An order , line or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated, such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility . This sequence may be regulated through descent or by statute.
210-453: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark , later Philip Mountbatten ; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021), was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II . As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from his wife's accession on 6 February 1952 until his death in 2021, making him the longest-serving royal consort in history. Philip
420-529: A civil marriage , she would have been expected to renounce her right of succession . Margaret decided to abandon her plans with Townsend. In 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones , who was created Earl of Snowdon the following year. They divorced in 1978; Margaret did not remarry. Despite Queen Mary's death on 24 March 1953, the coronation went ahead as planned on 2 June, as Mary had requested. The coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey
630-642: A hung parliament ; Heath's Conservatives were not the largest party but could stay in office if they formed a coalition with the Liberals . When discussions on forming a coalition foundered, Heath resigned, and Elizabeth asked the Leader of the Opposition , Labour 's Harold Wilson , to form a government. A year later, at the height of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis , the Australian prime minister, Gough Whitlam ,
840-459: A psychiatric hospital with the intention of assassinating Charles, who was visiting the country with Diana and their son Prince William . From April to September 1982, Elizabeth's son Andrew served with British forces in the Falklands War , for which she reportedly felt anxiety and pride. On 9 July, she awoke in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace to find an intruder, Michael Fagan , in
1050-668: A "precautionary measure". He had not been seen in public since attending Lady Gabriella Windsor 's wedding in May 2019. A photo of the royal couple as they isolated at Windsor Castle during the COVID-19 pandemic was released ahead of his 99th birthday in June 2020. In July 2020, he stepped down as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles , a position he had held since 2007. He was succeeded by his daughter-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall . In January 2021, Philip and Elizabeth were vaccinated against COVID-19 by
1260-404: A 30‑second moment of silence . As a result, much of the fury among the public softened, and the protests were called off. That November, the royal couple held a reception at Banqueting House to mark their golden wedding anniversary. Elizabeth made a speech and praised Philip for his role as consort, referring to him as "my strength and stay". In 1999, as part of the process of devolution in
1470-439: A Royal Knockout in 1987 was ridiculed. In Canada, Elizabeth publicly supported politically divisive constitutional amendments , prompting criticism from opponents of the proposed changes, including Pierre Trudeau. The same year, the elected Fijian government was deposed in a military coup . As monarch of Fiji , Elizabeth supported the attempts of Governor-General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau to assert executive power and negotiate
1680-572: A bandage on his right hand after a "minor procedure" was performed in Buckingham Palace the preceding day. Tony Abbott 's surprise 2015 decision to make Philip a Knight of the Order of Australia was widely criticised in the country and contributed to Abbott's ouster as Australian prime minister. In June 2017, Philip was taken from Windsor to London and admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital after being diagnosed with an infection. He spent two nights in
1890-421: A best qualified candidate for the leadership. The leaders are elected as being the most mature elders of the clan, already in possession of military power and competence. Fraternal succession is preferred to ensure that mature leaders are in charge, removing a need for regents. The lateral system of succession may or may not exclude male descendants in the female line from succession. In practice, when no male heir
2100-482: A bill to that effect in 1953. Contrary to rumours over the years, Elizabeth and Philip were said by insiders to have had a strong relationship throughout their marriage, despite the challenges of Elizabeth's reign. Elizabeth referred to Philip in a speech on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 as her "constant strength and guide". Philip received a Parliamentary annuity (of £359,000 since 1990) to meet official expenses in carrying out public duties. The annuity
2310-504: A car collision as he drove out onto a main road near the Sandringham Estate . An official statement said he was uninjured. An eyewitness who helped him out of his car said there was "a little bit of blood". The driver and a passenger of the other car were injured and taken to hospital. Philip attended hospital the next morning as a precaution. He apologised, and three weeks later voluntarily surrendered his driving licence . In February,
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#17328444026272520-521: A certain amount". He stated that he thought of himself as Danish and spoke mostly English, while his family was multilingual. Known for his charm in his youth, Philip was linked to several women, including Osla Benning . After leaving Gordonstoun in early 1939, Philip completed a term as a cadet at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth , then repatriated to Greece, living with his mother in Athens for
2730-504: A change and had it in mind for some time, it occurred only 11 days before the birth of their third child, Prince Andrew , and only after three months of protracted correspondence between English constitutional expert Edward Iwi (who averred that, without such a change, the royal child would be born with "the Badge of Bastardy") and Harold Macmillan , who had attempted to refute Iwi's arguments. Elizabeth and Philip's fourth child, Prince Edward ,
2940-400: A childless king were allowed to succeed to the throne as well and allowed to rule as queen regnants in their own right, until their death, after which the throne passed to the next closest relative. An early example of this is Queen Didda of Kashmir , who ascended the throne of Kashmir in 980 CE after the death of her grandson and ruled until 1003 CE. Another example is Qudsia Begum who became
3150-558: A conspiracy . In April 2009, Philip became the longest-serving British royal consort, surpassing Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , wife of George III . He became the oldest-ever male British royal in February 2013 and the third-longest-lived member of the British royal family (following Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester , and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) in April 2019. Personally, he
3360-534: A custom known as Marumakkathayam was practiced by the Nair nobility, the Malabar Muslims and the royal families. Through this system, descent and the inheritance of property were passed from the maternal uncle to nephews or nieces. The right of the child was with the maternal uncle or the mother's family rather than the father or the father's family. Through this bloodline, surnames, titles, properties, and everything of
3570-401: A decision and did so, proposing to Diana in February. They married five months later. By 1992 the marriage had broken down. Elizabeth and Philip hosted a meeting between Charles and Diana, trying to effect a reconciliation, but without success. Philip wrote to Diana, expressing his disappointment at Charles's and her extra-marital affairs and asking her to examine both his and her behaviour from
3780-582: A divorcé 16 years Margaret's senior with two sons from his previous marriage. Elizabeth asked them to wait for a year; in the words of her private secretary , "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Princess, but I think she thought—she hoped—given time, the affair would peter out." Senior politicians were against the match and the Church of England did not permit remarriage after divorce. If Margaret had contracted
3990-450: A draft accession declaration in case the King died while she was on tour. In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by way of the British colony of Kenya . On 6 February, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge , after a night spent at Treetops Hotel , when word arrived of the death of Elizabeth's father. Philip broke the news to
4200-604: A dynasty by rotation. It currently applies, with variations, to Andorra , Cambodia , Eswatini , the Holy See , Kuwait , Malaysia , the UAE , and Samoa . It is also used in Ife , Oyo and the other subnational states of the Yorubaland region. Lateral or fraternal system of succession mandates principles of seniority among members of a dynasty or dynastic clan, with a purpose of election
4410-416: A dynasty can succeed to the throne if and only if she has no living brothers and no deceased brothers who left surviving legitimate descendants. Children represent their deceased ancestors, and the senior line of descent always takes precedence over the junior line, within each gender. The right of succession belongs to the eldest son of the reigning sovereign (see heir apparent ), and next to the eldest son of
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#17328444026274620-630: A formal mechanism for electing a leader, thus relieving the Queen of her involvement. In 1957, Elizabeth made a state visit to the United States, where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of the Commonwealth. On the same tour, she opened the 23rd Canadian Parliament , becoming the first monarch of Canada to open a parliamentary session. Two years later, solely in her capacity as Queen of Canada, she revisited
4830-453: A household doctor at Windsor Castle. In February 2021, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital as a "precautionary measure" after feeling unwell; he was visited by Prince Charles. Buckingham Palace confirmed that Philip was "responding to treatment" for an infection. In March, Philip was transferred by ambulance to St Bartholomew's Hospital to continue treatment for an infection, and to undergo "testing and observation" relating to
5040-437: A huge void in her life". The palace said Philip died peacefully, which was confirmed by his daughter-in-law Sophie, Countess of Wessex , who told the press it was "so gentle. It was just like somebody took him by the hand and off he went." His death led to the commencement of Operation Forth Bridge , the plan for publicly announcing his death and organising his funeral. The usual public ceremonial could not take place because of
5250-614: A member of the Deisi , another roydammna , Eochaid Gonnat , succeeded as king. The royal succession in Celtic Scotland was limited to the elective succession of the male descendants of Siol Alpein ( House of Alpin ) until the accession of King Malcolm II in 1005, who introduced the concept of hereditary monarchy in Scotland. He did so to try to eliminate the strife caused by the elective law , which encouraged rival claimants to fight for
5460-593: A monarchy or a fief was inherited in a way that all entitled heirs had a right to a share of it. The most prominent examples of this practice are the multiple divisions of the Frankish Empire under the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties, and similarly Gavelkind in the British Isles. In seniority successions, a monarch's or fiefholder's next sibling (almost always brother) , succeeds; not his children. And, if
