Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Facts About Queen Elizabeth
Facts About Queen Elizabeth
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1
Contents
Early years.......................................................................................................... Page 7
A Royal romance....................................................................................................Page 15
Engagement ring.....................................................................................................Page 18
Eight bridesmaids...................................................................................................Page 20
Honeymoon........................................................................................................... Page.26
The Coronation.......................................................................................................Page 30
Gillies' Balls............................................................................................................Page 41
Fashion................................................................................................................Page 44
Birthdays.................................................................................................................Page 50
2
Countries visited....................................................................................................Page 53
Crawfie....................................................................................................................Page 66
Wimbledon..............................................................................................................Page 71
3
Trooping the Colour.............................................................................................Page 75
Garden parties......................................................................................................Page 79
Godchildren.........................................................................................................Page 84
Pope Visits...........................................................................................................Page 93
First Investiture....................................................................................................Page 97
Christmas Broadcasts...........................................................................................Page109
4
Silver Jubilee year...................................................................................................Page 112
5
The Queen Crawls on the Floor...............................................................................Page 172
6
Intriguing and Amazing Facts about the Queen
Early years
1.The Queen was born at 2.40am on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London.
2. She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George
7
As King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
3.At the time she stood third in line of succession to the throne after Edward, Prince of Wales
(later King Edward VIII), and her father, The Duke of York. But it was not expected that her
4. The Princess was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in the private chapel at
Buckingham Palace. She was named after her mother, while her two middle names are
Queen Mary.
8
The Christening
5. The Princess's early years were spent at 145 Piccadilly, the London house taken by her
145, Picadilly.
9
With Nanny
At 2 years old
Riding a tricycle
6. When she was six years old,her parents took over Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park
10
Royal Lodge Windsor
7.Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her younger sister
11
Eton College
Archbishop of Canterbury
12
9. Princess Elizabeth also learned French from a number of French and Belgian governesses.
It is a skill which has stood The Queen in good stead, as she often has cause to use it when
speaking to ambassadors and heads of state from French-speaking countries, and when
In Canada
At home
13
Princess Elizabeth enrolled as a Girl Guide when she was eleven,
As a Girl Guide
As a Sea Ranger.
11. In 1940, at the height of the Blitz, the young Princesses were moved for their safety to
Windsor Castle
Fast Electric Bike .DIY 50 MPH
14
A Royal romance
12. The Queen is the first British monarch to have celebrated a Diamond Wedding
Anniversary.
13.Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip first met when they attended the wedding of
Prince Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece to The Duke of Kent, who was an
15
Prince Philip
Prince Philip was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark.
Young Philip
On his bicycle
He joined the Royal Navy in 1939 and after the war, in February 1947, became
16
Prince Philip was required to choose a surname in order to
British relatives.
17
15.The platinum and diamond engagement ring was made by the jewellers, Philip Antrobus Ltd,
18
16 .Prince Philip had two stag parties the night before the wedding - the first at the Dorchester
The Dorchester
to which the press were invited and the second with his closest friends at the Belfry Club.
The Wedding
17.The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were married in Westminster Abbey on the 20th
19
18.The eight bridesmaids were: HRH The Princess Margaret, HRH Princess Alexandra of
Lambart, The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten, The Hon. Margaret Elphinstone, The Hon. Diana
Bowes-Lyon.
19.There were two pages: HRH Prince William of Gloucester (aged 5) and HRH Prince
20
Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent
21.The fabric for the dress was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the
Canmore factory, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle.
Lullingstone Castle.
21
22..The Queen's Bridal Veil was made of tulle and held by a tiara of diamonds. This tiara
(which can also be worn as a necklace) was made for Queen Mary in 1919. It is made
from re-used diamonds taken from a necklace/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from
Collingwood and Co and a wedding present for Queen Mary in 1893. In August, 1936,
Queen Mary gave the tiara to Queen Elizabeth from whom it was borrowed by Princess
23.The grave of the Unknown Warrior was the only stone that was not covered by the
special carpet in the Abbey. The day after the wedding, Princess Elizabeth followed a
Royal tradition started by her mother, of sending her wedding bouquet back to the
22
24.The Queen's wedding dress was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from
gold nugget
and the Royal couple received over 2,500 wedding presents from well-wishers around
the world.
26.As well as jewellery from their close relatives, including the King and Queen,
23
From the King and Queen .The Halo Tiara
The couple received many useful items for the kitchen and home, including salt cellars from
the Queen, a bookcase from Queen Mary, and a picnic case from Princess Margaret.
24
Tins of food
Decorated glass
pens
Jewellery
25
27.The "wedding breakfast" (lunch) was held after the marriage ceremony at Westminster
Abbey in the Ball Supper-room at Buckingham Palace. The menu was Filet de Sole
Honeymoon
28.The couple departed Waterloo station with the Princess's corgi, Susan, for their
honeymoon.
Prince Philip's uncle Earl Mountbatten. The second part of the honeymoon was spent
26
Broadlands
Birkhall
Homes
30.Early in 1948 the couple leased their first marital home, Windlesham Moor, in Surrey,
Windlesham Moor
where they stayed until they moved to Clarence House on 4th July 1949.
27
Clarence House
Naval Career
31.After marrying Princess Elizabeth, The Duke of Edinburgh continued his naval career,
28
32.Although he was The Queen's husband, The Duke of Edinburgh was not crowned or
anointed at the Coronation ceremony in 1953. He was the first subject to pay Homage to
Her Majesty, and kiss the newly crowned Queen by stating "I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,
do become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship; and faith and truth I
will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of folks. So help me God."
33.Prince Philip has accompanied The Queen on all her Commonwealth tours and State
visits, as well as on public engagements in all parts of the UK. The first of these was the
Coronation tour of the Commonwealth from November 1953 to May 1954, when the couple
visited Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands,
Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar, travelling a distance of 43,618 miles.
29
The Coronation
34. The Coronation took place in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. It was a solemn
35. The Coronation was followed by drives through every part of London, a review of
the fleet at Spithead, and visits to Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
36.The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have four children: Prince Charles, The
Prince of Wales (b. 1948), Princess Anne, The Princess Royal (b. 1950), Prince Andrew,
The Duke of York (b. 1960), and Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex (b. 1964).
30
With the children
37.With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, The Queen became the first reigning
Sovereign to give birth to a child since Queen Victoria, whose youngest child,
Prince Andrew
31
Grandchildren
38.The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have eight grandchildren - Peter Phillips (b. 1977),
Peter Phillips .
32
Prince William, Prince Charles's son (b. 1982),
Prince Harry
33
Princess Eugenie,Prince Andrew's Daughter (b. 1990),
34
The Queen has one great-grandchild Savannah (b. 2011)
Great-grandchild Savannah
39. The Queen has delivered a Christmas message every year except in 1969, when she
decided the royals had been on TV enough after an unprecedented family documentary.
