Over the past 70 years, no
other woman has ever had so much written about her.
We are now going to look at some of the most significant times
and moments to give an insight into this modern-day monarch.
A life that has spanned 96 years, with 70 of those as Queen.
It's a truly remarkable story of one woman's life,
a Queen that not just represents the United Kingdom but the Commonwealth.
On this very special occasion, we'll take a closer look into the real Queen,
her hobbies, interests and devotion to her people and country.
This is the 70th anniversary special of Queen Elizabeth II
On 21 April 1926, Elizabeth was born at 2.40 am at Bruton St,
Mayfair, London.
It was the home of her maternal grandparent's Earl and Countess of Strathmore.
The birth was greeted with much joy,
especially as the country was suffering from economic deprivation.
The child was christened Elizabeth, after her mother, Alexandra
after her paternal grandmother and Mary after her grandmother, Queen Mary.
Because Elizabeth was the daughter of the second son of George V,
there seemed little chance of her inheriting the throne; this transpired
she would leave a very normal lifestyle for the daughter of a Duke.
They all lived in White Lodge, Richmond Park.
However, when one-year-old the family moved to 145 Piccadilly,
an 18th-century townhouse consisting of 25 bedrooms
and elegance befitting her father's status.
Her nanny would supervise Elizabeth; Clara Cooper-White,
along with maid Margaret McDonald, also known as Bobo,
which was said to be the first word that Elizabeth spoke.
When Princess Margaret
was born in 1930, Elizabeth became the big sister.
Although four years separated them, they were very close, with their parents
away on official royal business for much of the time.
However, unlike many royal or aristocratic families,
the Duke and Duchess of York were very hands-on in parenting.
They both enjoyed bathing their daughters, playing and reading to them,
and it wasn't unusual for the family to gather around the piano for a sing-song.
Elizabeth was educated at home by governess Marion Crawford.
When her father became King, Elizabeth, now heir presumptive,
would have further-curricular activities, including the role of monarch.
This included constitutional history and law,
which the vice provost of Eton college taught;
the Archbishop of Canterbury gave her religious studies.
In 1937
both Elizabeth and Margaret were introduced to other girls.
Marion Crawford's idea was to start a royal girl guide company.
It's a great idea so they could begin to mix with others their age.
The guides were formed using cousins, friends and palace employees.
A brownie pack was also created for Margaret
as, at the time, she was still too young to be a guide.
When together, they would hold their meetings
at the summer house within the garden of Buckingham Palace.
But when the need arose to go hiking and camping,
Windsor Forest would be the area they'd all explore.
One of the
most important roles for the young Elizabeth was to now start taking part
in royal duties with her parents and grandmother, Queen Mary.
Although Elizabeth was by now getting used to public engagements,
it was instilled into her to behave with dignity and decorum.
In 1929 Elizabeth, just three years
old, first appeared on the cover of Time magazine; this was followed up with a trip
to the naval and military tournament at Olympia in May 1930.
She would learn very quickly from her close relations
an example of duty and responsibility, which would remain with Elizabeth
throughout her life.
Elizabeth, now 11, would attend the coronation of George
VI at Westminster Abbey in 1937.
In newsreel pictures of the day, it seems that her grandmother
is explaining the service to her when in fact, Elizabeth revealed
in an essay that they were counting the pages
to the end of the service as it was all prayers and becoming dull.
At the age
of 14, World War Two had broken out,
and now Elizabeth would make her first live broadcast on the radio.
It was a BBC children's programme, aiming to send a message
to all the children of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, particularly
those being evacuated away from the German bombing.
It was suggested that both Elizabeth and Margaret go to Canada,
but their mother said, "the children won't go without me,
and I wont go without the king, and the king
will never leave."
Elizabeth, now 16 registered at the Windsor labour
exchange; the law at the time stated all girls over 16 had to work.
Although registered, Elizabeth wasn't expected to do any formal job
but still had to register.
Elizabeth began her lifelong support for charities.
She was made president of the Queen Elizabeth hospital for children in Hackney
and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
She had come a long way in a short time
and by 1944 was appointed councillor of state.
In this role, she would carry out official duties; one example was she had received
a letter from Westminster and then replied on behalf of the throne.
Elizabeth was keen to enter military service,
and when aged 18, she joined the ATS Auxiliary Territorial Service.
She was known as no.
230973 Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor,
5 feet 3 inches, eyes blue and hair brown.
After a few weeks of basic training and written tests,
the recruits were sent to do a job suited to their skill set.
Elizabeth was trained as a driver and motor mechanic.
Her parents came along one day to watch her repairing a lorry.
The images taken were an excellent boost for recruitment into the ATS.
Her father asked jokingly, "have you got it mended yet?"
but by the end of the war, Elizabeth had been promoted to junior commander
and passed out as a fully qualified driver.
On VE day 8 May
1945, crowds packed the Mall, and Elizabeth appeared
on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, this time dressed in her ATS uniform;
she was accompanied by the King, Queen and Winston Churchill.
Now the war was over, Elizabeth again addressed official royal duties.
In 1947 she would travel to South Africa
on her first official overseas tour with the King and Queen.