5670-584: A month in mid-1939. At the behest of King George II of Greece , his first cousin, he returned to Britain in September to resume training for the Royal Navy. He graduated from Dartmouth the next year as the best cadet in his course. During the Second World War , he continued to serve in the British forces , while two of his brothers-in-law, Prince Christoph of Hesse and Berthold, Margrave of Baden, fought on
5880-456: A new dynasty. Imperial France established male primogeniture within the descent of Napoleon I , but failing male issue the constitution allowed the emperors to choose who among their brothers or nephews would follow them upon the throne. The Kingdom of Italy was designated a secundogeniture for the second surviving son of Napoleon I Bonaparte but, failing such, provided for the emperor's stepson, Eugène de Beauharnais , to succeed, even though
6090-462: A pitch of public interest that the boundary between fact and fiction has been lost sight of ... it is not just that some papers don't check their facts or accept denials: they don't care if the stories are true or not." It was reported, most notably in The Sunday Times of 20 July 1986, that Elizabeth was worried that Margaret Thatcher 's economic policies fostered social divisions and
6300-492: A planned transition to self-government. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith , in opposition to moves towards majority rule , unilaterally declared independence while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth. Although Elizabeth formally dismissed him, and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade. As Britain's ties to its former empire weakened,
6510-478: A pre-existing heart condition . He underwent a successful procedure for his heart condition and was transferred back to King Edward VII's Hospital. He was discharged a week later and returned to Windsor Castle. Philip died of " old age " on the morning of 9 April 2021 at Windsor Castle, at the age of 99. He was the longest-serving royal consort in world history. Elizabeth, who was reportedly at her husband's bedside when he died, described his death as "having left
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6720-766: A settlement. Coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka deposed Ganilau and declared Fiji a republic. In the wake of coalition victory in the Gulf War , Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress in May 1991. In November 1992, in a speech to mark the Ruby Jubilee of her accession, Elizabeth called 1992 her annus horribilis (a Latin phrase, meaning "horrible year"). Republican feeling in Britain had risen because of press estimates of Elizabeth's private wealth—contradicted by
6930-419: A son, he would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession, which was determined by the male-preference primogeniture in effect at the time. Elizabeth received private tuition in constitutional history from Henry Marten , Vice-Provost of Eton College , and learned French from a succession of native-speaking governesses. A Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company ,
7140-664: A sport which he helped to expand; the sport's early rule book was drafted under his supervision. He was also a keen yachtsman and struck up a friendship in 1949 with boat designer and sailing enthusiast Uffa Fox in Cowes . Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She had been queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and
7350-504: A tide of happiness and relief." During the war, plans were drawn to quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Wales. Proposals, such as appointing her Constable of Caernarfon Castle or a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League of Youth), were abandoned for several reasons, including fear of associating Elizabeth with conscientious objectors in the Urdd at
7560-697: A time when Britain was at war. Welsh politicians suggested she be made Princess of Wales on her 18th birthday. Home Secretary Herbert Morrison supported the idea, but the King rejected it because he felt such a title belonged solely to the wife of a Prince of Wales and the Prince of Wales had always been the heir apparent. In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the National Eisteddfod of Wales . Elizabeth went on her first overseas tour in 1947, accompanying her parents through southern Africa. During
7770-607: A visit to the Grenadier Guards , of which she had been appointed colonel the previous year. As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament changed the law so that she could act as one of five counsellors of state in the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, such as his visit to Italy in July 1944. In February 1945, she was appointed an honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service with
7980-543: A youth cricket and disability sports charity, for which he organised fundraising events. Between 1959 and 1965 Philip was the president of BAFTA . He helped found the Australian Conservation Foundation in 1963 and the World Wildlife Fund in 1961 and served as the latter's UK president from 1961 to 1982, international president from 1981, and president emeritus from 1996. He was also president of
8190-455: Is a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the Tanist ( Irish : Tánaiste ; Scottish Gaelic : Tànaiste ; Manx : Tanishtey ) is the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the (royal) Gaelic patrilineal dynasties of Ireland , Scotland and Mann , to succeed to the chieftainship or to the kingship . Historically the tanist was chosen from among
8400-591: Is a complete misconception to imagine that the monarchy exists in the interests of the monarch. It doesn't. It exists in the interests of the people. If at any time any nation decides that the system is unacceptable, then it is up to them to change it. In 1960 Philip attended the National Eisteddfod of Wales wearing a long green robe, where he was initiated as an Honorary Ovate by the Archdruid of Wales Edgar Phillips through his bardic name Philip Meirionnydd , to reflect his title of Earl of Merioneth. In 1961 he became
8610-566: Is a law in which the eldest child of the sovereign succeeds to the throne, regardless of gender, and females (and their descendants) enjoy the same right of succession as males. This is currently the system in Sweden ( since 1980 ), the Netherlands ( since 1983 ), Norway ( since 1990 ), Belgium ( since 1991 ), Denmark ( since 2009 ), Luxembourg ( since 2011 ), and in the United Kingdom and
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8820-403: Is an order of succession where the subject is succeeded by the youngest son (or youngest child). This serves the circumstances where the youngest is "keeping the hearth", taking care of the parents and continuing at home, whereas elder children have had time to succeed "out in the world" and provide for themselves. Proximity of blood is a system wherein the person closest in degree of kinship to
9030-488: Is considered an heir at law of the grantee and the inheritance may not pass to someone who is not a natural, lawful descendant or relative of the grantee. Collateral relatives, who share some or all of the grantee's ancestry, but do not directly descend from the grantee, may inherit if there is no limitation to "heirs of the body". There are other kinds of inheritance rules if the heritage can be divided: heirs portioners and partible inheritance . In hereditary monarchies
9240-572: Is mature enough, a female heir is usually determined "pragmatically", by proximity to the last monarch, like Boariks of the Caucasian Huns or Tamiris of Massagetes in Middle Asia were selected. The lateral monarch is generally elected after the leadership throne becomes vacant. In the early years of the Mongol empire, the death of the ruling monarchs, Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan , immediately stopped
9450-459: Is often the case that the inheritance of a hereditary title, office or the like, is indivisible: when the previous holder ceases to hold the title, it is inherited by a single individual. Many titles and offices are not hereditary (such as democratic state offices) and they are subject to different rules of succession. A hereditary line of succession may be limited to heirs of the body , or may also pass to collateral lines, if there are no heirs of
9660-509: Is usually the rule everywhere in Scotland and baronies by writ in the United Kingdom, but usually these English baronies by writ go into abeyance when the last male titleholder dies leaving more than one surviving sister or more than one descendant in the legitimate female line of the original titleholder. In England, Fiefs or titles granted "in tail general" or to "heirs general" follow this system for sons, but daughters are considered equal co-heirs to each other, which can result in abeyance. In
9870-618: The Battle of Cape Matapan , in which he controlled the battleship's searchlights . He was also awarded the Greek War Cross . In June 1942, he was appointed to the destroyer HMS Wallace , which was involved in convoy escort tasks on the east coast of Britain, as well as the Allied invasion of Sicily . Promotion to lieutenant followed on 16 July 1942. In October of the same year, aged 21, Philip became first lieutenant of HMS Wallace . He
10080-554: The British Heart Foundation thanked Philip for being its patron for 55 years, during which time, in addition to organising fundraisers, he "supported the creation of nine BHF-funded centres of excellence". He was an honorary fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge . At the beginning of 1981 Philip wrote to his son Charles counselling him to make up his mind to either propose to Lady Diana Spencer or break off their courtship. Charles felt pressured by his father to make
10290-872: The British Pacific Fleet in the 27th Destroyer Flotilla. He was present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed. Philip returned to the United Kingdom on the Whelp in January 1946 and was posted as an instructor at HMS Royal Arthur , the Petty Officers' School in Corsham , Wiltshire. In 1939 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth toured the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. During
10500-616: The Church of England , which he did in October 1947. The day before the wedding, the King bestowed the style of Royal Highness on Philip, and, on the morning of the wedding, 20 November 1947, he was made the Duke of Edinburgh , Earl of Merioneth , and Baron Greenwich of Greenwich in the County of London. Consequently, being already a Knight of the Garter , between 19 and 20 November 1947, he bore
10710-519: The Commonwealth realms ( since 2013 ). The Salic law , or agnatic succession, restricted the pool of potential heirs to males of the patrilineage, and altogether excluded females of the dynasty and their descendants from the succession, unless there were no living males to inherit. The Salic law applied to the former royal or imperial houses of Albania , France , Italy , Romania , Yugoslavia , and Prussia / German Empire . It currently applies to
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#173284440262710920-497: The Coronation Commission, he was the first member of the royal family to fly in a helicopter , visiting the troops that were to take part in the ceremony. Philip was not himself crowned in the coronation service, but knelt before Elizabeth, with her hands enclosing his, and swore to be her "liege man of life and limb". For six months, spanning 1953 and 1954, they toured the Commonwealth; as was customary during previous tours,