40. In her 1991 message, the Queen silenced rumours of abdication as she pledged
to continue to serve.
35
1991 message
41. The Queen issued a writ against The Sun newspaper after it published the full text
of her 1992 broadcast two days before transmission. She later accepted an apology and
1992 broadcast
42. The Queen's grandfather, King George V,delivered the first royal Christmas
King George V
43. George V was at first unsure about using the relatively untried medium of the wireless,
Satellite TV to PC
36
44. There was no Christmas broadcast in 1936 or 1938, and it was the outbreak of the
45. Last year the Queen delivered her address from Hampton Court Palace - the first time
Hampton Court
46 The speech is written by the Queen and each has a strong religious framework,
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Interest and hobbies
Animals
interest in horses. As an owner and breeder of thoroughbreds, she often visits other race
meetings to watch her horses run, and also frequently attends equestrian events.
Watching a Race
38
Royal Windsor Horse show
49.She attends the Derby at Epsom, one of the classic flat races in Britain
and the Summer Race Meeting at Ascot, which has been a Royal occasion since 1911.
39
50. The Queen's horses won races at Royal Ascot on a number of occasions. There was
a notable double on 18 June 1954 when Landau won the Rous Memorial Stakes
Aureole
and in 1957 The Queen had four winners during Ascot week.
40
Taking a keen interest
51. Other interests include walking in the countryside and working her Labradors,
The Labradors
52. A lesser known interest is Scottish country dancing. Each year during her stay at
Balmoral Castle, The Queen gives dances known as Gillies' Balls, for neighbours,
41
53. The Queen is the only person in Britain who can drive without a licence or a
To formally greet the Queen men should perform a neck bow (from the head only)
42
Whilst women do a small curtsy.
43
Bow and Curtsy from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Fashion
56.Norman Hartnell who first worked for the then Princess Elizabeth in the 1940s,
Norman Hartnell
44
A Norman Hartnell Design
His signature style of the 1940s and 1950s was full-skirted dresses in sumptuous silks and
duchesse satins
45
designed by Norman Harttnell
57. Hardy Amies began designing clothes for The Queen in the early 1950s and established
46
Sir Edwin Hardy Amies was one of the Queens favourite designers
The portraits by Cecil Beaton released to mark Her Majestys birthday in 1969 the are
58.In the 1970s The Queen awarded her patronage to Ian Thomas, who was an assistant
designer to Norman Hartnell before setting up his own salon. Thomass flowing chiffon
dresses from the 1970s reflect the relaxed style of the decade. Maureen Rose of the same
house continued to design for Her Majesty after Ians death until the late 80s.
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Ian Thomas design
59. Between 1988 and 1996, Her Majestys dresses were designed by John Anderson.
His business partner Karl Ludwig Rehse took over the mantle after his death in 1988
60. Stewart Parvin, the youngest of Her Majestys designers, trained at Edinburgh College
of Art. He began to design for The Queen in 2000 and continues to do so.
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Stewart Parvin design
61. Angela Kelly is Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser to The Queen. Her role
includes designing for The Queen, which she has done since 2002.
Angela Kelly
Angela and her team try and use both old and new fabrics when designing.
49
Some of the material they incorporate has been given to Her Majesty many years ago,
Birthdays
62. The Queen celebrates two birthdays each year: her actual birthday on 21 April and
63. The Queen usually spends her actual birthday privately, but the occasion is marked
publicly by gun salutes in central London at midday: a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park,
a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London.
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64. In 2006, Her Majesty celebrated her 80th Birthday in 2006 with a walkabout in the
Walkabout in Windsor
65. On her official birthday, Her Majesty is joined by other members of the Royal
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The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge
Horseguards Parade.
52
The Mall
66. Queen Elizabeth II is the fortieth monarch since William the Conqueror
Australia 15 times,
53
and New Zealand ten times
68. She has sent around 100,000 telegrams to centenarians in the UK and the Commonwealth
Lanching a ship
54
and met five astronauts at Buckingham Palace
First flight
71. She is the only British monarch in history properly trained to change a spark plug
Properly trained
55
72. On VE Day she and her sister slipped into the crowd to celebrate
74. The Queen has a bank account at Coutts & Co. There is a Coutts cash-
75. The Queen celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2002, including visiting 70
In Leeds
56
In Slough
In London
In Woodford
57
In Manchester
76. Tony Blair was the first prime minister to be born during her reign,
77.The Queen has sat through 91 state banquets and posed for 139 official portraits
58
78. Technically The Queen still owns the sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the waters
around the UK which are recognised as 'Fishes Royal'. She also owns all wild 'mute'
79. The Queen introduced a new breed of dog known as the "dorgi",
80. The Queen is the first British monarch to see three of her children divorce
59
81. She demoted a footman for feeding her corgis whisky
The Queen has nine Royal thrones - One at the House of Lords,
House of Lords
60
Coronation chair Westminster Abbey
83. She is a Patron of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association. One of the
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84. There have been six Archbishops of Canterbury during the Queen's reign
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More amazing facts
86.On a state visit to Brazil in 1968, the Queen was given two sloths.
Two sloths.
though a horse donated by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was housed in the
Royal Mews.
87. The Queen costs the public purse 36.2m each year, including 359,000 paid directly
63
88. Since 1952 the Queen has given royal assent to more than 3,500 Acts of Parliament.
89. Each morning, the Queen's breakfast table is laid out with cornflakes and porridge oats
in Tupperware containers, yoghurt and two kinds of marmalade light and dark.
90. Britain's monarchy is the most expensive in Europe, though the Netherlands isn't far
behind. Spain's royal family gets a comparatively meagre 7m allowance each year.
91.. The Queen is thought to be worth around 300m, making her the 257th richest
Make Me a Millionaire
64
92.All 5,300 breeding pairs of mute swan in Britain are officially owned by the Queen.
93.The Queen sent her first email in 1976 from an army base.
94.The top video on Her Majesty's official YouTube Channel is a clip of Prince William
95.At an official photocall marking the end of 2009's G20 summit, Her Majesty was
G20 summit
65
96. The Queen was educated by her governess Marion Crawford, to whom she gave
97. Ms Crawford's services were not enough to grant her everlasting favour with the royals,
however. In 1950, she published a book titled The Little Princesses, recounting the time she
spent with Elizabeth and Margaret. The royals were apparently furious.
98. There have been six Archbishops of Canterbury during the Queen's reign
Geoffrey Fisher,
66
Michael Ramsey,
Donald Coggan,
Robert Runcie,
67
George Carey
Pius XII,
Unlimited Abundance
68
John XXIII,
Paul VI,
John Paul I,
John Paul II
Join The Elite Internet Club
69
and Benedict XVI.