In Cape Town, she once again addressed the Commonwealth's children
on her 21st birthday.
she said, "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether long or short,
shall be devoted to your service and the service
of our great imperial family to which we all belong."
Elizabeth first knew Philip in their childhood years,
and the close family connection makes Philip her third cousin
through Queen Victoria and the son of Prince Andrew of Greece.
It seems inevitable that their paths would again cross at some point.
During the war, Philip served in the Royal Navy;
he saw action on HMS Valiant and was later awarded the Greek Cross of Valour.
The couple would correspond regularly while apart.
In 1946 Philip visited
Balmoral Castle; it was where he proposed to Elizabeth.
Although still 20 at the time, Elizabeth's father
thought she was still a little too young for this to be accepted
and persuaded them to wait until after Elizabeth's 21st birthday
when the family could announce a formal engagement.
The royals did this on 10 July 1947.
The engagement ring was platinum with a large 3-carat square-cut
diamond and five smaller diamonds on the side.
The diamonds used were taken from a tiara
owned by Philip's mother, Princess Alice.
Just before the wedding Elizabeth was appointed by her father
as a Knight of the Garter, the highest order of chivalry in Britain
and one that dates back to 1348.
One week later, Philip was appointed the Duke of Edinburgh.
The couple's wedding took place at Westminster
Abbey on 20 November 1947; although the
country was still reeling from the war, such an occasion
as this was just what the doctor ordered, lavish, royal
and full of pageantry.
George had been unwell for some time, and Elizabeth
took on more official duties he would typically have attended.
When George waved goodbye to Elizabeth on her official commonwealth
tour on 1 February 1952,
it would be the last time they saw each other.
A few days later, on 6 February, George
died of a heart attack, aged 56.
when news reached Elizabeth, she was staying at Treetops, a lodge in Kenya.
It was Philip who broke the sad news to her.
The tour was stopped, and the couple immediately returned home.
Just one week after waving goodbye as a Princess, Elizabeth now returned as Queen.
On 6 February, she was proclaimed Queen at St James Palace.
On 2 June 1953, after 16 months of planning,
the day had finally arrived for the coronation of Elizabeth.
It was now a ceremony she remembered well after watching her father
go through the same one when she was just a child 16 years earlier.
The country came alive, street parties were held,
flags were hung from every available point throughout the land,
and this would also be the first time a coronation
would be televised with permission from the Queen.
Although the day was miserable and rainy, nothing could dampen
the nation's spirits.
Cheers rang out across the capital, and stands were built for better
views of the royal procession and the young Queen.
The ceremony began at 11:15 am and lasted for three hours.
Elizabeth left Westminster to the deafening sounds of crowds
of well-wishers driven in the gold state coach with Prince Philip.
Finally to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
with the rest of the royal family.
Elizabeth and Philip
would have four children; their first was Charles.
He was heir to the throne, born on 14 November
1948, weighing 7lbs 6oz.
Anne was next born at 11:50 on 15
August 1950 at Clarence House weighing 6lbs, thirdly
Andrew on 19 February 1960 at Buckingham Palace
and finally Edward on 10 March 1964 again at Buckingham Palace.
In 1977 the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee.
It was her 25th year on the throne.
However, the actual anniversary was 6 February; with the
weather not good at that time of year,
it was delayed and took place later in the summer.
Once again, massive celebrations were held throughout the Commonwealth.
For the Queen, she wanted to meet as many people as possible
both at home and overseas.
In 2002 Elizabeth reached another major landmark
celebrating the 50th anniversary of her accession.
The Golden Jubilee was well organised with a multitude of programmed events,
which included the Queen travelling the entire length and breadth of the country.
On 4 June, thousands turned out to watch the Queen travel
to St Pauls in a ceremonial procession of thanksgiving.
Once again, Elizabeth stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
in front of thousands of people who had assembled in the Mall.
2012 marked
the 60th year of Elizabeth's reign, a Diamond Jubilee,
and now a further ten years on, remarkably, Elizabeth in 2022
will celebrate her Platinum anniversary; it's an occasion
no one should miss.
As part of this year's Queen
Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Buckingham Palace
has announced a call for submissions for a royal pudding-making competition.
There will be street parties, a concert featuring
some of the "greatest entertainment performers" in the world, tours
of the Queen's residences, and a stunning street procession.
From 2 June to 5, 2022,
there will be a four-day Bank Holiday weekend.
Elizabeth will be
the first British monarch to surpass the landmark of 70 years of rule
on 6 February.
Throughout the
United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and the rest of the world,
there will be a year-long anniversary celebration.
The relevance of
any monarchy is unquestionably questioned in a continually changing world
where technology and changes in society are constantly evolving.
Despite this, Elizabeth II is a monarch like no other because of her
committed sense of responsibility on the global arena
and at home.
As she celebrates her
70th anniversary on the throne, the reasons for the monarchy
may not be any clearer, but the respect she has gained is undeniable.
To sum up Queen Elizabeth II's reign, it has to be stated that,
it would be "dedication to a cause greater than yourself,"
which she has done for better or worse.
And that dedication hasn't faded in the seven decades since its inception.