UK Queen

The Queen is Head of State of the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms. The elder daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, she was born in 1926 and became Queen at the age of 25, and has reigned through more than five decades of enormous social change and development. The Queen is married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and has four children and eight grandchildren. 

In this section packed full of images and videos, you can find out more about Her Majesty's early life and reign, public life, marriage and family and personal interests.

London, September 10 : Queen Elizabeth II has reportedly been advised to keep distance from the Royal Family’s favourite school after 118 students reported sick with suspected swine flu.

The Monarch was to attend the opening of a new sports hall at Gordonstoun, in ­Morayshire, Scotland, which has educated three generations of royalty.

But the event was delayed so that staff could look after the ill pupils, four of whom were confirmed to be suffering from swine flu.

Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom

Queen of the United Kingdom (1952– ) and head of the Commonwealth, born in London, UK, the daughter of George VI. Formerly Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, she was proclaimed queen on 6 February 1952, and crowned on 2 June 1953. Her husband was created Duke of Edinburgh on the eve of their wedding (20 Nov 1947), and styled Prince Philip in 1957. They have three sons, Charles Philip Arthur George (14 Nov 1948), Andrew Albert Christian Edward (19 Feb 1960), and Edward Anthony Richard Louis (10 Mar 1964), and a daughter Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (15 Aug 1950). Elizabeth’s long and mainly peaceful reign has been marked by vast changes in her people’s lives, in her country’s power, how Britain is viewed abroad, and how the monarchy is regarded and portrayed. When Elizabeth became queen, post-war Britain still had a substantial empire, dominions, and dependencies, most of which achieved independence in the 1950s–1960s. Her reign has seen a revolution in social behaviour and attitudes, and increased prosperity. The 1990s in particular were a problematic period for the royal family. The Windsor Castle fire and the divorces of Prince Charles from Diana, Princess of Wales, and of Prince Andrew from Sarah, Duchess of York, were followed by Diana’s death in a car crash in Paris in 1997. This particular tragedy brought to a head the debate about the monarchy’s role and continued formality. Overall, however, Elizabeth II has provided the nation’s main symbol of continuity, and her many visits to Commonwealth and other countries have won her wide respect. In 2006 she celebrated her 80th birthday with her family at Windsor Castle, and attended various public events to mark the occasion.