What is the name of Elizabeth 2’s husband. All his life behind the back of the Queen of Great Britain - Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Staying married for seventy years is a major achievement in itself. Not to mention the fact that this marriage has been the center of attention of all the world's tabloids since its first day. And it’s not surprising, because this is the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

By being by each other's side for decades, this couple has shown the world how far things can go real love. However, no marriage is easy, especially one that lasts so long and is under the microscope, and this British royal couple is definitely no exception.

Being the Queen of Great Britain is not easy, and being the queen's husband is perhaps even more difficult. Over the years, unpleasant rumors have repeatedly spread that the marriage of the queen and the prince is in jeopardy. Some things turned out to be groundless, but some facts were true. So let's take a closer look at these amazing and strange facts about the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Prince Philip.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are related

Some may not know that the Queen and the Prince are actually distant relatives. Being third cousins, these two lovebirds met as children. According to the Times newspaper, Elizabeth fell in love with Philip at first sight.

While Elizabeth was growing up in rich family and adhered to royal manners, Philip had a completely opposite life experience. The same Times claims that Philip grew up and was raised like a commoner. He washed dishes, lit boilers and played bowls with a team of local bar guests.

Elizabeth's parents did not approve of their daughter's choice

Initially, King George VI spoke out categorically against his daughter's choice. The king was worried about the opinion of the public, who had a negative attitude towards the fact that his beloved british princess going to marry a Greek prince.

However, the king was repelled not only by the Greek origin of his future son-in-law. According to the Times newspaper, the British sovereign was irritated by Philip's loud, boisterous laughter and his rude, uncouth manners.

But, despite the obstacles, the opinions of parents and public opinion, Elizabeth was able to marry the man she loved and chose as her husband. The future Queen of Great Britain and her chosen one got married when Elizabeth turned 21.

Philip had to sacrifice a lot for the marriage

In order to marry Elizabeth, Philip had to make significant changes in his life.

First of all, he had to become a naturalized British citizen. Due to the political situation in Europe, Elizabeth's parents were not happy with Philip's German family. None of his German relatives were allowed to come to the wedding. Philip's three sisters could not come to his wedding only because they were married to Germans.

On top of this, the king did not want to officially announce his daughter's engagement until she was 21, so Princess Elizabeth and Philip had to keep their relationship a secret for some time.

Elizabeth used ration coupons to make her wedding dress

When we imagine a royal wedding, words like glamorous, elegant and extravagant come to mind. However, in the case of the wedding of Elizabeth and Philip, the celebration was completely different.

Britain was still recovering from World War II when the couple got married. Because of this, the future queen used her ration coupons to purchase materials for her wedding dress. According to some publishers, the British government gave Elizabeth additional coupons (200 pieces) for the dress.

The dress turned out incredibly beautiful, with a long train and embroidered with Elizabeth's family pearls.

The couple always had two combined bedrooms

After their wedding, Elizabeth and Philip behaved like any other married couple, except that they belonged to the British royal family.

When the couple moved into Clarence House in 1949, their quarters were different in that the couple had separate bedrooms, each with their own, but adjacent to each other.

This turned out to be extremely practical. As the royal couple's cousin Lady Pamela Mountbatten told Vanity Fair, sharing bedrooms was to the taste of both newlyweds. No one is bothered by snoring and tossing around in bed. Nobody prevents newlyweds from sleeping together, but if they want good sleep, they have such an opportunity.

Philip was not crowned with Elizabeth

When Elizabeth officially received the title of Queen of Great Britain, her husband did not receive a new title. In fact, Philip remained Duke of Edinburgh for some time after Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.

According to the BBC, he dedicated himself to her at the ceremony with the words: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, am your vassal and servant for life; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you.”

It was not until 1957 that Philip officially received the title of prince. At the time, there were many rumors that the title was granted to Philip to appease the wayward prince and ease tension in the royal marriage. However, there was no confirmation of these rumors.

There are suspicions that Philip was not always faithful to the queen

With such a famous and constantly discussed marriage, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were simply bound to appear in the pages of the tabloids. Among the news and rumors about the royal marriage, there were also those that mentioned Prince Philip’s alleged repeated infidelities. Even among fans of the royal couple, there is an opinion that perhaps Philip was not always faithful to his queen.

Rumors were repeatedly spread that the prince allegedly had a secret apartment in west London, in which he allegedly met with an unknown woman. The prince's romantic involvement with anyone was never proven, and rumors of his adultery remained rumors, although they continued to appear for a long time.

The couple does not hold hands in public

For so many years spent together under the gaze of an interested public, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were always there for each other. However, they never hold each other's hands while they are in public. This, of course, does not mean that they do not love each other. There are reasons for this.

The fact is that the couple are characterized by the stoic values ​​of their generation, and they fit perfectly with the tradition of the British royal family not to show their “weaknesses” in public. Princess Diana, whom the public loved so much precisely for her openness, began to slowly break this tradition. The younger generation of the royal family is not shy about showing signs of attention in public. However, the Queen and Prince Philip behave extremely modestly. In addition, both monarchs consider themselves more pragmatists than romantics.

Despite the lack of demonstrative signs of attention, Elizabeth and Philip are quite a spectacular couple, not only in their youth, but also today. Besides that, they are a great team. Even though Elizabeth wears the crown in the family, Philip is still an important component of her power. He is a co-author of the successful reign of Elizabeth II and her main adviser and ally. Elizabeth herself calls her husband a born leader and ruler, since the prince is very insightful, reliable and ready to help at any moment. necessary help and support.