11130-470: The Crown Prosecution Service announced that prosecuting Philip would not be in the public interest . Philip was still allowed to drive around private estates, and was seen behind the wheel in the grounds of Windsor Castle in April 2019. In December 2019, Philip stayed at King Edward VII's Hospital and received treatment for a "pre-existing condition" in a visit described by Buckingham Palace as
11340-579: The First World War , owing to anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom . After visiting London for his grandfather's memorial service , Philip and his mother returned to Greece, where Prince Andrew had remained to command a Greek Army division embroiled in the Greco-Turkish War . Greece suffered significant losses in the war and the Turks made substantial gains. Philip's uncle and high commander of
11550-462: The King of France . When the crown of Scotland became vacant in September 1290 on the death of the seven-year-old Queen Margaret , 13 claimants to the throne came forward. Where the line of succession is clear, it has sometimes happened that a pretender with a weak or spurious claim but military or political power usurps the throne. In recent years researchers have found significant connections between
11760-529: The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . If a female descendant should take the throne, she will not necessarily be the senior heiress by primogeniture, but usually the nearest relative to the last male monarch of the dynasty by proximity of blood . Examples are Christian I of Denmark 's succession to Schleswig-Holstein, Maria Theresa of Austria (although her right ultimately was confirmed in consequence of her victory in
11970-523: The Nawab of Bhopal in 1819 CE after the death of her husband and ruled until 1837 CE. Other famous queens include Rudrama Devi , Keladi Chennamma , Ahilyabai Holkar , Velu Nachiyar and Gowri Lakshmi Bayi . Razia Sultana was a rare example of a queen who succeeded her father even when her brothers were alive. She was the reigning queen of the Delhi Sultanate from 1236 to 1240 CE. Absolute primogeniture
12180-527: The Royal Navy throughout the Second World War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links. Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about
12390-543: The Second World War , he served with distinction in the British Mediterranean and Pacific fleets. In the summer of 1946, the King granted Philip permission to marry Elizabeth, then aged 20. Before the official announcement of their engagement in July 1947, Philip stopped using his Greek and Danish royal titles and styles , became a naturalised British subject , and adopted his maternal grandparents' surname Mountbatten . In November 1947, he married Elizabeth ,
12600-639: The Silver Jubilee of her accession. Parties and events took place throughout the Commonwealth, many coinciding with her associated national and Commonwealth tours . The celebrations re-affirmed Elizabeth's popularity, despite virtually coincident negative press coverage of Princess Margaret's separation from her husband, Lord Snowdon. In 1978, Elizabeth endured a state visit to the United Kingdom by Romania 's communist leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu , and his wife, Elena , though privately she thought they had "blood on their hands". The following year brought two blows:
12810-598: The Social Democratic Party —Thatcher's political opponents. Thatcher's biographer John Campbell claimed "the report was a piece of journalistic mischief-making". Reports of acrimony between them were exaggerated, and Elizabeth gave two honours in her personal gift—membership in the Order of Merit and the Order of the Garter —to Thatcher after her replacement as prime minister by John Major . Brian Mulroney , Canadian prime minister between 1984 and 1993, said Elizabeth
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#173284440262713020-409: The Suez Canal . Lord Mountbatten said that Elizabeth was opposed to the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later. The governing Conservative Party had no formal mechanism for choosing a leader, meaning that it fell to Elizabeth to decide whom to commission to form a government following Eden's resignation. Eden recommended she consult Lord Salisbury , the lord president of
13230-413: The Wanli Emperor , and remarked, "fortunately postal services have improved since 1602". Elizabeth's visit also signified the acceptance of both countries that sovereignty over Hong Kong would be transferred from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. By the end of the 1980s, Elizabeth had become the target of satire. The involvement of younger members of the royal family in the charity game show It's
13440-456: The War of the Austrian Succession launched over her accession), Marie-Adelaide and Charlotte of Luxembourg , Anne of Brittany , as well as Christian IX of Denmark 's succession in the right of his wife, Louise of Hesse . Some cultures pass honours down through the female line. A man's wealth and title are inherited by his sister's children, and his children receive their inheritance from their maternal uncles. In Kerala , southern India,
13650-444: The Zoological Society of London for two decades and was appointed an honorary fellow in 1977. Despite his involvement in initiatives for conserving nature , he was also criticised for practices such as fox hunting and shooting of game birds and the killing of a tiger in India in 1961. He was president of the International Equestrian Federation from 1964 to 1986. In 1980 he became world champion in four-in-hand driving with
13860-466: The equestrian event of carriage driving . He was patron , president, or member of over 780 organisations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature , and served as chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award , a youth awards programme for people aged 14 to 24. Philip is the longest-lived male member of the British royal family . He retired from royal duties in 2017, aged 96, having completed 22,219 solo engagements and 5,493 speeches since 1952, and died at
14070-592: The patrilineage remained alive. In this form of succession, the succession is reserved first to all the male dynastic descendants of all the eligible branches by order of primogeniture , then upon total extinction of these male descendants to a female member of the dynasty. The only current monarchy that operated under semi-Salic law until recently is Luxembourg , which changed to absolute primogeniture in 2011. Former monarchies that operated under semi-Salic law included Austria (later Austria-Hungary ), Bavaria , Hanover , Württemberg , Russia , Saxony , Tuscany , and
14280-418: The royal house would take her husband's name, in line with the custom for married women of the time. Lord Mountbatten advocated for House of Mountbatten , and Philip suggested House of Edinburgh , after his ducal title. The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary favoured the retention of the House of Windsor . Elizabeth issued a declaration on 9 April 1952 that
14490-628: The service number 230873. She trained as a driver and mechanic and was given the rank of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at the time) five months later. At the end of the war in Europe, on Victory in Europe Day , Elizabeth and Margaret mingled incognito with the celebrating crowds in the streets of London. In 1985, Elizabeth recalled in a rare interview, "... we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall , all of us just swept along on
14700-467: The 14-year-old Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC 's Children's Hour , addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities. She stated: "We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers, and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well." In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public appearance on
14910-487: The 1981 Trooping the Colour ceremony, six weeks before the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer , six shots were fired at Elizabeth from close range as she rode down The Mall, London , on her horse, Burmese . Police later discovered the shots were blanks. The 17-year-old assailant, Marcus Sarjeant , was sentenced to five years in prison and released after three. Elizabeth's composure and skill in controlling her mount were widely praised. That October, Elizabeth
15120-527: The British government sought entry to the European Community , a goal it achieved in 1973 . In 1966, the Queen was criticised for waiting eight days before visiting the village of Aberfan , where a mining disaster killed 116 children and 28 adults. Martin Charteris said that the delay, made on his advice, was a mistake that she later regretted. Elizabeth toured Yugoslavia in October 1972, becoming
15330-487: The British national team. He served as chancellor of the universities of Cambridge , Edinburgh , Salford , and Wales . In 1965, at the suggestion of Harold Wilson , Philip became chair to a scheme set up for awarding industrial innovations, which later became known as The Queen's Awards for Enterprise . In the same year, Philip became president of the Council of Engineering Institutions and in that capacity he assisted with
15540-680: The Commonwealth ; she was the most widely travelled head of state . In 1956, the British and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet , discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted, and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome , which established the European Economic Community , the precursor to the European Union . In November 1956, Britain and France invaded Egypt in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture
15750-561: The Greek expeditionary force , King Constantine I , was blamed for the defeat and was forced to abdicate in September 1922. The new military government arrested Andrew, along with others. General Georgios Hatzianestis , who was commanding officer of the army, and five senior politicians were arrested, tried, and executed in the Trial of the Six . Andrew's life was also believed to be in danger and Alice
15960-532: The Indian Ocean to the battleship HMS Valiant in the Mediterranean Fleet . Philip was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on 1 February 1941 after a series of courses at Portsmouth , in which he gained the top grade in four out of five sections of the qualifying examination. Among other engagements, he was involved in the Battle of Crete and was mentioned in dispatches for his service during
16170-471: The King. And the King will never leave." The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle , Scotland, until Christmas 1939, when they moved to Sandringham House , Norfolk. From February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle , where they lived for most of the next five years. At Windsor, the princesses staged pantomimes at Christmas in aid of the Queen's Wool Fund, which bought yarn to knit into military garments. In 1940,
16380-585: The Mongols' western campaigns because of the upcoming elections. In East Asia, the lateral succession system is first recorded in the pre-historical period starting with the late Shang dynasty 's Wai Bing succeeding his brother Da Ding , and then in connection with a conquest by the Zhou of the Shang, when Wu Ding was succeeded by his brother Zu Geng in 1189 BC and then by another brother Zu Jia in 1178 BC. A drawback of
