London – Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning queen and the nation’s leader for seven decades, passed away on Thursday at the age of 96, according to Buckingham Palace.
A timeline of the queen’s life and reign is provided below:
Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926, at 2:40 a.m. at 17 Bruton Street in London. She was baptised on May 29, 1926, in the Buckingham Palace chapel.
On December 11, 1936, when her uncle Edward VIII abdicated and her father became King George VI, she became the heir apparent at age 10.
She married Philip Mountbatten, a Greek prince, on November 20, 1947 in Westminster Abbey in London. Four children were born to the couple: Prince Charles (1948), Princess Anne (1950), Prince Andrew (1960), and Prince Edward (1962). (1964).
February 1952: In place of her ailing father, King George VI, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip go on a tour of Africa and Asia. The news of the king’s death reaches her in Kenya on February 6, making her the first monarch in over two centuries to ascend to the throne while overseas.
Queen Elizabeth is crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953, during the first televised coronation service.
The Queen’s first Commonwealth trip begins on November 24, 1953, covering a total distance of 43,618 miles.
1970 – During a visit to New Zealand, the queen initiates the “walkabout,” a strategy for royal tours that involves meeting the locals.
The queen celebrates her Silver Jubilee, or 25 years as ruler, in 1977 with a tour of Commonwealth nations and elaborate celebrations in Britain.
Prince Charles weds Lady Diana Spencer in a grand wedding in 1981.
Prince William, the first child of Charles and Diana, is born on June 21, 1982. Prince Harry is born two years after Prince William.
Prince Andrew marries publishing businesswoman Sarah Ferguson, also known as “Fergie,” in 1986. The couple are elevated to the titles of Duke and Duchess of York.
Queen Elizabeth II visits the United States in 1991 and is the first royal to address Congress.
1992 – Her 40th year on the throne, which she refers to as her “annus horribilis” (terrible year), is characterized by marital discord and public discontent.
– Andrew and Sarah separate. Anne and Mark Phillips divorce.
In November, a fire severely damages Windsor Castle. The monarch consents to pay income tax.
– Charles and Diana announce their separation in December.
In March of 1995, the queen delivers the first speech by a British monarch to the parliament of South Africa since 1947.
In December, Buckingham Palace acknowledges that the queen had urged Charles and Diana to divorce in a letter.
In August of 1996, Charles and Diana divorce.
1997 – On August 31, Diana and her rich friend Dodi al-Fayed are murdered in a car accident while being pursued by photographers on motorcycles through Paris. The royal family and the queen are criticized for their cautious response.
– Huge throngs meet the queen and Philip as they celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in November. In an uncharacteristically forthright statement, the queen admits that monarchs can only exist with public support.
Princess Margaret, the sister of the queen, passes away on February 9, 2002, at the age of 71, after a glamorous and heartbreaking life.
30 March – Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, dies at the age of 101 at Windsor Castle.
The Queen’s Golden Jubilee is commemorated by four days of nationwide celebrations from June 1 to June 4.
Prince Charles marries Camilla Parker Bowles in a civil ceremony at Windsor in 2005.
The queen attends the wedding of her grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011.
May – The Queen embarks on a four-day state visit to Ireland, the first by a British monarch since Ireland achieved independence from London in 1921.
2012 – The diamond jubilee commemorating the queen’s 60th year on the throne will include four days of festivities in June and a statewide tour. A million people assemble on the River Thames for a festival, while millions more join street parties.
Kate, the wife of Prince William, gives birth to Prince George in 2013. Their second child, Princess Charlotte, is born in 2015, and their younger sibling, Prince Louis, arrives in 2018.
From June 23 to June 26, 2014, the queen embarks on her final overseas state visit to Germany.
– On September 9, at approximately 5.30 p.m. UK time, Elizabeth surpasses her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria to become the nation’s longest-reigning queen.
Elizabeth celebrates her 90th birthday on April 21, 2016, becoming the first British monarch to attain this milestone.
Aug. 2 , 2017 – Philip, who has supported his wife for 65 years, retires from public life.
Elizabeth and Philip celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary at Windsor Castle on November 20.
Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle, a divorced American actress from Los Angeles, at a star-studded ceremony at Windsor Castle in 2018.
A family dispute between William and Harry goes public in October 2019, with the younger prince confirming rumors of a rift.
Prince Andrew delivers a terrible interview to BBC television on November 15 in an attempt to put an end to a sex controversy. A few days later, he is compelled to resign from his royal duties due to his ties to disgraced U.S. businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who was imprisoned for child sex offenses in 2008.
January of 2020 Harry and Meghan declare that they will no longer be active royal family members. In March, they move to Los Angeles.
The queen makes her fifth and only special television broadcast of her reign on April 5 to rally the nation against the COVID-19 epidemic.
April 9, 2021 – Prince Philip, the queen’s 73-year-old husband, passes away peacefully at the age of 99 at Windsor Castle.
The queen spends her first night in a hospital in years on October 20 for what Buckingham Palace termed “preliminary investigations.”
30 November: Barbados becomes a republic, reducing the number of countries ruled by the monarch to 15.
Jan 13, 2022 – Prince Andrew will no longer be referred to as “His Royal Highness,” according to Buckingham Palace, as he defends a U.S. lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, who claims he sexually molested her as a teenager. Giuffre claims the abuse occurred when Andrew was a member of the British Royal Family.
The Queen celebrates her 70th year on the reign on February 6, and uses the occasion to grant Camilla the title of Queen Consort when Charles becomes king.
Prince Andrew pays an unknown fee to settle the U.S. case on February 15, but makes no admission of guilt.
The queen tests positive for COVID-19 on February 20 and is claimed to be experiencing mild cold-like symptoms. She quickly resumes her formal duties.
Reuters