100. The Royal Train comes with chefs, lace-trimmed pillows, and a no bumpy track
101. According to former Arsenal player Cesc Fabregas, the Queen is a Gunners fan.
70
102.The first football match the Queen attended was the 1953 FA Cup Final.
103. When Her Majesty visited Centre Court's Royal Box for an Andy Murray match
At Wimbledon
104. The Queen's vocal range is as yet untested, but a recording of a concert to celebrate
her Golden Jubilee titled Party at the Palace sold 100,000 copies in its first week of release,
making the Queen the first member of the Royal Family to be awarded a gold disc.
71
105. Her Majesty has endured 36 Royal Variety Performances.
With Sir Elton John,Sir Cliff Richard,Sir Tom Jones, Sir Paul McCartney
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106. Diageo, the world's biggest distiller, is selling 60 decanters of Scotch whisky for
107. According to Margaret Rhodes, the Queen's cousin, HM's alcohol intake never varies.
She takes a gin and Dubonnet before lunch, with a slice of lemon and a lot of ice. She will
take wine with lunch and a dry Martini and a glass of champagne in the evening. That comes
to 6 units per day, which would make Her Majesty a binge drinker by government standards.
73
With President Bush
and surprised !
108. On a state visit to Australia in 1954, during an argument with Prince Philip, the Queen
was filmed "hurling shoes, threats and sporting equipment, and venting the sort of regal
fury that, in another age, would have cost someone their head", according to writer Robert
Hardman. "I'm sorry for that little interlude," she later said, "but, as you know, it happens
in every marriage."
74
109. The Queen has been at the saluting base of her troops in every Trooping the Colour
ceremony since the start of her reign, with the exception of 1955, when a national rail
110. A message of the Queen's congratulations to Apollo 11 astronauts for the first moon
landing was microfilmed and deposited in a metal container on the satellite's surface.
111. What gives the Queen the giggles? Ali G impressions, according to Prince William.
75
At the Jubilee celebrations
112. The Queen, the official head of the Church of England, first entered a mosque in July
At the Mosque
76
113. During the last 60 years, the Queen has undertaken 261 official overseas visits,
114. She's also received 102 inward state visits from 1952 to the end of 2011, the last being
115. She has broadcast a Christmas message every year since her coronation in 1952,
except in 1969.
77
116. The Royal Collection, a vast hoard of art including 150,000 paintings by the likes of
Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian and Raphael, is held in trust by the Queen for the nation.
117. The monarch has answered around three and a half million items of correspondence and
more than 175,000 telegrams sent to centenarians in the UK and the Commonwealth.
118. The Queen has sat for 129 portraits during her reign, painted in a variety of styles.
Lucian Freud's 2001 depiction of HM divided critics and was slated by the tabloids.
119. During the past 60 years almost one and a half million people have attended garden
parties at Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse, with 8,000 people head
78
Kate,Camilla & Prince Charles
120. Owing to the collapse of the Empire the Queen has presided over the loss of sovereignty
79
121. Since 1952, the Queen has conferred more than 404,500 honours and awards.
122.The Queen's first portrait was painted in 1933, when she was seven, and the most
123. The monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh have sent approximately 45,000
Christmas cards.
80
124. The Queen became the first monarch to open the doors to Buckingham Palace to
She needed the cash for the repair of Windsor Castle after a fire.
Windsor Castle
Diablo Billionaire Formula FREE Course
81
25. The design of the 1st class stamp has been updated for the Jubilee. The traditional
gold is replaced with a blue colour scheme and the words "Diamond Jubilee"
126. The four-day holiday for the jubilee hit the economy with a 0.5 per cent
127. The Queen has seen 12 different Prime Ministers during her reign from Sir Winston
128. Apparently, it has always been the Queens dream to see one of her horses win
the Epsom Derby. Aureole came second in 1953, and last year Carlton House
managed third.
82
129. The Queen's racing colours are a purple body with gold braid, scarlet sleeves and
black velvet cap with gold fringe. They were adopted from those used by Edward VII;
Diamond Jubilee.
83
130. The Queen and Duke have been married for a whopping 64 years.
131. Queen Victoria was the last, and previously the only, British monarch to celebrate
a diamond jubilee.
132.The Queen has bought a lot of Christening gifts thanks to her huge list of 30
godchildren.
84
133. The only time the sovereign has had to interrupt an overseas tour was in 1974 during a
visit to Australia and Indonesia when she was called back to the UK when a snap general
134. The Queen's official visits have ranged from the Cocos Islands, 5.4 square miles with
a population of 596 to China, 3.7 million square miles with a population of 1.34 billion.
Cocos Islands
135. In May 2011, the Queen became the first British monarch to visit the Republic of
85
136. The Queen has laid her wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday every year
of her reign, except in 1959, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1983 and 1999 when she was either
At the Cenotaph
As at 1 January 2012:
86
Victoria (63 years)
87
James VI of Scotland (James I of England) (58 years)
Prime Ministers
Over the reign, Her Majesty has given regular audiences to 12 Prime Ministers. They are:
88
Harold Macmillan 1957-63
89
Edward Heath 1970-74
90
John Major 1990-97
91
David Cameron 2010 - present
Tony Blair was the first Prime Minister to have been born during The Queen's reign.
Parliament
The Queen has attended every opening of Parliament except those in 1959 and 1963,
when she was expecting Prince Andrew and Prince Edward respectively.
92
PopesVisits
The Queen has received two Popes on visits to the UK (Pope John Paul II in 1982 and
Pope Benedict XVI in 2010). Pope John Paul IIs visit in 1982 was the first Papal visit to the
Her Majesty has officially visited the Vatican three times in her reign
93
At the Vatican
Since 1952, The Queen has conferred over 404,500 honours and awards.
94
Lord Alan Sugar
95
Dame Julie Andrews
96
Investitures.
The first Investiture of the Queen's reign took place at Buckingham Palace on 27th
February 1952. The first person to be presented was Private William Speakman, of The
King's Own Scottish Borderers, who received the Victoria Cross for his actions during the
Korean War.
Correspondence.
The Queen has answered around three and a half million items of correspondence.
The Queen has sent over 175,000 telegrams to centenarians in the UK and the
Commonwealth.
The Queen has sent almost 540,000 telegrams to couples in the UK and the
97
Christmas puddings
The Queen has given out approximately 90,00 Christmas puddings to staff
Christmas Puddings
In 60 years, The Queen has undertaken 261 official overseas visits, including
98
Royal Yacht Britannia
Many of The Queen's official tours were undertaken on the Royal Yacht Britannia.
It was launched by Her Majesty on 16th April 1953 and was commissioned for service
The Gallery
Britannia travelled more than a million miles on Royal and official duties.
