Queen Elizabeth II has been queen since 1952, making her the longest reigning monarch in Britain’s history. She also holds the title of the longest-reigning female monarch in world history. So yes, she’s a big deal.
But with 89 years of photos and information about the queen out there, it’s surprising how much isn’t known about the queen. The little things, like her full official title (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), that she speaks fluent French, or that her favorite cake is honey and cream sponge.
One of the most surprising things about her is that she was never supposed to be queen in the first place. In 1936, her uncle and heir to the throne, Edward VII, abdicated it, leaving his younger brother, Albert (who became George VI upon coronation) to become king. Elizabeth, being the oldest daughter, became the rightful next heir, and the rest is history.
In a radio speech delivered from South Africa on her 21st birthday, Elizabeth declared, “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
The current transfer of the throne is less dramatic than Elizabeth’s path to queen. Prince Charles is next-in-line, followed by his son, Prince William.
With the future of the throne in place, Elizabeth has scaled back her duties due to advancing age. Now is a great time to look deeper into Queen Elizabeth’s world and find out who she is, what she likes, and some of the facts about this incredible woman you may not know
published in Newsweek