In the portrait by Lucien Freud (1922-2011), Queen Elizabeth II is wearing pearls and a jewelled crown, an item Freud specifically requested she wore for the portrait, as a traditional symbol of her role. He painted her as his alter ego, giving her his facial features: in his characteristic style, it seems the Queen is Freud. He depicted his monarch as the monarch in his mind. Nonetheless, the painting was highly controversial and divided both the press and art critics.
The Queen was born at 17, Bruton Street, Westminster, London on 21st April, 1926 and was named Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor. When her uncle abdicated the throne in 1936 , her father unexpectedly became the king and she herself the heir to the throne.
On her 21st birthday in April, 1947 Princess Elizabeth dedicated her life to the service of the Commonwealth.
“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
In the same year, the Queen married Philip Mountbatten, The Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey.
On 6th February, 1952, King George VI died. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were in Kenya. Princess Elizabeth flew back to Britain as Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation Day took place on 2nd June, 1953 and she reigned till September 2022, at the age of 96, after ruling for seven decades.
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE QUEEN, answer the following questions
- When was Queen Elizabeth born?
- In which year did she get married?
- Whom did she marry? How long were they married for?
- In which year was The Queen’s coronation?
- In which year was The Queen’s Silver Jubilee?
- How many years is a Golden Jubilee?
- In which year was The Queen’s Golden Jubilee?
- How many years is a Diamond jubilee?
- In which year was The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee?
- What do we call 70 years on the throne?
- How many children did Queen Elizabeth II have? Can you name them?
- What is the name of The Queen’s eldest child?
- Can you name The Queen’s Scottish home?
- What is the name of her home in London?
- Can you name her other famous residence?