99
The Royal Yacht Britannia was first used by The Queen when Her Majesty embarked
with the Duke of Edinburgh on the 1st May 1954 at Tobruk for the final stage of their
Commonwealth Tour returning to the Pool of London. The last time The Queen was on board
Britannia for an official visit was on the 9th August 1997 for a visit to Arran in Scotland.
100
Unusual live gifts
Unusual live gifts given to The Queen on foreign tours include: two tortoises
and two
101
Commonwealth Tours
Her Majestys first Commonwealth tour, as Queen, began on 24 November 1953, and
included visits to Canada, Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia,
the Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar. The total distance
Ceylon
Tonga
Bermuda
102
Fiji
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
103
Jamaica
Libya
Aden
Gibralter
Road Map To e Bay Riches
104
Cocos islands
Coming home
Ireland
The Queen made an historic visit to the Republic of Ireland in May 2011, the first visit by
a British Monarch since Irish independence (King George Vs had visited in 1911).
In Ireland
105
King George and Queen Mary
State Visits
There have been 102 inward State Visits from 1952 to the end of 2011 (up to and
106
Qatar State visit
The Queen has attended 56 Royal Maundy services in 43 Cathedrals during her reign. A
total of 6,710 people have received Maundy Money in recognition of their service to the
Since it was launched to mark The Queens Golden Jubilee in 2002, The Queens Award
for Voluntary Service has been awarded to over 750 voluntary organisations across all four
countries in the UK. Winners of the award have included local scout groups, community
radio stations, groups who care for the elderly and environmental charities.
107
In 1969 the first television film about the family life of the Royal Family was made,
and shown on the eve of the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.
An important innovation during The Queen's reign was the opening in 1962 of a new
gallery at Buckingham Palace to display items from the Royal Collection. The brainchild of
The Duke of Edinburgh, the new Queen's Gallery occupied the space of the Palace's bomb-
damaged private chapel. It was the first time that parts of the Palace had been opened to the
general public.
108
The new Queen's Gallery was redeveloped and re-opened in 2002 for the
Golden Jubilee.
Christmas Broadcasts
In 1953, The Queen made the first Christmas Broadcast from overseas, (rather than from
made live. The first pre-recorded broadcast took place in 1960 to allow transmission around
the world. In 2006 the Christmas Broadcast was first made available to download as a
podcast.
109
Social media
The Queen launched the British Monarchys official website in 1997. In 2007 the official
British Monarchy YouTube channel was unveiled, swiftly followed by a Royal Twitter site
110
The Queen hosts "theme days" and Receptions to promote and celebrate aspects of British
culture. Recent examples from 2011 include a reception for Young People and the Performing
Emergency Services, Maritime Day, Music, Young Achievers, British Design, and Pioneers
Banquets, lunches,dinners,
In an average year The Queen will host more than 50,000 people at banquets, lunches,
111
The Queen also hosts more than 8,000 people each year at garden parties and
Holyroodhouse
During the Silver Jubilee year, The Queen toured 36 counties in the UK and Northern
Ireland, starting in Glasgow on the 17th May. During her Golden Jubilee year The Queen
112
Make Easy Cash Guide
113
Predictions & Picks From The Real Experts
114
51. The Queen's first foreign tour of the Silver Jubilee year was a visit to Western Samoa,
Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea. The first foreign tour of The
Queen's Golden Jubilee year was to Jamaica, New Zealand and Australia.
The Queen also introduced a new breed of dog known as the "dorgi" when one of Her
Majesty's corgis was mated with a dachshund named Pipkin which belonged to Princess
Margaret. There have been 11 dorgis - Tinker, Pickles, Chipper, Piper, Harris, Brandy, Berry,
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have been married for 64 years. They were
married on 20th November, 1947 in Westminster Abbey. The Queen's wedding dress was
designed by Norman Hartnell and was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in
the Canmore factory, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone
Castle.
115
56. The Queen's wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from the
Price Ltd, using ingredients given as a wedding gift by Australian Girl Guides.
116
The wedding of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh was the first and so far the only
time in British history that the heir presumptive to the throne had been married
Queen Victoria was the last and to date the only British Monarch to celebrate a Diamond
Jubilee. The Queen, who was aged 85 on Accession Day in 2012, is the oldest monarch to
celebrate a Diamond Jubilee. Queen Victoria was 77 when she celebrated hers in 1897.
117
Queen Victoria
There have been only three Diamond Jubilees of Heads of State celebrated throughout the
The former Sultan of Johor (now a part of Malaysia) celebrated his in 1955;
118
And the late Emperor Hirohito of Japan celebrated his in 1986.
On the 25th May 2003 on the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen's Coronation
this was the statement issued from the Queens press secretary at Buckingham Palace
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen's Coronation in June 1953.
Below is a list of facts concerning the day itself, as well as some information on previous
Coronations.
For centuries, Kings and Queens have been crowned in ceremonies to formalise their
position as Sovereign.
119
Since Queen Elizabeth II's accession on February 6 a year earlier, this day had been
In the Mall
King George VI had been the last monarch to be crowned on 12 May, 1937.
Sixteen years later, people gathered together to watch the Coronation of his eldest daughter,
Elizabeth, as she prepared to take part in the very ceremony she herself had watched
as an 11-year-old girl.
120
On 2 June 2003 a church service will be held at Westminster Abbey to commemorate
This will be followed by a children's tea party at Buckingham Palace for underprivileged
children.
historic associations and pageantry. For the last 900 years, it has taken place at Westminster
Westminster Abbey
121
Before the Abbey was built,
Coronations were carried out wherever was convenient, for example at Bath,
Oxford
and Canterbury.
122
Canterbury,the first Gothic cathedral to be built in Britain
2. Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on 2 June, 1953 in Westminster Abbey. Her Majesty
3. Queen Elizabeth II is the sixth Queen to have been crowned in Westminster Abbey in
her own right. The first was Queen Mary I, who was crowned on 1 October, 1553.
4. The Queen succeeded to the Throne on the 6th February, 1952 on the death of King
George VI. She was in Kenya at the time and became the first Sovereign in over 200
In Kenya
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5. The Queen's grandmother, Queen Mary, aged 81 was the first Queen to see a grandchild
ascend to the throne. However, she died before the Coronation took place.
Queen Mary
6. The Coronation service used for Queen Elizabeth II descends directly from that of King
Edgar at Bath in 973. The original fourteenth-century order of service was written in Latin
7. The Earl Marshal is responsible for organising the Coronation. Since 1386 the position of
Earl Marshal has been undertaken by The Duke of Norfolk. It was the sixteenth Duke of
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He was also responsible for
8. The Queen, with The Duke of Edinburgh, was driven from Buckingham Palace to
Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach, which was pulled by eight grey geldings:
Cunningham, Tovey, Noah, Tedder, Eisenhower, Snow White, Tipperary and McCreery.
