Elizabeth I was the Queen of England and Ireland from 1558 to 1603. She was sometimes called “The Virgin Queen” because she never married. Elizabeth was born in 1533, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Her mother was executed when Elizabeth was two years old, and she became a ward of her stepmother, Catherine Parr. When Elizabeth was four years old, her half-sister Mary I became queen, and Elizabeth spent much of her childhood in fear of being killed by Mary. After Mary’s death in 1558, Elizabeth succeeded her as queen.
During her reign, Elizabeth faced many challenges, including a rebellion led by her cousin Thomas Wyatt and the threat of invasion by the Spanish Armada. Elizabeth was a skillful politician, and she navigated these challenges successfully. She also promoted the arts, and her court became a center of culture. Elizabeth’s reign is remembered as a golden age in English history.
Elizabeth died childless in 1603, and her cousin James VI of Scotland became king of England as James I. Elizabeth was the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty.
Elizabeth II was born in London on April 21, 1926, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth). She was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary and was third in line to the British throne at the time of her birth. Her grandfather, King George V, was on the throne, followed by her uncle, Edward VIII, and then her father. When she was just a few months old, her parents took her on a tour of Australia and New Zealand; it was the first time a reigning monarch had ever visited those countries.
In 1936, Elizabeth’s grandfather died and her father became King George VI. She was just 10 years old at the time and became the heir presumptive, meaning she would become queen if her father died and her uncle (who had abdicated the throne in order to marry a divorcee) did not have any children.
Elizabeth had a relatively normal childhood for a princess, attending private schools and going on family holidays, but her life changed dramatically when World War II broke out in 1939. The royal family moved from London to Windsor Castle to escape the bombs falling on the capital during the Blitz. Elizabeth and her sister, Margaret, were also evacuated to various parts of the country during this time to keep them safe from the conflict.
As the war went on, Elizabeth took on more royal duties, undertaking her first solo engagement at the age of 14 when she visited the Gosport War Memorial Hospital. She also began to learn the skills she would need as a future monarch, such as public speaking and diplomacy.
In 1947, Elizabeth married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and they went on to have four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Andrew, Duke of York; and Edward, Earl of Wessex.
Elizabeth became Queen in 1952 when her father died unexpectedly at the age of 56. She was just 25 years old at the time and was on a tour of Africa with Prince Philip when she learned that she was now the Monarch. She immediately returned to Britain and was crowned Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.
In the early years of her reign, Elizabeth II was widely popular, both at home and abroad. She undertook numerous royal tours, including a highly successful visit to the United States in 1957. This was the first time a reigning British monarch had ever visited the country and the trip helped to ease tensions between Britain and the US following the Suez Crisis of 1956.
Elizabeth II’s popularity took a hit in the 1960s as she was seen as being out of touch with the changing times. The young princesses, Anne and Margaret, were much more in line with the new generation than their mother and were often pictured enjoying themselves at nightclubs and parties. In contrast, Elizabeth II was seen as being staid and conservative.
However, the 1970s saw a resurgence in Elizabeth II’s popularity. She was praised for her composure during periods of national crisis, such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands. She was also praised for her support of her husband, Prince Philip, during his difficult period of adjustment after he was forced to give up his naval career when she became queen.
The 1980s were a decade of mixed fortunes for Elizabeth II. She received widespread criticism for her handling of the marriage breakdown of her son, Charles, and his wife, Diana. However, she was widely praised for her dignity and strength following the deaths of Diana in a car accident in 1997 and her mother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, in 2002.
The early 21st century has been a period of relative stability for Elizabeth II. She has undertaken several successful royal tours, including a highly successful visit to Australia in 2006. In 2012, she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years on the throne.
Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning British monarch and is currently the oldest monarch in the world. She shows no signs of slowing down and continues to undertake royal duties on behalf of the UK both at home and abroad.
On Thursday September 8th, 2021, at the age of 96, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral after a brief illness.
Queen Elizabeth II Death EssayQueen Elizabeth II death was a momentous event for the world. It marked the end of an era for one of the most influential and respected monarchs in history.
England, and the Commonwealth countries under her rule, are mourning her loss. Her death also creates a period of transition for the British monarchy, as her son Prince Charles is now the heir to the throne. Here is a look at some of the key events surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
