As the longest reigning monarch in the history of the world, the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II are special to all. From cinema lovers to history enthusiasts, the late queen made left a long-lasting impact on all of us, to say the least.
Her early life as a princess shaped her future years as a queen. The time she spent with her sister Princess Margaret, mother and father helped her truly become an unformidable force, holding together the British empire starting from decolonization to a global pandemic.
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When Was Queen Elizabeth II Born?
On April 21, 1926, at 2:40 a.m., Queen Elizabeth II was born at a townhouse in Mayfair, London. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who subsequently became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and was given the name Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. Her Majesty was not born in a palace or hospital, which made her birth somewhat uncommon.
Instead, the Queen’s parents had recently moved into their family home at 17 Bruton Street, which belonged to her the Earl and Countess of Strathmore, her Scottish grandparents. She arrived through c-section.
The Queen was given the middle name Alexandra in honor of her father’s maternal grandmother who passed away six months before Her Majesty was born. Elizabeth was the name of the Queen’s mother. Because Elizabeth’s grandmother and King George VI’s mother both went by the name Mary, her second middle name is equally noteworthy. Although her name was Elizabeth, she was affectionately referred to as Lilibet when she was little. According to legend, Queen Elizabeth had trouble pronouncing her first name correctly as a toddler.
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Where Did Queen Elizabeth II Spend Her Childhood?
Elizabeth was born when her father was the Duke of York and King George V was the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Young Elizabeth became a princess as a result. She was close to her grandfather and lovingly called him “Grandpa England” and King George V used Lilibet as one of his attempts to emulate and refer to his cherished grandchild. She used to visit King George V during the time of his illness in an attempt to raise his spirits and help in his recovery.
Elizabeth enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle as a princess of the United Kingdom. She received private instruction at home from tutors and took pleasure in horseback riding at her family’s country residence in Windsor Great Park. Princess Margaret, her younger sister, was born in 1930 and the two were raised in a close-knit family. Elizabeth wasn’t a spoilt kid, though. Many people who interacted with her remarked on how responsible and grounded she was even when she was little.
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