Elizabeth II

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

Elizabeth II (born 21st April[1] 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 formal political power.

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. Prince Charles, 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.[2]

Early life

Accession to the throne

Reign of Elizabeth

Footnotes

  1. ↑ April often being a poor month for good weather, the Queen's birthday is officially celebrated in June. See the British monarchy's official page: 'One Queen, Two Birthdays'.
  2. ↑ The Royal Family: 'Her Majesty the Queen'. Official website.

References

General references

Further reading

External links

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