Now I want to go into the life of the last Queen. Queen Elizabeth II. 

Elizabeth II

A Life of Duty

From the young Elizabeth, it was quite some promise, a promise she would keep. Leaving her home on what will be the greatest day of her life. Queen Elizabeth to her coronation through decades of incessant change, she was to be a constant. Proceeded by her guards and escorted by her cavalry she drives through cheering crowds down the decorated avenue. 

June 2nd, 1953

Queen Elizabeth's coronation day

Sted fast ever present. Reassuring queen who's devotion and respect for the world. A much-loved woman, a remarkable reign. The monarch of our times. 

Elizabeth Alexandria Mary Windsor was born in the most extraordinary life. Her early life was a life of a normal, relatively family. A family that wanted to be away from the eyes of the cameras. Princess Elizabeth's father was the shy, unassuming, Duke of York. The Duck and Duchess of York haven't had to do very much or nearly very much of members of the royal family. They were a closed and loving family. Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret would spend much of their childhood in Scotland. Scotland from that age where the fun kids, you could go and be wild. Princess Elizabeth was the serious minded one. She looked after her little sister. They were always with their parents. More so perhaps then other children from the same class. Of course, it was very different in those days. 

Elizabeth was third in line to the throne in the succession. She had a public side as well as a private side even at a young age. That was the way you behave. She had restrictions that she had to accept were necessary. 

The line of succession was never supposed to pass through her father. He was the king younger brother and second in line to the throne. Within months of his coronation Princess Elizabeth's Uncle, Edward VIII was faced with a choice. Either to marry the woman he loves or remaining as king. 

January 28th, 1936

King Edward VIII's abdication speech

King Edward abdicated. 

The country and family felt like he let everyone down. I disagree and I'm glad I am an outsider in on this. I'm glad he chose love and to be happy with the woman he loves.  Plus, it also gave Elizabeth a chance to become Queen. I think that was a good decision. 

And it was a decision that will have dramatic consequences for the young Elizabeth. The fact that it was also going to affect her too and how her life would come out was probably too difficult to comprehend for one so young. But it did change her life and his decision as King Edward VIII would leave would ensure that she will one day be Queen. 

May 12th, 1937

King George VI's coronation

When Princess Elizabeth watched her father's coronation, it was more than an exciting spatial. At 10 years old she now knew that it was her destiny. She knew she would one day be Queen. It nationally completely changed their lives. This young Elizabeth whose life was set to be one of living a relatively comfortable life, suddenly was to have the ultimate job of responsibility but also a job of course she had no choice over. Realizing her path was predaine she made a decision. A life in public duty involves great personal sacrificed, one she was more than prepared to make. 

She had seen the impact her uncle abdication has had on her and her father. To turn your back on not only an obligation but on something in the presence of coronation, you are anointed to do. Knowing that she will succeed him, the Princess observed her father closely. The apprenticeship intensive as the second world war started. She needed to grow into her role in heir quickly and she did. 

Princess Elizabeth was only 14 when she gave her first radio podcast to children all over the empire. The Princess was desperate to serve. This was an opportunity to prove herself. She convinced the king to let her join the army, driving, and fixing ambulances. She was of her generation which was a war time generation and for the rest of her life she loves to drive and knew about engines. 

May 8th, 1945

Victory in Europe Day

The day the war ended; Princess Elizabeth's parents let her slip into the crowds outside Buckingham Palace incognito with her sister and cousin. Victory for Europe and a rare moment of freedom for Princess Elizabeth. She later called it one of the most memorable nights of her life, but the war was an exception normal life for an heir is constrained and lonely, the Princess needed someone in her life to make the future less daunting. 

Prince Philip was a very dashing, young navy cadet when the Queen first lay eyes on him. In fact, she met him when she was 13 and he was a dartmouth navel college and by all accounts it was love at first sight with her and she was smitten by him, now the king and queen had planned that the idea consort to Princess Elizabeth who was going to be queen one day would be one of the descendants of the ducal families of England, but she wasn't interested in that. 

It's almost the only time when the queen absolutely stepped out of the line, Queen Elizabeth, her mother would have loved her to marry a grenadier guard. It was perfectly evident to anyone who saw the queen when prince Philip walked into the room she would completely light up. It was the day's luckily before ghastly emails and things that somehow or other aren't the same as letters. 

