Is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II still alive? The Balance of Power: The Story of the Happy Marriage of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The Queen's wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell.
Just imagine: 70 years hand in hand, she and he, Elizabeth and Philip, the queen and her devoted husband. We decided to recall how the story of one of the longest-playing marriages in history developed royal family.
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Phillip, December 1, 1958Little Elizabeth did not even think about the throne: her uncle was to become king, her place in line for the throne was completely hopeless, and therefore the future ruler hardly suspected imminent changes in her fate. But Edward VIII unexpectedly abandoned the crown for the love of a dysfunctional American, and Elizabeth's father was at the helm, the girl at that time was only ten years old, at a very young age, Princess Lilibet (as her family called her) turned into Crown Princess Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth, it must be said, was distinguished by an iron character from childhood, so that, despite the plans of her crowned parents, the future ruler of Great Britain was sure that she would marry a farmer. And better: for a horse breeder, Elizabeth passionately loved horses and horseback riding from an early age, so the owner of a dozen stables as a spouse would be very useful. True, later Lilibet nevertheless abandoned the tempting idea, because she fell in love with a sailor cadet, which, by the way, in the opinion of the royal family, was little better than a farmer.
Philip Prince of Greece and Denmark was born in 1921 on the island of Corfu into a royal family that had lost power. His grandfather, King George I of Greece, was killed in 1913, his uncle was overthrown from the throne, and his father, having fallen into a severe depression after losing all his regalia, fled Greece in disgrace, taking his whole family with him. Later, Philip's parents broke up - Prince Andrei settled in Monte Carlo, where he enthusiastically squandered his family fortune, ex-wife with the children she moved to Paris, where she soon lost her mind because of all the troubles that befell her family. After the sad event, Philip was taken to his father, he sent the boy to a closed school so that he would not interfere with daddy to have fun and practically forgot about him. A few years later, Philip, on his own, without a penny in his pocket, reached England, where he was sheltered by relatives. Yes, Elizabeth's parents definitely did not want such a betrothed for their daughter. And although the closest relatives from the side of the groom more than once hinted to the Queen Mother and King George about a possible wedding, they only brushed it off, they had more decent options. But Elizabeth, having once seen the prince, could not think of anyone else, so the plans of her parents did not bother her at all. At all the events where the poor prince and the crown princess had a chance to meet, Elizabeth followed Philip with her tail, and it seems, despite the hopes of her parents, she was not going to deviate from her intended goal.
The future husband of Elizabeth graduated from his studies in 1940 with the rank of midshipman. In order to enlist in the British Navy, he is forced to renounce all his titles and become Prince Mountbatten. Already in the status of a British military man, Philip went to the front, from where he wrote the most tender and passionate letters to his Lilibet, but his parents, however, were still adamant. There is an opinion that even during the war, taking advantage of the absence of his son, the terminally ill Prince Andrew asked George VI for consent to the marriage between Philip and Elizabeth, but immediately received a categorical refusal. Firstly, by that time the groom's family had become completely impoverished, and secondly, what seemed to be much bigger problem- during the war, almost the entire family of Philip was on the side of the Nazis - his sisters Margarita, Theodora and Sophia married Nazi officers. Such a relationship could cast a shadow on the reputation of the British monarchy. Neither Elizabeth nor Philip knew anything about such a maneuver, the lovers were simply waiting for a meeting after a long separation. By the way, Elizabeth herself wanted to go to the front, but her father strictly forbade the girl to do this - the crown princess had to be left safe and sound.
Upon returning home, Philip first went to his beloved. During the hostilities, other contenders for the hand of the future queen melted into the air, someone got married, someone simply preferred to continue the search. There was no one left but Philip. It was impossible to move on. Fans of the English royal family say that Elizabeth, unable to wait any longer, made an offer to Philip herself, as once her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria - genes make themselves felt. Parents, although they were not completely satisfied, nevertheless agreed to the marriage, Elizabeth's stubbornness was indestructible.
The engagement was announced in July 1947. The wedding was scheduled for November of that year. According to tradition, the wedding took place in Westminster Abbey. If the bride was represented by the entire British court, then the groom was allowed to invite to the celebration only his mother, who for many years had been balancing on the verge of reality and non-existence. As expected, the father accompanied the bride to the altar. She wore an ivory satin dress embroidered with thousands of pearls and crystal beads. It took the court fashion designer Sir Norman Harnell several months to create it. However, rich outfits with incredibly long trains are in honor of this royal family - remember at least Princess Diana.
After the wedding, the newlyweds were active social life, went to races, attended social events and even from time to time appeared on dance floors, where representatives of by no means high society were found. It was then that the first rumors arose about the free temper of the prince. Tired of constant surveillance - on the heels of Philip was the secretary, who in fact was called upon to observe the honor of the queen, and of the prince at the same time, the journalists did not give a moment's rest - Lilibet increasingly showed an iron character, insisting on her own, making decisions without consulting with her husband, in short, was preparing in full force to become a queen not only in the country, but also in own family. The romantic prince spent more and more time away from his young wife, and, judging by the assurances of experts, he even fell in love with the singer Pat Kirkwood. True, the couple never got to bed, in spite of everything, Philip was devoted to his queen, probably, sometimes he just needed to forget that his fate was to always be the shadow of a crowned wife.