Philip was born on June 10, 1921 in the family of Prince Andrew, who was the legal representative of the Danish royal family of Glücksburg. Philip's mother Alice Battenberg was the niece of the last Empress of Russia. The birthplace of the Greek heir was the island of Corfu. The family raised five children. A year after the birth of Philip, the Glucksburgs were forced to leave their homeland due to the outbreak of persecution.

As a result of the move, the mother and children remained in the French capital, and Andrei went to live in Monte Carlo. Alice was having a hard time with the divorce, the loss of property and titles. Her mind went blank. The younger Philip was forced to be taken in by relatives from England. In the early 30s, the boy was educated in schools in Germany and Scotland.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, the prince entered the Royal Naval College, which was located in Darmouth, and after graduating he became a midshipman. Brave Philip spent the entire war as an officer navy Britain. He distinguished himself in military operations Western Front, showed courage during the liberation of Sicily in 1943. During this time, Philip rose to the rank of senior lieutenant.

Family

With Princess Elizabeth, youngest daughter King George VI, Philip met when he was 18, and Lilibet, as the girl was affectionately called at home, was only 13 years old. The young, handsome blond immediately fell into the girl’s heart. Throughout the war, Philip and Elizabeth corresponded. Despite the fact that the princess's parents were not serious about their daughter's choice, hoping that the girl would soon change her mind, Elizabeth remained adamant; she was not going to consider other suitors. And in 1946, a young officer visited King George VI on an official visit. Philip asked the hand and heart of the daughter of the crowned person, to which he received consent.

In order for the marriage to look politically correct, Philip had to renounce the titles of Prince of Denmark and Greece, accept English citizenship and change his paternal surname to the surname of his maternal grandfather - Mountbatten. A few days before the wedding ceremony, which took place on November 20, 1947 in Westminster Abbey, Philip was granted the title of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron of Greenwich.

On magnificent wedding Elizabeth looked great. She wore a dress of satin and brocade, decorated with crystal beads and big amount pearls On the bride's side, all British titled relatives were present at the wedding ceremony; on the groom's side, one mother was invited. For the sake of his wife, Philip renounced Orthodoxy and converted to Protestantism.

Two years after the wedding, Prince Philip was sent military service to the island of Malta, where the couple settled in a cozy estate. According to the recollections of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, this was the happiest time in their lives. During these years, their two eldest children were born - son Charles and daughter Anna. Away from Buckingham Palace, Elizabeth managed to feel normal happy woman who enjoys being with her family and close friends. In his youth, Philip and his wife often visited public entertainment venues - young people really liked to dance.

Coronation

On February 6, 1952, King George VI died. Prince Philip was the first to hear this news and told his wife about it. They were traveling around Kenya at the time. Urgently family future queen went home. A year later, the enthronement ceremony took place, which for the first time in history was attended by television journalists, and the event was held in live UK Central Television.

Philip was declared prince consort, who was obliged to accompany the crowned wife during all her visits and events. On the advice of the prime minister, Elizabeth left her father’s surname in order to resolve all political differences within the royal court.

In addition to the responsibilities of jointly conducting public affairs, Philip also took on the responsibilities of the father of the family. He supervised the studies of his children and dealt with everyday problems. IN public life country, the prince showed himself no less active. He was the first on British television to produce his own series of programs dedicated to science. Philip created charities, actively helped in organizing sports schools and sections, supported equestrian sports.

Royal dynasty

The royal couple had four children: three sons Charles, Andrew and Edward and a daughter Anne. Philip was always actively involved in the personal lives of his children. It was he who insisted that Charles marry her at one time, and despite the further gap between his son and daughter-in-law, Philip always took her side. After the divorce, the prince contributed to the reconciliation of the spouses, which, unfortunately, did not occur. And after, the husband of Elizabeth II took his grandchildren, the children of Prince Charles, under his wing.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are happy grandparents. Despite the fact that all four children had unsuccessful first marriages, each of them has two children. First of all, the famous heirs of the queen's eldest son are the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Wales. The other grandchildren are Peter Phillips, Zara Phillips, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York, Lady Louise Windsor, James, Viscount Severn.

The queen also has great-grandchildren: Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge (William's children), Savannah Phillips, Isla Elizabeth Phillips, Mia Grace Tindall.

Prince Philip today

In 2016, the prince received the title of the longest-living descendant of Queen Victoria; this year he turned 95 years old. In 2017, the royal couple will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary, and this will become another record in the history of the Windsor dynasty and the personal biography of the spouses.

Now Philip and Elizabeth live in seclusion on their Sandringham estate in Norfolk, periodically appearing in Buckingham Palace and in family castles in Scotland and England. They practice their favorite hobby - horse breeding, and from time to time the prince paints pictures. Among sports, Philip prefers horseback riding, which helps maintain his royal posture into old age.

Queen Elizabeth II and her chosen one have been married for 70 years. A considerable period of time during which the couple went through everything. Philip had a hard time: being the husband of the heir to the throne, and then the queen, following all the rules of the crown, ceremonies, being constantly in sight, but inevitably in the shadow of his wife, obeying her and being despised by the palace - the husband of Elizabeth II experienced all this. An energetic naval officer, willful and sometimes impudent, with a difficult family history, strong character, love of entertainment and freedom, did not fit in well in the conservative royal palace. He was considered not the best match, even King George's personal secretary looked down on him and condescendingly. This atmosphere was very difficult for Philip. He found consolation in the circle of friends. The closest of them was Mike Parker - they served together in the same flotilla, and became friends there. After his wedding to Princess Elizabeth, they became friends with the Parker family. They were together while serving in Malta, where they became especially close. Perhaps it was there for the first time that Philip and Elizabeth were just a family: he as a husband doing his duty, she as a wife naval officer, who went shopping herself, was friends with other wives and led a family life. Parker quickly became Philip's personal secretary and equerry. It was he who first informed the prince about the death of King George VI, after which Philip’s life changed forever.

