QUEEN ELIZABETH and the ROYAL FAMILY (a life in pictures) I.

Introduction:

The Queen, christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on 21 April 1926 in Mayfair, London and she was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Albert and Elizabeth. Her birthday is officially celebrated in Britain on the second Saturday of June each year. The day is referred to as the Trooping of the Colour( tradition going back to the days when the Colours (regimental flag of the regiment) was trooped in front of soldiers to make sure everyone could recognise their flag in battle.), the official name is the Queens Birthday Parade. In 1930, Princess Margaret Rose, Princess Elizabeths sister was born. When Elizabeth was still a young girl, she unexpectedly became the heiress presumptive and public interest in her life began to grow.

II.Portrait II.1.Early life: In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC's Children's Hour, addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities. She stated: We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well. In 1948, the princess made her first overseas tour, when she accompanied her parents through southern Africa. During the tour, in a broadcast to the British Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, she pledged:

"I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. Queen Elizabeth II was the first, and so far only, female member of the royal family to actually serve in the armed forces, though other royal women have been given honorary ranks. At age 13, she met and was immediately smitten by her future husband, now the Duke of Edinburgh. The two teenagers quickly began exchanging letters. II.2. Marriage and family: Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten, Prince of Greece and Denmark, today the Duke of Edinburgh, on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey, London.Still in the aftermath of the Second World War, the wedding ceremony was relatively modest. The Duke is Queen Elizabeth's third cousin; they share Queen Victoria as a great-greatgrandmother. Prince Philip was a prince from birth. He is the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and was born Prince of Greece and Denmark. Upon his marriage to then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947, Philip was given the title "Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merion, and Baron Greenwich," and was made a Knight of the Garter. (He became a British citizen around this time and renounced his Greek and Danish titles). Elizabeth II was coronated in 1953, and in 1957, she granted Philip the title "Prince of the United Kingdom." Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh have four children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

II.2.1. Prince Charles: The Queen and The Duke of Edinburghs first child, Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales and heir to the throne,

was born in November 1948. Charles has two sons, Prince William of Wales (b. 21 June 1982), now the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry of Wales (b. 15 Sept. 1984). II.2.2. Princess Anne: Queen Elizabeths second child Princess Anne, The Princess Royal was born in 1950. She has two children, Peter and Zara Philips, and one grandchild, Miss Savannah Phillips. II.2.3. Prince Andrew, Duke of York Queen Elizabeths third child, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was born in 1960. Prince Andrew has two daughters Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie. II.2.4. Prince Edward,Earl of Wessex Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex is The Queens fourth son he was born in 1964. Prince Edward has two children: Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn. III. Accession & Coronation Princess Elizabeths father, King George VI, died on 6 February 1952, when she was only 25 years old. Queen Elizabeth II was the first British monarch since the Act of Union, in 1801, to be out of the country at the moment of succession, and also the first in modern times not to know the exact time of her accession (because George VI had died in his sleep at an unknown time). She was in Kenya.

The Queens Coronation took place in June 1953(A new king or Queen begins to rule as soon as their succession to the throne has been announced. But the coronation - when the crown is placed on the monarch's head - may not happen until months later).The event was, for the first time in history, broadcast on television. It was the largest public broadcast ever to have occurred of a British event. During her coronation address, Elizabeth said to the nation, I declare to you that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. In the 57 years since, shes done just that. There has not been a Queen of England since 1707. Queen Ann was the last ever King or Queen of England. From 1707, the monarch, although living in England, has been known as either the Monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain (as Queen Anne was) or of the United Kingdom (as Queen Victoria was). Over the reign, Her Majesty has given regular Tuesday evening audiences to 12 Prime Ministers. They are: 1. Winston Churchill 1951-55 2. Sir Anthony Eden 1955-57 3. Harold Macmillan 1957-63 4. Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1963-64 5. Harold Wilson 1964-70 and 1974-76 6. Edward Heath 1970-74 7. James Callaghan 1976-79 8. Margaret Thatcher 1979-90 9. John Major 1990-97 10. Tony Blair 1997-2007 11. Gordon Brown 2007 - 2010 12. David Cameron 2010

IV. Personal opinion: For me THE QUEEN is a model, because she managed to be a queen in the real meaning of the word without pointing out her fortune or behaving like a high and mighty person.She combined her power, with intelligence, modesty, sincerity, charisma and managed to lead a entire nation for so many years.She is respected and loved by her people and untill now she managed to keep the promise wich she maid during her coronation address. Bibliography: 1.http://www.royal.gov.uk//Queen Elizabeth 2.Microsoft Encarta , 2009.1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. 3.The Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 29, 15th edition 4.The Encyclopaedia Americana, New York , Chicago: Americana Corporation , V 28 5. John, Cannon & Anne, Hargreaves, The Kings & Queens of Britain, Oxford: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2001 6.Dargie, Richard, A History of Britain.The Key Events That Have Shaped Britain from Neolithic Times to the 21st Century, London: Arcturus Publishing Ltd., 2007 7.Andre, Maurois, Istoria Anglei, volumul II, Bucuresti: Editura Politica , 1970