The conversations stopped after Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Charles. Then the couple left together for Malta, where Philip was sent on duty. Everything calmed down, maybe it was then that the strong, strong-willed, unbending Crown Princess Elizabeth truly felt like a wife and mother. She cooked on her own, invited the wives of Philip's colleagues to visit, gossiped and played with little Charles. Harmony and happiness collapsed in one second - King George VI of England died. Philip was the first to know of his death. At this time, he and Elizabeth were touring Kenya, and he knew that this news would be a real shock for his wife. Philip has always been the main support for his wife. And he became the first who, traditionally bowing the knee, took an oath of allegiance to his queen: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your lifelong vassal and lowest servant; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you, no matter what happens. God help me!"
After the ascension of Elizabeth to the throne, a serious dispute broke out at the court. After the death of George VI, Philip's uncle, Dickey, raised the issue that the House of Mountbatten should henceforth be the ruling house, and not Windsore - this statement was received with hostility by the Queen Mother Elizabeth. The Queen, on the other hand, was at a loss, on the advice of the wise Prime Minister Winston Churchill, she refused to take her husband's surname, but seeing how upset Philip was about this, she herself fell into despair.
In the spring of 1959, the Queen became pregnant again. This time she decided to reconsider the question of her last name, changing it to Mountbatten. She wanted to please her husband, whom she continued to love immensely. The result of a long discussion was that Charles and Anna would remain Windsor, while the rest of the heirs would bear the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. So, in February 1960, the second son was born royal couple— Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Elizabeth, as a sign of her devotion to her husband, named the boy in honor of his father, Philip Andrey. Philip, after such a turn, got rid of the complexes and found a job to his liking - he began to do charity work. His focus was on sports, youth and education.
Staying in public life always one step behind his wife, in the family, Philip nevertheless achieved the right to the first vote. He dealt with the education of children, everyday problems - in this, Elizabeth could completely rely on her husband. By the way, it was Philip who once insisted on the marriage of Charles. Despite resistance from his son, Philip literally with one movement of his hand stopped all sorts of disputes: Charles had to leave his mistress Camilla and marry a decent girl. How it all ended, we all know perfectly well. Actually, since the time of Princess Diana, the relationship between father and son has changed dramatically. Several times Charles even publicly accused his father of numerous betrayals, while Philip remained cool.
After Charles's divorce from Diana, the Queen officially announced that Prince Charles had lost his right to the throne and William was declared heir to the throne. Years after Charles's marriage to Camilla, Elizabeth declared that her son could still "take responsibility for the monarchy." Today, Elizabeth again doubted the abilities of her son. Many years later, the correspondence between Philip and Diana was unexpectedly published, from which it became obvious that the prince treated Spencer as own daughter. He already knew very well how difficult it was to feel at home in the royal family, especially if you were not welcome there. Diana wrote long emotional letters to her father-in-law. Philip answered with short notes, copies of which he kept. Diana called him "Pa" - like her father. The relationship between the queen and her husband was cool with their own children - the offspring were more disappointing than pleased, perhaps that is why the crowned couple adores grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.
It's quiet in the royal house today. The queen spends a lot of time on her estate, where she walks arm in arm with her beloved husband, trains dogs, raises horses, and does not like it when privacy is violated with Philip.
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II), full name- Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Born April 21, 1926 in London. Queen of Great Britain since 1952.
She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of twenty-five, after the death of her father, King George VI. Is among all the monarchs in the history of Great Britain.
The oldest British (English) monarch in history.
She also ranks second in the world in terms of tenure as head of state among all current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is the world's oldest female current head of state, and in Europe the oldest current head of state.
He is the oldest reigning monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of the king Saudi Arabia Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Comes from the Windsor dynasty.
She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the queen of fifteen independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua - New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica.
He is also Head of the Anglican Church and Supreme Commander armed forces Great Britain.
Queen of Great Britain
Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her grandparents are: on her father's side - King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); by mother - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1862-1938).
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in the London district of Mayfair in the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at Brewton Street, house number 17. Now the area has been rebuilt, and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been erected on this site. She got her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).
At the same time, the father insisted that the first name of the daughter be like that of the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie discussed the girl's name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Mary. The names are all good, I told him so, but about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was redundant".
The christening of Princess Elizabeth took place on May 25 in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, later destroyed during the war years.
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.
She received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities - she studied the history of the constitution, jurisprudence, religious studies, art history, and also (actually independently) French.
FROM young years was interested in horses and was engaged in riding. She has been faithful to this hobby for many decades.
At birth, Elizabeth became the Princess of York and was third in the line of succession to the throne after her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII) and father. Since Prince Edward was young enough to be expected to marry and have children, Elizabeth was not initially considered a viable candidate for the throne.
