ELIZABETH II ,இரண்டாம் எலிசபெத் CORONATION JUNE 2,1953

ELIZABETH II ,இரண்டாம் எலிசபெத் CORONATION JUNE 2,1953

இரண்டாம் எலிசபெத் (Elizabeth II, எலிசபெத் அலெக்சாந்திரா மேரி; பிறப்பு: ஏப்ரல் 21, 1926) என்பவர் ஐக்கிய இராச்சியம் உட்பட 16 இறைமையுள்ள நாடுகளின் அரசியல் சட்டப்படியான அரசியாக உள்ளார். அனைத்து நாடுகளுக்கும் இவர் தனித்தனியே வெவ்வேறு பெயர்களில் ஆட்சிப் பெயர்களைக் கொண்டிருந்தாலும், ஐக்கிய இராச்சியத்திலேயே, லண்டனில் உள்ள பக்கிங்ஹாம் அரண்மனையில் இவர் வாழ்கிறார். 54 நாடுகளை உறுப்பினர்களாகக் கொண்ட பொதுநலவாயத்தின் தலைவரும் இவராவார். இங்கிலாந்து திருச்சபையின் மிக உயரிய ஆளுநர் ஆவார்.

பெப்ரவரி 6, 1952 ஆம் ஆண்டில் இவரது தந்தை ஆறாம் ஜோர்ஜ் இறந்தவுடன் ஐக்கிய இராச்சியம், கனடா, ஆஸ்திரேலியா, நியூசிலாந்து, தென்னாபிரிக்கா, பாக்கித்தான் மேலாட்சி, இலங்கை ஆகிய ஏழு பொதுநலவாய நாடுகளுக்கு அரசியாக இவர் முடி சூடினார். இவற்றைத் தவிர, ஜெமெய்க்கா, பார்படோஸ், பகாமாஸ், கிரெனாடா, பப்புவா நியூ கினி, சொலமன் தீவுகள், துவாலு, சென் லூசியா, சென் வின்செண்ட் மற்றும் கிரெனாடின்ஸ், பெலீஸ், அண்டிகுவா பார்புடா, சென் கிட்ஸ் மற்றும் நெவிஸ் ஆகிய நாடுகளுக்கு அரசியாக உள்ளார். இவை அனைத்துக்கும் இவர் தனது சார்பில் பொது ஆளுநர் ஒருவரை நியமித்துள்ளார். இந்நாடுகள் அனைத்தும் பொதுநலவாய நாடுகள் (Commonwealth realm) என அழைக்கப்படுகின்றன. இந்நாடுகளில் இவரது அதிகாரம் மிகவும் பரந்து பட்டவை ஆயினும், பொதுவாக இவர் உள்ளூர் அரசியலில் தலையிடுவதில்லை. 65 ஆண்டுகளாக அரசாட்சி புரியும் இவர் பிரித்தானிய அரசர்களிலேயே இரண்டாவது மிக நெடுங்காலம் ஆட்சி புரிந்தவராக விளங்குகிறார்; விக்டோரியா மகாராணியார் மட்டுமே இவரைவிட நீண்டகாலமாக 63 ஆண்டுகள் ஆண்டுள்ளார்.[dated info]

எலிசபெத் இலண்டனில் பிறந்து வீட்டிலேயே கல்வி கற்றார். இவரது தந்தை தமது தமையன் எட்டாம் எட்வர்டின் முடிதுறப்பிற்குப் பின்னர் ஐக்கிய இராச்சியத்தின் ஆறாம் ஜோர்ஜ் 1936ஆம் ஆண்டில் மணிமகுடம் சூடினார். அப்போது முதலே இவர் அரச வாரிசாக வரிக்கப்பட்டார். இரண்டாம் உலகப் போரின்போது பொதுச்சேவைகளில் ஈடுபட்டார். 1947 இல் எலிசபெத் எடின்பரோ கோமகன் பிலிப்பை மணந்தார். இவர்களுக்கு நான்கு பிள்ளைகள் உள்ளனர்: சார்லசு, ஆன், ஆண்ட்ரூ, மற்றும் எட்வர்டு. இவர்கள் மூலமாக எட்டு பேரப் பிள்ளைகளும் உள்ளனர். இவரது முடி சூட்டும் விழா 1953ஆம் ஆண்டு நிகழ்ந்தபோது அதுவே உலகில் முதன்முதலாக தொலைக்காட்சியில் காட்டப்பட்ட பெருமை பெற்றது.

