Elizabeth II 1926-
Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Head of the Commonwealth

Born in London, she was formerly known as Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, being proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II on the death of her father, George VI (1952). She was crowned in 1953, which was the first major royal event to be televised. The queen is accepted as Head of the Commonwealth. She is Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and of several other more recently independent countries. Her husband was created Duke of Edinburgh on the eve of their wedding (1947), and styled Prince Philip (1957). They have three sons, Prince Charles, styled the Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward and a daughter, Princess Anne, styled the Princess Royal. The Queen has aimed to modernize the monarchy and make it more informal, instituting luncheon parties for distinguished individuals and pioneering royal walkabouts. She shows a strong personal commitment to the Commonwealth as a voluntary association of equal partners.

Bibliography: Ronald Flamini, Sovereign: Elizabeth II and the Windsor Dynasty (1992)