However, Edward was forced to abdicate eleven months after the death of George V in 1936. Prince Albert (George VI) became king, and 10-year-old Elizabeth became heir to the throne and moved with her parents from Kensington to Buckingham Palace. However, she remained in the role "heir presumptive"("presumptive heir"), and if George VI had a son, he would have inherited the throne.
Second World War began when Elizabeth was 13 years old.
On October 13, 1940, she made her first radio appearance, addressing children affected by the disasters of the war.
In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of the Guards Grenadiers.
In 1944, she became one of the five "state councilors" (persons entitled to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity).
In February 1945, Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - women's self-defense units - and was trained as an ambulance driver, receiving the military rank of lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months, which gives reason to consider her the last participant in the Second World War who has not yet retired (the penultimate one was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).
In 1947, Elizabeth accompanied her parents on a trip to South Africa and, on her 21st birthday, went on the radio with a solemn promise to devote her life to the service of the British Empire.
King George VI, Elizabeth's father, died February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, who at that time was on vacation with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.
The coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. This was the first televised coronation of a British monarch, and is credited with having contributed significantly to the rise of television broadcasting.
Coronation of Elizabeth II
The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, the Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".
After that, in 1953-1954. The queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth, British colonies and other countries of the world.
Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.
In 1957, after the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, due to the lack of clear rules for choosing a leader in the Conservative Party, Elizabeth II had to appoint a new head of government from among the Conservatives. After consultations with prominent members of the party and former Prime Minister Churchill, 63-year-old Harold Macmillan was appointed head of government.
In the same year, Elizabeth made her first visits to the United States and Canada as Queen of Canada. She also spoke for the first time at a session of the UN General Assembly. She was present at the opening session of the Canadian Parliament (for the first time in history with the participation of the British monarch). She continued her travels in 1961 when she made visits to Cyprus, the Vatican, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, and Ghana.
In 1963, following the resignation of Prime Minister Macmillan, on his advice, Elizabeth appointed Alexander Douglas-Home as prime minister.
In 1976, Elizabeth II inaugurated (as Queen of Canada) XXI Olympic Games in Montreal.
1977 was an important date for the Queen - the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth II's tenure on the British throne was celebrated, in honor of which many ceremonial enterprises were held in the Commonwealth countries.
Late 1970s - early 1980s on the royal family there have been a number of attempts. In particular, in 1979, the terrorists of the "Provisional Irish Republican Army" killed Uncle Prince Philip (the Queen's husband) - an influential statesman and military leader Lord Louis Mountbatten. And in 1981, there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Elizabeth II herself during a military parade in honor of the queen's "official birthday".
In 1981, the wedding of the son of Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and, which would later become a big problem for the royal family, took place.
At this time in 1982, as a result of changes in the Canadian constitution, the British Parliament lost any role in Canadian affairs, but the British Queen still remained the head of the Canadian state. In the same year, the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Great Britain in the last 450 years took place (the Queen, who is the head of the Anglican Church, received him personally).
In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the US Houses of Congress.
1992 was a "terrible year", according to the definition of Elizabeth II herself. Two of the Queen's four children - Prince Andrew and Princess Anne - divorced their spouses, Prince Charles separated from Princess Diana, Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire, the obligation for the Queen to pay income tax was introduced, and funding for the royal court was noticeably reduced.
In 1996, at the urging of the Queen, a formal divorce was signed between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
A year later, in 1997, the tragic death of Princess Diana in a car accident in Paris occurred, which shocked not only the royal family, but also millions of ordinary Britons. For restraint and the absence of any reaction to death ex-sister-in-law, critical remarks immediately rained down on the queen.
In 2002, celebrations were held in honor of the 50th anniversary of Elizabeth II on the British throne (Golden Jubilee). But in the same year, the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, died.
In 2008, for the first time in history, the Anglican Church, headed by Elizabeth, held a Maundy Thursday service, in which the reigning monarch traditionally participates, outside of England or Wales - in the Cathedral of St. Patrick's in Armagh in Northern Ireland.
In 2010, she spoke for the second time at a meeting General Assembly UN. Representing the queen general secretary UN Ban Ki-moon called her "the saving anchor of our era."
In 2011, the first ever state visit by a British monarch to independent Ireland took place. In the same year, the wedding of Prince William (grandson of Elizabeth II) and Catherine Middleton took place.
In 2012, the XXX Olympic Games were held in London, inaugurated by Elizabeth II, and a new law was approved that changes the order of succession, according to which male heirs lose priority over women.
In 2012, the UK and other countries solemnly celebrated the 60th (diamond) anniversary of Elizabeth II on the throne. On June 3, a solemn water parade of more than a thousand ships and boats took place on the Thames. It is believed that this is the most grandiose river procession in history. On June 4, 2012, a concert took place on the square in front of Buckingham Palace with the participation of such stars of British and world music as Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Tom Jones and others. The evening was hosted by Take That lead singer Gary Barlow.
In 2013, for the first time in 40 years, Elizabeth II refused to go to the summit of the heads of the countries of the British Commonwealth, held in Sri Lanka. Britain was represented at the summit by Prince Charles, which indicates the gradual transfer of powers of Elizabeth to her son.
