On June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was officially crowned monarch of the United Kingdom. The 92-year-old queen has ruled longer than any other monarch in British history. During her tenure as Queen, she has lived through many changes within her country and the world. She has keenly modernized the monarchy in order to keep up with the changing times.
Queen Elizabeth II was born in London on April 21, 1926, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York. In 1936, her uncle King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in order to marry an American divorcée. Elizabeth’s father became King George VI, and her mother, also named Elizabeth, was named Queen.
With her parents as the new King and Queen of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth, as their firstborn, became heir presumptive to the crown. In 1947, she married Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. They had their four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward, over the course of 16 years.
The couple was in Kenya when King George VI died on February 6, 1952, making his daughter Elizabeth the Queen of the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II was officially crowned on June 2, 1953. Her coronation was the first major international event to be broadcast on television.
The world was able to watch the historic event, contributing to the popularity of the new Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms. After delivering the coronation oath in her usual poised manner, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip paraded through a five-mile procession route in a gilded horse-drawn carriage.
As Queen, Elizabeth was determined to stay true to tradition, while also making certain changes to adjust to modern times. For instance, she dissolved the Civil List, which had publicly funded the monarchy for centuries. She also hosts small, informal luncheons at Buckingham Palace with “every day” Brits from all walks of life.
A turning point during her reign was after the death of Princess Diana on August 31, 1997. She initially faced criticism for a publicly-perceived distant response to the tragic loss of the “People’s Princess.” In response, the Queen broadcast a heartfelt message about Princess Diana from Buckingham Palace on the eve of Diana’s funeral.
On February 6, 2017, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch in history to reach a Sapphire Jubilee – 65 years on the throne. She spent the day at Sandringham, her country estate north of London, where she attended church and reflected on the anniversary of her father’s death. While she has no plan to abdicate the throne, she is starting to pass off royal duties to her son Prince Charles, who is next in line. In the meantime, today she celebrates the 65th anniversary of her coronation day!