Prince Philip and Mike Parker. (wikipedia.org)

He felt cramped in the royal palace, so he began to look for entertainment in the company of his noisy friends. He asked Parker to introduce him to society photographer Baron Neyhum. He had a dubious reputation, led a riotous lifestyle and was the creator of the closed men's club "Thursday", which included influential and famous men. Every Thursday they met at Wheeler's seafood restaurant in Soho. Its members, in addition to Philip and Parker, also included actors James Robertson, Peter Ustinov and the future Chancellor of the Exchequer Ian MacLeod. Philip never missed these overnight bachelor parties. There were many rumors that wild parties and even orgies took place at these meetings. But Parker denied all this, and no evidence of their indecent behavior was found.

Royal couple: discord or peace?

Philip's behavior has repeatedly provoked rumors of discord in the royal family, but the issue became especially acute after the prince went on a nearly five-month trip around Commonwealth outposts in 1956, leaving his wife and two children behind. There were rumors that the crew of the royal yacht Britannia threw parties and had fun with local girls when they arrived at the next port. However, again, this was just gossip, although it did damage the reputation of Philip and the royal family. Already in next year a new wave of rumors and accusations of inappropriate behavior hit the prince. A Baltimore Sun reporter published an article in which he claimed that Philip was meeting with an unknown girl at the apartment of a photographer friend in the West End. The Duke of Edinburgh was furious at the publication, recalled his friend Parker. He was deeply hurt by the rumors, which were reinforced in the public eye by the resignation of his private secretary. The public perceived this as the removal of a friend who constantly leads the prince astray. In fact, Parker had to leave because his wife filed for divorce. Amid all this, the royal palace deviated from its rule not to comment on rumors and announced that it was “completely untrue that there is any rift between the Queen and the Duke.”

Royal couple with children. (wikipedia.org)

Meanwhile, people were wondering who the mysterious girl was. It was said that it could be musical comedy star Pat Kirkwood. Rumors about their romance began in 1948, when the Queen was pregnant with the Prince. Pat was a friend of Baron Neyhum and a star of the London stage. After one of the performances, Baron brought Philip and Parker to her locker room to meet. Then they all went out to dinner and to the club for a dance. After that, she and Philip talked until dawn and fried an omelet in Baron's apartment. Pat insisted that she only saw the prince at theatrical performances. To quell any rumors of a sexual relationship between her and Philip, Pat asked her husband to publish her correspondence with Philip after his death. She must prove that there was no illicit relationship.

Pat Kirkwood. (wikipedia.org)

Another woman with whom the press linked the prince was Hélène Corday. They met as children in France. Allegedly, in his youth, Philip dated Helen and even thought about marrying her, but Uncle Dickie sent him to Dartmouth to be away from his beloved. It was impossible to miss the chance to marry the heiress to the throne, who was in love with Philip. The prince himself, according to rumors, did not take Elizabeth seriously. But suddenly Helen announced that she had fallen in love with William Kirby, was marrying him and breaking off all relations with Philip. They say the prince was shocked and depressed by this news. However, after 2 years her marriage broke up. When Helen had two children, whose godfather Philip became, rumors began to spread about his paternity. However, again, there is no evidence of this. Helen's son categorically denied that the prince was his father. They say that Philip loved Helen very much, believed that she broke his heart, and therefore he himself broke many hearts of other girls. When he learned of Helen's death, he couldn't even hold back his tears in public.

Hélène Corday, Philip's childhood friend. (wikipedia.org)

The press attributed Philip's affairs with Susan Barrantes, Countess of Westmoreland, novelist Daphne du Maurier, actress Merle Oberon, Anna Massey, TV presenter Katie Boyle, Duchess of Abercorn, Princess Alexandra, and others. But these are rumors; none of his biographers, except Sarah Bradford, dares to say with confidence that infidelity took place. According to Bradford, Philip preferred girls younger than him, beautiful and highly aristocratic. She also claims that there was a connection between the prince and Sasha Abercorn. The Duchess of Abercorn herself categorically denies this.

There were all sorts of rumors floating around Philip. The satirical magazine Private Eye even linked the prince to Stephen Ward, a member of the Thursday Club who later found himself at the center of the Profumo affair. Allegedly, Ward hosted noisy parties at which Prince Philip was a waiter and served drinks and food to guests. The peculiarity was that all the waiters at Ward's were naked and wore only scanty aprons that barely covered their bodies. Philip was called “The Masked Man” there, and the press nicknamed him “The Naked Waiter.” However, there is no evidence for these claims.

Prince Philip loved to party. (wikipedia.org)

The Queen always took this gossip calmly and preferred not to comment on it. She had conservative views on marriage, but understood that her husband needed to be given some freedom, especially in the conditions with which he was so burdened. Perhaps rumors about problems in their marriage were provoked by the fact that the couple never showed their feelings in public. The only thing they could afford was the exchange of warm, tender glances. For the most part, the queen and her husband considered them a private matter; even the courtiers could not witness the manifestation of their feelings; the spouses always behaved appropriately. Of course, the rumors put pressure on them, and for the only time Philip gave a harsh rebuff to the press. He said: “Have you ever thought that for these 40 years I have never been seen without a police escort? So how the hell would I get away with all this? In the end, the prince swore at Elizabeth’s coronation to “serve her faithfully and die for her, no matter what happens,” and for almost 70 years he has kept his word.

A lot is written about Queen Elizabeth, but her husband always seems to be in the shadows.

As a girl, she never imagined that she would become a queen. But as a result of the crisis of the British monarchy, when Edward VIII chose to give up the throne for the sake of his love for the American Wallis Simpson, who was disliked by the court, in 1936 his brother George VI, Elizabeth’s father, was on the throne. And on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, after the unexpected death of George, Elizabeth was proclaimed queen.

As the head of state, she is accustomed to constantly being in the public eye, defending the country's age-old traditions. Her every day is planned down to the minute, she is interested in everything that happens around her, keeping her finger on the pulse of events. For most people on earth, she is a symbol of Great Britain, and they cannot imagine the country without her. But who is the person who always and everywhere accompanies Elizabeth, being one step behind her? Her husband Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the man who won the queen's heart once and for all.

Elizabeth II got married five years before accession to the throne.

Her chosen one, Philip Mountbatten (who later became the Duke of Edinburgh) was born on the island of Corfu and was a descendant of the Danish-Greek royal family. His grandfather was assassinated in 1913, his uncle Constantine was dethroned in 1917, and his cousin George II abdicated the crown in 1923.

Philip's family was expelled from Greece when he was just a year old, and according to some accounts, he arrived in Britain in an orange box. As an adult, Prince Philip forever refused the opportunity to take the Greek throne, accepting English citizenship.

If you imagine an ideal prince, then the image of the Duke of Edinburgh should appear before the eyes of any romantic girl. They say that his beauty had such an all-conquering power that women fainted at the sight of him.

Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

Prince Philip with parents and sisters

The princess fell in love with young Philip at the age of 13 - for the first time and for the rest of her life.
Traveling on her parents' yacht, Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret met a handsome 18-year-old midshipman from the Royal Naval College in Dortmoor. Philip, having played croquet with the girls, conveniently forgot about the acquaintance.

Philip's education was handled by his uncle, who paid for his studies at a private British school, and later at the Royal naval college in Dartmouth. It was there in July 1939, during the visit of George VI and his family, that thirteen-year-old Elizabeth first managed to communicate with her second cousin, cadet Philip. The young man's uncle, Royal Navy officer Dickie Mountbatten, and his nephew were invited to tea with royal family. Even then, the princess’s governess noticed that “Lilibet could not take her eyes off him.” Which, however, was not at all surprising: the 18-year-old prince was a tall, handsome blond, and also beautifully built.

But the young British princess, having played just one game with him, fell recklessly in love. She waited for her chosen one for six whole years, although all The Royal Family did not approve of her falling in love. The Grandfather King did not really like this candidacy for Elizabeth’s chosen one.
After all, Lieutenant Mountbatten, now His Royal Highness Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, although he was not a commoner, came from an impoverished dynasty that had long since lost power.

The match was not brilliant... Grandfather also didn’t like the fact that Elizabeth made a hasty choice and settled on the first one young man, whom I barely met.

And besides, the princess and prince were second cousins ​​- Queen Victoria was their great-great-grandmother. The royal family believed that young Elizabeth needed to think carefully and make a more informed decision.

However, the princess had no intention of giving up her childhood dreams, she was still in love, and it was not in her character to retreat.

According to rumors, Elizabeth, like her legendary great-great-grandmother Victoria, herself proposed to her future husband.
In any case, there is no information in the archives of the royal family confirming that the prince made the marriage proposal.

After the death of his father, Philip finally moved to London and became a frequent guest at Buckingham Palace. During the war, he went to the front, continuing to send Elizabeth long and tender letters. And in the summer of 1946 he proposed to the princess, which she immediately accepted, without even consulting her parents. Elizabeth (later Queen Mother) and George VI did not hide the fact that they would like for their daughter best game. Philip's father, Prince Andrew, left his son neither fortune nor land holdings - nothing except his pedigree and the signet ring, which the Duke still wears to this day. However, George and Elizabeth relented, blessing their daughter’s marriage.

The title of HRH Duke of Edinburgh was given to Philip by King George V on the eve of his wedding. Elizabeth's wedding was the first and only British history the case of the marriage of the presumptive heir to the throne.
The wedding ceremony of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh took place at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947.

The hair of the eight bridesmaids was decorated with miniature wreaths of white satin and brocade with silver thread, made by Jac Ltd of London

The wedding ceremony of Princess Elizabeth and Philip began at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947 at 11:30 GMT. Tens of thousands of people gathered near the abbey, wanting to see the princess in her wedding dress. As expected, the bride was accompanied to the altar by her father. She wore an ivory satin dress embroidered with thousands of pearl and crystal beads. It took court designer Sir Norman Harnell several months to create it.

The five-meter veil was carried by two pages: Princes Michael of Kent and William. The veil was decorated with lace and held on her head by a diamond tiara that belonged to her mother. The Queen Mother received the tiara from her mother Queen Mary, who in turn inherited it as a wedding gift from Queen Victoria. After the wedding, Philip entered the service of the Admiralty and received the title Duke of Edinburgh.

The newlyweds began to be active social life. They often went to races at Ascot and Epson (horses have always been the queen’s main passion, and she herself is an excellent rider),

They appeared at receptions together, went to dances, without denying themselves anything.

On November 14, 1948, Elizabeth gave birth to a boy, Charles Philip Arthur George. Soon the Duke was appointed first lieutenant of the mission in the Mediterranean, in Malta.