16590-693: The Mountbatten family home, Broadlands , Philip returned to the navy, at first in a desk job at the Admiralty and later on a staff course at the Naval Staff College, Greenwich . From 1949 he was stationed in Malta (residing at Villa Guardamangia ) after being posted as the first lieutenant of the destroyer HMS Chequers , the lead ship of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean Fleet. He
16800-933: The Palace —and reports of affairs and strained marriages among her extended family. In March, her second son, Prince Andrew, separated from his wife, Sarah ; her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced Captain Mark Phillips in April; angry demonstrators in Dresden threw eggs at Elizabeth during a state visit to Germany in October; and a large fire broke out at Windsor Castle , one of her official residences , in November. The monarchy came under increased criticism and public scrutiny. In an unusually personal speech, Elizabeth said that any institution must expect criticism, but suggested it might be done with "a touch of humour, gentleness and understanding". Two days later, John Major announced plans to reform
17010-585: The Pictish succession rules. An example of this is King Eochaid who claimed the Scottish throne as the son of the daughter of Kenneth I . The composition and the governance of the clan were built upon descent from a similar ancestor. The office was noted from the beginning of recorded history in Ireland, and probably pre-dates it. A story about Cormac mac Airt refers to his eldest son as his tanist. Following his murder by
17220-543: The Queen in person at her Canadian residence, Rideau Hall . Remarks he made two years later to the Canadian Medical Association on the subject of youth and sport were taken as a suggestion that Canadian children were out of shape. This was at first considered "tactless", but Philip was later admired for his encouragement of physical fitness . While in Canada in 1969, he spoke about his views on republicanism : It
17430-508: The Salic law also use primogeniture among male descendants in the male line to determine the rightful successor, although in earlier history agnatic seniority was more usual than primogeniture. Fiefs and titles granted "in tail male" or to "heirs male" follow this primogenitural form of succession. (Those granted to "heirs male of the body" are limited to the male-line descendants of the grantee; those to "heirs male general" may be inherited, after
17640-638: The United Kingdom , Elizabeth formally opened newly established legislatures for Wales and Scotland: the National Assembly for Wales at Cardiff in May, and the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh in July. Line of succession Hereditary government form differs from elected government . An established order of succession is the normal way of passing on hereditary positions, and also provides immediate continuity after an unexpected vacancy in cases where office-holders are chosen by election :
17850-762: The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa , Pakistan , and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), as well as head of the Commonwealth . Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom , the decolonisation of Africa , and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities as well as its subsequent withdrawal . The number of her realms varied over time as territories gained independence and some realms became republics . As queen, Elizabeth
18060-400: The United States and toured Canada. In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal , and Iran . On a visit to Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her safety, even though her host, President Kwame Nkrumah , who had replaced her as head of state, was a target for assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been absolutely determined all through ... She is impatient of
18270-529: The age of 99 at Windsor Castle . Prince Philip ( Greek : Φίλιππος , romanised : Phílippos ) of Greece and Denmark was born on 10 June 1921 on the dining room table in Mon Repos , a villa on the Greek island of Corfu . He was the only son and fifth and final child of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and his wife, Princess Alice of Battenberg . Philip's father was the fourth son of King George I and Queen Olga of Greece , and his mother
18480-461: The attitude towards her to treat her as ... a film star ... She has indeed ' the heart and stomach of a man ' ... She loves her duty and means to be a Queen." Before her tour through parts of Quebec in 1964, the press reported that extremists within the Quebec separatist movement were plotting Elizabeth's assassination. No assassination attempt was made, but a riot did break out while she
18690-453: The body, depending on the succession rules. These concepts are in use in English inheritance law. The rules may stipulate that eligible heirs are heirs male or heirs general – see further primogeniture (agnatic, cognatic, and also equal). Certain types of property pass to a descendant or relative of the original holder, recipient or grantee according to a fixed order of kinship . Upon
18900-487: The child are inherited from his uncle or mother. Almost all the kingdoms in Kerala practised this system, including the Kingdom of Calicut , Kingdom of Cochin , the kingdom of Kolathunadu and the Kingdom of Valluvanad , to name a few. The Arakkal kingdom followed a similar matrilineal system of descent: the eldest member of the family, whether male or female, became its head and ruler; the male rulers were called Ali Rajah and
19110-620: The children remained in Britain. In the early 1950s, Philip's sister-in-law, Princess Margaret, considered marrying a divorced older man, Peter Townsend . The press accused Philip of being hostile to the match, to which he replied: "I haven't done anything." Eventually, Margaret and Townsend parted. In 1960 Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones , who was created Earl of Snowdon the following year. They divorced in 1978; Margaret did not remarry. In 1956 Philip and Kurt Hahn founded The Duke of Edinburgh's Award to give young people "a sense of responsibility to themselves and their communities". In
19320-567: The constitution stipulated that the male line of his brother, Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern , would inherit the throne and, failing other male line issue of that family, a prince of a "Western European" dynasty was to be chosen by the Romanian king and parliament. By contrast, older European monarchies tended to rely upon succession criteria that only called to the throne descendants of past monarchs according to fixed rules rooted in one or another pattern of laws or traditions. In hereditary succession,
19530-589: The council . Lord Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir , the lord chancellor , consulted the British Cabinet , Churchill, and the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee , resulting in Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan . The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first major personal criticism of Elizabeth. In a magazine, which he owned and edited, Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch". Altrincham
19740-601: The couple set out on a tour of the Commonwealth . They were in Kenya when Elizabeth's father died on 6 February 1952, and she became queen. Philip broke the news to Elizabeth at Sagana Lodge , and the royal party immediately returned to the United Kingdom. In December 1952, Philip was initiated into Freemasonry by the Worshipful Master of Navy Lodge No 2612, honouring a commitment he had made to George VI, who had made it clear that he expected Philip to maintain
19950-402: The day of the funeral, Philip, William, Harry, Charles, and Diana's brother, Earl Spencer , walked through London behind her gun carriage. Over the next few years, Mohamed Al-Fayed , whose son Dodi Fayed was also killed in the crash, claimed that Philip had ordered the death of Diana and that the accident was staged. The inquest into Diana's death concluded in 2008 that there was no evidence of
20160-464: The death of the grantee, a designated inheritance such as a peerage , or a monarchy , passes automatically to that living, legitimate , non- adoptive relative of the grantee who is most senior in descent (i.e. highest in the line of succession, regardless of age); and thereafter continues to pass to subsequent successors of the grantee, according to the same rules, upon the death of each subsequent heir. Each person who inherits according to these rules
20370-477: The devastation of the war. In post-war Britain , it was not acceptable for Philip's German relations, including his three surviving sisters, to be invited to the wedding. Neither was an invitation extended to the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles , in November 1948. One month earlier, the King had issued letters patent allowing her children to use
20580-521: The dismay of the royal family . The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, and her attitude of responsibility. Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant." Her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved". Elizabeth's early life
20790-680: The eldest sister automatically receives the titles, and rules in her own right, not in the right of her son. A famous example of this is Marjorie, Countess of Carrick , mother of Robert the Bruce , who was the Countess of Carrick in her own right. A similar system was practised in many of the kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent from the Middle Ages to the Indian independence movement . In many of these kingdoms, adoption
21000-536: The eldest son. This is the system in Spain and Monaco , and was the system used in the ancient kingdoms of England and Scotland and later, the Kingdom of Great Britain and finally, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms (although, during the Middle Ages, Scotland also supported tanistry and proximity of blood , both through the male and female lines, due to the intermingling of Pictish and Gaelic succession rules). With respect to hereditary titles , it
21210-441: The extinction of the grantee's male-line descendants, by the male-line descendants of his father, paternal grandfather, etc.) Agnatic-cognatic (or semi-Salic) succession, prevalent in much of Europe since ancient times, is the restriction of succession to those descended from or related to a past or current monarch exclusively through the male line of descent: descendants through females were ineligible to inherit unless no males of
21420-404: The failure to fly a flag at half-mast over Buckingham Palace, caused public dismay. Pressured by the hostile reaction, Elizabeth agreed to return to London and address the nation in a live television broadcast on 5 September, the day before Diana's funeral . In the broadcast, she expressed admiration for Diana and her feelings "as a grandmother" for the two princes. As a result, much of
21630-404: The female rulers were called as Arakkal Beevis. Usually after one king, his nephew through his sister succeeded to the throne, and his own son receives a courtesy title but has no place in the line of succession. In the absence of nephews, nieces could also succeed to the kingdom, as in the case of Queen Gowri Lakshmi Bayi who was the queen regnant from 1810 to 1813. Since Indian Independence and
21840-418: The first British monarch to celebrate a platinum wedding anniversary. In April 2018, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital for a planned hip replacement . This came after the Duke missed the annual Maundy and Easter Sunday services. Princess Anne spent about 50 minutes in the hospital and afterwards said her father was "on good form". He was discharged the next day. In May that year, he attended