125
Coming out of Buckingham Palace
The Gold State Coach has been used by The Queen twice since her Coronation - at the
Silver Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
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9. The Coronation Bouquet was presented to The Queen by the Worshipful Company of
Gardeners to take with her on the drive to Westminster Abbey. The all-white bouquet
comprised orchids and lilies-of-the-valley from England, stephanotis from Scotland, and
carnations from Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, with additional orchids from Wales.
10. The Duke of Edinburgh wore full-dress Naval uniform for the journey to and from the
Abbey. While in the Abbey, he wore a coronet and his Duke's robe over his uniform. The
Duke's page was Mr Nigel Rees, a Royal Navy Midshipman, who wore a uniform of
Edinburgh green.
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11. The Queen's Coronation dress was made by Mr Norman Hartnell. The dress was made of
white satin embroidered with the emblems of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
It had short sleeves with a full, flaring skirt, slightly trained, while the neckline of the fitted
bodice was cut square over the shoulders, before curving into a heart-shaped centre. The
dress's exquisite embroidery in gold and silver thread and pastel-coloured silks was encrusted
12. Since the Coronation, The Queen has worn the Coronation dress six times:
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Opening of Parliament in Australia (1954)
Effortless Exercise
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13. Buckingham Palace housemaids, chefs and gardeners gathered inside the Grand Hall
14. The Queen's Coronation service began at 11.15 am and lasted almost three hours,
15. On her way to the Coronation, Her Majesty wore the George IV State Diadem - the one
she is depicted wearing on stamps. It was made in 1820 for George IV's Coronation. The
Diadem incorporates national symbols: roses, shamrocks and thistles and features 1,333
diamonds and 169 pearls. It is on display at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
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16. The Sovereign's procession, as it entered the Abbey, was some 250 strong with traditional
representatives from Crown, Church and State. It included Church leaders, Commonwealth
Prime Ministers, members of the Royal Household, civil and military leaders and the Yeoman
of the Guard.
17. The Queen's Coronation service was taken by the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose duty
this has usually been since the Conquest in 1066. For the first time at the 1953 Coronation, a
representative of another Church, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, also took part in
the service.
131
With the Archbishop
18. The Coronation service fell into six basic parts: the recognition, the oath, the anointing,
the investiture, which includes the crowning, the enthronement and the homage.
19. The anointing has the deepest significance during the ceremony. The recipe for the
Anointing Oil contains oils of orange, roses, cinnamon, musk and ambergris. Usually a batch
is made to last a few Coronations. In May 1941, a bomb hit the Deanery destroying the phial
containing the anointing oil so a new batch had to be made up. The pharmacy that had mixed
the last anointing oil had gone out of business but the recipe was found and the oil made.
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The Anointing
20.One of the more notable installations for the Coronation was the annexe at the west end of
Westminster Abbey. This provided the necessary space in which the processions could form
21. During the investiture, The Queen first put on the newly-made Colobium Sindonis - a
Colobium Sindoni
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and then a robe of cloth of gold - the Dalmatic or Supertunica,
sword,
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The jewelled sword
and then the armills, the golden bracelets of sincerity and wisdom.
The armills
Finally,
The Queen put on stole and cloth of gold Robe Royal (Imperial Mantle)
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The orb
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The sceptre
22. Prince Charles created history when he became the first child to witness his mother's
coronation as Sovereign. Princess Anne did not attend the ceremony as she was considered
too young.
Prince Charles
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23. Prince Charles received a special hand-painted children's invitation to his mother's
24. A total of 8,251 guests attended The Queen's Coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
25. One hundred and twenty-nine nations and territories were officially represented at the
Coronation service.
26. There were some people in the Abbey who were witnessing their fourth Coronation, for
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HRH Princess Marie Louise
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King George VI (1937)
27. The Chairs of Estate in which The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were seated during
the first part of the Coronation ceremony, are now on the dais in the Throne Room at
Buckingham Palace.
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The Chair of Homage used during the service was newly designed for
The Queen's coronation and is now kept in the Garter Throne Room at Windsor Castle.
The Queen was crowned in St Edward's Chair, made in 1300 for Edward I and used at every
St Edward's Chair
28. The St. Edward's Crown, made in 1661, was the crown placed on the head of The Queen
during the Coronation service. It weighs 4 pounds and 12 ounces and is made of solid gold.
The crown in its current form was first used by Charles II as it had to be redesigned after the
Restoration.
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It was refurbished from an old crown and there is speculation that the lower part
29. After the crown, the orb, also made in 1661, was the most important piece of regalia. It is
30. The Coronation ring, often referred to as 'The Wedding Ring of England' was worn by The
Queen on the fourth finger of her right hand in accordance with tradition. The ring was made
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King William IV
and takes the form of a sapphire surmounted by a cross in rubies surrounded by diamonds.
worn at every coronation since then with the exception of Queen Victoria. Her fingers were so
small that the ring could not be reduced far enough in size, so a special Coronation ring had
to be worn. Unfortunately during the service, the ring was forced onto the wrong finger,
31. The 1953 Coronation service was the first service to be televised (the 1937 procession
was broadcast) - and for most people it was the first time they had watched an event on
television.
143
A 9 or 12 or 14 inch television was popular in 1953
The televising of the Coronation by the BBC was a breakthrough in the history of
outside broadcasting.
144
Capturing the procession
32. An estimated 27 million people in Britain watched the ceremony on TV and 11 million
listened on the radio. The Queen agreed that the Coronation be televised so that as many
people as possible could observe the ceremony. (The population of Britain at the time was
A smiling Queen
145
33. There were more than 2,000 journalists and 500 photographers from 92 nations on the
Coronation route. Thirty cameramen were chosen for the service in the Abbey for their
34. Among the many foreign journalists in London to report on the Coronation was
Jacqueline Bouvier (who later became the First Lady of the United States of America,
Jackie Kennedy). She was working for the Washington Times-Herald at the time.
Jacqueline Bouvier
146
Jacqueline who later became Mrs Kennedy. Here with the President
35. The return route taken to Buckingham Palace had been designed so that The Queen and
her procession could be seen by as many people in London as possible. The 7.2 kilometre
route took the 16,000 participants two hours to complete. The procession itself stretched for
three kilometres. Those on foot marched 10 abreast while those on horseback were six
abreast.
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36. People camped in The Mall to catch a glimpse of the procession, including an Australian
family who had sailed all the way from Australia in a ketch for the occasion. Many people
were so keen to see the Coronation procession that they camped for two days along the route.
Thousands more celebrated throughout the country and the Commonwealth with
street parties.
