The Queen At 93 - A Look Back At Her Spectacular Life

Apr 20, 2019 by apost team

Ninety-three years ago today, a fair-haired baby princess was born in Mayfair. No one could have imagined, then, that she would grow into the United Kingdom’s longest reigning monarch to date. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has lived through remarkable and historical moments in time, some that have even changed the course of history.

Today, on April 26, the Queen turns 93 years old. She’s surrounded by her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as well as her loving children. Now, at a time when people all over the world are celebrating with her, is the perfect time to go back in time to reflect on the spectacular life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was the first child of Albert and Elizabeth, the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth), and was born in London in the early hours of the morning on April 21st, 1926. She was born during the reign of her grandfather, King George V. She was baptized on May 29 in Buckingham Palace’s private chapel by Cosmo Gordon Lang, the Anglican Archbishop of York.

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Elizabeth had a happy childhood as 3rd in line to the throne, behind her uncle Edward and her father. As a girl, she lived without the pressure of being heir presumptive and spent most of her time with her parents at their homes in London, or at her grandparents’ country houses. 

At four years old, Margaret Rose, Elizabeth’s sister, was born. The new family of four were very closely bonded. The young girls were educated at home. Nearly who met Elizabeth as a girl claimed that she was very bright.

Winston Churchill, for example, once remarked, “She’s a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant.”

King George V passed away on January 20, 1937, making Prince Edward the new king. The Duke of York, Elizabeth’s father, was now next in line to the throne. After Prince Edward became King Edward VIII, he declared his intentions of marrying Wallis Simpson, an American who had been divorced twice.

This decision was met with great disapproval from the Church of England, who gave him an ultimatum: the woman or the crown. Edward VIII chose to marry Wallis Simpson, thus relinquishing the crown. He abdicated on December 10, 1937, and the Duke of York became King George VI. At just 10-years-old, Elizabeth was now heir apparent.

She began preparing for her future role as the Queen immediately, studying constitutional history and law under the Vice-Provost of Eton College. She also was taught religion by the Archbishop of Canterbury to prepare her for the Queen’s role as the head of the Church of England.

During the dangerous years of WWII, the sisters were relocated to Windsor Castle. They became more public during this time, giving their first speech over the radio. Princess Elizabeth began to take on more royal duties, and was appointed colonel-in-chief of the Granadier Guards by her father. At eighteen, she launched her first ship and at nineteen, she began to help in the war effort by joining the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service, learned to drive, and was trained as a mechanic.

When the war was won, Elizabeth and Margaret convinced their father to allow them mingle with the joyful crowd anonymously. They danced, cheered, and celebrated along with the others in the streets of London outside the palace.

At thirteen, Princess Elizabeth met Philip Mountbatten. The two were smitten. Throughout her teenage years, the two kept up a romantic correspondence. At twenty, the two finally became engaged with the permission of her father. The engagement was, however, kept under wraps until she turned 21.

Their wedding was held on November 20, 1947. It was just after the war, so Britain was still recovering, and the celebration was kept low-key. The princess even saved up coupons for her dress.

On November 14, 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to the couple’s first daughter, Prince Charles. In 1950, Princess Anne was born. After Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II, their family grew by two children, Prince Andrew in 1960 and Prince Edward in 1964.

King George VI’s died in his sleep at Sandringham House on February 6, 1952 after his diagnosis with lung cancer. Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II. 

The coronation occurred in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. It was a spectacular ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury with eight thousand guests from all over the world in attendance. But, fortunately for the public, it was the first coronation to ever be televised, so people all over the world could be a part of it.

The next several decades were marked by social change, anniversaries, and tragedies. In 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer. That same year, Marcus Sarjeant fired blank shots at the Queen. The Queen’s first grandson was born in 1982. Two years later, Prince Harry was born. 

The nineties was a tragic decade for the queen. In 1992, the marriages of three out of four of her children fell apart and a fire destroyed the Queen’s most beloved home, Windsor Castle. Prince Charles and Lady Diana ended their marriage in 1996, and one year later, on August 31, 1996, Lady Diana tragically died in a car accident while being chased by paparazzi. At this point, the British Monarchy’s popularity was the lowest it had ever been.

After the marriage of her youngest son, Prince Edward, to Sophy Rhys-Jones at the end of the decade, the new millennium was marked by celebration. The Queen’s mother turned 100 but passed away two years later in the same year as her sister, Princess Margaret.

In 2007, The Queen officially became the longest-reigning British Monarch, followed by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

The last several years have been happy ones for The Queen. Prince William, her grandson, married Katherine Middleton and Prince Harry married Meghan Markle. She welcomed her great-grandchildren, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, into the world in 2013 and 2015, respectively. She also took the torch from Queen Victoria again in 2015, when she became the longest-living British Monarch in 2015.

“My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

At just twenty-one, The Queen pledged her service to her country, and she has lived unwaveringly by this promise throughout her spectacular life.

What do you think of the Queen's spectacular life? Let us know in the comments and pass this along to your friends and family to help celebrate 93 years of Queen Elizabeth!