22050-523: The first British monarch to visit a communist country . She was received at the airport by President Josip Broz Tito , and a crowd of thousands greeted her in Belgrade . In February 1974, British prime minister Edward Heath advised Elizabeth to call a general election in the middle of her tour of the Austronesian Pacific Rim , requiring her to fly back to Britain. The election resulted in
22260-620: The first member of the royal family to be interviewed on television, after he appeared on Panorama to answer questions by Richard Dimbleby about the Commonwealth Technical Training Week, an initiative of which he was patron . In 1969 he made a similar appearance on Meet the Press during a tour of North America. Philip was patron of some 800 organisations, particularly focused on the environment , industry, sport, and education. His first solo engagement as Duke of Edinburgh
22470-400: The first reigning British monarch to set foot on Russian soil. In October 1995, she was tricked into a hoax call by Montreal radio host Pierre Brassard impersonating Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien . Elizabeth, who believed that she was speaking to Chrétien, said she supported Canadian unity and would try to influence Quebec's referendum on proposals to break away from Canada. In
22680-509: The first royal transatlantic telephone call on 18 May. In September 1939, Britain entered the Second World War . Lord Hailsham suggested that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent aerial bombings of London by the Luftwaffe . This was rejected by their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without
22890-514: The funeral in Darmstadt . Cecilie and Georg Donatus were members of the Nazi Party . The following year, Philip's uncle and guardian Lord Milford Haven died of bone marrow cancer . Milford Haven's younger brother Lord Louis took parental responsibility for Philip for the remainder of his youth. Philip did not speak Greek because he had left Greece as an infant. In 1992 he said that he "could understand
23100-411: The future dignity and responsibilities associated with the crown of a particular nation or people. Such systems may also enhance political stability by establishing clear, public expectations about the sequence of rulers, potentially reducing competition and channeling cadets into other roles or endeavors. Some hereditary monarchies have had unique selection processes, particularly upon the accession of
23310-439: The heads of the roydammna or "righdamhna" (literally, those of kingly material ) or, alternatively, among all males of the sept , and elected by them in full assembly. The eligibility was based on descent from a king to a few degrees of proximity. Usually descent from the male lines of a king was the norm, however in Scotland, descent through the female lines of a king was also accepted, possibly because of an intermingling with
23520-529: The heir is automatically determined by pre-defined rules and principles. It can be further subdivided into horizontal and vertical methods, the former favoring siblings, whereas vertical favors children and grandchildren of the holder. In male-preference primogeniture (in the past called cognatic primogeniture) the monarch's eldest son and his descendants take precedence over his siblings and their descendants. Elder sons take precedence over younger sons, but all sons take precedence over daughters. A female member of
23730-515: The hospital and was unable to attend the State Opening of Parliament and Royal Ascot . Philip retired from royal duties on 2 August 2017, meeting Royal Marines in his final solo public engagement, aged 96. Since 1952, he had completed 22,219 solo engagements. British prime minister Theresa May thanked him for "a remarkable lifetime of service". On 20 November 2017, he celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary with Elizabeth, which made her
23940-521: The house of Liechtenstein , and the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan . In 1830 in Spain the question whether or not the Salic law applied – and therefore, whether Ferdinand VII should be followed by his daughter Isabella or by his brother Charles – led to a series of civil wars and the formation of a pretender rival dynasty which still exists. Generally, hereditary monarchies that operate under
24150-657: The inception of the Fellowship of Engineering (later the Royal Academy of Engineering ), of which he later became the senior fellow. He also commissioned the Prince Philip Designers Prize and the Prince Philip Medal to recognise designers and engineers with exceptional contributions. In 1970 he was involved with the founding of The Maritime Trust for restoring and preserving historic British ships. In 2017
24360-554: The incumbent monarch or some electoral body appoints an heir or a list of heirs before vacancy occurs. A monarchy may be generally elective, although in a way that the next holder will be elected only after it becomes vacant. In history, quite often, but not always, appointments and elections favored, or were limited to, members of a certain dynasty or extended family. There may be genealogical rules to determine all who are entitled to succeed, and who will be favored. This has led sometimes to an order of succession that balances branches of
24570-559: The lateral succession is that, while ensuring a most competent leadership for the moment, the system inherently created derelict princely lines not eligible for succession. Any scion of an eligible heir who did not live long enough to ascend to the throne was cast aside as not eligible, creating a pool of discontented pretenders called Tegin in Turkic and Izgoi in Rus dynastic lines. The unsettled pool of derelict princes would eventually bring havoc to
24780-454: The latter had no blood relationship to the House of Bonaparte . Serbia's monarchy was hereditary by primogeniture for male descendants in the male line of Prince Alexander I , but upon extinction of that line, the reigning king could choose any among his male relatives of the House of Karađorđević . In Romania, on the other hand, upon extinction of the male line descended from Carol I of Romania ,
24990-406: The line of succession is restricted to persons of the blood royal (but see morganatic marriage ), that is, to those legally recognized as born into or descended from the reigning dynasty or a previous sovereign. The persons in line to succeed to the throne are called " dynasts ". Constitutions, statutes, house laws , and norms may regulate the sequence and eligibility of potential successors to
25200-501: The line of succession. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line to the throne, after her father. Later that year, Edward abdicated , after his proposed marriage to divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis . Consequently, Elizabeth's father became king, taking the regnal name George VI. Since Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive . If her parents had subsequently had
25410-400: The medieval period, actual practice varied with local custom. While women could inherit manors, power was usually exercised by their husbands ( jure uxoris ) or their sons ( jure matris ). However, in Scotland, Salic law or any of its variations have never been practised, and all the hereditary titles are inherited through male-preference primogeniture, where in the extinction of a male line,
25620-477: The municipality of Corfu, represented by its mayor, Alexandros Kokotos, and by the president of the council, Stylianos Maniarizis. Shortly after Philip's birth, his maternal grandfather died in London. The Marquess of Milford Haven was a naturalised British subject who, after a career in the Royal Navy , had renounced his German titles and adopted the surname Mountbatten —an Anglicised version of Battenberg —during
25830-413: The new queen. She chose to retain Elizabeth as her regnal name, and was therefore called Elizabeth II. The numeral offended some Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to rule in Scotland. She was proclaimed queen throughout her realms, and the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace. With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed possible that
26040-476: The newspaper was granted leave to appeal . In July 2022, the Court of Appeal dismissed the newspaper's arguments, stating that the press could not have been informed of the hearing "without risking the media storm that was feared". The court added that "a perceived lack of transparency might be a matter of legitimate public debate, but the (Non-Contentious Probate Rules) allow wills and their values to be concealed from
26250-512: The next three years, his four sisters married German princes and moved to Germany, his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and placed in an asylum, and his father took up residence in Monte Carlo . Philip had little contact with his mother for the remainder of his childhood. In 1933 Philip was sent to Schule Schloss Salem in Germany, which had the "advantage of saving school fees", because it
26460-422: The office does not have to remain vacant until a successor is elected. In some cases the successor takes up the full role of the previous office-holder, as in the case of the presidency of many countries; in other non-hereditary cases there is not a full succession, but a caretaker chosen by succession criteria assumes some or all of the responsibilities, but not the formal office, of the position. For example, when
26670-645: The opinions and private lives of the royal family during the 1980s led to a series of sensational stories in the press, pioneered by The Sun tabloid. As Kelvin MacKenzie , editor of The Sun , told his staff: "Give me a Sunday for Monday splash on the Royals. Don't worry if it's not true—so long as there's not too much of a fuss about it afterwards." Newspaper editor Donald Trelford wrote in The Observer of 21 September 1986: "The royal soap opera has now reached such
26880-539: The opposing German side. Philip was appointed as a midshipman in January 1940. He spent four months on the battleship HMS Ramillies , protecting convoys of the Australian Expeditionary Force in the Indian Ocean, followed by shorter postings on HMS Kent , on HMS Shropshire , and in British Ceylon . After the invasion of Greece by Italy in October 1940, he was transferred from
27090-414: The order of succession determines who becomes the new monarch when the incumbent sovereign dies or otherwise vacates the throne. Such orders of succession, derived from rules established by law or tradition, usually specify an order of seniority, which is applied to indicate which relative of the previous monarch, or other person, has the strongest claim to assume the throne when the vacancy occurs. Often,
27300-538: The other's point of view. She found the letters hard to take but appreciated that he acted with good intent. Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. A year after the divorce, Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. At the time, Philip was on holiday at Balmoral with the extended royal family. In their grief, Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry , wanted to attend church, so Elizabeth and Philip took them that morning. For five days,