A street party
37.The Ministry of Food granted 82 applications for people to roast oxen, if they could prove
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Roasting Oxen
38. The Imperial State Crown, which was worn by The Queen during her return to
Buckingham Palace, contained four pearls traditionally believed to have been Queen
39. During the procession back to Buckingham Palace after the Coronation, The Queen wore
the newly-made Purple Robe of Estate. The velvet robe was edged with ermine and heavily
embroidered around the border in gold. The embroidered cipher of The Queen and border of
wheat ears and olive branches, took a total of 3,500 hours to complete by a team of 12
seamstresses from the Royal School of Needlework. The silk for the embroidery came from
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The Purple Robe of Estate
40.The officers and men taking part in the procession or lining the route totalled 29,200:
16,100 from the Army and 7,000 from the RAF, 2,000 from the
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The Armed forces
troops, while 1,000 officers and men of the Royal military police were bought in to assist the
Metropolitan police. A further 7,000 police were drawn from 75 provincial forces.
41. The smiling Queen Salote of Tonga won the hearts and acclaim of the waiting crowds as
she remained undaunted by the rain throughout the long procession and refused to raise the
151
Queen Salote of Tonga
42. The principal decorations for the processional route were in The Mall where there were
four twin-spanned arches of tubular steel that were illuminated at night. The arches were
lifted into place by giant mobile cranes. Linking the arches down the route were the long lines
of standards mounted with golden crowns and each hung with four scarlet banners bearing
43. The Queen appeared with her family on the balcony of the palace still wearing the
Imperial State Crown and the Royal Robes to greet the cheering crowds.
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On the balcony
The Queen appeared again on the balcony at Buckingham Palace at 9.45 pm to turn on the
'lights of London'.
Lights cascaded down the Mall from the Palace, lighting the huge cipher on Admiralty Arch
and turning the fountains in Trafalgar Square into liquid silver, until all the floodlights from
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44. Coronation Chicken was invented for the foreign guests who were to be entertained after
the Coronation. The food had to be prepared in advance, and Constance Spry, who also
helped with floral arrangements on the day, proposed a recipe of cold chicken in a curry
cream sauce with a well-seasoned dressed salad of rice, green peas and mixed herbs.
Constance Spry's recipe won the approval of the Minister of Works and has since been known
as Coronation Chicken.
Coronation Chicken.
45. Numerous official photographs were taken in Buckingham Palace after the Coronation,
but the most memorable are those taken by Cecil Beaton. For his defining image he posed
The Queen in front of a backdrop depicting Henry VII's Chapel in Westminster Abbey.
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46. The official artist for the Coronation was Polish artist Feliks Topolski who was
commissioned to produce a permanent record of the occasion for a specific location - the
Lower Corridor in Buckingham Palace. The painting was made in 14 sections, each well over
a metre high, measuring nearly 30 metres in total. The frieze will be on public display for the
first time during the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace this year.
47. In Coronation year, The Queen's Lord Lieutenants commissioned artist Terence Cuneo to
paint the Coronation ceremony. The following year, James Gunn painted a State Portrait of
Terence Cuneo
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James Gunn
48. On 2nd June, 1953 it was learned that Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay had reached
the summit of Mount Everest. The Queen had the idea of presenting the fourteen members of
the expedition with special edition Coronation medals, which contained the extra wording
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49. The first overseas tour The Queen undertook after the Coronation was to Bermuda,
Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand starting in November 1953. Her Majesty
returned in1954 visiting Australia, Ceylon, Aden and Uganda - going home in Britannia from
50. On 24th June 1953, the Honours of Scotland (the crown, the sceptre and the sword) were
carried before The Queen in a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles
Cathedral.
Many people sent the then-Princess Elizabeth clothing coupons for her wedding dress
during post-war rationing in 1947. She returned the coupons as it was illegal to give them
away.
157
The Queen signals to staff with her handbag. If she wants to leave a dinner in five minutes,
she puts her bag on the table. She moves it from arm to arm to tell aides she is tired of talking
to someone.
Her robes were so heavy at her Coronation that she asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to
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The Robes
Her Majesty went behind the bar of the Queen Vic on a tour of the EastEnders
The Queen carries good luck charms from her children in her bag,including miniature dogs
and horses and family photos. One picture of Andrew was taken after his safe return from the
Falklands.
Prince Andrew
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One of the few times the Queen has wept in public was while meeting relatives of the 144
The tears began to flow after she read a message from three-year-old Karen Jones which read:
160
The Queen put on a mining outfit and went 500ft underground at Rothes Colliery in 1958.
She was a big fan of 70s cop show Kojak, which starred Telly Savalas.
Kojak
Where the Queen was born at 17 Bruton Street, London, is now a Chinese restaurant.
161
A security guard denied her entry to a private stand at the Royal Windsor Horse Show
in 1991. He later said: I thought she was some old dear who had got lost.
The Queen and Prince Philip joined the 93,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium to watch
at Wembley
162
An avid reader, she loves crime thrillers by PD James, Agatha Christie and Dick Francis.
Dick Francis
163
She visited the council house of Billy and Lucy Llewellyn in Newton Aycliffe, Co
Durham, in 1960 and ate homemade fruit cake with them. Lucy said later: I was thinking
The Queens collections of art, furniture, jewels and horses are thought to be worth
around 70million.
Irishman Michael Fagan broke into her bedroom at Buckingham Palace in 1982
and sat on her bed for 10 minutes as she engaged him in conversation. Help arrived
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She banks with Coutts & Co and there is a Coutts cash machine at Buckingham Palace.
When she was positioned behind a high lectern at the White House in 1991, a TV
Balmoral, its castle and 50,000 acres of woods, moors and lochs, and Sandringham
Estate with dozens of houses, 60 acres of gardens and 20,000 acres of forest are all
Balmoral
Sandringham
Real Estate Investors. Build A Massive Buyers List Free
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When the Queen and Prince Philip were reunited in Portugal in 1957 after a four-month
She laughed when she shook hands with shot-put champion Geoff Capes at the Braemar
Highland Games in 1982 and their hands stuck together because of the resin he used for his
grip.
When IRA bombs exploded in Hyde Park and Regents Park in July 1982 murdering
eight soldiers, injuring 50, and killing seven horses she was to heard to say: The poor
The Carnage
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The Memorial
Her childhood nickname was Lilibet, because she couldnt pronounce Elizabeth properly.
As a young child
After a Royal Command performance comedian Tommy Cooper asked her: Do you
mind if I ask you a personal question? No, replied the Queen, but I might not be able to
give you a full answer. Do you like football? asked Cooper. Well, not really, said the
Queen. In that case, said Cooper, do you mind if I have your Cup Final tickets?
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She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant, remarked
Aged two
Her Majesty visited the Daily Mirror offices in Holborn, Central London, in 1979
where she was shown around the newsroom and told how the paper worked.
In November 1944, at Clydebank HMS Vanguard became the first of 23 ships she has
launched.
HMS Vanguard
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After signing up to the Womens Auxiliary Territorial Service, Princess Elizabeth
worked as a mechanic and truck driver during the Second World War.
