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Obituary:QueenElizabethII

ThelongreignofQueenElizabethIIwasmarkedbyherstrongsenseofdutyandherdeterminationtodedicateherlifetoherthroneandtoherpeople.

ShebecameformanytheoneconstantpointinarapidlychangingworldasBritishinfluencedeclined,societychangedbeyondrecognitionandtheroleofthemonarchyitselfcameintoquestion.

Hersuccessinmaintainingthemonarchythroughsuchturbulenttimeswasevenmoreremarkablegiventhat,atthetimeofherbirth,no-onecouldhaveforeseenthatthethronewouldbeherdestiny.

ElizabethAlexandraMaryWindsorwasbornon21April1926,inahousejustoffBerkeleySquareinLondon,thefirstchildofAlbert,DukeofYork,secondsonofGeorgeV,andhisduchess,theformerLadyElizabethBowes-Lyon.

BothElizabethandhersister,MargaretRose,whowasbornin1930,wereeducatedathomeandbroughtupinalovingfamilyatmosphere.Elizabethwasextremelyclosetobothherfatherandhergrandfather,GeorgeV.

Attheageofsix,Elizabethtoldherridinginstructorthatshewantedtobecomea"countryladywithlotsofhorsesanddogs".

Shewassaidtohaveshownaremarkablesenseofresponsibilityfromaveryearlyage.WinstonChurchill,thefutureprimeminister,wasquotedassayingthatshepossessed"anairofauthoritythatwasastonishinginaninfant".

Despitenotattendingschool,Elizabethprovedadeptatlanguagesandmadeadetailedstudyofconstitutionalhistory.

AspecialGirlGuidescompany,the1stBuckinghamPalace,wasformedsothatshecouldsocialisewithgirlsofherownage.

Increasingtension

OnthedeathofGeorgeVin1936,hiseldestson,knownasDavid,becameEdwardVIII.

However,hischoiceofwife,thetwice-divorcedAmericanWallisSimpson,wasdeemedtobeunacceptableonpoliticalandreligiousgrounds.Attheendoftheyearheabdicated.

AreluctantDukeofYorkbecameKingGeorgeVI.HisCoronationgaveElizabethaforetasteofwhatlayinstoreforherandshelaterwrotethatshehadfoundtheservice"very,verywonderful".

AgainstabackgroundofincreasingtensioninEurope,thenewKing,togetherwithhiswife,QueenElizabeth,setouttorestorepublicfaithinthemonarchy.Theirexamplewasnotlostontheirelderdaughter.

In1939,the13-year-oldprincessaccompaniedtheKingandQueentotheRoyalNavalCollegeatDartmouth.

TogetherwithhersisterMargaret,shewasescortedbyoneofthecadets,herthirdcousin,PrincePhilipofGreece.

Obstacles

Itwasnotthefirsttimetheyhadmet,butitwasthefirsttimeshetookaninterestinhim.

PrincePhilipcalledonhisroyalrelativeswhenonleavefromthenavy,andby1944,whenshewas18,Elizabethwasclearlyinlovewithhim.Shekepthispictureinherroomandtheyexchangedletters.

TheyoungprincessbrieflyjoinedtheAuxiliaryTerritorialService(ATS)towardstheendofthewar,learningtodriveandservicealorry.OnVEDay,shejoinedtheRoyalFamilyatBuckinghamPalaceasthousandsgatheredinTheMalltocelebratetheendofthewarinEurope.

"Weaskedmyparentsifwecouldgooutandseeforourselves,"shelaterrecalled."Irememberwewereterrifiedofbeingrecognised.IrememberlinesofunknownpeoplelinkingarmsandwalkingdownWhitehall,allofusjustsweptalongonatideofhappinessandrelief."

Afterthewar,herdesiretomarryPrincePhilipfacedanumberofobstacles.

TheKingwasreluctanttoloseadaughteronwhomhedoted,andPhiliphadtoovercometheprejudiceofanestablishmentthatcouldnotaccepthisforeignancestry.

Butthewishesofthecoupleprevailedandon20November1947thecouplemarriedinWestminsterAbbey.

