The newborn Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge’s great-grandmother is Queen Elizabeth II:
Coronation Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on April 21st 1926, and was at the time third in line for the throne, after her uncle Edward and her father. Her uncle was young at the time and was expected to get married and have children of his own, which would push Elizabeth and her father further down the line. No one foresaw the abdication crisis in 1936; it quickly turned Elizabeth into heiress presumptive at age 10.
Elizabeth married her second second cousin once removed, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in 1947 (third cousin trough Queen Victoria). They had 4 children: Prince Charles and Princess Anne were born while she was Duchess of Edinburgh, and Prince Andrew and Prince Edward were born after she became Queen.
When her father died in 1952, she was only 25. She became Head of Commonwealth and Queen of United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon.
Diamond Jubilee Mosaic Picture of Queen Elizabeth by Helen Marshall
Queen Elizabeth II is the oldest reigning monarch in the world, as well as Britain’s longest-lived and second longest-reigning head of state. She celebrated her Diamond Jubilee as sovereign in 2012, and on September 9th this year she will surpass Queen Victoria and become the longest reigning monarch in British history.
Since she came to the throne in 1952, USA has had 10 elected presidents, and Queen Elisabeth has met with all of them except Lyndon B. Johnson. The world is familiar with Queen Elizabeth, like an ever present grandmother to all of us, many of us don’t know anything different. The Queen is popular in her own countries (yes there is still several left, even after the British Empire dissolved!) and she is also popular throughout the world. Queen Elisabeth never gives interviews, but at age 89 she is still on a never-ending schedule with formal business most days of the year, 20 years after the “normal” man in the street is happy to retire.
Diamond Jubilee Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elisabeth speaks French fluently, and has travelled the world several times over. Her deepest sorrows came in the year of 1992, when all 3 of her married children at the time, separated. She called the year “annus horribilis”. Her highest joy is the love for her husband and family, and I’m confident the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s decision to name the newborn Royal Princess, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana touches the Queen immensely!
I’m utterly excited to learn about Princess Charlotte meeting her great-grandmother, and look forward to seeing pictures of the two together 🙂 May they develop a wonderful relationship!
And for Queen Elisabeth II I have one wish: Long live the Queen!
If you are curious about my Pretty Data project, and interested in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, please get in touch, as I’m still hoping to sign up more helpers with my project! Warning: you’d have to be pretty crazy about imagery, somewhat interested in history, and have a (more or less secret) crush on royalty!…lol
The files I have shared with you for this particular post have NOT been altered by me. I have included the original files in my download folder since they are official portraits and files released by the creators into public domain.
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Source: Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II – Wikimedia Commons
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