Prince Philips pet names for his wife are said to include cabbage and sausage.
As a young girl, the Queen acted in wartime pantomimes at Windsor Castle, playing
In Cinderella
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When she was four she was given her first horse, a Shetland pony called Peggy,
On Peggy
In her message of congratulations to astronauts after the first moon landing in 1969, she
said: On behalf of the British people I salute the skill and courage which have brought Man
to the moon. May this increase the knowledge and well-being of mankind.
When her father unexpectedly became King, Princess Margaret, then six, said to her:
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With Princess Margaret
As a Girl Guide
As a Sea Ranger.
Every morning, she starts the day with a cup of tea. At 7.30am the morning tray is
brought into her bedroom laden with a silver teapot, a water jug and milk
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The Queens Breakfast table
When a nanny asked a teenage Elizabeth if it was wise to display a photograph of Philip
as people would gossip, she replaced it with one of him with a beard and said: I defy anyone
The Queen has one great grandchild, Savannah, who was born in 2010
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At the Christening of Savannah
Jaguars which were gifts from Brazil were given to London Zoo.
Jaguar
According to former royal chef Darren McGrady, who worked for the Queen for 11
years, her beloved corgis are fed wonderful food including steak, poached chicken and
rabbit.
poached chicken
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rabbit
She performed her first official solo engagement at the age of 17 and was so nervous one
of her mothers ladies-in-waiting gave her a barley sugar sweet from her handbag to calm her.
Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were taken on their first journey on the London
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In 1954, Her Majesty became the first monarch to circumnavigate the globe while on a
six-month tour. She was also the first to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
Fiji.1954
Income from the 350million Duchy of Lancaster is used to cover her official and
private expenditure.
At the beginning of her reign the Queen requested that her husband, rather than her sister,
act as regent for a young Prince Charles in the event of her death.
Prince Philip
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175
When she met artist Tracey Emin at the Turner Contemporary art centre in Kent last year
The Queens favourite Blue Peter presenter was John Noakes and she personally
John Noakes
There is said to be a Billy Bass singing fish on top of the grand piano at Balmoral.
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Diamond Jubilee:
The deafening cheers greeting the newlyweds as they stepped on to the balcony at
Nothing could have told the Queen more clearly how important Kate Middleton was
It was clear that the wedding of commoner Kate to her grandson Prince William had
inspired the nation and beyond, as two billion people watched worldwide.
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The royals were enjoying levels of popularity not seen since Princess Diana.
The Queen, her smile as bright as her Angela Kelly primrose dress, looked on approvingly
as Kate and William sealed their future with two kisses, to roars of approval from the
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The kiss on the balcony
One courtier recalls: The Queen was so happy on the wedding day, she was practically
skipping.
A happy Queen
Seeing her family full of joy but also seeing the public support and excitement
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She was very supportive of William and Kate leading up to the wedding and nothing could
have reaffirmed more that they have the potential to achieve great things for the monarchy.
If the Queen was wary about William marrying a young woman with no experience of the
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She had seen the fairytale marriage of Charles and Diana crumble
Their separation in 1992, divorce in 1996, and Dianas death in a Paris car crash in 1997,
rocked the Royal Family to its core, and the Queen felt the impact deeply.
A sad Queen
181
A source says: There is a definite feeling of wanting to give Kate time to get used to her
royal life rather than thrust her in at the deep end and say, OK, off you go. The Queen
supports the idea she should be allowed to take things at her own pace.
Talking about Kate and her family, William has also said: I want to make sure they have
the best guidance and the chance to see what life is like in the family...
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At a Football Match
I wanted to give her a chance to see in and to back out if she needed to before it all got
too much.
After getting engaged Kate, 30, said: Its nerve-racking because I dont know the ropes
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From the start the Queen has monitored Kates progress, particularly on her 10-day tour of
Kate was given weeks of tutoring by the Palace on etiquette, French language, local politics
and the Canadian Constitution. And on a personal note, the Queen loaned Kate her diamond
maple leaf brooch the very one she wore on her first visit to Canada in 1951.
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A source says: Canada is extremely important to the Queen and everyone was watching and
wondering how Kate would do. Anyone entering the Royal Family has to work to build up
trust and prove that they are committed and up to the job.
So far, Kate has shown herself to be more than willing and more than capable.
She is humble and keen to learn and the Queen likes that. She has grown very fond of her
The Queen has also done her best to get to know Kates family. She invited Carole and
Michael Middleton to lunch a few days before the wedding and they were also her guests at
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A source says: Charles and Camilla have met the Middletons loads of times, but the fact that
the Queen has gone out of her way to make the effort with them is a huge vote of confidence
in Kate.
Kate and William have started their married life under the radar in Anglesey, where William
is a Search and Rescue pilot just like the newlywed Princess Elizabeth who retreated to
Malta when Philips duties with the Navy took him there between 1949 and 1951. She
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In the Radio Times, BBC presenter Andrew Marr, says of the Queen: Even her family
Prince William put it well: I think she doesnt care for celebrity and she really minds
"And I think its very important to be able to retreat inside and be able to collect ones
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"It was a very tricky line to draw between private and public duty. Shes carved her own way
This year as the Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee aged 85, she knows it will soon be
A source says: The Queen has worked tirelessly to keep the monarchy relevant. She made
And it is clear her husband is still her rock. Marr refers to an interview Prince Harry gave just
before the Duke of Edinburghs heart scare at Christmas, in which Harry referred to her
ability to turn up, still smiling, at places she might not want to be.
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"Regardless of whether my grandfather seems to be doing his own thing, sort of wandering
off like a fish down the river, the fact that hes there I dont think that she could do it
without him.
When William fell in love with fellow student Kate, the Queen told the world she was
absolutely delighted. Ever since she has been keen for them to forge their own way.
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William said: Its very much the case that she wont necessarily force advice on you. Shell
let you work it out for yourself... you have to make it work. You have to do what you think is
right.
An Intimate moment
Deep affection !
Dominate Google with Magic submitter
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How the Queen loves her Grandson
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A tender moment
So far the couple have taken things slowly, carrying out a few select public engagements each
month.
Kate has become Patron of just four charities Action on Addiction, East Anglias Childrens
Hospices, the Art Room and the National Portrait Gallery and also agreed to volunteer with
the Scouts.
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A source says: There is a feeling that Kate and William are doing the right thing in the
Queens eyes by not taking on too much so they can be fully involved with the charities they
do support.
And she is impressed by Kates clear sense of direction about what kind of causes she is
interested in.
Kates hands-on approach was demonstrated when she spearheaded the display of her
Viewing last years exhibition with Kate, the Queen described the ghost-like display as
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Kate confidently laughed it off and the pair joked again when the Queen looked at the
It may seem as if they have little in common. One was born into a life of privilege and duty
while the other is the great-great-granddaughter of a miner. But both are shaping Britains
history.