27510-780: The passing of several acts such as the Hindu Succession Act (1956), this form of inheritance is no longer recognised by law. Regardless, the pretender to the Travancore throne is still determined by matrilinear succession. The Akans of Ghana and the Ivory Coast, West Africa have similar matrilineal succession and as such Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II , Asantehene inherited the Golden Stool (the throne) through his mother (the Asantehemaa ) Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II . Ultimogeniture
27720-476: The popular press and by later biographers with raising his spirits and aiding his recovery. Elizabeth's only sibling, Princess Margaret , was born in 1930. The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess , Marion Crawford . Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature, and music. Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to
27930-632: The position of President of India becomes vacant, the Vice-President of India temporarily carries out the functions of the presidency until a successor is elected ; in contrast, when the position of President of the Philippines is vacant, the Vice-President of the Philippines outright assumes the presidency itself for the rest of the term. Organizations without hereditary or statutory order of succession require succession planning if power struggles prompted by power vacuums are to be avoided. It
28140-501: The private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 29 May, and she was named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother , who had died six months earlier ; and Mary after her paternal grandmother. She was called "Lilibet" by her close family, based on what she called herself at first. She was cherished by her grandfather George V, whom she affectionately called "Grandpa England", and her regular visits during his serious illness in 1929 were credited in
28350-560: The public gaze in some cases". A service of thanksgiving for Philip's life took place at Westminster Abbey on 29 March 2022, with Elizabeth, foreign royalty and politicians in attendance. Elizabeth died on 8 September 2022 and the royal couple's bodies were interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at St George's on the evening of 19 September after her state funeral . Philip played polo until 1971 when he started to compete in carriage driving ,
28560-480: The public hostility evaporated. In October 1997, Elizabeth and Philip made a state visit to India, which included a controversial visit to the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to pay her respects. Protesters chanted "Killer Queen, go back", and there were demands for her to apologise for the action of British troops 78 years earlier. At the memorial in the park, she and Philip laid a wreath and stood for
28770-569: The regulations for the COVID-19 pandemic which restricted the number of mourners to thirty; it was later reported in the press that Elizabeth had rejected a government offer to relax the rules. The funeral took place on 17 April 2021 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , and Philip was temporarily interred alongside 25 other coffins, including that of George III, in the Royal Vault inside St George's. Representatives of countries around
28980-452: The removal of various Canadian royal symbols during his term of office. In 1980, Canadian politicians sent to London to discuss the patriation of the Canadian constitution found Elizabeth "better informed ... than any of the British politicians or bureaucrats". She was particularly interested after the failure of Bill C-60, which would have affected her role as head of state. During
29190-403: The room with her. In a serious lapse of security, assistance only arrived after two calls to the Palace police switchboard. After hosting US president Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle in 1982 and visiting his California ranch in 1983, Elizabeth was angered when his administration ordered the invasion of Grenada , one of her Caribbean realms, without informing her. Intense media interest in
29400-522: The royal couple shielded their grandsons from the ensuing press interest by keeping them at Balmoral, where they could grieve in private. The royal family's seclusion caused public dismay, but the public mood changed after a live broadcast made by Elizabeth on 5 September. Uncertain as to whether they should walk behind their mother's coffin during the funeral procession , William and Harry hesitated. Philip told William: "If you don't walk, I think you'll regret it later. If I walk, will you walk with me?" On
29610-517: The royal couple were drifting apart, which enraged Philip and dismayed Elizabeth, who issued a strongly worded denial. She granted him the style and title of a Prince of the United Kingdom by Letters Patent on 22 February 1957; it was gazetted that Philip was to be known as "His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh". Philip was appointed to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada on 14 October 1957, taking his Oath of Allegiance before
29820-406: The royal finances, drawn up the previous year, including Elizabeth paying income tax from 1993 onwards, and a reduction in the civil list . In December, Prince Charles and his wife, Diana, formally separated. At the end of the year, Elizabeth sued The Sun newspaper for breach of copyright when it published the text of her annual Christmas message two days before it was broadcast. The newspaper
30030-517: The royal house is more extensive, (male) cousins and so forth succeed, in order of seniority, which may depend upon actual age or upon the seniority between their fathers. The rota system , from the Old Church Slavic word for "ladder" or "staircase", was a system of collateral succession practised (though imperfectly) in Kievan Rus' and later Appanage and early Muscovite Russia. In this system,
30240-551: The royal house was to remain known as the House of Windsor . Philip privately complained, "I am nothing but a bloody amoeba. I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." In February 1960, the Queen issued an Order in Council declaring that Mountbatten-Windsor would be the surname of the couple's male-line descendants who are not styled as Royal Highness or titled as prince or princess. While it seems Elizabeth had "absolutely set her heart" on such
30450-403: The royal house would continue to be Windsor . Philip complained, "I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do not carry royal titles. Amid preparations for the coronation, Princess Margaret told her sister she wished to marry Peter Townsend ,
30660-539: The same year, and after his father-in-law's death, he took over the role of the Ranger of Windsor Great Park , overseeing its protection and maintenance. From 1955 to 1957, Philip was president of The Football Association and also served two terms as president of the Marylebone Cricket Club , with his tenures starting in 1949 and 1974, respectively. In the same decade, he became the first patron of Lord's Taverners ,
30870-686: The same year, he also established the Commonwealth Study Conferences . From 1956 to 1957, he travelled around the world aboard the newly commissioned HMY Britannia , during which he opened the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne and visited the Antarctic , becoming the first royal to cross the Antarctic Circle . Elizabeth and the children remained in Britain. On the return leg of the journey, Philip's private secretary , Mike Parker ,
31080-413: The sovereign succeeds, preferring males over females and elder over younger siblings. This is sometimes used as a gloss for "pragmatic" successions in Europe; it had somewhat more standing during the Middle Ages everywhere in Europe. In Outremer it was often used to choose regents, and it figured in some of the succession disputes over the Kingdom of Jerusalem . It was also recognized in that kingdom for
31290-418: The style and title of a royal prince or princess, to which they otherwise would not have been entitled as their father was no longer a royal prince. A second child, Princess Anne , was born in August 1950. Following their wedding, the couple leased Windlesham Moor , near Windsor Castle, until July 1949, when they took up residence at Clarence House in London. At various times between 1949 and 1951, Philip
31500-416: The succession of fiefs, under special circumstances: if a fief was lost to the Saracens and subsequently re-conquered, it was to be assigned to the heir in proximity of blood of the last fief-holder. In Scotland, Robert de Brus tried to claim the Scottish crown by order of proximity. He was not successful, but his grandson later successfully claimed the crown as Robert I of Scotland . In some societies,
31710-402: The succession order and dismemberment to the state. When a monarch dies without a clear successor, a succession crisis often ensues, frequently resulting in a war of succession . For example, when King Charles IV of France died, the Hundred Years War erupted between Charles' cousin, Philip VI of France , and Charles' nephew, Edward III of England , to determine who would succeed Charles as
31920-413: The summer of 1946, Philip asked George VI for his daughter's hand in marriage. The King granted his request, provided that any formal engagement be delayed until Elizabeth's 21st birthday the following April. By March 1947, Philip had adopted the surname Mountbatten from his mother's family and had stopped using his Greek and Danish royal titles upon becoming a naturalised British subject. The engagement
32130-413: The third time at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell in love with Philip, who was 18, and they began to exchange letters. She was 21 when their engagement was officially announced on 9 July 1947. The engagement attracted some controversy. Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born (though a British subject who had served in
32340-427: The throne brought up the question of the name of the royal house , as Elizabeth would typically have taken Philip's last name upon marriage. Lord Mountbatten advocated the name House of Mountbatten . Philip suggested House of Edinburgh after his ducal title. When Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary heard of this, she informed Winston Churchill , who later advised Elizabeth to issue a royal proclamation declaring that
32550-642: The throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother Edward VIII , making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive . She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten , a former prince of Greece and Denmark . Their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in 2021 . They had four children: Charles , Anne , Andrew , and Edward . When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth, then 25 years old, became queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries:
32760-420: The throne passed not linearly from father to son, but laterally from brother to brother and then to the eldest son of the eldest brother who had held the throne. The system was begun by Yaroslav the Wise , who assigned each of his sons a principality based on seniority. When the Grand Prince died, the next most senior prince moved to Kiev and all others moved to the principality next up the ladder. The Tanistry
32970-407: The throne. Historically, the order of succession was sometimes superseded or reinforced by the coronation of a selected heir as co-monarch during the life of the reigning monarch. Examples are Henry the Young King and the heirs of elective monarchies , such as the use of the title King of the Romans for the Habsburg emperors. In the partially elective system of tanistry , the heir or tanist
