Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch in the history of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. From 1952-2022, she was on the throne for more than 70 years, making her the second longest-reigning monarch in the world. She also surpassed the rule of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who previously held the record in Britain at 63 years.
WATCH: Livestream: Final funeral rites of Queen Elizabeth II underway
Throughout her lifetime, Queen Elizabeth witnessed massive changes in history. The young Queen was crowned at age 27, just a few short years after World War II ended.
She led the UK through triumphs and tribulations, both at home and abroad. She witnessed rapid developments in technology and populations.
Ultimately, during her time on the throne, she modernized the monarchy.
Here, we’ll take a look at the life of the longest-ever reigning British monarch through Shutterstock’s vast editorial collection.
Let’s dive in.
Elizabeth’s Early Life
Elizabeth II will be remembered as one of the most revered monarchs of all time, but interestingly enough, she wasn’t supposed to be Queen to begin with. Her uncle, Edward VIII, was King for one brief year before he abdicated the throne to marry an American socialite and divorcée.
This abdication thrust Elizabeth’s father, George the VI, onto the throne, and thus Elizabeth would eventually be destined to reign, too.
Before her coronation, Elizabeth’s life was eventful, to say the least. Throughout the Second World War, she and her sister, Princess Margaret, moved homes frequently.
During the war, Elizabeth did what was within her power to lead and inspire. As a young teenager, she addressed the children of the United Kingdom with a speech on the radio, in hopes of comforting them with her camaraderie.
At age 19, she enlisted in the military and trained as an auto mechanic and driver.
When the Allies accepted Germany’s surrender and the war was officially over in 1945, then-Princess Elizabeth was in London. Fascinatingly, Elizabeth said that she and Margaret snuck out and celebrated on the city streets incognito.
While Elizabeth and her father also had a formal procession through the Mall to celebrate the Allies’ victory, her secret celebration with the common folk spoke volumes about her personality and camaraderie with the people.
Two years later, in 1947, Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey in London. One year after that, she gave birth to Prince Charles, the current heir apparent and soon-to-be King.
The couple had three more children in the years to come—Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
The Coronation of Elizabeth II
In 1953, one year after her father passed away, Elizabeth was crowned Queen. The event was massive, to say the least, as it was the first televised coronation in history.
Approximately 277 million people across the world tuned in on their TVs and radios to witness the new Queen take the throne.
At Westminster Abbey, the St. Edward’s Crown was placed upon her head. This crown is a symbol that represents Elizabeth today, and it can be found all over the UK as a royal seal.
Modernizing the Monarchy
Over the course of her decades on the throne, Elizabeth encountered many highs and lows. She toured the Commonwealth nations widely. She was the first English monarch to visit South America, the Persian Gulf countries, and mainland China.
One of the goals of her travels was to show people that she was their Queen, making her feel more real and relatable.
To convey this message, Elizabeth pioneered the Royal walkabout, where she walked alongside crowds, spoke with citizens, accepted gifts, and shook hands. This was a massive step forward in making the monarchy feel more down-to-earth.
Of course, over the decades, the Queen served as the head of state through much turmoil. Marriages and divorces, civil unrest in Northern Ireland, South African Apartheid, assassination attempts on her life, and even a break-in at Buckingham Palace, all occurred throughout her rule.
Elizabeth always attempted to stand as a strong leader for her country. She addressed the nation with a televised address after Princess Diana’s unexpected death.
The Queen was also the first monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland in the last 100 years. While in Dublin, Elizabeth gave a speech in which she acknowledged England’s oppressive past toward the Irish people and wished for friendship between the nations.
Queen Elizabeth’s Family and Free Time
Beyond her royal duties, Queen Elizabeth II loved spending time with family. With her passing, she leaves behind three successors—Charles, William, and George. The rest of her family is quite large, as the Queen had eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
Elizabeth was well-known for her love of animals, with her famous family of Corgis getting pampered and cared for as if they were princes and princesses, as well.
Her other hobbies included horseback riding, stamp collecting, and on occasion, being arguably the world’s most famous movie star.
Queen Elizabeth II has left a lasting legacy on the British monarchy over the last seven decades. History surely will not forget her innovation throughout her reign, and the people will not forget her benevolence.