194
The Queen was only 25 when her father King George VI died in his sleep and she inherited
the crown.
Stepping off the plane ,reurning form Kenya after her father had died
Kates big moment came in happier circumstances on April 29, 2011, when she married
Prince William.
But that day as the two women stood on the Palace balcony, they shared in the magic of
knowing they were both responsible for the cheering scenes below.
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On the balcony after the Wedding
Wife, mother, monarch - the Queen's secret world behind the Palace doors
At the Diamond Jubilee we look at how Queen Elizabeth II spends her days
Queen Elizabeth II became only the second monarch in Britains history to celebrate a
Diamond Jubilee.
196
Prince Harry,Prince William Kate
But on the day of the Jubilee ,when her reign now equals that of Queen Victorias, it started
like any other waking up as her chambermaid opens the curtains in the grand bedroom on
Sandringham
As Her Majesty sips a cup of Earl Grey tea while listening to Radio 4, her thoughts no
doubt turned to the day her beloved Papa, King George VI, passed away in his sleep and
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On February 6, 1952 the heavy responsibility of the crown fell on the slight shoulders of the
Now she is 85, and while the nation she inherited is almost unrecognisable after 12 Prime
Ministers, four recessions and a technological revolution she has remained a constant figure
at its helm.
As the head of a Commonwealth of two billion people in 54 countries, and with a staff of
800 in her opulent main home of Buckingham Palace alone, she is surrounded by luxury.
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Inside Buckingham Palace
But despite being worth an estimated 250million, the Queen enjoys lifes simple pleasures
playing with her corgis, riding, walking and catching up with her friends.
riding
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Relaxing
One of those close companions is Margaret Rhodes, a niece of the Queen Mum. They grew
up together and cousin Margaret, who lives at Windsor, is always near at hand.
Margaret, 86, reveals: At home the Queen drops in on me sometimes on Sunday after Matins
One talks about family and life in the country and whats going on in the world almost
anything.
200
Margaret tells of her life growing up in royal circles and paints a picture of a Queen who
loves the outdoors and who faces lifes challenges uncomplainingly and with a staunch sense
201
Margaret says: When shes supposedly on holiday she relaxes by going on picnics, going for
I shared family holidays in Scotland with Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret from a
young age. I had the chance to realise what a special person she was.
Throughout her life, shes always had a strong sense of service and a deep concern for her
subjects.
202
Funnily enough, I dont think Ive ever heard her moan very much. She has a very lucky
facility, sort of a compartmentalised brain. If she has a worry she can shut the door on that
particular compartment and show a happy and smiling face to the world.
When Elizabeth succeeded to the throne she told the nation: My heart is too full for me to
say more to you today than I shall always work, as my father did throughout his reign, to
advance the happiness and prosperity of my peoples, spread as they are all the world over.
And she has worked tirelessly to make good that vow, attending thousands of engagements
203
You are an anchor for our age, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon once told her.
A regular day for the Queen starts with reading the newspapers over breakfast, a copy of her
favourite Racing Post is top of the pile. She usually has toast with marmalade feeding the
odd crust to her corgis while Prince Philip tucks into a cooked breakfast.
They will listen to a small battery-operated radio and chat about the day ahead.
After breakfast the Queen will look at some of the 300 letters the public has sent her,
Mornings are spent at her desk reading the red box of Government papers.
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In between, at around 4.30pm, its time for an afternoon tea of home-baked treats including
biscuits, cakes and warm scones which often go the corgis. Every Wednesday at 6.30pm the
Queen meets with the Prime Minister in her private sitting room at Buckingham Palace.
Tony Blair has said: In the many meetings that I have had with Her Majesty since 1997, I
have, time and again, as have my predecessors, had reason to be grateful to her for her
wisdom, good sense and experience, which she always brings to the issues of the day.
205
If the Queens daily routine seems well regulated, that is nothing compared with her year.
Events are meticulously mapped out in advance, from Christmas stays at Sandringham to
Yet, despite her constant presence in the public eye, barely a handful of people really know
the woman who wears the British crown. Very few of her hundreds of servants and courtiers
observe her at truly close quarters, and even fewer regularly exchange words.
The Queen has just two members of staff to attend to her direct needs a page and a senior
footman.
The only record of remarks she makes are from pre-prepared speeches, snatches of
conversations overheard at public events or, very occasionally, accounts of meetings by those
206
Friends and relatives speak of her softer side of a woman who puts duty first but one who
he insisted that Prince William wear his Irish Guards colonel uniform when he married Kate
207
But when it came to the guest list, she told her grandson: Start with your friends first
So on her instruction, William binned the list of 777 dignitaries that palace officials had given
to him.
Many were eventually invited but only after William had made room for his nearest and
dearest.
Since the death of the Queen Mum in March 2002, she has also begun to modernise the
monarchy in ways which would have been abhorrent to her very traditional mother
208
Queen Mum
such as
Margaret Rhodes has seen a lot of the Queens thoughtfulness. When she and writer husband
Denys, who was seriously ill with lung cancer, needed to move nearer to family and friends
I was out riding with the Queen on the Balmoral estate and she suddenly turned in the saddle
and said, Could you bear to live in suburbia? recalls Margaret. It transpired she was
offering us a house in the Great Park at Windsor... I am everlastingly grateful to the Queen for
enabling it to happen.
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Great Park Windsor
Despite having spent a lifetime meeting strangers, the Queen still cares about the impression
she makes.
Royal party planner Lady Elizabeth Anson reveals: People might think she wouldnt have
time to worry about menus, tastings and how things look, but she is the most meticulous
hostess.
A State banquet
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She is really interested in what people are going to eat or when they will get drinks.
The Queen also has been known to browse the Clarins make-up
counter at airports, and always carries a lipstick to discreetly reapply it during official visits.
She has even been known to go nightclubbing she was spotted at Annabels in Mayfair at
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Annabel's
Yet those closest to her tell how, at heart, she and Prince Philip prefer long, peaceful walks at
And it is in these quiet moments, when she is alone with Philip, that the Queen is at her most
relaxed.
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She has described her husband of 64 years as being her strength and stay and,
despite being surrounded by servants or in the public eye, they have a very normal marriage.
As her former private secretary Lord Charteris once noted: Prince Philip is the only man in
the world who treats the Queen simply as another human being.
Hes the only man who can. Strange as it may seem, I believe she values that.
And, of course, its not unknown for the Queen to tell Prince Philip to shut up. Because she
is Queen, thats not something she can easily say to anybody else.
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Thank you for buying this book I do hope so much that you have enjoyed it
http://www.facebook.com/queensdiamondjubilee
e mail harvestmead@ntlworld.com
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