The Queen's interests include dog breeding (including Corgis, Spaniels and Labradors), photography, horseback riding, and travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige of the Queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively in her possessions, and also happens in other countries of the world: she has more than 325 foreign visits to her account.
I have been gardening since 2009.
In addition to English, he is also fluent in French.
Height of Elizabeth II: 163 centimeters
Personal life of Elizabeth II:
In 1947, at the age of 21, she married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921) - an officer in the British Navy, a member of the Greek (son of the Greek Prince Andrew) and Danish royal families and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria.
They met in 1934, and fell in love, it is believed, after a visit by Elizabeth in 1939 to the Naval College in Dartmouth, where Philip studied.
Having become the spouse of the princess, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
A year after the wedding - in 1948 - the eldest son was born to Elizabeth and Philip. And on August 15, 1950 - a daughter, Princess Anna.
Elizabeth II and Philip Mountbatten
In 1960, the Queen's second son, Prince Andrew, was born. In 1964, she gave birth to her third son, Prince Edward.
Children of Elizabeth II:
Born November 14, 1948. July 29, 1981 married Lady Diana Spencer. On August 28, 1996, the couple filed for divorce. They had two sons: the Duke of Cambridge and Wales.
Prince William, married to, has two children: Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.
Princess Anna, "Princess of royal blood" ("Princess Royal") - was born on August 15, 1950. She was married to Mark Phillips from November 14, 1973 to April 28, 1992 (divorced). The couple had two children: Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York- was born on February 19, 1960. He was married to Sarah Ferguson from July 23, 1986 - May 30, 1996 (divorced). The couple had two daughters: Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie (Eugenie) of York.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex- was born on March 10, 1964. He is married to Sophie Rhys-Jones (the wedding took place on June 19, 1999). The couple have two children: Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
The role of Elizabeth II in the political and public life of Great Britain:
In accordance with the British tradition of a parliamentary monarchy, Elizabeth II performs mainly representative functions, with little or no influence on the government of the country. However, during her reign, she successfully maintains the authority of the British monarchy. Her duties include visiting various countries on diplomatic visits, receiving ambassadors, meeting with high-ranking government officials (especially the Prime Minister), reading annual messages to Parliament, presenting awards, knighting, etc.
Also, the queen daily looks through the main British newspapers and, with the help of servants, answers some letters that are sent to her in huge quantities (200-300 pieces daily).
Throughout her time on the throne, the Queen maintained correct relations with all prime ministers. At the same time, she always remained true to the tradition of the English kings of modern times - to be above political fights. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth II should not publicly express her political likes or dislikes. She always followed this rule, acting in public - so her Political Views remain unknown.
Three times during her reign, the queen had constitutional problems with the formation of the British government.
In 1957 and 1963, with no clear mechanism for electing a leader in the Conservative Party, it was up to the Queen to decide whom to entrust with the formation of a government after the resignations of Anthony Eden and Harold Macmillan.
In 1957, Anthony Eden refused to advise the Queen on whom to appoint as his successor, and she turned for advice to, as the only conservative prime minister alive at that time (following the precedent for which, after the resignation of Andrew Bonar Law in 1923, King George V consulted Lord Salisbury's father and former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour).
In 1963, Harold Macmillan himself advised Alec Douglas-Home to be his successor. And in 1974, after the resignation of Edward Heath as a result of an unclear election outcome, Elizabeth II appointed opposition leader Harold Wilson as prime minister.
In all these cases, the Queen acted according to the British constitutional tradition, according to which she should not take any important decisions without the advice of her ministers and privy councillors.
In addition, British prime ministers meet with the Queen every week. The Queen is more knowledgeable on most matters than meets the eye. In addition, the Queen has regular meetings with other Commonwealth ministers and prime ministers when they are in the UK on a visit. Also, during her stay in Scotland, she meets with the First Minister of Scotland. The British Ministry and diplomatic missions send her regular reports.
Although it is customary that the Queen does not interfere in politics, but due to the fact that during her long reign she had the opportunity to work with many prime ministers and leaders of other countries, her advice is always taken seriously. In her memoirs, she wrote of her weekly meetings with Queen Elizabeth: "Anyone who thinks that they [meetings] are a mere formality or social convention is deeply mistaken. In fact, they take place in a calm business atmosphere, and Her Majesty always demonstrates her ability to cover a wide range of issues and her great experience".
Elizabeth II is actively involved in charity and social activities. The Queen of Britain is a trustee of more than 600 different public and charitable organizations.
In addition to duties, Elizabeth II also has certain inalienable rights as a monarch (royal prerogatives). For example, she can dissolve the parliament, reject the candidacy of the prime minister (which seems unsuitable to her), and so on.
Financial costs for the queen:
So, according to data from Buckingham Palace, in the 2008-2009 financial year, each Briton spent $ 1.14 on the maintenance of the monarchy, which amounted to $ 68.5 million in total.
In 2010-2011, due to the government's new economic program, the Queen was forced to cut her spending to $51.7 million.
Starting in 2012, Elizabeth's income began to grow again (at an approximate rate of 5% per year).