33180-454: The throne. The earlier Pictish kingdoms had allowed female-line succession to the throne and in middle age Scotland, Pictish and Gaelic succession rules were intermingled. Since Malcolm had only daughters, the throne passed to his grandson through his eldest daughter and later, their descendants. The Irish monarchies, for their part, never at any stage allowed for female line succession. Order of succession can be arranged by appointment: either
33390-414: The title Lord High Admiral for his 90th birthday. While staying at Sandringham House in December 2011, Philip suffered chest pains and was taken to the cardio-thoracic unit at Papworth Hospital , Cambridgeshire, where he underwent successful coronary angioplasty and stenting . He was discharged a few days later. In June 2012, during the celebrations in honour of his wife's diamond jubilee , Philip
33600-802: The tour, in a broadcast to the British Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, she made the following pledge: 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. But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it. Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark , in 1934 and again in 1937. They were second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark and third cousins through Queen Victoria . After meeting for
33810-539: The tradition of royal patronage of Freemasonry. However, according to one journalist writing in 1983, Philip's mother-in-law and his uncle Lord Mountbatten had unfavourable views of Freemasonry; after his initiation, Philip took no further part in the organisation. Although as the consort of the Queen, he might in time have been made Grand Master of British Freemasonry, Elizabeth's cousin Prince Edward, Duke of Kent , assumed that role in 1967. Philip's son Charles apparently never joined Freemasonry. Elizabeth's accession to
34020-408: The types of rules governing succession in monarchies and autocracies and the frequency with which coups or succession crises occur. In Tibetan Buddhism , it is believed that the holders of some high offices such as the Dalai Lama are reincarnations of the incumbent: the order of succession is simply that an incumbent is followed by a reincarnation of himself. When an incumbent dies, his successor
34230-410: The union initially and teased Philip as " the Hun ". In later life, however, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman". Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, officially converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism , and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten , taking the surname of his mother's British family . Shortly before
34440-522: The union initially and teased Philip as " the Hun ". In later life, however, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman". Though Philip appeared "always to have regarded himself as an Anglican ", and he had attended Anglican services with his classmates and relations in England and throughout his Royal Navy days, he was baptised in the Greek Orthodox Church . The Archbishop of Canterbury , Geoffrey Fisher , wanted to "regularise" Philip's position by officially receiving him into
34650-594: The unmasking of Anthony Blunt , former Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures , as a communist spy and the assassination of Lord Mountbatten by the Provisional Irish Republican Army . According to Paul Martin Sr. , by the end of the 1970s, Elizabeth was worried the Crown "had little meaning for" Pierre Trudeau , the Canadian prime minister. Tony Benn said Elizabeth found Trudeau "rather disappointing". Trudeau's supposed republicanism seemed to be confirmed by his antics, such as sliding down banisters at Buckingham Palace and pirouetting behind Elizabeth's back in 1977, and
34860-432: The unusual style Lieutenant His Royal Highness Sir Philip Mountbatten and is so described in the letters patent of 20 November 1947. Philip and Elizabeth were married in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey , recorded and broadcast by BBC radio to 200 million people around the world. In post-war Britain, it was unacceptable for any of Philip's German relations, including his three surviving sisters, to be invited to
35070-622: The visit, the Queen and Lord Louis Mountbatten asked his nephew Philip to escort the royal couple's daughters, 13-year-old Elizabeth and 9-year-old Margaret , who were Philip's third cousins through Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark. Philip and Elizabeth had first met as children in 1934 at the wedding of Elizabeth's uncle Prince George, Duke of Kent , to Philip's first cousin, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark . After their 1939 meeting, Elizabeth fell in love with Philip, and they began to exchange letters. Eventually, in
35280-412: The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and was able to walk with Elizabeth unaided. That October, he also accompanied Elizabeth to the wedding of their granddaughter Princess Eugenie of York with Jack Brooksbank , with The Telegraph reporting that Philip works on a "wake up and see how I feel" basis when deciding whether to attend an event or not. In January 2019, Philip was involved in
35490-400: The wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style His Royal Highness . Elizabeth and Philip were married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey . They received 2,500 wedding gifts from around the world. Elizabeth required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown (which was designed by Norman Hartnell ) because Britain had not yet completely recovered from
35700-492: The wedding. After their marriage, Philip and Elizabeth took residence at Clarence House . Their first two children were born before Elizabeth's accession in 1952: Prince Charles in November 1948 and Princess Anne in August 1950. The couple's marriage was the longest of any British monarch, lasting over 73 years until Philip died in 2021. Concerned by her father's poor health, Elizabeth insisted that Philip give up smoking , which he did cold turkey on their wedding day. Philip
35910-414: The world sent condolences to the royal family upon his death. As with other senior members of the royal family, Philip's last will and testament will be sealed for at least 90 years, according to a High Court ruling, which deemed it necessary to protect the Queen's "dignity and standing". This led to speculation that the will might contain material harmful to the reputation of the royal family. The order
36120-417: The year that followed, public revelations on the state of Charles and Diana's marriage continued. In consultation with her husband and John Major, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury ( George Carey ) and her private secretary ( Robert Fellowes ), Elizabeth wrote to Charles and Diana at the end of December 1995, suggesting that a divorce would be advisable. In August 1997, a year after the divorce, Diana
36330-429: Was introduced to the House of Lords on 21 July 1948, immediately before his uncle Louis Mountbatten, who had been made Earl Mountbatten of Burma . Philip ostensibly never spoke in the House of Lords . He, his sons and other royals ceased to be members of the House of Lords following the House of Lords Act 1999 , although Philip's former brother-in-law, Lord Snowdon , remained in the House. After his honeymoon at
36540-434: Was a "behind the scenes force" in ending apartheid. In 1986, Elizabeth paid a six-day state visit to the People's Republic of China, becoming the first British monarch to visit the country. The tour included the Forbidden City , the Great Wall of China , and the Terracotta Warriors . At a state banquet , Elizabeth joked about the first British emissary to China being lost at sea with Queen Elizabeth I 's letter to
36750-436: Was alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots , the violence of a miners' strike , and Thatcher's refusal to apply sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The sources of the rumours included royal aide Michael Shea and Commonwealth secretary-general Shridath Ramphal , but Shea claimed his remarks were taken out of context and embellished by speculation. Thatcher reputedly said Elizabeth would vote for
36960-414: Was allowed from a relative if a monarch did not have children, and the adopted child could succeed to the throne at the death of the monarch. ( Shahu I adopted Rajaram II who ruled as king and he in turn adopted Shahu II who ruled as the next king. Princess Bharani Thirunal Parvathy Bayi, the mother of the reigning Queen Gowri Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore , had been adopted). Often, the wife or mother of
37170-506: Was already established. In 1953, Elizabeth and Philip embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) by land, sea and air. She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations. During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her. Throughout her reign, she made hundreds of state visits to other countries and tours of
37380-509: Was announced to the public on 9 July 1947. The engagement attracted some controversy; Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born, and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links. Marion Crawford wrote: "Some of the King's advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about
37590-420: Was born in Greece into the Greek and Danish royal families ; his family was exiled from the country when he was eighteen months old. After being educated in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, he joined the Royal Navy in 1939, when he was 18 years old. In July 1939, Philip began corresponding with the 13-year-old Princess Elizabeth, the elder daughter and heir presumptive of King George VI . During
37800-402: Was born in March 1964. Six months after she acceded to the throne, Elizabeth announced that Philip was to have "place, pre-eminence and precedence" next to her "on all occasions and in all meetings, except where otherwise provided by Act of Parliament ". She also intervened to ensure that Philip would serve as regent for their son Charles in the event of her unexpected death. Parliament passed
38010-602: Was born on 21 April 1926, the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary , and her mother was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne . She was delivered at 02:40 ( GMT ) by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair . The Anglican Archbishop of York , Cosmo Gordon Lang , baptised her in
38220-413: Was denounced by public figures and slapped by a member of the public appalled by his comments. Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised Elizabeth to appoint Alec Douglas-Home as the prime minister, advice she followed. Elizabeth again came under criticism for appointing the prime minister on the advice of a small number of ministers or a single minister. In 1965, the Conservatives adopted
38430-400: Was discharged three days later. After the Evening Standard reported that Philip had prostate cancer , Buckingham Palace—which usually refuses to comment on health rumours—denied the story and the paper retracted it. In June 2011, in an interview marking his 90th birthday, Philip said that he would now slow down and reduce his duties, stating that he had "done [his] bit". The Queen gave him
38640-486: Was dismissed from his post by Governor-General Sir John Kerr , after the Opposition-controlled Senate rejected Whitlam's budget proposals. As Whitlam had a majority in the House of Representatives , Speaker Gordon Scholes appealed to Elizabeth to reverse Kerr's decision. She declined, saying she would not interfere in decisions reserved by the Constitution of Australia for the governor-general . The crisis fuelled Australian republicanism . In 1977, Elizabeth marked