TheDukeofEdinburgh,asPhiliphadbecome,remainedaservingnavalofficer.Forashorttime,apostingtoMaltameanttheyoungcouplecouldenjoyarelativelynormallife.

Theirfirstchild,Charles,wasbornin1948,followedbyasister,Anne,whoarrivedin1950.

ButtheKing,havingsufferedconsiderablestressduringthewaryears,wasterminallyillwithlungcancer,broughtaboutbyalifetimeofheavysmoking.

InJanuary1952,Elizabeth,then25,setoffwithPhilipforanoverseastour.TheKing,againstmedicaladvice,wenttotheairporttoseethecoupleoff.ItwastobethelasttimeElizabethwouldseeherfather.

ElizabethheardofthedeathoftheKingwhilestayingatagamelodgeinKenyaandthenewQueenimmediatelyreturnedtoLondon.

"Inaway,Ididn'thaveanapprenticeship,"shelaterrecalled."Myfatherdiedmuchtooyoung,soitwasallaverysuddenkindoftakingonandmakingthebestjobyoucan."

Personalattack

HerCoronationinJune1953wastelevised,despitetheoppositionofPrimeMinisterWinstonChurchill,andmillionsgatheredaroundTVsets,manyofthemforthefirsttime,towatchasQueenElizabethIImadeheroath.

WithBritainstillenduringpost-warausterity,commentatorssawtheCoronationasthedawnofanewElizabethanage.

WorldWarTwohadservedtohastentheendoftheBritishEmpire,andbythetimethenewQueensetoffonalengthytouroftheCommonwealthinNovember1953,manyformerBritishpossessions,includingIndia,hadgainedindependence.

ElizabethbecamethefirstreigningmonarchtovisitAustraliaandNewZealand.Itwasestimatedthatthree-quartersofAustraliansturnedouttoseeherinperson.

Throughoutthe1950s,morecountrieshauleddowntheunionflagandtheformercoloniesanddominionsnowcametogetherasavoluntaryfamilyofnations.

ManypoliticiansfeltthatthenewCommonwealthcouldbecomeacountertothenewlyemergingEuropeanEconomicCommunityand,tosomeextent,BritishpolicyturnedawayfromtheContinent.

ButthedeclineofBritishinfluencewashastenedbytheSuezdebaclein1956,whenitbecameclearthattheCommonwealthlackedthecollectivewilltoacttogetherintimesofcrisis.ThedecisiontosendBritishtroopstotrytopreventEgypt'sthreatenednationalisationoftheSuezCanalendedinanignominiouswithdrawalandbroughtabouttheresignationofPrimeMinisterAnthonyEden.

ThisembroiledtheQueeninapoliticalcrisis.TheConservativePartyhadnomechanismforelectinganewleaderand,afteraseriesofconsultations,theQueeninvitedHaroldMacmillantoformanewgovernment.

TheQueenalsofoundherselfthesubjectofapersonalattackbythewriterLordAltrincham.Inamagazinearticle,heclaimedhercourtwas"tooBritish"and"upper-class"andaccusedherofbeingunabletomakeasimplespeechwithoutawrittentext.

HisremarkscausedafuroreinthepressandLordAltrinchamwasphysicallyattackedinthestreetbyamemberoftheLeagueofEmpireLoyalists.

Nevertheless,theincidentdemonstratedthatBritishsocietyandattitudestothemonarchywerechangingfastandoldcertaintieswerebeingquestioned.

From'theMonarchy'to'theRoyalFamily'

Encouragedbyherhusband,notoriouslyimpatientwiththecourt'sstuffiness,theQueenbegantoadapttotheneworder.

Thepracticeofreceivingdebutantesatcourtwasabolishedandtheterm"theMonarchy"wasgraduallyreplacedby"theRoyalFamily".

TheQueenwasoncemoreatthecentreofapoliticalrowwhenin1963,HaroldMacmillanstooddownasprimeminister.WiththeConservativePartystilltosetupasystemforchoosinganewleader,shefollowedhisadvicetoappointtheEarlofHomeinhisplace.