எலிசபெத் யார்க் கோமகனாக இருந்த இளவரசர் ஆல்பெர்ட்டிற்கும் அவரது மனைவி எலிசபெத்திற்கும் முதல் குழந்தையாக பிறந்தார். தனது கொள்ளுப்பாட்டி அலெக்ஸாண்ட்ரா, பாட்டி மேரி, தாய் எலிசபெத் ஆகியோரின் பெயர்களைச் சேர்த்து எலிசபெத் அலெக்ஸாண்ட்ரா மேரி என்று பெயர் சூட்டப்பட்டார். தனது நெருங்கிய குடும்பத்தினரால் 'லில்லிபெத்' என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டார்.

அரசியின் பல வரலாற்றுச் சிறப்பு மிக்க வருகைகளிலும் சந்திப்புகளிலும் அயர்லாந்து குடியரசுக்கான அரசுப் பயணமும reciprocal visits to and from the திருத்தந்தையுடனான சந்திப்புக்களும் முதன்மையானவை. தனது ஆளுமைக்குட்பட்ட நாடுகளில் பல அரசியல்சட்ட மாற்றங்களை கண்டுள்ளார்; ஐக்கிய இராச்சியத்தில் அதிகாரப் பகிர்வு மற்றும் கனடிய அரசியல் சட்டத்தின் திரும்பப் பெறல் போன்றவை. தனிப்பட்ட வாழ்க்கையில் பிள்ளைகளின் பிறப்பும் திருமணமும், பேரக்குழந்தைகளின் பிறப்பு, வேல்சு இளவரசரின் முடிசூடல் மற்றும் ஆட்சியின் மைல்கற்களாக அமைந்த வெள்ளி (1977), தங்க (2002), வைரவிழா (2012)க் கொண்டாட்டங்கள் முதன்மையான நிகழ்சிகளாகும்.

அரசியின் ஆட்சியில் முக்கிய நிகழ்வுகளாக வட அயர்லாந்து போராட்டங்கள், பாக்லாந்து போர், ஈராக் போர் மற்றும் ஆப்கானித்தான் போர்கள் விளங்குகின்றன. அவரது தந்தையின் மறைவு, இளவரசர் பிலிப்பின் மாமா மவுண்ட்பேட்டன் பிரபுவின் கொலை, 1992இல் பிள்ளைகளின் மணமுறிவுகள், 1997இல் அவரது மகனின் முன்னாள் மனைவி டயானாவின் மறைவு, தாய் எலிசபெத்தின் மறைவு மற்றும் தங்கை இளவரசி மார்கரெட்டின் மறைவு ஆகியன அவருக்கு ஏற்பட்ட தனிப்பட்ட வருத்தமாக அமைந்தன. அரச குடும்பம் மற்றும் குடியரசு கொள்கைகளுக்காக ஊடகங்களில் அவ்வப்போது விமர்சிக்கப்பட்டாலும் இவரது ஆட்சிக்கு மக்களின் முழுமையான ஆதரவு உள்ளதுடன் தனிப்பட்ட முறையிலும் பெரும் புகழ் பெற்றுள்ளார்.

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அரண்மனை வாயிலில் ஒரு சிப்பாய் நின்று கொண்டு இருந்தான். அவன் நல்ல உயரமாக இருந்தான். கரடித் தோலால் செய்யப்பட்ட உடுப்பு அணிந்திருந்தான். தலையில் உயரமான கம்பளிக் குல்லாய் தரித்திருந்தான். கையிலே நீண்ட துப்பாக்கி வைத்திருந்தான். அவன் ஆடாமல் அசையாமல் விறைப்பாக நிற்பதைப் பார்த்தால், "இது ஒரு சிலையாக இருக்குமோ!' என்ற சந்தேகம் கூடத் தோன்றும்.

