April 21 - The Queen's birthday

Happy birthday your Majesty!!!! From ELS we wish you a very happy 90th birthday!!

“Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories queen, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith,” (to recite her full title) turned 90 last Thursday.

She was born 21 April 1926 and has been since her accession in 1952, Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and Head of the Commonwealth. She is also Queen of 12 countries that have become independent since her accession: Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Elizabeth was born in London to the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and was the elder of their two daughters. She was educated privately at home. Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. In 1947, she married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with whom she has four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.

Her longevity is remarkable. She is the longest-reigning monarch in British history and the longest-reigning queen in world history; since ascending to the throne she has known 12 prime ministers, starting with Winston Churchill, and 12 American presidents.

Typically, the queen spends her birthday working. Not many people live to 90, and those who do have long retired, but the queen had 341 official engagements last year and has given no hint of stepping down. On Friday, she and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, received President Barack and Michelle Obama at Windsor Castle.

Source: www.nytimes.com / wikipedia