Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II meeting NASA staff at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, in 2007.

Queen Elizabeth II riding with U.S. President Ronald Reagan, courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Library.

Elizabeth II (born 21st April 1926) is the current head of state and monarch of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations, and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. She is also Head of State of several Commonwealth countries, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, serving over 129 million people in these 'Commonwealth Realms' as their sovereign. In none of these offices does she hold any real political power: as Head of State, the monarch's role is largely ceremonial as in all constitutional monarchies. Nevertheless, there remain doubts in some quarters about specific discretions, such as choosing a prime minister, which are not necessarily constrained by precedent or constitutional limitations.

The Queen married Philip Mountbatten, now Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947, and ascended to the throne in 1952 following the death of her father, George VI. Charles, Prince of Wales, the eldest of the Queen's four children, is expected to succeed her. Elizabeth's hobbies include watching horse racing, breeding thoroughbreds, dog walking and country dancing.

Early life

Elizabeth, then a princess, with U.S. President Harry S. Truman.

See also

• Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh