Princess Elizabeth, the elder daughter of the Duck of York, was born on April 21, 1926. She enjoyed a childhood of contentment and life continued to run smoothly into adulthood and her time as a wife and mother. Although her marriage experienced some ups and downs, the pair settled into a happy union of shared interests and mutual support.
However, fates (命运) changed an ordinary young woman into an extraordinary position she could not have dreamed of in her earliest years. In 1936, Elizabeth's uncle, EdwardVIII, passed the Crown to her father. Therefore, she became the first in line to the throne (王位). Princess Elizabeth was devoted to her father, so it was a terrible blow on February 6, 1952 when the King died in his sleep, aged just 56. Elizabeth had been on a trip when the news came through. By the time she returned home, to be greeted at London Airport by her first Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, it was clear that life was never going to be the same again.
Her Coronation (加冕礼) marked the beginning of a new Elizabeth age. Despite the coming and going of 14 Prime Ministers, the Queen remained a seemingly unchanging figure, making continuous contributions to Britain's position in the world.
Given her unique status, she was surprisingly without airs and graces, as one gardener discovered when he was presented to the Queen and, to his horror, his mobile phone started ringing. She told him: "You'd better answer that since it might be important."
There were very few who said a bad word about the woman for 7 decades. She represented the very best of Britain-devoted to her family and people. Following the time of Queen Elizabeth II, it is unthinkable to see her like again.