Elizabeth followed her husband. They were left to each other. The princess was busy running the house, communicating with the wives of other officers, gathering with them for 5 o’clock tea with scones and orange jam. “I think she was happy to just be a wife,” recalls her cousin Marguerite Rhodes. “Then she was able to feel what ordinary life is like.”
After Philip's mission was completed, Elizabeth returned to London already in her sixth month of pregnancy. Soon she gave birth to a daughter, Anna Elizabeth Alice Louise.

But the happiness was not complete: members of the royal family were concerned about the rapidly deteriorating health of King George VI. In February 1952, he died from a blood clot in his heart. Philip was the first to know about his death. At this time, he and Elizabeth were touring Kenya, and he knew that this news would be a real shock for his wife. Philip has always been his wife's main support. And he became the first who, traditionally bowing his knee, took an oath of allegiance to his queen: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your lifelong vassal and lowest servant; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you, no matter what happens. May God help me!”

The coronation of Elizabeth II was the most democratic in the history of England. The Queen insisted on broadcasting on British television, arguing: “People have to see me to believe me.”

Immediately after the ceremony, the couple set off on a trip around the world, which lasted almost six months. In the history of the British monarchy, such a grandiose journey was the first. Philip left the service, he accompanied his wife everywhere and tried to be her faithful assistant and adviser in state affairs.

However, in their family life Not everything was rosy. After the death of George VI, Philip's uncle, Dickie, raised the issue that ruling house from now on, the house of Mountbatten should appear, and not Windwell - this statement was received with hostility by Queen Mother Elizabeth and Queen Mary. Prime Minister Winston Churchill was also against it.

Elizabeth listened to the wise and experienced Churchill and refused to take her husband's surname. “I am the only person in the whole United Kingdom who cannot give his own surname to his own children,” Philip lamented. The ridicule of the courtiers fairly irritated the duke, and he reacted to them quite sharply. Meanwhile, the young queen had less and less time for her children and husband, and a certain detachment appeared in their relationship.

However, Philip soon managed to find a job he liked and his place in society. He began to engage in charity work, and quite successfully. His focus is on sports, youth, protection environment and education issues. In the spring of 1959, the Queen became pregnant again. This time she decided to reconsider her surname, changing it to Mountbatten. She wanted to please her husband, whom she continued to love immensely. The result of a long discussion was that Charles and Anne would remain Windsors, while the rest of the heirs would bear the “compromise” surname Mountbatten-Windsor. So, in February 1960, the second son of the royal couple, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was born. Elizabeth, as a sign of her devotion to her husband, named the boy in honor of Philip's father Andrei.

And in 1964 - Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, Nince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince Charles.

Being the husband of a queen regnant is an unenviable “position.”
As the Duke of Edinburgh Philip himself jokes, according to English law it is as if he does not exist.

In Great Britain, the husband of the queen regnant does not become king, but remains a prince consort.
Thus, Philip of Edinburgh has never been and never will be crowned.
He is a private person and is doomed to remain in the shadows.

So what helped the Queen and Duke keep their family together, surviving together until their diamond wedding, which they celebrated in 2007 in Malta? Robert Lacey, a biographer of Elizabeth II, sees the secret of a successful marriage in the fact that “each of them had an unspoken right to their own private life, separate from their spouse. I would call this style “family confederation.” It is clear that Prince Philip must accompany his wife wherever she appears, but the Queen has always had the right to her own interests.

IN official life he is always one step behind the queen. At home, however, the Prince Consort was always the head of the family. It is he who makes all the most important family decisions, it is he who decides which school to send the children to study. The late Lord Mountbatten told me a wonderful story about this. Early in their marriage, the Queen and Prince Philip came to visit him in Hampshire. One day the three of them were riding in a car driven by Philip. The Queen sat next to her husband in the front seat. Each time, on turns where he hardly slowed down, the queen held her breath and then exhaled loudly.

Finally, Philip got tired of it, and he told his wife: “If you repeat that again, I will throw you out of the car!” Then Lord Mountbatten turned to her and said: “Darling, you are the queen, how can you allow him to treat you like that?” But the queen was not embarrassed by this rudeness: “He is my husband. I know that if I say a word, he will actually throw me out of the car.” Indeed, Philip treats Elizabeth not only as a queen, but also as a woman, wife and mother of his children. And perhaps this contrast between the queen’s position in society and in the family made her so happy all this time.

As for the personal relationship of Elizabeth II with her husband, unfortunately, the handsome prince turned out to be not such a wonderful husband.

Queen Elizabeth's family relationships were far from serene: there are rumors that the Duke of Edinburgh has illegitimate children, and Philip's relationship with cousin Queen Alexandra once completely turned into a national scandal.

However, Queen Elizabeth II never commented on her husband's actions, at least publicly.
At one time, she showed all her tact and managed to maintain the balance that had been disrupted in the family.

And it saved her marriage.
Elizabeth undividedly recognized her husband's authority in family matters, and Philip became a reliable support in the performance of her royal duties.

British Royal Family

In 1997, Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh Philip celebrated their golden wedding.

And on November 20, 2007, the royal couple celebrated the 60th anniversary of their marriage - their diamond wedding.

Thus, their marriage is the longest in the history of the British monarchy, and Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding.

A ceremony in honor of the anniversary took place in Westminster Abbey on November 19, 2007.
The service dedicated to the celebration was attended by 2,000 guests.

They included five choristers who sang at the wedding of Elizabeth and Philip sixty years ago, as well as 10 couples who celebrated their Diamond Wedding on the same day as the royal couple.