ItwasadifficulttimefortheQueen.Thehallmarkofherreignwasconstitutionalcorrectness,andafurtherseparationofthemonarchyfromthegovernmentoftheday.Shetookseriouslyherrightstobeinformed,toadviseandtowarn-butdidnotseektostepbeyondthem.

Itwastobethelasttimeshewouldbeputinsuchaposition.TheConservativesfinallydidawaywiththetraditionthatnewpartyleadersjust"emerged",andapropersystemwasputinplace.

Bythelate1960s,BuckinghamPalacehaddecidedthatitneededtotakeapositivesteptoshowtheRoyalFamilyinafarlessformalandmoreapproachableway.

Theresultwasaground-breakingdocumentary,RoyalFamily.TheBBCwasallowedtofilmtheWindsorsathome.Therewerepicturesofthefamilyatabarbecue,decoratingtheChristmastree,takingtheirchildrenforadrive-allordinaryactivities,butneverseenbefore.

CriticsclaimedthatRichardCawston'sfilmdestroyedthemystiqueoftheroyalsbyshowingthemtobeordinarypeople,includingscenesoftheDukeofEdinburghbarbecuingsausagesinthegroundsatBalmoral.

Butthefilmechoedthemorerelaxedmoodofthetimesanddidmuchtorestorepublicsupportforthemonarchy.

By1977,theSilverJubileewascelebratedwithgenuineenthusiasminstreetpartiesandinceremoniesacrossthekingdom.Themonarchyseemedsecureinthepublic'saffectionandmuchofthatwasdowntotheQueenherself.

Twoyearslater,Britainhad,inMargaretThatcher,itsfirstwomanprimeminister.Relationsbetweenthefemaleheadofstateandfemaleheadofgovernmentweresometimessaidtohavebeenawkward.

Scandalsanddisasters

OnedifficultareawastheQueen'sdevotiontotheCommonwealth,ofwhichshewashead.TheQueenknewtheleadersofAfricawellandwassympathetictotheircause.

ShewasreportedtohavefoundThatcher'sattitudeandconfrontationalstyle"puzzling",notleastovertheprimeminister'soppositiontosanctionsagainstapartheidSouthAfrica.

Yearbyyear,theQueen'spublicdutiescontinued.AftertheGulfWarin1991,shewenttotheUnitedStatestobecomethefirstBritishmonarchtoaddressajointsessionofCongress.PresidentGeorgeHWBushsaidshehadbeen"freedom'sfriendforaslongaswecanremember".

However,ayearlater,aseriesofscandalsanddisastersbegantoaffecttheRoyalFamily.

TheQueen'ssecondson,theDukeofYork,andhiswifeSarahseparated,whilePrincessAnne'smarriagetoMarkPhillipsendedindivorce.ThenthePrinceandPrincessofWaleswererevealedtobedeeplyunhappyandeventuallysplitup.

TheyearculminatedinahugefireattheQueen'sfavouriteresidence,WindsorCastle.Itseemedagrimlyappropriatesymbolofaroyalhouseintrouble.Itwasnothelpedbyapublicrowoverwhetherthetaxpayer,ortheQueen,shouldfootthebillfortherepairs.

TheQueendescribed1992asher"annushorribilis"and,inaspeechintheCityofLondon,appearedtoconcedetheneedforamoreopenmonarchyinreturnforalesshostilemedia.

"Noinstitution,city,monarchy,whatever,shouldexpecttobefreefromthescrutinyofthosewhogiveittheirloyaltyandsupport,nottomentionthosewhodon't.Butweareallpartofthesamefabricofournationalsocietyandthatscrutinycanbejustaseffectiveifitismadewithameasureofgentleness,goodhumourandunderstanding."

Theinstitutionofmonarchywasverymuchonthedefensive.BuckinghamPalacewasopenedtovisitorstoraisemoneytopayfortherepairsatWindsoranditwasannouncedthattheQueenandthePrinceofWaleswouldpaytaxoninvestmentincome.

Abroad,thehopesfortheCommonwealth,sohighearlyinherreign,hadnotbeenfulfilled.BritainhadturneditsbackonitsoldpartnerswithnewarrangementsinEurope.