அப்போது ஒரு சிறு பெண் அங்கே வந்தாள். அவள் அரச குடும்பத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவள். அவள் அரண்மனைக்குள்ளே வருவதைக் கண்டதும், அந்தச் சிப்பாய், கையில் இருந்த துப்பாக்கியைக் கீழே தாழ்த்தி மரியாதை செய்தான். அவள் உள்ளே சென்றதும் துப்பாக்கியை மேலே நிமிர்த்திப் பிடித்தான். அவளுக்கு இது வேடிக்கையாக இருந்தது.

சிறிது நேரம் சென்றது. திரும்பவும் அந்தச் சிறுமி வெளியே வந்தாள். அவள் வரும் போது சிப்பாய் முன் போலவே, மரியாதை செலுத்தினான். திரும்பவும் அவள் உள்ளே சென்றாள். அப்போது அவன் மரியாதை செலுத்தினான். திரும்பத் திரும்ப அவள் உள்ளே போவதும், வெளியே வருவதுமாக இருந்தாள்.

சிப்பாயும் தன் கடமையைச் சளைக்காமல் செய்தான்.
கடைசியாக அவளுக்கே சிரிப்பு வந்து விட்டது. அந்தச் சிப்பாயைக் கூர்ந்து பார்த்துக் கொண்டே, ""அடடே, நான் வைத்திருக்கிறேனே... சாவி கொடுத்தால் வேடிக்கை செய்யும் பொம்மை, அதைப் போலல்லவா இதுவும் செய்கிறது!'' என்று வியப்போடு கூறினாள்.
இதைக் கேட்டதும், அந்தச் சிப்பாய்க்குச் சிரிக்க வேண்டும் போலிருந்தது. ஆனாலும், வாய்க்குள்ளேயே சிரித்துக் கொண்டான்.

அந்தப் பெண்ணின் பதினோராவது வயதில் தான் அவளுடைய அப்பாவுக்கு முடி சூட்டு விழா நடந்தது. உலகத்தின் பல பாகங்களிலிருந்தும் அவருக்குப் பரிசுகள் வந்து குவிந்து கொண்டிருந்தன. அப்போது அந்தப் பெண்ணும் தன் கையால் அப்பாவுக்கு ஒரு பரிசளிக்க வேண்டுமென்று நினைத்தாள். உடனே கடை வீதிக்குச் சென்றாள். மிகவும் விலையுயர்ந்த மிகவும் அபூர்வமான ஒரு சாமானை வாங்கி வந்தாள் என்றுதானே நினைக்கிறீர்கள்? இல்லை;

ஓரணா விலையில் ஒரு நோட்டுப் புத்தகத்தை வாங்கி வந்தாள். அதில் முடி சூட்டு விழாவைப் பற்றித் தனக்குத் தெரிந்ததை அழகாக எழுதினாள். மங்கலான சிவப்பு ரிப்பனால் அந்த நோட்டுப் புத்தகத்தில் உள்ள தாள்களைச் சேர்த்துக் கட்டினாள். அதன்மேலே, "அப்பாவின் முடிசூட்டு விழா ஞாபகார்த்தமாக நான் அளித்தது; நானே தயாரித்தது' என்று எழுதிக் கொடுத்தாள்

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அவளுடைய பதினோராவது வயதில் அவளுடைய அப்பாவுக்கு முடிசூட்டுவிழா நடந்தது. ஆனால், அவளுடைய இருபத் தேழாவது வயதில், அவளுக்கே முடிசூட்டு விழா நடக்கும் என்பது அப்போது அவளுக்குத் தெரிந்திருக்குமா? நினைத்துக் கூடப் பார்த்திருக்க மாட்டாள்.
இவள்தான் இருபத்தேழாவது வயதில் முடிசூட்டிய இங்கிலாந்து அரசி இரண்டாவது எலிசபெத் ராணி

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Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. She celebrated 65 years on the throne in February 2017 with her Sapphire Jubilee.

Synopsis

Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, to Prince Albert, Duke of York (later known as King George VI), and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. She married Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947, became queen on February 6, 1952, and was crowned on June 2, 1953. She is the mother of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, as well as the grandmother of princes William and Harry. As the longest-serving monarch in British history, she has tried to make her reign more modern and sensitive to a changing public while maintaining traditions associated with the crown.

