Щороку 21 квітня людей приваблює одна значна подія--День народження королеви Великої Британії. У 2016 ЇЇ Величності виповнилося 90! Надзвичайна особистість за своєю відповідальністю, шляхетністю, працьовитістю, захопленнями і ставленням до життя. Єлизавета ІІ майже 65 років на троні! Більшість британців пишаються своєю королевою. Многа літа королеві! Цікаво, що королева відзначає свій справжній День народження в дуже вузькому сімейному колі, а 2 червня в день ЇЇ коронації (народження як монарха) проходять святкування по всій країні, які називаються День народження Королеви! Цього року британці, навіть створили спеціальний сайт"Королеві-90!" Вивчайте англійську мову і дізнаєтеся багато цікавих і пізнавальних фактів з першоджерел!
Born in 1926 as Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary to Prince Albert, the Duke of York (and future King George VI) and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, it did not always seem that Elizabeth would one day inherit the throne. However, with the abdication crisis, her father became king and ensured that his eldest daughter would eventually become Queen Elizabeth II. Overseeing the United Kingdom through the Cold War and into the 21st Century, Elizabeth is on the verge of becoming the longest-reigning monarch in British history—even longer than Queen Victoria. With so much history in her time on the throne.
At 63 years and 100+ days, Elizabeth is second only to Victoria in the length of her reign, a record that she will eclipse before the end of this year. In that time, she has conferred 404,500 honors and awards and held 610 investitures. What’s more, she is only the 40th monarch since William the Conqueror was crowned in 1066.
There have been twelve Prime Ministers over the course of her reign. There have also been twelve U.S. Presidents during this time.
According to sources, the Queen’s secret talent is actually doing humorous impressions. However, nobody is telling whom she impersonates for private audiences. According to Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, impressions of comedian Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G character can make her laugh.
When Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten (now Duke of Edinburgh) in 1947, Britain was still recovering from World War II and rationing was still in effect. As such, Elizabeth had to save enough rationing coupons in order to have her dress made. The Queen Mother and Prime Minister Winston Churchill were adamant about her not taking Philip’s surname so that the family line would still be the House of Windsor.
The Queen has undertaken over 250 official visits overseas to 129 different countries, all without her own passport. Her trips have brought her not only to Commonwealth Nations, but countries as diverse as Cocos Islands and China.
It is well-known that the Queen broadcasts her Christmas message every year, the one exception being in 1969, when a documentary film about the royal family was broadcast. Instead, the Queen issued a written message. Additionally, Elizabeth and Prince Philip have sent over 45,000 Christmas cards and given 90,000 puddings to staff. The Queen is also responsible for sending Christmas Trees to Westminster Abbey, Wellington Barracks, St. Paul’s Cathedral, St. Giles’ Cathedral, the Canongate Kirk, Crathie Kirk, and schools in the Sandringham area.
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