Born Elizabeth Alexandra May, Queen Elizabeth II, who died this Thursday (8), at the age of 96, made history by being the longest-lived sovereign in the history of the United Kingdom.
Over the course of her life, she has witnessed from World War II to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the losses of her younger sister Margaret and the royal icon Lady Di, ex-wife of the now British King Charles III.
Discover the highlights of his reign below.
1926
Born in London on April 21, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. Her mother is Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and her father is Prince Albert, Duke of York, youngest son of King George Fifth.
1936
Edward VIII, Elizabeth’s uncle, abdicates on behalf of his brother Prince Albert; the decision changes the prospects for the princess to ascend to the throne
1937
Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret attend the coronation of their father, King George VI, at Westminster Abbey; thus, Elizabeth becomes first in the line of succession and a figure of public interest.
1939
As a teenager, Elizabeth watches the country enter World War II
1947
On the 20th of November, Elizabeth’s marriage to her distant cousin Philip Mountbatten, who received the title of Duke of Edinburgh, is celebrated at Westminster Abbey.
1948
The first child of the future Queen, Charles Philip Arthur George, is born at Buckingham Palace
1951
With King George VI’s health failing, Elizabeth begins to represent him at official events; she and the duke leave in 1952 for a tour of Australia and New Zealand, but on the way they receive news of the king’s death.
1953
On June 2, at Westminster Abbey, the coronation of Elizabeth takes place, who then becomes Queen Elizabeth II; months later, she and the Duke of Edinburgh take a six-month tour of Commonwealth countries including Australia and New Zealand.
1958
Charles, Elizabeth’s firstborn, is named Prince of Wales; the Queen’s other children are Princess Anne (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise), born in 1950; Prince Andrew (Andrew Albert Christian Edward), born in 1960; and Prince Edward (Edward Anthony Richard Louis), born 1964
1981
On July 29, Prince Charles marries Diana Frances Spencer in a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
1982
William, Elizabeth’s grandson and currently second in line to the throne, is born, as a result of the marriage of Charles and Diana; His brother Harry is born in 1984
1992
After a tumultuous marriage, with rumors of extramarital affairs, the separation of Prince Charles and Lady Di is announced; the divorce is completed in 1996
1997
Lady Di dies in a car accident, raising criticism of the royal family, especially after Elizabeth II initially refused to allow the national flag to be flown at half-mast at Buckingham Palace.
2002
In the year she celebrates her Golden Jubilee as she turns 50 on the throne, the Queen loses her mother Elizabeth and sister Margaret, overshadowing multi-day festivities in London and Commonwealth countries.
2005
Heir to the throne, Charles remarries, this time to Camilla Parker Bowles, amid a decade in which support for the royal family has grown among Britons.
2011
Elizabeth II becomes the second-longest-lived monarch in the UK – after Queen Victoria – and attends the wedding of Prince of Wales, second-in-line William, to Katherine Middleton; The Queen also made history by being the first in office to visit Ireland in 100 years.
2012
At Diamond Jubilee, Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years as queen
2015
In September, Elizabeth II overtakes Queen Victoria as Britain’s longest-serving monarch
2020
In an unprecedented split in the reign of Elizabeth II, Harry and Meghan, married since 2018, decide to leave the royal family after creating a crisis for not spending Christmas 2019 in the United Kingdom.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