Such figures cause dissatisfaction among the Republican-minded part of the British population, which considers it necessary to cut them.
States whose head was or is Elizabeth II:
Upon accession to the throne in 1952, Elizabeth became queen of seven states: Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.
During her reign, some of these countries became republics. At the same time, as a result of the process of decolonization, numerous British colonies gained independence. In some of them, the Queen of Great Britain retained the status of head of state, in others she did not.
Abolition of the monarchy in the original possessions of Elizabeth II:
Pakistan - in 1956 (former Dominion of Pakistan)
South Africa - in 1961 (former SA)
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - in 1972 (former Dominion of Ceylon).
New independent states who retained the monarchy:
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Grenada
Papua New Guinea
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Solomon islands
Tuvalu
Jamaica
Newly independent states that abandoned the monarchy:
Guyana
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Mauritius
Malawi
Malta
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Tanganyika
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Fiji
The love story of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
A lot is written about Queen Elizabeth, but her husband is always kind of in the shadows.
As a girl, she never imagined that she would become a queen. But as a result of the crisis of the British monarchy, when Edward VIII preferred to abdicate for the sake of love for the objectionable American court, Wallis Simpson, in 1936 his brother George VI, Elizabeth's father, was on the throne. And on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, after the unexpected death of George, Elizabeth was proclaimed queen.
As the head of state, she is accustomed to constantly being in the public eye, protecting the age-old traditions of the country. Each of her days is scheduled to the minute, she is interested in everything that happens around, keeping her finger on the pulse of events. For most people on earth, she is a symbol of Great Britain, and they cannot imagine a country without her. But who is the person who always and everywhere accompanies Elizabeth, being one step behind her? Her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is the man who won the Queen's heart once and for all.
Elizabeth II married five years before her accession to the throne.
Her chosen one Philip Mountbatten (who later became the Duke of Edinburgh) was born on the island of Corfu and was a descendant of the Danish-Greek royal family. His grandfather was assassinated in 1913, his uncle Constantine was dethroned in 1917, and his cousin George II abdicated in 1923.
Philip's family was expelled from Greece when he was only a year old, and, according to some accounts, he came to Britain in an orange box. As an adult, Prince Philip forever gave up the opportunity to take the Greek throne, taking English citizenship.
If you imagine an ideal prince, then the image of the Duke of Edinburgh should appear before the eyes of any romantic girl. They say that his beauty possessed such an all-conquering power that women fainted from one look of him.
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark
Prince Philip with parents and sisters
The princess fell in love with the young Philip at the age of 13 - for the first time and for the rest of her life.
While traveling on their parent's yacht, Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret met an 18-year-old handsome midshipman of the Royal Naval College in Dortmoor. Philip, having played croquet with the girls, safely forgot about the acquaintance.
Philip was educated by his uncle, who paid for his studies at a private British school, and later at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. It was there that in July 1939, during the visit of George VI with the family of thirteen-year-old Elizabeth, she first managed to communicate with her second cousin, cadet Philip. The boy's uncle, an officer of the Royal navy Dickie Mountbatten, along with his nephew, were invited to tea with the royal family. Even then, the princess's governess remarked that "Lilibet could not take her eyes off him." Which, however, was not at all surprising: the 18-year-old prince was a tall, handsome blond, and even beautifully built.
But the young British princess, having played only one game with him, fell in love recklessly. She waited for her chosen one for six whole years, although the entire royal family did not approve of her falling in love. The grandfather king did not really like this candidacy for Elizabeth's chosen ones.
For Lieutenant Mountbatten, now HRH the Duke Edinburgh Philip, although he was not a commoner, he came from an impoverished and long-lost dynasty.
The party was not brilliant ... Grandfather did not like the fact that Elizabeth made a hasty choice and stopped at the first young man who I barely met.
And besides, the princess and the prince were second cousins - Queen Victoria was their great-great-grandmother. The royal family believed that the young Elizabeth needed to think carefully and make a more informed decision.
However, the princess had no intention of giving up her childhood dreams, she was still in love, and it was not in her nature to retreat.
According to rumors, Elizabeth, like her legendary great-great-grandmother Victoria, herself proposed to her future husband.
In any case, there is no information in the archives of the royal family confirming that the prince made a marriage proposal.
After the death of his father, Philip finally moved to London and became a frequent visitor to Buckingham Palace. During the war, he went to the front, continuing to send Elizabeth long and tender letters. And in the summer of forty-six, he proposed to the princess, which she immediately accepted, without even consulting her parents. Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) and George VI did not hide the fact that they would like a better party for their daughter. Philip's father, Prince Andrew, left his son neither a fortune nor land holdings - nothing but a pedigree and a signet ring, which the duke still wears without taking off. However, George and Elizabeth relented, blessing their daughter's marriage.
The title of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was conferred on Philip by King George V on the eve of his marriage. Elizabeth's wedding was the first and only in british history the case of the marriage of the alleged heir to the throne.
The wedding ceremony of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh took place at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947.
