Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96 | 10 issues to find out about her life | World News

Elizabeth, who marked 70 years on the throne this 12 months, is the oldest and longest-reigning monarch in British historical past. In September 2015 she surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who reigned for 63 years and 7 months.

In 2016, Elizabeth additionally grew to become the longest-reigning monarch on the earth with the dying of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. In 2022, she grew to become the second-longest-reigning monarch in world historical past, behind seventeenth century French King Louis XIV, who took the throne at age 4.

Other than Elizabeth and Victoria, solely 4 different monarchs in British historical past have reigned for 50 years or extra: George III (59 years), Henry III (56 years), Edward III (50 years) and James VI of Scotland (58 years.)

LIVE UPDATES: ‘Queen Elizabeth II leaves behind an ideal legacy’, UK PM Liz Truss pays tribute

HOME-SCHOOLING

Like many royals of her time and earlier than, Elizabeth by no means went to a public college and was by no means uncovered to different college students. As an alternative, she was educated at dwelling with Margaret, her youthful sister.

Amongst those that taught her was her father, together with a senior instructor at Eton Faculty, a number of French and Belgian governesses who taught her French, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who taught her faith.

Elizabeth’s education additionally included studying to journey, swim, dance and the examine of high-quality artwork and music.

“NO. 230873”

Throughout World Conflict II, younger Princess Elizabeth briefly grew to become referred to as No. 230873, Second Subaltern Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of the Auxiliary Transport Service No. 1.

After months of campaigning for her mother and father’ permission to do one thing for the warfare effort, the inheritor to the throne realized the way to drive and repair ambulances and vehicles. She rose to the rank of honorary Junior Commander inside months.

‘GREAT MIMICKER’

Elizabeth typically appeared like a severe demeanor, and plenty of have famous her “poker face,” however those that knew her described her as having a mischievous humorousness and a expertise for mimicry in non-public firm.

Rowan Williams, the previous Archbishop of Canterbury, has mentioned the queen might be “extraordinarily humorous in non-public — and never everyone appreciates how humorous she will be.”

Bishop Michael Mann, the monarch’s home chaplain, as soon as mentioned that “the queen imitating the Concorde touchdown is among the funniest issues you may see.” Ian Paisley, the Northern Irish clergyman and politician, additionally famous that Elizabeth was a “nice mimicker” of him.

Extra not too long ago, she confirmed her mischievous facet throughout the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, when she starred in a comic book video alongside an animated Paddington Bear and spoke of hiding marmalade sandwiches in her purse.

ROYAL TAXPAYER

She might have been the queen, however she paid taxes too — a minimum of since 1992.

When Windsor Fort, the queen’s weekend residence, was ravaged by hearth in 1992, the general public rebelled in opposition to paying tens of millions of kilos for repairs.

However she voluntarily agreed to pay tax on her private earnings. She mentioned she would meet 70 p.c of the price of restoration work, and she or he additionally determined to open her dwelling at Buckingham Palace to the general public for the primary time to generate further funds from admission charges.

LITTLE LILIBET

The queen was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of York, in honor of her mom, paternal grandmother and paternal great-grandmother. However as a baby, she was endearingly referred to as younger Lilibet by her household — mentioned to be as a result of she couldn’t pronounce “Elizabeth” correctly.

In a letter to her grandmother Queen Mary, the younger princess wrote: “Expensive Granny. Thanks very a lot for the beautiful little jersey. We cherished staying at Sandringham with you. I misplaced a prime entrance tooth yesterday morning,” earlier than signing off, “Love from Lilibet.”

The nickname grew to become extra broadly identified after Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, named their daughter Lilibet Diana in 2021.

A STEADFAST ROMANCE

Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip loved a secure relationship for extra 70 years, a union that far outlasted the marriages of three of her 4 youngsters: Charles, Anne and Andrew.

“He has been fairly merely my power and keep all these years,” the queen mentioned of Philip on their fiftieth wedding ceremony anniversary.

Their story started in 1939, when Prince Philip of Greece, a good-looking 18-year-old naval cadet, was detailed to entertain the 13-year-old Elizabeth for a day. A number of years later, Philip was invited to hitch the royal household at Windsor Fort at Christmas, and he quickly made discreet inquiries whether or not he could be thought of an eligible suitor.

The couple married in Westminster Abbey in 1947. When Philip died in 2021 at age 99, Elizabeth described his passing as leaving a “enormous void” in her life, in response to their son, Andrew.

MULTIPLE BIRTHDAYS

Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926, but it surely was generally complicated for the general public to know when to have fun.

There was no universally mounted day for her “official birthday” — it’s both the primary, second or third Saturday in June, and was determined by the federal government.

In Australia, her birthday was celebrated on the second Monday of June, whereas in Canada, was marked on a Monday both on or earlier than Could 24, Queen Victoria’s birthday.

Solely the queen and people closest to her celebrated her precise birthday in non-public gatherings.

HOW MANY CORGIS?

It’s broadly identified that Elizabeth cherished corgis — Princess Diana reportedly referred to as the canines the queen’s “transferring carpet” as a result of they accompanied her all over the place.

She owned greater than 30 corgis over time. She additionally had two “dorgis” — crossbreeds of dachshund and corgi — named Sweet and Vulcan.

Elizabeth was photographed hugging one of many canines way back to 1936 at age 10, and was given a corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. The breed was launched to the royal household by her father, King George VI, in 1933, when he purchased a male corgi referred to as Dookie from an area kennel.

As queen, she additionally technically owned the hundreds of mute swans in open British waters, and had the best to assert all sturgeons, porpoises, whales and dolphins, in response to a statute from 1324.

‘A PRETTY NICE GIRL’

The queen inevitably grew to become the topic of pop songs.

The Beatles immortalized her with the tongue-in-cheek “Her Majesty,” calling her “a fairly good lady” although “she doesn’t have loads to say.” The transient music, sung by Paul McCartney and recorded in 1969, appeared on the finish of the “Abbey Highway” album.

Different musical therapies weren’t so variety. The Intercourse Pistols’ anti-monarchist “God Save The Queen,” launched proper earlier than her Silver Jubilee in 1977, was banned on British tv.