Early Life

Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, England. At the time of her birth, most did not realize Elizabeth would someday become queen of Great Britain. Her father, Prince Albert, was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. Elizabeth got to enjoy the first decade of her life with all the privileges of being a royal without the pressures of being the heir apparent.

Her father and mother, also known as the Duke and Duchess of York, divided their time between a home in London and Royal Lodge, the family's home on the grounds of Windsor Great Park. Elizabeth, nicknamed Lilibet, and her younger sister Margaret were educated at home by tutors. Academic courses included French, mathematics and history, with dancing, singing and art lessons undertaken as well. 

Father Becomes King

In 1936, the course of Elizabeth's life changed with the death of her grandfather, George V, with whom she was said to be close. Her uncle became King Edward VIII, but he was in love with American divorcée Wallis Simpson and had to choose between the crown and his heart. In the end, Edward chose Simpson and Elizabeth's father became King George VI.

Service in WWII

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret largely stayed out of London, having been relocated to Windsor Castle. From there she made the first of her famous radio broadcasts, with this particular speech reassuring the children of Britain who had been evacuated from their homes and families. The 14-year-old princess, showing her calm and firm personality, told them "that in the end, all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace."

Elizabeth soon started taking on other public duties. Appointed colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards by her father, Elizabeth made her first public appearance inspecting the troops in 1942. She also began to accompany her parents on official visits within Britain.

In 1945, Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to help in the war effort. She trained side-by-side with other British women to be an expert driver and mechanic. While her volunteer work only lasted a few months, it offered Elizabeth a glimpse into a different, non-royal world. She had another vivid experience outside of the monarchy when she and Margaret were allowed to mingle anonymously among the citizenry on Victory in Europe Day.     

Marriage and Accession

Elizabeth first met Philip Mountbatten (a surname adopted from his mother's side), son of Prince Andrew of Greece, when she was only 13, and was smitten with him from the start. Distant cousins, the two kept in touch over the years and eventually fell in love. They made an unusual pair. Elizabeth was quiet and reserved while Philip was boisterous and outspoken. Her father, King George VI, was hesitant about the match because, while Mountbatten had ties to both the Danish and Greek royal families, he didn't possess great wealth and was considered by some a bit rough in his personality.

At the time of their marriage in the autumn of 1947, Great Britain was still recovering from the ravages of WWII. Elizabeth in fact collected clothing coupons to get fabric for her gown. The ceremony was held at London's Westminster Abbey on November 20. The family took on the name Windsor, a move pushed by her mother and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and which caused tension with her husband. The couple wasted no time in producing an heir. Son Charles was born the following year and daughter Anne arrived in 1950.

On February 6, 1952, King George VI died, and Elizabeth assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch. (She and Prince Philip had been in Kenya at the time of her father's death.) Her official coronation took place on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey. For the first time, the ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the pomp and spectacle of the event.

World Traveler

Queen 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. As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth does not weigh in on political matters, nor does she reveal her political views. However, she confers regularly with her prime ministers.

When Elizabeth became queen, post-war Britain still had a substantial empire, dominions and dependencies. However, during the 1950s and 1960s, many of these possessions achieved independence and the British Empire evolved into the Commonwealth of Nations. Elizabeth II has thus made visits to other countries as head of the Commonwealth and a representative of Britain, including a groundbreaking trip to Germany in 1965. She became the first British monarch to tour there in more than five decades.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Queen Elizabeth continued to travel extensively. In 1973 she attended the Commonwealth Conference in Ottawa, Canada, and in 1976 traveled to the United States for the 200th anniversary celebration of America’s independence from Britain. More than a week later she was in Montreal, Canada, to open the Summer Olympics. In 1979, she traveled to Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, which garnered international attention and widespread respect.    

A Royal Family

Elizabeth had two more children—sons Andrew and Edward—in 1960 and 1964 respectively. She worked tirelessly to protect the image of the monarchy and to prepare for its future. In 1969, she officially made Prince Charles her successor by granting him the title of Prince of Wales. Hundreds of millions of people tuned in to see the ceremony on television.

In 1981 Charles wed 19-year-old Diana Spencer, with later rumors surfacing that he was pressured into the marriage from his family. The wedding drew enormous crowds in the streets of London and millions watched the proceedings on television. Public opinion of the monarchy was especially strong at that time.