Eight bridesmaids were adorned with miniature wreaths of white satin and brocade with silver thread, made by Jac Ltd of London.
The wedding ceremony of Princess Elizabeth and Philip began at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947 at 11:30 GMT. Near the abbey gathered tens of thousands of people who wanted to see the princess in her wedding dress. As expected, the father accompanied the bride to the altar. She wore an ivory satin dress embroidered with thousands of pearls and crystal beads. It took the court fashion designer Sir Norman Harnell several months to create it.
The five-meter veil was carried by two pages: Princes Michael of Kent and William. The veil was adorned with lace and held on to her head by a diamond tiara that belonged to her mother. The Queen Mother received the tiara from her mother, Queen Mary, who in turn inherited it as a wedding gift from Queen Victoria. After the wedding, Philip joined the Admiralty and received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
The newlyweds began to lead an active social life. They often went to races in Ascot and Epson (horses have always been the Queen's main passion, besides, she herself is an excellent rider),
together they appeared at receptions, went to dances, without denying themselves anything.
On November 14, 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to a boy, Charles Philip Arthur George. Soon the duke was appointed first lieutenant of the mission in the Mediterranean, in Malta.
Elizabeth followed her husband. They were given to each other. The princess was engaged in the fact that she led the house, communicated with the wives of other officers, gathering with them for 5 o'clock tea with scones and orange jam. “I think she was happy just being a wife,” recalls her cousin Marguerite Rhodes. “Then she managed to feel what an ordinary life is.”
After Philip's mission ended, Elizabeth returned to London already six months pregnant. Soon she gave birth to a daughter - Anna Elizabeth Alice Louise.
But the happiness was not complete: members of the royal family were concerned about the rapidly deteriorating health of King George VI. In February 1952, he died from a blood clot in his heart. Philip was the first to know of his death. At this time, he and Elizabeth were touring Kenya, and he knew that this news would be a real shock for his wife. Philip has always been the main support for his wife. And he also became the first who, traditionally bowing the knee, swore an oath of allegiance to his queen: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your lifelong vassal and lowest servant; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you, no matter what happens. God help me!"
The coronation of Elizabeth II was the most democratic in the history of England. The Queen insisted on broadcasting on British television, arguing that "People have to see me to believe me."
Immediately after the ceremony, the couple went to trip around the world which lasted almost six months. In the history of the British monarchy, such a grandiose journey was the first. Philip left the service, he accompanied his wife everywhere and tried to be her faithful assistant and adviser in public affairs.
However, in their family life not everything was cloudless. After the death of George VI, Philip's uncle, Dickey, raised the issue that the House of Mountbatten should henceforth be the ruling house, and not Windsore - a statement that was received with hostility by the Queen Mother Elizabeth and Queen Mary. Prime Minister Winston Churchill was also against it.
Elizabeth listened to the wise and experienced Churchill and refused to take her husband's surname. “I am the only person in the entire United Kingdom who cannot give his last name to his own children,” Philip lamented. The mockery of the courtiers pretty annoyed the duke, and he reacted to them quite sharply. Meanwhile, the young queen had less and less time for her children and her husband, and a certain detachment appeared in their relationship.
However, Philip soon managed to find a job to his liking and his place in society. He began to do charity work, and quite successfully. His focus is on sports, youth, defense environment and educational issues. In the spring of 1959, the Queen became pregnant again. This time she decided to reconsider the question of her last name, changing it to Mountbatten. She wanted to please her husband, whom she continued to love immensely. The result of a long discussion was that Charles and Anna would remain Windsor, while the rest of the heirs would bear the “compromise” surname Mountbatten-Windsor. So, in February 1960, the second son of the royal couple, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was born. Elizabeth, as a sign of her devotion to her husband, named the boy in honor of his father, Philip Andrey.
And in 1964 - Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, Nince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince Charles.
Being the husband of a reigning queen is an unenviable "position".
As the Duke of Edinburgh Philip himself jokes, according to English laws, he does not seem to exist.
In Great Britain, the husband of the reigning queen does not become king, but remains a prince consort.
Thus, Philip of Edinburgh has never been and never will be crowned.
He is a private person and is doomed to be in the shadows.
So what helped the Queen and Duke to keep the family together, living together until the diamond wedding, which they celebrated in 2007 in Malta? Robert Lacey, biographer of Elizabeth II, sees the secret of a successful marriage in the fact that “each of them had an unspoken right to their own private life separate from their spouse. I would call this style "family confederation". It is clear that Prince Philip should accompany his wife wherever she appears, but the queen has always had the right to her own interests.
AT official life he is always one step behind the queen. At home, however, the Prince Consort was always the head of the family. It is he who makes all the most important family decisions, it is he who decides which school to send the children to study. The late Lord Mountbatten told me a wonderful story about this. Early in their marriage, the Queen and Prince Philip came to visit him in Hampshire. Once the three of them were driving in a car driven by Philip. The Queen sat next to her husband in the front seat. Every time he took a corner where he hardly slowed down, the queen would hold her breath and then exhale loudly.