Three generations of the British royal family:
Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh,
prince Welsh Charles and Prince William

And as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry says in his novel “Planet of People”:
“Loving does not mean looking at each other, loving means looking together in the same direction.”

I really like this photo, it perfectly reflects the character of Prince Philip. The queen's husband casually dropped another trademark joke and the strict policeman almost bursts with laughter, trying to stand at attention. And the Prince himself, at 91, as if nothing had happened, walks through the cold to church after a long illness, when the Queen went there by car. Philip goes accompanied only by the groom. This is all he is.

In my opinion, Philip is one of the brightest and most worthy members of the royal family. They don't make things like that anymore.

“An Unfinished Romance” is a sentimental story of two people who love each other very much, but cannot be together. Both have families and, accordingly, obligations to loved ones. For many years in a row, the heroes have been meeting at the hotel. They have only a few days a year to be with someone without whom life is impossible. It would seem that the story staged by director Natalya Bulyga is pure drama. But no! The production turned out to be fun and light, because love is not necessarily and not always a tragedy. Screen star Maria Poroshina, who, in addition to many other film roles, played the sorceress Svetlana in Timur Bekmambetov’s films “Night Watch” and “Day Watch,” herself invited Yaroslav Boyko to take part in the play “An Unfinished Romance.” For her, the choice of stage partner was obvious. Their creative tandem originated back in 2003, when the series “Always Say Always” was released. The actors turned out to be so organic in the role of a loving couple that the viewer was left with no doubt: of course they were having an affair!

Studio “Kvartal 95” goes on a world tour with concerts of “Evening Kvartal” The “Evening Kvartal” project is a humorous show with a unique format of intellectual humor. And the humor in “Evening Quarter” is always fresh and relevant, sharp and accurate. The special recognizable style of “Kvartal 95” is a combination of good humor and a positive outlook on life, relevance and sharp political satire, as well as an orientation towards universal and family values. “Evening Quarter” has been the most popular show on Ukrainian television for many years, traditionally attracting millions of viewers.

The English irregular verb trainer will help you remember their spelling and meaning. Fill in the empty cells. If you spelled it correctly, the word will change color from red to green. Refresh the page or click the "Start Again" button and you will see new order empty cells. Train again!

Modal verbs(Modal verbs) in English language is a class of auxiliary verbs. Modal verbs are used to express ability, necessity, certainty, possibility or likelihood. We use modal verbs if we talk about abilities or possibilities, ask or give permission, ask, offer, etc. Modal verbs are not used independently, but only with the infinitive of the main verb as a compound predicate.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland remains for centuries parliamentary monarchy. Since February 6, 1952, the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been Queen Elizabeth II.

It is believed that the system constitutional monarchy smooths out the contradictions of multi-party politics and ensures stability and continuity during periods of political and social change.

The current monarch performs two important functions- is head of state and head of nation .

As Head of State, Queen of Great Britain performs the following duties: participates in the annual opening ceremony of Parliament, meets weekly with prime ministers, receives foreign ambassadors and delegations, makes official visits to foreign countries to maintain the diplomatic and economic relations of his country with others. Many of the monarch's official powers, or "royal prerogatives", are exercised by the monarch in name only, after consultation with the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who are responsible to Parliament's House of Commons. Most prerogatives are exercised in practice by UK Cabinet Ministers. The monarch formally appoints the prime minister (the “kissing hands” ceremony), but in practice he is the head of the party that wins the parliamentary elections. In the event that no party has a majority, the monarch has the right to appoint a prime minister. The current Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, took advantage of this opportunity only once - in 1974, when she appointed Labor member Harold Wilson as Prime Minister. On the advice of the Prime Minister, the monarch has the right to dismiss ministers or the entire Cabinet (a prerogative that British monarchs never exercise). All parliamentary laws are passed in the name of the monarch and come into force after his formal approval.

Formally, the monarch has the right to convene, dissolve and prolong Parliament. But in practice, according to the Parliament Act 1911, Parliament is elected for a period of 5 years and is automatically dissolved after this period.

The oath of allegiance is taken to the monarch, British passports are issued on behalf of the monarch, and the national anthem is called “God Save the Queen.” The image of the monarch appears on banknotes, coins and postage stamps. The current monarch is the head of the Royal Armed Forces and has the formal prerogative to declare war and make peace, make international treaties and ratify agreements.

Despite their advanced age, the royal couple continues to perform official duties. In April 2014, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Vatican and met with Pope Francis.

The monarch is considered Source of justice– has the right to appoint judges.

The monarch is Source of honor(conducts investiture ceremonies) - appoints peers, awards orders, knighthoods and other honors (usually on the advice of the prime minister).

Monarch – head of the Church of England. He has the right to appoint archbishops and bishops (on the proposal of the Prime Minister).

Since 1760, funding for the maintenance of the royal family has been carried out according to the Civil List. This means that income from the royal inheritance - the Crown Estate - goes to the UK budget, and is then allocated to the needs of the royal family.

The monarch only formally owns his estate, since it cannot be sold, but can only be transferred to the heir to the throne. Formally, the current monarch owns the county of Lancastershire, the income from which goes to replenish the “personal wallet” of the monarch and is spent on those needs that, by tradition, are not recorded in the Civil List. The County of Cornwall formally belongs to the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom.

As Head of the Nation, Queen Elizabeth II performs an equally important cultural and social function in Great Britain. It provides national identity, symbolizing the unity and pride of the nation, giving the British people a sense of stability and confidence in the future.

