Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, at the age of 96.
She came to
the throne in 1952 when she was just 25 years old. She was queen for
over seventy years, and only the oldest people in Britain can remember
life without her. It was Britain's New Elizabethan age, and it's now over.
Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022, was one of the best-known people in the
world. She lived a life that covered almost a century, and a period of enormous change.
She was born before the age of television. When she was young, few people had
cars, very few people had flown in an aeroplane, few people had telephones, and
nobody had a computer. It was a different age.
Elizabeth II was the older daughter of King George VI. As a teenager she lived
through the Second World War, when she trained as a nurse and as a mechanic.
Her father died suddenly at a young age in 1952. At the time Princess Elizabeth (as
she was called) was on a trip to Africa. She was just 25 and had two young children,
Charles and Anne.
Her coronation took place in Westminster Abbey, London, on 2nd June 1953. It was
the first big event to be shown live on television to viewers around Britain, and live on
radio around the world.
When she became Queen in 1952, her first prime minister was Winston Churchill. For
over 70 years, she was Britain's head of state. She was also head of the
Commonwealth, and the head of state of several Commonwealth countries, including
Australia, Canada, New Zealand and other smaller nations.
As head of state, she took an active part in life, meeting with her prime ministers every
week, and undertaking thousands of official functions. She was head of state, but she
played no part in politics, and had to remain strictly neutral in all circumstances. It was
not an easy life, but she did not think of retiring when she reached the age of 65. She
continued with her official business until two days before her death.
For most of her life she was very popular with people in Britain and around the world.
There was a period in the 1990s, after the death of Princess Diana, when she lost
some of her popularity, but her difficult years did not last long
In 2002 she celebrated her Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years on the throne. After
that, she remained popular, indeed very popular, for the rest of her life. She was like a
national figurehead, the nation's grandmother. People liked her, and more importantly
they respected her. As head of state, she was so much better than any politician!
Even though she has now left us, she will continue to be present in British life for
many years to come. Her head is on banknotes and coins, her initials E II R are on red
letterboxes all over the country, her name has been given to London's
newest underground railway line, and her image is in millions of photos taken over the
past 96 years.
Elizabeth II marked an age in Britain, just as her great-grandmother Queen Victoria
did in the 19th century. Only a few kings and queens have ever done that, in Britain or
anywhere else.
WORD GUIDE
century: period of 100 years - flown : from to fly, to go through the sky - nurse: person
who helps sick people - coronation: official ceremony when a new monarch is officially
appointed - event: occasion - viewer: spectator - several: a number of - remain: stay,
be - neutral: without expressing an opinion - retire: stop working - Jubilee: festival
- throne: the official seat of the king or queen.
