MONARCHS OF THE 20th CENTURY

Queen Victoria represented the continuity and stability of the British way of life, so her eldest son was not given a great deal to do and in the absence of a job he chose to engage himself in the

pleasures of smart society. As King, Edward VII (1901-1910) showed a talent for stateliness that sat well on the monarch of the greatest empire of the world and he played a genuine enabling role in the diplomacy that led to the construction of the Triple Entente of England, France and Italy.

Edward VII's eldest son died at the age of 28, and it was his second son, George, who succeeded him as George V (1910-1936). In 1917 George V changed his family's surname from S axe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor. The long German surname was the family name of Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. She was George V's grandmother. His reign was dominated by the horrors of the First World War. It was none of the King's mak­ing, and he had to act as figurehead for the national will in har­rowing circumstances - a role he performed with impeccable dignity. He was haunted ever afterwards by the death of his cousin, Nicholas, Tsar of Russia. King George V was an admi­rable 'institutional monarch'.

King George V's eldest son, born in 1894, a year before his brother George, Edward VIII (1936) renounced his kingship when difficulties arose over his intention to marry Mrs. Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. This marriage would be unacceptable to a great majority of his subjects, and Edward preferred to abdicate. After his abdication he was made Duke of Windsor, served during the war years as Governor of the Bahamas, and spent the rest of his life in retirement in Paris, where he died in 1972.

The Duke of York, second son of George V, had never expect­ed to succeed to the throne. In 1923 George married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1926 and an­other daughter, Margaret, was born in 1930.George became King George VI in December 1936. George VI (1936-1952) never lacked bravery or enterprise, he was the first member of the Roy­al Family to learn to fly, and his sense of duty was invincible. King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth restored confidence in the monarchy and superbly coped with their duties all through the Second World War, and showed their love and care for their peo­ple. Their daughters served in uniform, and the identification

of the Royal Family with the national will was complete.

In 1952, King George VI 's illness forced him to abandon his proposed visit to Australia and New Zealand. The Princess, ac-1 companied by Prince Philip, took his place. On 6 February, during the first stage of this journey, in Kenya, she received the news of her father's death and her own accession to the throne.

'By the sudden death of my dear father I am called upon to assume the duties and responsibilities of sovereignty' - these were the words of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in her Accession Speech of 8 February 1952. So, at the age of 25, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the first child of Prince Albert and Elizabeth, Duke and Duchess of York (Later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) became the forty-second sovereign of England since William the Conqueror, yet only its sixth Queen Regnant.

Her Majesty's coronation took place in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953.Representatives of the peers, the Commons and all the great public interests in Britain, the Prime Ministers and lead­ing citizens of the other Commonwealth countries, and represen­tatives of foreign states were present. The ceremony was broad­cast on radio around the world and, at The Queen's request, on television. It was television, then in its relative infancy, that brought home the splendour and the deep significance of the coronation to many hundreds of thousands of people in a way never before pos­sible. The coronation was followed by drives through every part of London, a review of the fleet at Spithead, and visits to Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Elizabeth IIis now the longest-reigning British monarch since Queen Victoria (the last Queen Regnant), who occupied the throne for over 63 years, while their ancestor Elisabeth I reigned for 44 years. Born on 21 April 1926,she is also the first female sovereign to bear the family name of Windsor, adopted by her grandfather King George V in 1917 for himself and his descendants. Since 1960, the name Mountbatten has also been incorporated into the royal surname.

At her coronation, Her Majesty's full titles were revealed as: Elizabeth the Second, 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.

THE ROYAL FAMILY

The image of Royalty in Britain since the Second World War has been much enhanced by its family setting. The marriage of the young Princess Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten in 1947, was a dazzlingly romantic event in its time, and her husband swiftly came to occupy a distinctive and significant place in popular esteem. As royal consort the Duke of Edinburgh has shown a keen interest in many fields of national life. And the Queen herself, both personal­ly and in her role as constitutional monarch, has not ceased to grow in the respect and affection of her people.

Prince Philip.Lieutenant Mountbatten, now His Royal High­ness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and a great-great-grandson of Queen Victo­ria. His paternal family is of Danish descent - Prince Andrew was the grandson of King Christian IX of Denmark. His mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg. Prince Louis became a natu­ralized British subject in 1868, joined the Royal Navy and rose to become an Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord in 1914. Dur­ing the First World War he changed the family name to Mountbat- ten and was created Marquess of Milford Haven. Prince Philip adopted the family name of Mountbatten when he became a na- turalized British subject and renounced his Royal title in 1947.

The engagement of Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten to Princess Elizabeth was announced in July 1947. The couple, who had known each other for many years, were married in Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947.

Since The Queen's accession, The Duke of Edinburgh, who is Patron or President of some 800 organizations, has played a prom­inent part in many aspects of national life. His special interests are in scientific and technological research and development, the en­couragement of sport, the welfare of young people, and conserva­tion and the environment. There is hardly an aspect of the UK's

industrial life with which Prince Philip is not familiar. He has visited research stations and laboratories, coalmines and factories, engi­neering works and industrial plants - all with the aim of understand­ing, and contributing to the improvement of, British industrial life.

Launched in 1956, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme is aimed at young people between 15 and 25, able-bodied or dis­abled. The three Award levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold, include four sections: service, expeditions, skills and physical recreation. Perhaps more than anything else, this challenging programme dem­onstrates The Prince's keen interest in and support for the person­al development of young people. More than four million people in over 60 countries have taken part since its inception in 1956.

