Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of Windsor

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Queen Elizabeth II has reigned as the British Sovereign for almost 55 years - the fifth-longest-serving British monarch - celebrating her Golden Jubilee in October 2002 at the age of 76. Her Majesty represents Britain to the rest of the world and has made 256 official overseas trips to 129 different countries.

Elizabeth - nicknamed "Lillibet" as a child - was the granddaughter of King George V, and at the time of her birth was third in the line of succession to the throne. When her uncle, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry a divorcee, Her Majesty became Heiress Presumptive and Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth. Upon the death of her father, King George VI, she became The Queen at age 25. Her coronation took place in London's Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953 - the first coronation to be broadcast on television.

Although The Queen reigns in Great Britain, she also serves as "Head of State" for 16 countries - known as the Commonwealth Realms - and as "Head of the Commonwealth," a voluntary association of 53 independent countries that were once under British rule. Other roles include "Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England" and "Head of the Armed Forces." The Queen herself served in the Armed Forces during World War II as a driver in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service and was the first female of the royal family to actually serve in the military.

The Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, were married on Nov. 20, 1947 in Westminster Abbey; they have four children and seven grandchildren. Their firstborn, Charles, Prince of Wales, is first in line of succession to the throne. Although The Queen celebrated her 80th birthday last April 21, it is considered highly unlikely that she will ever abdicate. And if HM The Queen Elizabeth II lives until Dec. 21, 2007, she will become the oldest reigning monarch in the history of both British and the Commonwealth Realms.

Additional Information

Her Majesty The Queen
80 facts about The Queen
Official Web Site of the British Monarchy
The Royal Family
The Queen's Golden Jubilee