This life will endure almost her whole life. But before she married him, she had even more important vow to make. That 21st birthday dedication to service. 

April 21st, 1947

South Africa

The first person willing to share in her vow of duty was Prince Philip. He was his own man and Elizabeth, her own woman. Together they were a team. 

November 20th, 1947

Princess Elizabeth's Wedding Day     

She loved him. He was beautifully, athletic young man who fell in love with her. They had their first two children. Prince Charles and Princess Anne. And when Prince Philip was given a navy posting in morthow, it was the young couple's chance to live a carefree and private life. But life would not be normal for long. The public did not know it yet, but the King had long cancer and his health was deteriorating. He sent Princess Elizabeth on a tour of Africa in his place when she was aged just 25. She waved goodbye to her father, excited to represent him abroad not imagining the tragedy that will be days away that would turn her world upside down. 

February 6th, 1952

Queen Elizabeth's Accession Day

The Queen's father died age 56, his reign and her apprenticeship cut short. Prince Philip broke the news to the Queen as the large deep in the Kanyan bush. Elizabeth had to gather herself and knew this was her destiny. A grieving daughter but also now the Queen, in a way she could never imagine. She descendant the steps, drape in grieve, knowing her life will never be the same again. 

June 2nd, 1953

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Day

The Queen's coronation was the first live television event in history and tens of millions of people tune in. A modern Queen for a new television age. Bringing in a post war era of optimism and hope.  The new Queen was beautiful, and she presented this icon of hope after all the hostility after the second world war. And her reign beginning after the shock of the King's death, came with an opportunity of this young new start. 

They saw in her coronation this young woman at 26 dedicated herself to serve and that kicked off the reign of Elizabeth II with all the very best bells ringing. The new Queen was glamours and etiquette and was a golden couple in high demand. Dancing, smiling, meeting and greeting their way around state visits, commonwealth tours and garden parties. But time was made every week by the Queen to meet the prime minister. 

The Queen was a young woman, and she was entering a very male world. Her first prime minister was Winston Churchill. He was a huge presence in every sense, a small young woman. At Winston Churchill's funeral, the Queen did not arrive last or need first as was her royal privilege. She stayed throughout. A sign of a deep respect for her first Prime Minister. She had a generour empathy for people that were in that position of power. She understood the pressures. She was above politics. 

Becoming Queen just after World War 2, was more sollom and profound then when as Commander and Chief. The Queen learned to be a good commander and chief by watching her father in the war, most of her reign was marked by arm forces being somehow deployed somewhere in the world for an interest of the United Kingdom, on the decisions of prime ministers. And yet all those solders, men and women, were dedicated to serve her. Here, who served in the military and have family that served in the military, so she understands. She's the warrior queen, she's done it. She has been there. She makes good judgement and because of that everyone in the arm forces shows complete loyalty to her. It was very special. 

The second Elizabethan era coincided to the end of the World War 2 era. And the Queen have become the face of the modern commonwealth. The Queen's reign has seen a very much change. She will probably be looked at in history as the last emperor monarch. The Queen herself in body so well the aspirations of the commonwealth. To represent democracy and freedoms. She made sure there was room for reinvention, finding the root of the past, and moving forward. Effortlessly for just being there as head, she's enabled the group of nations to find a root forward and I think that is something she will always be proud of. When foreigners think of the UK, they think of the Queen, so this gave her a unique interest around the world because she wasn't just a person, she was an embodiment of a country. 

The Queen became the UK's diplomatic chief, trying to bring together a world ripped by war. The Queen represented a generation that saw both Japan and Germany tried to destroy Britian. Not long after the war, the Queen invited the leader of Germany and later Japan to the UK. She would visit both countries in return. Her most important missions were reconciliation we cannot forget the past, but we must build on the future. 

She never thought she would see Russia or China in the course of her reign she didn't think she would see both. (I hope I get to see both too someday). The Queen schedule was planned out, years in advanced. Each visit and foreign trip planned to the very last detailed. But things didn't always come to plan. Away from the pressures of diplomacy, her Scottish home was her refuge and Sancturary and more private space for children and grandchildren to let lose. 

Holidays was always really important to the Queen. She always looked forward to being with her family which was a rare treasure for her with all of them. To get them together. And it was the only time they could because they were all representing her from different parts of the world and the country. Getting them together for the holidays was perfect. She will always be remembered for her loved of horses and dogs. There isn't much that she did as Queen that benefited herself personally. She spent 70 years of her life owning and breeding racehorses. She gets her relief. It's her release from all the other stuff in her life which was a lot. 