The Duke of Edinburgh accompanies The Queen on all her Commonwealth tours and State Visits overseas, as well as on tours and visits to all parts of the United Kingdom. He has also travelled abroad a great deal on his own account.

The Duke of Edinburgh holds many foreign decorations and has received Honorary Degrees from a number of universities. He is Chancellor of the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh, a former Chancellor of the Universities of Wales and Salford, and a life Governor of King's College in the University of London.

Royal children and grandchildren.The Queen and Prince Philip had two children before (Prince Charles, born on 14 No­vember 1948, and Princess Anne) and two after (Prince Andrew and Prince Edward) The Queen succeeded to the throne.

Their grandchildren are Peter and Zara Phillips (b. 1977 and 1981); Prince William of Wales and Prince Henry of Wales (b. 1982 and 1984); Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York (b. 1988 and 1990); and The Lady Louise Windsor, daugh­ter of TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex (b. 2003).

The Prince of Wales.When, on the accession of Queen Eliz­abeth in 1952, he became heir apparent, Prince Charles automat­ically became Duke of Cornwall under a charter of King Edward III dating back to 1337, which gave that title to the Sovereign's eldest son. He also became, in the Scottish Peerage, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. The Prince was creat-

ed Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 1958. In 1968, The Prince of Wales was installed as a Knight of the Garter. The Duke of Rothesay (as he is known in Scotland) was appointed a Knight of the Thistle in 1977. In June 2002 The Prince of Wales was appointed to the Order of Merit.

The title 'Prince of Wales' may be possessed only by the eldest son of a Sovereign. There is no automatic succession to this title, which at every vacancy becomes merged in the Crown, and is re­newed only by the Sovereign. (The title 'Princess of Wales' applies only to the wife of the Prince of Wales. The title cannot be used by the Sovereign's daughter, even if she is heir to the throne. For ex­ample, the Queen was known as Princess Elizabeth until she suc­ceeded to the throne.) The present Prince of Wales is 21st in the line, counting several who were never formally invested. He can trace his descent back through the Tudors to the original Princes of Wales, of whom the last native Prince of Wales was Llywelyn ap Gruffyd (1246-82). Edward II was the first Prince of Wales in the present line; he was formally created Prince of Wales by his father Edward I in 1301 and he was invested before Parliament in Lincoln. The investiture of the present Prince of Wales (like that of his predecessor Prince Edward, later Edward VIII, in 1911) was a State occasion in a Welsh setting before the Welsh people, and it took place at Caernarvon Castle on 1 July 1969. The Welsh rega­lia (crown jewels associated with the Princes of Wales) used at the investitures in 1911 and 1969 are on loan to the National Mu­seum of Wales in Cardiff.

On 29 July 1981 The Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral. The marriage of The Prince and Princess of Wales was dissolved on 28 August 1996. The Prin­cess of Wales was killed in a car crash on 31 August 1997 in Paris.

Their two children, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (born on 21 June 1982) and Prince Henry Charles Albert David (born on 15 September 1984), are second and third in line of succes­sion to the throne.

The Duke of York.The Duke of York was born on 19 Feb­ruary 1960. He is the second son and the third child of The Queen

and The Duke of Edinburgh. Named Andrew Albert Christian Edward, he was known as Prince Andrew until his marriage, when he was created The Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were married on 23 July 1986, and Sarah became The Duchess of York. Their two daughters Beatrice and Eugenie are fifth and sixth in line of succession to the throne, In March 1992 it was announced that The Duke and Duchess were to separate; they were divorced in May 1996.

The Earl of Wessex.The Earl of Wessex is the third son and youngest child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. He was born on 10 March 1964. He was known as Prince Edward until his marriage, when he was created The Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn; at the same time it was announced that His Royal Highness will eventually succeed to the title of The Duke of Edin­burgh. Prince Edward and Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones were married on 19 June 1999. Upon marriage Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones be­came known as HRH The Countess of Wessex. In 2003 The Count­ess of Wessex gave birth to a baby daughter, Louise. At the time of their wedding it was decided, with the couple's agreement, that any children they have should not be given the style His or Her Royal Highness, but would have courtesy titles as sons or daugh­ters of an earl. Accordingly, their daughter is known as The Lady Louise Windsor.

The Princess Royal.The Princess Royal, the second child and only daughter of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, was bora on 15 August 1950, when her mother was Princess Elizabeth, heir presumptive to the throne. She received the title Princess Royal from The Queen in June 1987; she was previously known as Prin­cess Anne. Her Royal Highness is the seventh holder of the title. The title 'Princess Royal' is customarily given by the Sover­eign to his or her eldest daughter, and it is purely honorary. It is the highest honour given to a female member of the Royal Family. Although only the eldest daughter of the Sovereign can be Prin­cess Royal, she does not automatically become so (The Queen was never Princess Royal, as her aunt Princess Mar£ was al­ready Princess Royal and remained so until her death in 1965).

In 1994 The Queen appointed The Princess a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. In 2000, to mark her 50th birthday, The Princess Royal was appointed to the Order of the Thistle, in rec­ognition of her work for charities.

The Princess Royal and Lieutenant (later Captain) Mark Phillips of The Queen's Dragoon Guards were married on 14 November 1973. The marriage was dissolved in April 1992 and on 12 December the same year The Princess Royal married Commander Timothy Laurence, Royal Navy (now Commodore Laurence), at a private ceremony at Crathie Church, near Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

The Princess's first child was born on 15 November 1977. He was christened Peter Mark Andrew. The Princess's second child was born on 15 May 1981. She was christened Zara Anne Elizabeth.

Enhance

Setting

Dazzling

Esteem

Consort

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1395