The following year, Elizabeth worried about her second son Prince Andrew, who served as a helicopter pilot in the British Royal Navy during the Falklands War of 1982. Britain went to war with Argentina over the Falklands Islands, a clash that lasted for several weeks. While more than 250 British soldiers died in the conflict, Prince Andrew returned home safe and well much to his mother's relief. 

Threats and Scandals

Elizabeth, as queen, has seen the monarchy come under attack during her lifetime. The once-revered institution has weathered a number of storms, including death threats against the royal family. In 1979, Elizabeth suffered a great personal loss when Lord Mountbatten, her husband's uncle, died in a terrorist bombing. Mountbatten and several members of his family were aboard his boat on August 29, off the west coast of Ireland, when the vessel exploded. He and three others, including one of his grandsons, were killed. The IRA (Irish Republican Army), which opposed British rule in Northern Ireland, took responsibility for the attack.

In June 1981, Elizabeth herself had a dangerous encounter. She was riding in the Trooping the Colour, a special military parade to celebrate her official birthday, when a man in the crowd pointed a gun at her. He fired, but, fortunately, the gun was loaded with blanks. Other than receiving a good scare, the Queen was not hurt. She had an even closer call the following year when an intruder broke into Buckingham Palace and confronted Elizabeth in her bedroom. When the press got wind of the fact that Prince Philip was nowhere to be seen during this incident, they speculated about the state of the royal marriage.

The love lives of her children have caused Elizabeth heartache as well. The rocky marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana made headlines for years before the couple announced plans to divorce in 1992. Prince Andrew's union with Sarah Ferguson ended up in the tabloids as well, with photos of Sarah and another man engaged in romantic activity splashed across the front papers. And the Queen's own husband has inspired numerous public relations headaches with his off-the-cuff, edgy comments and rumors of possible infidelities.

In 1997, Elizabeth went under intense media scrutiny herself in the wake of Princess Diana's death. Her incredibly popular ex-daughter-in-law, sometimes nicknamed the People's Princess, died from injuries in a Paris car crash on August 31. The Queen was at her Balmoral estate in Scotland with Prince Charles and his and Diana's two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, at the time. For days, Elizabeth remained silent while the country mourned Diana's passing, and she was sharply criticized for her lack of response. Stories circulated that the Queen did not want to give Diana a royal funeral, which only fueled public sentiment against the monarch. Nearly a week after Diana's death, Elizabeth returned to London and issued a statement on the late princess. 

Loss and Change

After the start of the 21st century, Elizabeth experienced two great losses. She said good-bye to both her sister Margaret and her mother in 2002, the same year she celebrated her Golden Jubilee, or 50th year on the throne. Margaret, known for being more of an adventurous soul than other royals and who was barred from marrying an early love, died that February after suffering a stroke. Only a few weeks later, Elizabeth's mother, known as the Queen Mother, died at Royal Lodge on March 30 at the age of 101.

Known to be a stickler for ceremony and tradition, Elizabeth eventually started to show signs of softening her stance. She had objected to the relationship between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, with the pair having been involved while the prince was married. When the two wed in 2005, Elizabeth and Prince Philip had a reception in their honor at Windsor Castle.

Elizabeth has also emerged as a devoted grandmother to William and Harry. Prince William has said that she offered invaluable support and guidance as he and Kate Middleton planned their 2011 wedding. That same year, Elizabeth showed that the crown still had symbolic and diplomatic power when she became the first British monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland since 1911.

Elizabeth has modernized the monarchy as well. She had dropped some of its formalities and made certain sites and treasures more accessible to the public. As Britain and other nations have struggled financially, she has welcomed the elimination of the Civil List, which was a public funding system of the monarchy dating back roughly 250 years. The royal family continues to receive some government support, but the Queen has had to cut back on spending.

Diamond Jubilee

Despite the occasional call to step aside for Prince Charles, Elizabeth has remained steadfastly on the throne. Some of her duties have been passed on to her eldest son, but she still maintains a busy schedule. Elizabeth handles roughly 430 engagements each year and supports hundreds of charitable organizations and programs.

