Queen Elizabeth II Biography

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born April 21, 1926, in London.  She was proclaimed queen on February 6, 1952, upon the death of her father, George VI, and crowned on June 2, 1953.

Her husband was created Duke of Edinburgh on the eve of their 1947 wedding and styled Prince Philip in 1957. They have three sons, Charles Philip Arthur George ( b. Nov. 14, 1948), Andrew Albert Christian Edward (b. Feb. 19, 1960), and Edward Anthony Richard Louis (b. March 10, 1964), and a daughter Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (b. Aug. 15, 1950).

Elizabeth's long and mainly peaceful reign has been marked by vast changes in her people's lives, in her country's power, how Britain is viewed abroad, and how the monarchy is regarded and portrayed.

When Elizabeth became queen, post-war Britain still had a substantial empire, dominions, and dependencies, most of which achieved independence in the 1950s–1960s. Her reign has seen a revolution in social behavior and attitudes, and increased prosperity.

The 1990s in particular were a problematic period for the royal family. The Windsor Castle fire and the divorces of Prince Charles from Diana, Princess of Wales, and of Prince Andrew from Sarah, Duchess of York, were followed by Diana's death in a car crash in Paris in 1997. This particular tragedy brought to a head the debate about the monarchy's role and continued formality.