The Queen Elizabeth II


The Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Marie, born April 21, 1926, is the eldest daughter of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. She married Philip Mountbatten, a distant cousin, in 1947; the pair have four children: Charles, Prince of Wales, Anne, Andrew and Edward. She has reigned for forty-six years, and appears capable of remaining on the throne for quite some time. Monarchy, as an institution in Europe, all but disappeared during the two World Wars: a scant ten monarchs remain today, seven of which have familial ties to England. The Queen Elizabeth is, by far, the best known of these, and is the most widely traveled Head of State in the world. Her ascension was accompanied by constitutional innovation; each independent, self-governing country proclaimed Elizabeth, Queen of their individual state. She approves of the transformation from Empire to Commonwealth, describing the change as a "beneficial and civilized metamorphosis." The indivisibility of the crown was formally abandoned by statute in 1953, and "Head of the Commonwealth" was added to the long list of royal titles which she possesses.

The Queen's travels have won the adulation of her subjects; she is greeted with honest enthusiasm and warm regard with each visit abroad. She has been the master link in a chain of unity forged among the various countries within the Commonwealth. Hence, the monarchy, as well as the Empire, has evolved - what once was the image of absolute power is now a symbol of fraternity.


Elizabeth has managed to maintain a division between her public and private life. She is the first monarch to send her children to boarding schools in order to remove them from the ever-probing media. She has a strong sense of duty and diligence and dispatches her queenly business with great candor, efficiency and dignity. Her knowledge of current situations and trends is uncannily up to date, often to the embarrassment of her Prime Ministers. Harold Wilson, upon his retirement, remarked, "I shall certainly advise my successor to do his homework before his audience." Churchill, who had served four monarchs, was impressed and delighted by her knowledge and wit. She possesses a sense of humor rarely exhibited in public where a dignified presence is her goal.

The Queen, like her father before her, raised the character of the monarchy through her actions. Unfortunately, the actions of her children have tarnished the royal name. The much publicized divorces of Charles from Diana and Andrew from Sarah Ferguson have been followed by further indiscretions by the princes, causing a heavily-taxed populace to rethink the necessity of a monarchy. Perhaps the Queen Elizabeth will not reign as long as Victoria, but her exceptionally long reign has provided a bright spot in the life of her country.

Royal Jubilee, serving a country

Philip, Duke of Edimburgh


Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, was born Prince of Greece and Denmark in Corfu on 10 June 1921; the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece. His paternal family is of Danish descent - Prince Andrew was the grandson of King Christian IX of Denmark. His mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg, the eldest child of Prince Louis of Battenberg and sister of Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Prince Louis became a naturalised British subject in 1868, joined the Royal Navy and rose to become an Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord in 1914. During the First World War he changed the family name to Mountbatten and was created Marquess of Milford Haven. Prince Philip adopted the family name of Mountbatten when he became a naturalised British subject and renounced his Royal title in 1947. Prince Louis married one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters. Thus, The Queen and Prince Philip both have Queen Victoria as a great-great-grandmother. They are also related through his father's side. His paternal grandfather, King George I of Greece, was Queen Alexandra's brother.

The engagement of Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten to Princess Elizabeth was announced in July 1947 and the marriage took place in Westminster Abbey on 20 November. Shortly before the wedding, the bridegroom was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich with the style of His Royal Highness and appointed a Knight of the Garter by the King. The Queen and Prince Philip had two children before and two after The Queen succeeded to the throne.

Since The Queen's accession, The Duke of Edinburgh, who is Patron or President of some 800 organisations, has played a prominent part in many aspects of national life. His special interests are in scientific and technological research and development, the encouragement of sport, the welfare of young people, and conservation and the environment.

Charles, Prince of Wales


The Prince was born at Buckingham Palace on 14 November 1948, and was christened Charles Philip Arthur George.
When, on the accession of Queen Elizabeth in 1952, he became heir apparent, Prince Charles automatically became Duke of Cornwall under a charter of King Edward III dating back to 1337, which gave that title to the Sovereign's eldest son. He also became, in the Scottish Peerage, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

The Prince was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 1958. In 1968, The Prince of Wales was installed as a Knight of the Garter. The Duke of Rothesay (as he is known in Scotland) was appointed a Knight of the Thistle in 1977.

On 29 July 1981 The Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral. The marriage of The Prince and Princess of Wales was dissolved on 28 August 1996. The Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash on 31 August 1997 in Paris.



Their two children, Prince William and Prince Henry, are second and third in line of succession to the throne. Prince William Arthur Philip Louis was born on 21 June 1982 at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, in London. He was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Buckingham Palace and he was confirmed by the Bishop of London at St George's Chapel in 1997. Prince William is currently at Eton College, Windsor. He undertakes no official engagements on his own, although he attended the VE and VJ commemorations in 1995 in London with his family.

Prince Henry Charles Albert David was born on 15 September 1984 at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington. He was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in December 1984 in St George's Chapel, Windsor.
In September, Prince Harry started at Eton College, Windsor.

He is associated as a patron or president with around 200 organisations, covering a wide range of interests and activities - young people, the unemployed, the disabled, the elderly, the problems of the inner cities, education, medicine, the arts, conservation, national heritage, environment, architecture and sport. Not all of The Prince of Wales' work is carried out in public. There are frequent private meetings and discussions with Government Ministers, political figures, academics, experts and the business community, through which he has access to a wide range of opinion and thinking on national and international issues. Among The Prince of Wales's many interests, the following play a major role: Young people This is done particularly through the work of The Prince's Trust, of which the Prince is President.

The Prince of Wales's interests in this field are also wide, reflecting his views on the common duty to care for the natural world for the benefit of future generations, and to exploit natural resources in a way which can be sustained indefinitely. The Prince is putting his beliefs into practice by farming 1,100 acres at his home - Highgrove in Gloucestershire - organically (without using artificial fertilisers or pesticides). He has written a book about his experiences, Highgrove: Portrait of an Estate. The Prince of Wales's interest in the built environment and in the importance of re-establishing an integrated approach to traditional building crafts and to the involvement of the community in architecture, is well known.

Wedding Prince Charles - Camilla

SUCCESSION TO THE THRONE

1: Charles, the Prince of Wales
2: Prince William
3: Prince Harry
4: Andrew, the Duke of York
5: Princess Beatrice
6: Princess Eugenie
7: Edward, the Earl of Wessex
8: Edward and Sophie's child

The Queen Mother, a tribute

The Queen of a Century