Elizabeth celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, marking 60 years as queen. As part of the jubilee festivities, a special BBC concert was held on June 4 featuring the likes of Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder and Kylie Minogue. Elizabeth was surrounded by family at this historic event, including her husband Philip, son Charles and grandsons Harry and William. Then on September 9, 2015, she surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as Britain's longest ruling monarch, who reigned for 63 years.

Sapphire Jubilee

On February 6, 2017, the Queen celebrated 65 years on the throne, the only British monarch to ever celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee. The date also marks the anniversary of the death of her father. The Queen chose to spend the day quietly at Sandringham, her country estate north of London, where she attended a church service. 

In London, there were royal gun salutes at Green Park and at the Tower of London to mark the occasion. The Royal Mint also issued eight new commemorative coins in honor of the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. 

Queen Grandmother

In 2013, Elizabeth celebrated another happy event. Her grandson William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, welcomed their first child, George Alexander Louis—known officially as "His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge"—on July 22, 2013. Elizabeth visited her new great-grandson after William and Kate returned home to Kensington Palace from the hospital.

Two years later, on May 2, 2015, William and Kate welcomed their second child, Princess Charlotte, who is also the Queen's fifth great-grandchild.

In addition to Prince William and Prince Harry, the Queen’s other grandchildren are Peter Phillips, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York, Zara Tindall, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.

Relationship With Prime Ministers

As of 2017, Elizabeth has had 13 prime ministers placed into power during her reign, with Queen and PM having a weekly, confidential meeting. (Elizabeth has also met about a quarter of all the U.S. presidents in history.) She enjoyed a father figure relationship with the iconic Winston Churchill, and was later able to loosen up a bit and be somewhat informal with Labour leaders Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. In contrast, she and Margaret Thatcher had a very formal, distant relationship, with the PM tending to be a grating lecturer to the Queen on a variety of issues. 

Tony Blair saw certain concepts around the monarchy as somewhat outdated, though he did appreciate Elizabeth making a public statement after the death of Princess Diana. Later, Conservative leader David Cameron, who is Elizabeth's fifth cousin removed, enjoyed a warm rapport with the Queen. He apologized in 2014 for revealing in a conversation that she was against the Scottish referendum to seek independence from Great Britain. The most recent PM, Theresa May, has been described as being tight-lipped about Brexit plans to leave the European Union, with a rumor circulating that Elizabeth was perturbed over not being informed about future exit strategies. 

Screen and Stage Depictions

Keeping in mind the duration of her reign, Elizabeth has been played by a number of well-known actresses on both stage and screen. She has perhaps most famously been portrayed by Helen Mirren, who received an Oscar and Golden Globe, among other accolades, for her starring role in 2006's The Queen, directed by Stephen Frears. Mirren later played Elizabeth in The Audience, a West End and Broadway play which chronicled the Queen's aforementioned meetings with various prime ministers and for which the actress earned a 2015 Tony Award. Elizabeth later received a dramatic stage treatment from the formidable Kristin Scott Thomas, who starred in The Audience in 2015.

The Queen has also been played in various films over the decades by lookalike Jeannette Charles and was portrayed by Emma Thompson in the Playhouse Presents TV episode Walking the Dogs (2012). Elizabeth has been more recently portrayed on television screens by Claire Foy; the actress depicts the future monarch at the time of her marriage and political relationship with Churchill (John Lithgow) in Netflix's The Crown, which debuted in autumn 2016. Foy received a Best Actress Golden Globe for the role.

Health Scare

As 2016 came to end, concerns about the Queen’s health grew. The Queen was reported to have a “heavy cold” and missed several traditional holiday events, including Christmas and New Year's services. “The Queen does not yet feel ready to attend church as she is still recuperating from a heavy cold,” the palace said in a statement. She made her first public appearance in January since taking ill in December. At that time it was also announced that she would be cutting the number of charities of which she is a patron in an effort to reduce her work obligations.

Personal Life

Not one for the spotlight, Elizabeth likes quiet pastimes. She enjoys reading mysteries, working on crossword puzzles and even watching wrestling on television.

For much of her life, the Queen has surrounded herself with dogs. She is especially known for her love of corgis. Also a horse enthusiast, Elizabeth breeds thoroughbreds and attends several racing events each year.