Finally, Philip got tired of this, and he said to his wife: “If you repeat this again, I will put you out of the car!”. Then Lord Mountbatten turned to her and said, "My dear, you are a queen, how can you let him treat you like that?" But this rudeness did not bother the queen: “He is my husband. I know that if I say one word, he will actually throw me out of the car.” Indeed, Philip treats Elizabeth not only as a queen, but also as a woman, wife and mother of his children. And perhaps this contrast between the position of the queen in society and the family made her so happy all this time.
As for the personal relationship of Elizabeth II with her husband, then, unfortunately, the handsome prince turned out to be not such a wonderful husband.
Queen Elizabeth's family relations were far from serene: there are rumors that the Duke of Edinburgh has illegitimate children, and Philip's connection with cousin Queen Alexandra once turned into a national scandal.
However, Queen Elizabeth II never commented on her husband's actions, at least not publicly.
At one time, she showed all her tact and managed to maintain the disturbed balance in the family.
And it saved her marriage.
Elizabeth undividedly recognized the authority of her husband in family affairs, and Philip became a reliable support in the performance of her royal duties.
british royal family
In 1997, Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh Philip celebrated their golden wedding.
And on November 20, 2007, the royal couple celebrated the 60th anniversary of their marriage - a diamond wedding.
Thus, their marriage is the longest in the history of the British monarchy, and Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding.
A solemn ceremony in honor of the anniversary was held at Westminster Abbey on November 19, 2007.
The service dedicated to the celebration was attended by 2000 guests.
Among them were five choristers who sang sixty years ago at the wedding ceremony of Elizabeth and Philip, as well as 10 couples who celebrated the diamond wedding on the same day as the royal couple.
Three generations of the British royal family:
Queen Elizabeth And The Duke Of Edinburgh,
prince Welsh Charles and Prince William
And as Antoine de Saint-Exupery says in The Planet of the People:
"To love is not to look at each other, to love is to look together in the same direction."
I really like this photo, it perfectly reflects the character of Prince Philip. The queen's husband casually dropped another branded joke and the strict policeman almost bursts with laughter, trying to stay at attention. And the Prince himself, at 91, as if nothing had happened, walks through the cold to the church after a protracted illness, when the queen went there by car. Philip is accompanied only by the groom. That's all he is.
In my opinion, Philip is one of the brightest and most worthy members of the royal family. They don't make those anymore.
In June 2017, the wife of Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, turned 96. Buckingham Palace said that the Duke of Edinburgh decided to retire and surrender his ceremonial duties.
Until that time, the prince was the fifth most busy member of the royal family and participated in official events up to three hundred days a year. Over the long years of service, the prince has gained an ambiguous reputation: on the one hand, he is undoubtedly respected for his merits and “by position”. The Duke's personal biographer Ashley Walton called it "our national treasure". On the other hand, his unusual directness, bordering on rudeness, tactless humor and what the British call gaffe - inappropriate statements, often led to awkward situations and even scandals.
Prince consort nicknamed " naked waiter»
In the second season of the television series The Crown, reference is made to London's private gentlemen's club, the Thursday Club, famous for its drinking dinners and exciting conversations. These same get-togethers, in Philip Eade's biographical novel Prince Philip: The Wild Youth of the Man Who Married Queen Elizabeth II, are described as "riotous stag parties." The prince allegedly earned himself the nickname "naked waiter" after he served dinner to club community osteopath Stephen Ward. Rumor has it that the prince personally served Ward and his guests, wearing only a "little lace apron".
Death by cricket bat
In 1996, Prince Philip gave an interview to BBC radio. It was about the government's intention to tighten gun control after the mass shooting of employees and students. elementary school in Scottish Dunblane (then 16 people died). The prince expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the measures taken, citing his favorite sport as an example: “If a cricketer suddenly shows up at a school and beats a lot of people to death with a bat (which he can easily do), will you start passing ordinances to ban cricket bats ? Then all the government parties unanimously condemned the "rude" and "insensitive" remarks of His Highness.
deafening music
During a visit to the British Deaf Association in 1999, Prince Philip reacted to a performance by a Caribbean percussion ensemble, addressing children, "No wonder you've all gone deaf to this music!" The Guardian was quick to report the incident and the children "shocked and offended" by the remark. The leader of the group suggested that the prince could do with a practice of funny sayings, because no one was amused by his remarks.
You will not be accepted as an astronaut
During a visit to Manchester in 2001, the Prince was invited to inspect the new NOVA launch vehicle. Philip approached a 13-year-old boy who was also interested in the rocket, and for no reason said: “Well, they definitely won’t take you as astronauts, you are too fat.” The boy, whose name was Andrew, later shared his feelings from the conversation: “I was very upset by what he said. I didn't get angry at all. What right does he have to treat people like that? If he is married to a queen, is he allowed to do anything?”
Who is an addict here?
A year later, the prince insulted a 14-year-old boy from Bangladesh at a youth club in London. In an attempt to establish contact with young people, he asked jokingly: “Well, how many of you here take drugs?” Pointing to one of the boys, Philip said: “Here you look like a drug addict!” The boy, for obvious reasons, was not delighted with such words. “He called me a drug addict for no reason at all. Neither me nor my friends liked it. I got very upset. Just because he doesn't eat money doesn't mean he can say anything to anyone."
