and Queen Victoria Eugenia.
Aunt of David Armstrong-Jones (Viscount Linley) and Sarah Armstrong-Jones.
First cousin of the Duke of Gloucester.
Earned her nickname “Lillibet” as a child, when she could not pronounce her name.
Measurements: 36B-22 1/2-35 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Great-granddaughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
Not including the United Kingdom, she is Queen of over a dozen countries, including Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Since she does not live in those countries, though she visits often, much of her duties are performed by a Governor General who she appoints on the advice of the Prime Minister of the country in question. It is important to note that neither the sovereign nor the Governors General, have had any hand in governing these countries since the 1930s, and their roles are purely ceremonial.
She owns the world’s finest Pink Diamond, It forms the Centre of a flower brooch and weights 54.50 carats.
Although most of the “Crown Jewels” are owned by the state, the British Royal Family do own one of the most valuable collection of jewels in the world, containing some of the worlds largest diamonds, Emeralds, Sapphires, and Rubies.
Time Magazine’s “Man (or Person) of the Year” (1953)
Learnt to drive in 1945 when she joined the Army.
Is fluent in French.
Has sat for 139 official portraits to date.
Has visited the sets of Britain’s most popular soap operas “Coronation Street” (1960), “EastEnders” (1985) and “Emmerdale Farm” (1972).
Has received over 3 million items of correspondence during her reign.
At the time of her coronation, her favorite actors were Laurence Olivier, Gary Cooper and Dirk Bogarde.
Is portrayed by Helen Mirren in The Queen (2006).
Has never held a drivers license, despite driving an ambulance in WWII.
The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated her net worth at $442 million.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became Queen in a tree house. At the time of her father’s death she was staying at the Treetops Hotel. It is literally built into the tops of the trees of the Aberdares National Park as a tree house, offering the guests a close view of the local wildlife in complete safety. It was there that, uniquely, she “went up a Princess and came down a Queen”. She was the first British monarch since the Act of Union in 1801 to be outside the country at the moment of succession, and also the first in modern times not to know the exact time of her accession (because her father, George VI, had died in his sleep at an unknown time). On the night her father died, Sir Horace Hearne, then Chief Justice of Kenya, escorted The Princess Elizabeth, as she then was, to a state dinner at the Treetops Hotel. Upon finding out that she was now Queen she returned immediately to Britain.
Has 8 grandchildren:Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (b. 21 June 1982), and Prince Henry Charles Albert David (b. 15 September 1984, Prince Charles’ sons), Peter Mark Andrew Phillips (b. 15 November 1977) and Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips (b. 15 May 1981, Princess Anne’s children), Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary (b. 8 August 1988) and Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena (b. 23 March 1990, Prince Andrew’s daughters), Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary (b. 8 November 2003) and James Alexander Philip Theo, Viscount Severn (b. 17 December 2007, Prince Edward’s children).
