Queen Elizabeth II, born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor on April 21, 1926, today officially celebrates her 95th birthday. Against the background of the recent loss of Her Majesty and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the celebration of the holiday will be deprived of its usual splendor and public fanfare.
The usual venue for the traditional parade on the occasion of the official celebration of the Queen’s birthday is Buckingham Palace. For the second year in a row, however, the modest event will be at Windsor Castle.
For Elizabeth II, this will be the first parade in 73 years without her husband Prince Philip, who died on April 9 at the age of 99. At this year’s event, the Queen will be accompanied by her first cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
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Photo: AP / BTA
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WITHWhy does Elizabeth II celebrate her birthday twice a year?
It may seem excessive, but British monarchs celebrate their birthdays twice a year – once on the date they were born (April 21 in the case of Queen Elizabeth II) and again in early June. The date in June was chosen in part because of the notorious whimsical British weather. On the eve of summer, the British can count on a certain amount of sunshine, and even then the gardens of Buckingham Palace, when the parade takes place there, are a splendor of blooming flowers.
How did Elizabeth withstand the weather during World War II, which turned out to be a period of formation for her?
Elizabeth was a young princess during World War II. For security reasons, her father, King George VI, sent her and her sister, Princess Margaret, to Windsor Castle, 40 miles west of London. Princess Elizabeth later persuaded her parents to allow her to serve in the British Army, where she trained as a mechanic and driver of ambulances and military trucks.
When did Princess Elizabeth become queen?
Elizabeth’s life changed forever in 1936, when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated in order to marry the divorced American Wallis Simpson. Her father, George, became king, and Elizabeth became heiress to the throne. Over time, King George VI’s health deteriorated. In 1952, he was unable to undertake the planned tour of the British Commonwealth. Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip leave instead. The couple was in a remote part of Kenya on February 6, 1952, when Elizabeth learned of the king’s death. After his death, she automatically became queen, although the official coronation took place more than a year later.
Has Queen Elizabeth II ever complained publicly?
Not never. However, the moment Her Majesty demonstrated human vulnerability was in 1992. At that time, she made the rare confession that her life, viewed from the side, seemed perfect, marked by the marital problems of three of her four children. However, Queen Elizabeth II did not complain in English. Her Majesty resorted to Latin to describe 1992 as “annus horribilus”. In the same year, a large fire broke out in the beloved by the queen Windsor Castle.
Who is Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite prime minister?
Only Her Majesty knows the answer to this question. Even if asked, she would not answer. During its record-breaking rule, Britain has replaced 14 prime ministers and the United States 13 presidents.
Is Queen Elizabeth II planning to retire?
Her Majesty shows no signs of such an intention. At the time, she described her position as a “lifelong job.” The Queen Mother lived to be 101 years old, and even in the last years of her life she was in good condition and appeared in public almost to the end.
Crown Prince Charles is now 72 years old. Is it possible for Queen Elizabeth II to arrange for her grandson, Prince William, to succeed her to the throne?
No. Britain is a constitutional monarchy and follows the rule of succession.
What makes Her Majesty’s subjects respect their queen?
Elizabeth II was respected for her dignified conduct throughout her reign, as well as for her loyalty to duty. “Respect for her has grown in recent years as people appreciate how exemplary Her Majesty performs her duties, despite her advanced age. She can easily be called the mother of the nation,” said Pauline McLaren, author of King’s Fever: The British monarchy in consumer culture “.
Five years ago, when Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday, then-British Prime Minister David Cameron praised Her Majesty’s administration, calling it a “scale of stability in an ever-changing world, admiring her selfless sense of service and duty.” “.
Overcoming a number of obstacles and challenges in her long life, Queen Elizabeth II has always “maintained her dignity, her sense of duty and her hairstyle,” said actress Helen Mirren, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Her Majesty in the film. The Queen. Mirren dedicated her award to Elizabeth II. In her speech of thanks, the actress praised the “courage and perseverance” of the monarch.
“She is always firmly on the ground, with a hat on her head, a bag in her hand, withstanding many, many storms,” the Oscar winner said at the time.
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Photo: AP / BTA
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Elizabeth II and American Presidents: From Truman to Biden
Since taking the throne (1952), the Queen has met with 11 of the 12 elected presidents (all except Lyndon Johnson).
Her last meeting was with Joe Biden yesterday, bringing together G7 leaders at the Royal Botanic Gardens.
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