Queen Elizabeth II (1952)

Queen Elizabeth II, daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, was born in London on April 21, 1926. In 1936, when her father became King, she became Princess Elizabeth. She was an active participant in politics and public life since she was fourteen, and in 1947, she was married to her distant cousin, Phillip Mountbatten. In 1952, Princess Elizabeth travelled to Australia and New Zealand in the place of her father, and has, since then, remained extremely well travelled. When her father died on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth took over the throne; however, her coronation did not take place until June 2, 1953, when she was crowned at Westminster Abbey. Queen Elizabeth II’s first year as Queen was a “golden year” for England filled with optimism and great hope for the new Queen. With a new, young Queen, many English people had hopes that the future would be one untouched by war and troubles. Throughout her forty-six year reign, Queen Elizabeth II has maintained a sense of duty while working efficiently and diligently to provide for the public. Because of the hope she has provided for her subjects, Queen Elizabeth II has been viewed as the ideal modern monarch.