TheQueenstillsawvalueintheCommonwealthandwasdeeplygratifiedwhenSouthAfrica,whereshehadcomeofage,atlastthrewapartheidaside.ShecelebratedwithavisitinMarch1995.

Athome,theQueensoughttomaintainthedignityofthemonarchywhilepublicdebatecontinuedonwhethertheinstitutionhadanyfuture.

DeathofDiana,PrincessofWales

AsBritainstruggledtofindanewdestiny,shetriedtoremainareassuringfigure,andwithasuddensmilecouldlightenasolemnmoment.Theroleshevaluedaboveallwasthatofsymbolofthenation.

However,themonarchywasshakenandtheQueenherselfattractedunusualcriticismafterthedeathofDiana,PrincessofWales,inacaraccidentinParisinAugust1997.

AsthepubliccrowdedaroundthepalacesinLondonwithtributesofflowers,theQueenseemedreluctanttoprovidethefocusthatshehadalwaystriedtododuringgreatnationalmoments.

Manyofhercriticsfailedtounderstandthatshewasfromagenerationthatrecoiledfromthealmosthystericaldisplaysofpublicmourningthattypifiedtheaftermathoftheprincess'sdeath.

ShealsofeltasacaringgrandmotherthatsheneededtocomfortDiana'ssonsintheprivacyofthefamilycircle.

Eventually,shemadealivebroadcast,payingtributetoherdaughter-in-lawandmakingacommitmentthatthemonarchywouldadapt.

Lossesandcelebrations

ThedeathsoftheQueenMotherandPrincessMargaret,intheQueen'sGoldenJubileeyear,2002,castashadowovernationwidecelebrationsofherreign.

Butdespitethis,andtherecurringdebateoverthefutureofthemonarchy,amillionpeoplecrowdedintoTheMall,infrontofBuckinghamPalace,ontheeveningofthejubilee.

InApril2006,thousandsofwell-wisherslinedthestreetsofWindsorastheQueenperformedaninformalwalkaboutonher80thbirthday.

AndinNovember2007,sheandPrincePhilipcelebrated60yearsofmarriagewithaserviceattendedby2,000peopleatWestminsterAbbey.

TherewasyetanotherhappyoccasioninApril2011whentheQueenattendedtheweddingofhergrandson,William,DukeofCambridge,toCatherineMiddleton.

InMaythatyearshebecamethefirstBritishmonarchtomakeanofficialvisittotheIrishRepublic,aneventofgreathistoricalsignificance.

Inaspeech,whichshebeganinIrish,shecalledforforbearanceandconciliationandreferredto"thingswewishhadbeendonedifferentlyornotatall".

Referendum

Ayearlater,onavisittoNorthernIrelandaspartoftheDiamondJubileecelebrations,sheshookhandswiththeformerIRAcommanderMartinMcGuinness.

Itwasapoignantmomentforamonarchwhosemuch-lovedcousin,LordLouisMountbatten,hadbeenkilledbyanIRAbombin1979.

TheDiamondJubileebroughthundredsofthousandsofpeopleontothestreetsandculminatedinaweekendofcelebrationsinLondon.

ThereferendumonScottishindependence,inSeptember2014,wasatestingtimefortheQueen.FewhadforgottenherspeechtoParliamentin1977inwhichshemadeclearhercommitmenttoaUnitedKingdom.

"InumberkingsandqueensofEnglandandofScotland,andprincesofWalesamongmyancestorsandsoIcanreadilyunderstandtheseaspirations.ButIcannotforgetthatIwascrownedQueenoftheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland."

Inaremarktowell-wishersatBalmoralontheeveoftheScottishreferendum,whichwasoverheard,shesaidshehopedpeoplewouldthinkverycarefullyaboutthefuture.

Oncetheresultofthevotewasknown,herpublicstatementunderlinedthereliefshefeltthattheUnionwasstillintact,althoughrecognisingthatthepoliticallandscapehadchanged.

"Now,aswemoveforward,weshouldrememberthatde