Made in India
During a visit to an electronics factory in Edinburgh, Prince Philip noted that the wiring on the fuse box looked so flimsy, "like it was made by Indians." This statement caused such a loud public and political outcry that Buckingham Palace was forced to apologize to smooth the situation: “The Duke of Edinburgh regrets what happened and its consequences. Reassessing the situation, he fully agrees that the phrase he casually threw was completely inappropriate.
Greetings
In 2003, during an official visit to Nigeria, the prince met with President Olusegun Obasanjo. Mistaking his national costume for pajamas, the duke remarked: “Looks like I'm out of time? You are already ready for bed."
The Chinese are not upset
Perhaps the most embarrassing incident for Prince Philip occurred in 1986 during a state visit to China. At a meeting with a group of exchange students at Xi'an University, the prince said: "If you stay here for a long time, your eyes will turn into narrow slits."
The insults against the Chinese did not end there. Later, the prince called Beijing a terrible city and spoke negatively about Cantonese food habits. These statements were recalled to the Duke during an interview he gave on his 90th birthday. The prince sincerely did not understand why the journalists inflated the problem. “I forgot about this case a long time ago! If not for the one reporter who overheard my phrase, there would be no hype. In addition, the Chinese were not particularly upset.”
The world's most famous monarch turns 91 today. This year, Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate another important date- 70 years old life together with her husband, Prince Philip. The figure is as striking as the love story that stretched over decades.
They met at a reception when Elizabeth was 13 years old. A handsome, tall 18-year-old sailor attracted the attention of a girl and, as it turned out, made her fall in love with him for life. Philip also came from a royal family, but was poor and of absolutely no interest to royal family Great Britain. The future ruler of the country was distinguished by a strong character, she rejected all the suitors chosen for her by her parents. Elizabeth was going to marry only Philip. The future husband of the queen graduated in 1940 with the rank of midshipman and almost immediately went to war. The letters that Philip sent to his beloved from the front made the girl cry for several days. However, despite the princess's strong feelings for the military, her parents were adamant. During the war, Philip's father, Prince Andrew of Greece, asked George VI for consent to Philip's marriage to Elizabeth, but received a categorical refusal. Firstly, by that time the groom's family had become completely impoverished, and secondly, which seemed to be a much bigger problem - during the war, almost the entire Philip family turned out to be on the side of the Nazis - his sisters Margarita, Theodora and Sophia married Nazi officers. Such a relationship could cast a shadow on the reputation of the British monarchy. Neither Elizabeth nor Philip knew anything about such a maneuver, the lovers were simply waiting for a meeting after a long separation. By the way, Elizabeth herself wanted to go to the front, but her father strictly forbade the girl to do this - the crown princess had to be left safe and sound.
By the end of the war, the young men who sought the hand of Elizabeth gave up trying: almost all of them got married. british princess waited for her lover from the front. According to rumors, she herself proposed to Philip. Parents, although they were not completely satisfied, nevertheless agreed to the marriage, Elizabeth's stubbornness was indestructible. The engagement of the lovers took place in July 1947, and the wedding was scheduled for November. On the day of the celebration, the beautiful princess, glowing with happiness, dressed in a beautiful ivory satin dress embroidered with thousands of pearl and crystal beads.
Tired of the war, the newlyweds plunged into an idle life - they attended ceremonial receptions, went to the races. Then rumors spread about problems between the spouses. It was rumored that the prince began to tire of the iron temper of his wife, who was preparing to become queen. Philip began to spend more time away from his wife and even became interested in singer Pat Kirkwood. But, as the prince's friends assured, it did not come to an intimate relationship, Philip was faithful to his wife.
Relations in the family improved when the first-born of Elizabeth and Philip, Prince Charles, was born. It seemed that harmony and tranquility had come to the house of a loving couple forever: Elizabeth overnight became an exemplary wife and mother. The princess invited friends to the house, arranged children's holidays, cooked on her own, in a word, did everything that ordinary women do. Everything changed in an instant: Elizabeth's father died. The shocking news was announced to Elizabeth by her husband, who knelt before her, swearing an oath to his wife as Queen of Great Britain.
In the spring of 1959, the Queen became pregnant again. This time she decided to reconsider the question of her last name, changing it to Mountbatten. She wanted to please her husband, whom she continued to love immensely. The result of a long discussion was that Charles and Anna would remain Windsor, while the rest of the heirs would bear the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. So, in February 1960, the second son of the royal couple, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was born. Elizabeth, as a sign of her devotion to her husband, named the boy in honor of his father, Philip Andrey. Philip, after such a turn, got rid of the complexes and found a job to his liking - he began to do charity work. His focus was on sports, youth and education.
Despite all the scandals in ruling family Great Britain, one thing remained unchanged: next to Queen Elizabeth was always her husband - Prince Philip.
The Amazing Love Story of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip was last modified: April 21st, 2017 by Bella Kovtun