The Queen regularly visits different parts of the United Kingdom, her presence is mandatory at ceremonies on the occasion of Remembrance Day, at significant sporting events. Everyone remembers the appearance of the Queen in the video with James Bond at the opening of the Olympic Games in London in 2012. In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II opened the Montreal Summer Olympics in Canada as Canada's head of state. The Royal Office sends out thousands of messages of congratulations to citizens celebrating their centenary and sixtieth wedding anniversaries. Every year, Queen Elizabeth II addresses her subjects with a Christmas speech.

Members of the British Royal Family form the line of succession to the throne. First in line is the Queen's eldest son, Charles. The second and third are Charles's eldest son Prince William and his son George. The order of inheritance was determined by the Act of Union of 1800, which established the rule of inheritance according to primogeniture with male priority. The Act of Succession to the Throne of 1701 established the rule that only a monarch professing the Anglican faith could inherit the British throne. According to this law, not only Catholics, but also Anglicans married to Catholics cannot ascend to the British throne.

At the Commonwealth Summit in Australia in October 2011, changes were made to the succession to the throne to avoid discrimination based on gender and religion. In December 2012, this law was approved by the parliaments of the countries that are members of the commonwealth. Now the order of succession is determined by simple seniority and the ban on marriages with Catholics for future monarchs is lifted. Currently in line for succession to the throne are 55 members of the royal family– descendants of Elizabeth II, her sister Princess Margaret and grandfather George V.

Also members royal family distributed by seniority or priority. Thus, the queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, is not among the heirs to the throne, but is the second eldest in the family after the queen. This order of precedence is followed at formal events. For example, during the laying of wreaths on Remembrance Day, the Queen lays the first wreath, the Duke of Edinburgh the second, Prince Charles the third, etc.

Title of Queen Elizabeth II differs for each country that is part of the Commonwealth.

For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland it sounds like this:

"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

"Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other countries and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926 in London at 17 Brewton Street. This house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been installed on the new house at this address. At baptism, the daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon received the name Elizabeth (in honor of her mother) Alexandra (in honor of her great-grandmother) Mary (in honor of her grandmother). Elizabeth II belongs to the Windsor dynasty. Elizabeth's father, Prince Albert, was second in line to the throne. After his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated the throne, he became King George VI, and Elizabeth became the “heir presumptive” (“heir presumptive”). This means that if the king later had a son, he would inherit the throne.

In 1947, Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten (born June 10, 1921), an officer of the British navy who belonged to the Greek and Danish royal families, the great-great-grandson of the British Queen Victoria and the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. To marry Elizabeth, Philip became a naturalized British citizen, replaced Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, renounced the titles "Prince of Denmark" and "Prince of Greece". In return, George VI granted him the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron of Greenwich.

When George VI died on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth and her husband were traveling in Kenya. Princess Elizabeth has already returned to Great Britain as Queen Elizabeth II. Coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II, which took place on June 2, 1953, was first broadcast on television from Westminster Abbey. The first person to take an oath of allegiance to the new queen was her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen has four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward.

Charles, Prince of Wales– born November 14, 1948. Full name Charles (Carl) Philip Arthur George (George) Mountbatten - Windsor. Heir to the throne of Great Britain, field marshal, admiral of the fleet and marshal of the Royal Air Force. Upon accession to the throne, he can choose a royal name - Charles (Charles) III by his first name, or George (George) VII by his fourth.

At birth, Charles received the title “His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh” - “His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh.” Upon ascending the throne of Elizabeth II in 1952, Prince Charles automatically received the title "Duke of Cornwall" and became known as "His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall." In 1969, Elizabeth II held an investiture ceremony, placing the Prince of Wales crown on her son's head. And Charles's official title changed to "His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales."

On July 29, 1981, the wedding of the heir to the throne took place with Diana Spencer. Charles and Diana had two sons: Prince William (born June 21, 1982) and Prince Henry (Harry) (born September 15, 1984). On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles married for the second time, to Camilla Parker Bowles. For the first time in the history of the royal family, the ceremony was performed in a civil manner. Due to the fact that the late wife of Prince Charles, Lady Diana, is still very popular among the British, Camila was given the title not Princess of Wales, but Duchess of Cornwall.

By tradition, Charles is involved in charity work and heads more than 350 charitable societies. His interests include nature conservation and agriculture.

Princess Anne(Anna Elizaveta Alisa Louise) was born on August 15, 1950. Currently in 11th place in the line of succession to the throne. Since 1987 he has held the title Royal Princess(Princess Royal). From her first marriage to Mark Phillips, she had two children: Peter Phillips (1977) and Zara Phillips (1981). Princess Anne, Mark Phillips and Zara Phillips in different time represented Great Britain at Olympic Games in equestrian sport. After her divorce from Mark Phillips, Princess Anne married Vice Admiral Timothy Lawrence.

Prince Andrew(Andrew Albert Christian Edward), Duke of York was born on 19 February 1960. Duke title Prince of York Andrew received it in 1986 - on his wedding day to Sarah Ferguson. The marriage produced two daughters: Princess Beatrice of York (born 1988) and Eugenie of York (born 1990). The Duke of York is 5th in the line of succession to the British throne.

Prince Edward(Edward Anthony Richards Louis), Earl of Wessex was born on March 10, 1964. In the line of succession to the throne he is in 8th place after his older brothers and their descendants. He received the title of Earl on the day of his wedding to Sophie Rhys-Jones. It was announced that after his father's death he would receive the title of Duke of Edinburgh, and his children would not receive the titles of princes and princesses, but would be treated as children of an earl. The Earl of Wessex has two children: Louisa (born 2003) - “Lady Louise Windsor” and James (born 2007) - “James, Viscount Severn”.