Her sense of humor was not something people get to see closed up. The Queen drew a form line between public and private. She recognized with the media less is more, she didn't give interviews, and never was tempted to. Part of monarch is to be present but also seemed distant because being too accessible in a way let too much light in. Shatters the image of monarchy, spell the magic of the monarchy. 

The Queen's true feelings were mostly hiding behind the public persona. But there were moments where she let the world in. The marriages of her three oldest children, ended in 1992. The most bitter and ranging was the split of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. Once celebrated as the future King and Queen. Diana had quickly become the most popular royal. Her beauty and style, her empathy and volubility, marked who she was, the people's princess. 

She was a princess and a member of the royal family, but she was also a global figure, someone who brought a lot of change into the monarchy in a way they govern. Her shocking death triggered a crisis for the Queen. After the death of Diana, there was nothing from the Queen and the people were upset. 

August 31st, 1997

Paris, France

Princess Diana's death was a global event. A huge global significance. It's hard to understand that from the perspective of today and therefore the Queen all the way through the succeeding days after the death was both trying to perform her duties as monarch but also anxious about the children and how to protect them. I just love how this video sugar coded how the beloved Queen treated Diana and all that wasn't an excuse to not address her death. Diana's children Prince William and Harry were on holiday at Balmoral at the time of the crash. The Queen, stayed with them. The people were devastated. 

Whatever her intentions were, these are testing times for the Queen. People began to demand she return to London and bring the British flag down to half mass to honor Diana's memory. They wanted to see the Queen, they wanted action and the headlines in London were "Where are you?" There was a real sense of crowds where the Queen was not responsive to her people. Very difficult to work out, how to do the right thing in these circumstances. She finally did speak. 

December 11, 1997

Royal Yachet Decommission Ceremony

But if the death of Diana had brought change to the monarchy, then there was no personal heartache for the Queen. Her sister died, and then soon after her mother. Elizabeth is now a matriarch of the monarchy with an uncertain future. 

June 2002

The Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebrations

It was a turning point. The Queen won back people that had become convinced that this was a monarchy that became out of touch. To move to modernized institutions fallen from favor. The Queen have seen the monarchy through it's time of challenge. It was also the beginning of a new century and a whole new generation of people getting to know Queen Elizabeth II. To people of all ages, she is now the most recognized monarch in the world and a global icon. The Queen was hugely popular globally. She was an iconic figure. 

May 18th, 2011

Dublin Castle, Ireland

She was the first monarchy to visit Ireland in over a century. The Queen's mantra "You have to be seen to be believed" held true even after she turned 90. Throughout her life, the Queen made personal sacrifices. The good of the form came before the individual members of the family. When Prince Andrew was accused of sexually assorting a 17-year-old girl, swift action was taking. He denial the allegations but despite rumored to be the Queen's favorite son, Andrew was restricted from his military's titles and forced to withdraw from public life. 

There was sadness to of the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who left the "form" because of racism and a painful family split. This video above used the word allegations and I'm going to say it's more than just "allegations". The royal family were racist and are racist. They mistreated Maghen and made her feel suicidal.  It's not sadness that they left. It was a good thing that they left, to prevent what happened to happen Harry's mother happen again. Prince Harry moved his family to America. I do wish they would stop sugar code the bad stuff the Queen and the family have done and admit that they are not perfect. 

At the same time the people were facing the toughest peace time in a century. The global, Corona virus pandemic. The Queen once again had to choose her moment to speak to her country, offering a message of strength and a reference from her war time generation. 

April 5th, 2020

Buckingham Palace

Experience could prepare her for many things but nothing as painful as losing her husband. 

HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021

Prince Philip was 99 years old. (He almost made it to 100) 

At his funeral, the Queen sat alone. Refusing to make exceptions of the rules even for herself. In later life, she let the world see more moments of her playful side. She knew what to agree to and when. It delighted the world because they won't expecting it. 

June 2022

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebration

(I watch this when it was on)

They will miss the Queen because she was there for so long. She really has done it in her way, a sense of duty. A life of service and a life of duty. She truly cared. If there is a heaven she is now with her father and mother and her husband. I do think her father would have been proud of her.