38850-449: Was elected from the qualified males of the royal family. Different monarchies use different rules to determine the line of succession. Hereditary monarchies have used a variety of methods and algorithms to derive the order of succession among possible candidates related by blood or marriage. An advantage of employing such rules is that dynasts may, from early youth, receive grooming, education, protection, resources and retainers suitable for
39060-415: Was first educated at The Elms, an American school in Paris run by Donald MacJannet, who described Philip as a "know it all smarty person, but always remarkably polite". In 1930 Philip was sent to Britain to live with his maternal grandmother at Kensington Palace and his uncle George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven , at Lynden Manor in Bray, Berkshire . He was then enrolled at Cheam School . Over
39270-460: Was forced to pay her legal fees and donated £200,000 to charity. Elizabeth's solicitors had taken successful action against The Sun five years earlier for breach of copyright after it published a photograph of her daughter-in-law the Duchess of York and her granddaughter Princess Beatrice . In January 1994, Elizabeth broke the scaphoid bone in her left wrist as the horse she was riding at Sandringham tripped and fell. In October 1994, she became
39480-452: Was formed specifically so she could socialise with girls her age. Later, she was enrolled as a Sea Ranger . In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the United States. As in 1927, when they had toured Australia and New Zealand , Elizabeth remained in Britain since her father thought she was too young to undertake public tours. She "looked tearful" as her parents departed. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made
39690-402: Was from birth in the line of succession to both thrones. Philip's four elder sisters were Margarita , Theodora , Cecilie , and Sophie . He was baptised in the Greek Orthodox rite at St. George's Church in the Old Fortress in Corfu . His godparents were his paternal grandmother, Queen Olga of Greece; his cousin George, Crown Prince of Greece ; his uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten ; and
39900-418: Was granted the style His Royal Highness and was created Duke of Edinburgh , Earl of Merioneth , and Baron Greenwich . Philip left active military service when Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952, having reached the rank of commander . In 1957, he was created a British prince . Philip had four children with Elizabeth: Charles , Anne , Andrew , and Edward . A sports enthusiast, Philip helped develop
40110-453: Was in Montreal ; her "calmness and courage in the face of the violence" was noted. Elizabeth gave birth to her third child, Prince Andrew , in February 1960; this was the first birth to a reigning British monarch since 1857. Her fourth child, Prince Edward , was born in March 1964. The 1960s and 1970s saw an acceleration in the decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean. More than 20 countries gained independence from Britain as part of
40320-466: Was in March 1948, presenting prizes at the boxing finals of the London Federation of Boys' Clubs at the Royal Albert Hall . He was president of the National Playing Fields Association (now known as Fields in Trust ) for 64 years, from 1947 until his grandson Prince William took over the role in 2013. He was appointed a fellow of the Royal Society in 1951 . In 1952, he became patron of The Industrial Society (since renamed The Work Foundation ). In
40530-436: Was killed in a car crash in Paris. Elizabeth was on holiday with her extended family at Balmoral. Diana's two sons, Princes William and Harry , wanted to attend church, so Elizabeth and Philip took them that morning. Afterwards, for five days, the royal couple shielded their grandsons from the intense press interest by keeping them at Balmoral where they could grieve in private, but the royal family's silence and seclusion, and
40740-407: Was made by the President of the Family Division after a private hearing in July 2021, who said that he had neither seen the will nor been informed of any of its contents. In January 2022, The Guardian challenged the judge's decision to exclude the press from that hearing, arguing that the judge had "erred by failing to consider any lesser interference with open justice than a private hearing", and
40950-400: Was not enthused about living an extremely long life, remarking in a 2000 interview (when he was 79) that he could not "imagine anything worse" and had "no desire whatsoever" to become a centenarian , saying "bits of me are falling off already". In 2008 Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital , London, for a chest infection; he walked into the hospital unaided, recovered quickly, and
41160-445: Was occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family—particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death in 1997 of her former daughter-in-law Diana —support for the monarchy and her personal popularity in the United Kingdom remained consistently high. Elizabeth died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle , and was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III. Elizabeth
41370-418: Was one of the youngest first lieutenants in the Royal Navy. During the invasion of Sicily, in July 1943, as second-in-command of Wallace , he saved his ship from a night bomber attack. He devised a plan to launch a raft with smoke floats that successfully distracted the bombers, allowing the ship to slip away unnoticed. In 1944, he moved on to the new destroyer, HMS Whelp , where he saw service with
41580-476: Was owned by the family of his brother-in-law Berthold, Margrave of Baden . With the rise of Nazism in Germany, Salem's Jewish founder, Kurt Hahn , fled persecution and founded Gordonstoun School in Scotland, to which Philip moved after two terms at Salem. In 1937, his sister Cecilie; her husband, Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse ; their two sons; and Georg Donatus's mother were killed in an air crash at Ostend ; Philip, then 16 years old, attended
41790-412: Was promoted to lieutenant commander on 16 July 1950 and given command of the frigate HMS Magpie . Philip was promoted to commander on 30 June 1952, though his active naval career had ended in July 1951. With the King in ill health, Elizabeth and Philip were both appointed to the Privy Council on 4 November 1951, after a coast-to-coast tour of Canada. At the end of January 1952,
42000-420: Was served by more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her many historic visits and meetings included state visits to China in 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes and fourteen US presidents. Significant events included her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver , Golden , Diamond , and Platinum jubilees . Although there
42210-482: Was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) and Royal Lodge in Windsor. During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the British throne , behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales , and her father. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, as Edward was still young and likely to marry and have children of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in
42420-553: Was stationed in the British Crown Colony of Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer. He and Elizabeth lived intermittently in Malta for several months at a time in the hamlet of Gwardamanġa , at Villa Guardamangia , the rented home of Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten . Their two children remained in Britain. As George VI's health declined during 1951, Elizabeth frequently stood in for him at public events. When she visited Canada and Harry S. Truman in Washington, DC, in October 1951, her private secretary Martin Charteris carried
42630-413: Was sued for divorce by his wife. As with Townsend, the press still portrayed divorce as a scandal, and eventually, Parker resigned. He later said that Philip was very supportive and "the Queen was wonderful throughout. She regarded divorce as a sadness, not a hanging offence." In a public show of support, Elizabeth created Parker a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order . Further press reports claimed that
42840-479: Was taken from Windsor Castle to King Edward VII's Hospital suffering from a bladder infection . He was subsequently discharged. After a recurrence of infection in August 2012, while staying at Balmoral Castle, he was admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for five nights as a precautionary measure. In June 2013, Philip was admitted to the London Clinic for an exploratory operation on his abdomen , spending 11 days in hospital. In May 2014, he appeared in public with
43050-417: Was televised for the first time, with the exception of the anointing and communion . On Elizabeth's instruction, her coronation gown was embroidered with the floral emblems of Commonwealth countries. From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the British Empire continued its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations . By the time of her accession in 1952, her role as head of multiple independent states
43260-423: Was the eldest child of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven , and Victoria Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven (formerly Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine). A member of the House of Glücksburg , Philip was a prince of both Greece and Denmark by virtue of his patrilineal descent from George I of Greece and George's father, Christian IX of Denmark ; he
43470-473: Was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch , the second-longest of any sovereign state , and the longest of any queen regnant in history . Elizabeth was born in Mayfair , London, during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V . She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother ). Her father acceded to
43680-455: Was the subject of another attack while on a visit to Dunedin , New Zealand. Christopher John Lewis , who was 17 years old, fired a shot with a .22 rifle from the fifth floor of a building overlooking the parade but missed. Lewis was arrested, but instead of being charged with attempted murder or treason was sentenced to three years in jail for unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. Two years into his sentence, he attempted to escape
43890-464: Was unaffected by the reform of royal finances under the Sovereign Grant Act 2011 . Any part of the allowance that was not used to meet official expenditure was liable for tax. In practice, the entire allowance was used to fund his official duties. As consort, Philip supported his wife in her duties as sovereign , accompanying her to ceremonies such as the State Opening of Parliament in various countries, state dinners , and tours abroad. As chairman of
44100-403: Was under surveillance. Finally, in December, a revolutionary court banished Andrew from Greece for life. The British naval vessel HMS Calypso evacuated Andrew's family, with Philip carried to safety in a fruit box. Philip's family settled in a house in the Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud lent to them by his wealthy aunt, Princess George of Greece and Denmark . During his time there, Philip
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