Second in line to the British throne is Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (born 1982) is the son of the Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer. On the day of William's wedding to Kate Middleton, he was granted the title Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergue. Kate Middleton accordingly became the Duchess of Cambridge. On July 22, 2013, the couple had a son, George (Georg) Alexander Louis. Who became third in line of succession to the throne.

Prince Henry of Wales(Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor) - younger son Prince Charles and Diana Spencer were born on September 15, 1984. He is currently 4th in line to the British throne.

When Queen Elizabeth II working, she divides her time between London and Windsor.

Royal palaces are not owned by the queen or royal family. Officially, they are held in “trust for future generations.”

The main royal residence of the British monarch is Buckingham Palace in Westminster. Most state banquets, investitures, receptions of heads of state and foreign ambassadors and other official events are held there. In Buckingham Palace, which most people in the world associate with British royal family, 775 rooms. Including: 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. The total area of ​​the palace is 77 thousand square meters. When the queen is in the palace, the royal standard develops above it; if she is not in the palace, the state standard.

The second most important royal residence is the largest residential castle in the world - Windsor Castle, used by the royal family for weekends.

The main residence in Scotland is Holyroodhouse Castle in Edinburgh. The Queen always spends one week a year there - the so-called “Holyrood week”.

The royal family also owns Clarencehouse (Prince Charles's home) and Kensington Palace.

Her Majesty spends her holidays (August and September) at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire or Sandringhamhouse in Norfolk. They are private residences of the royal family and are not financed from the budget.

A series of scandals related to the divorces of Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, as well as the death of Princess Diana, significantly undermined the authority of the royal family in Great Britain. However, according to polls, more than 60% of Britons are in favor of maintaining the institution of monarchy in the country.

Interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II:

• At the Queen's Elizabeth II no passport. Since a British passport is issued on behalf of Her Majesty, the Queen cannot issue a passport to herself. All other members of the royal family, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, hold British passports.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the only person in the country who is allowed to drive a car without a registration number and a driver's license. By the way, the Queen received her driver’s license back in 1945.
• – this is not a fixed date. Whether it will be the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Saturday of June is decided by the government of the country. On this day, since 1748, a royal military parade has been traditionally held - Trooping the Color.
• In Australia queen's birthday celebrated as a public holiday on the second Monday of June. In Western Australia, the monarch's birthday is celebrated at a different time - late September or early October. In New Zealand, the Queen's Birthday is also a public holiday and is celebrated on the first Monday in June. In Canada, the Queen's Birthday is celebrated as a public holiday on the Monday preceding May 24th.
• The Queen's actual birthday is April 21st. There are no special events on this day and the queen spends it with her family.
• Royal salutes are strictly regulated and
• February 6 (day of accession to the throne of Elizabeth II)
• April 21 (birthday of Elizabeth II)
• June 2 (coronation day of Elizabeth II)
• 10 June (birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh)
• Official Queen's Birthday
• Opening of Parliament by the Queen (usually November or December).
• The number of shots of the royal salute is also regulated. The main royal salute is 21 shots. In Hyde Park, another 20 shots are added to the main fireworks display. In the Tower - this is added to the main number 21 by 20 and another 21 shots.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state of 16 states and is the head of the Commonwealth, consisting of 53 countries. In 1952, at a conference of prime ministers of countries belonging to the Commonwealth, Elizabeth II was proclaimed the head of the association of countries not by right of inheritance, but by right of consent of the member states.
• U Queen Elizabeth II there are other official and unofficial titles. For example, in the Maori language it is called “kotuku” - “white heron”. In Papua New Guinea, the queen is called "Mrs Kwin" in pidgin. On the Isle of Man the Queen is called the Sovereign of Man, on the Channel Islands she is the Duchess of Normandy; in the Duchy of Lancaster - she is the Duchess of Lancaster.
• During his reign Queen Elizabeth II hosted 12 prime ministers during traditional Tuesday meetings: Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alexander Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron.
• Tony Blair became the first prime minister to be born during the reign of Elizabeth II (in May 1953).
• During the reign queens Elizabeth II There were 6 archbishops of Canterbury.
• U Queen Elizabeth II 9 thrones. One in the House of Lords, 2 in Westminster Abbey and 6 in Buckingham Palace.
• Queen should not publicly express her political views and communicates extremely correctly with all the prime ministers of the country, being above political battles. The same applies to members of the royal family, who do not have the right to speak out about political events, so the political views of the Queen and her family remain unknown.
• Queen Elizabeth II patronizes more than 620 charitable organizations.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the 40th monarch in Great Britain since William the Conqueror.
• During his reign Queen Elizabeth II has made official visits to more than 130 countries and made more than 250 trips. In October 1994, the Queen paid an official visit to Russia.
• The Queen made most of her trips on the yacht Britannia, which was built in 1954 and decommissioned in 1997. The total distance that Britain has traveled over the years is more than a million nautical miles.
• At the Queen's Elizabeth II there were more than 30 dogs of the favorite breed corgi. She received her first dog of this breed, Susan, as a gift for her eighteenth birthday. All other dogs are descendants of Susan. The Queen is even the creator of a new breed of dogs - Dorgi, which came from mixing her corgis with Princess Margaret's dachshund.
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• Queen Elizabeth II sent her first email in 1976, and the first official royal website was created in 1997.
• Legally, whales, dolphins and sturgeon in UK seas belong to the Crown. Because the country still has in force a 1324 statute, passed during the reign of Edward II, stating that the monarch owns dolphins, whales and sturgeon, living and dead, within the country's territorial waters.