NOT MY CUP OF TEA

HEAD OF THE COMMONWEALTH | MONARCH | MOTHER

One of the most iconic figures in world history, Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning female monarch in world history.

Thrust onto the world stage as heir to the throne at ten, Elizabeth cultivated a calm and steely resolve as she observed her father’s wartime reign amid the death and destruction of WWII. When thousands fled London, her family steadfastly refused to leave. Determined to do her part in the war effort, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service and learned to be a car and truck mechanic, stripping engines, changing tires and driving three-ton trucks through the streets of London.

Crowned Queen Elizabeth II at 25, she maintained strict neutrality in matters of state. Nonetheless, she exerted great influence leading by example. Over three decades, Queen Elizabeth waged an anti-apartheid campaign and raised eyebrows around the world when she danced merrily with the black president of Ghana. Another triumph rose out of centuries-long unrest in Ireland between British-allied Northern Ireland and the rest of the Irish Island. Years of bargaining concluded with the Good Friday Agreement and today’s relationship is marked by peace and goodwill.  In the difficult days after Princess Diana’s death, Queen Elizabeth wore grief on her royal sleeve when she paid public tribute to Diana and honored her with a funeral in Westminster Abbey.

While standing steadfast for the continuity and tradition of the English monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II’s reign has been marked by change within her family, her country and her world. Stoic and solemn yet quick to laugh and compassionate, she is beloved by the British people – and the world – in a most extraordinary way.