Queen Elizabeth II

Hello. I am Queen Elizabeth II, and for seventy years, it was my privilege to be the monarch of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. My life was a long and unexpected journey, and I would like to share my story with you.

I’ll begin by telling you about my childhood, which wasn't at all what you might expect for a future queen. I was born on April 21, 1926, in London, to my parents, the Duke and Duchess of York. To my family, I was simply 'Lilibet.' My younger sister, Margaret, and I had a quiet, happy, and relatively normal life for a royal family. We were educated at home and spent our days with our governess, our ponies, and our beloved dogs. I never expected to be queen. The throne was meant for my uncle, and then for his children. But in 1936, when I was ten years old, my uncle, King Edward VIII, made a choice that changed not only his life, but the course of British history. He decided to abdicate, or give up the throne, so he could marry the woman he loved. In that moment, my dear, shy father became King George VI. And just like that, I was no longer simply Lilibet; I was the heir to the throne. My life's path was set on a course I had never imagined, and a great weight of future responsibility settled on my young shoulders.

As a teenager, I watched the world descend into the darkness of World War II, which began in 1939. My sister and I were moved to Windsor Castle for our safety during the Blitz, when London was being bombed, but I wanted to do my part for the war effort. In 1940, at the age of fourteen, I made my very first radio broadcast, speaking to the children of the Commonwealth, many of whom had been evacuated from their homes. I wanted to offer them comfort and hope. When I turned eighteen in 1944, I was determined to do more. I joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women's branch of the British Army. There, known as Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor, I learned to drive and repair army trucks. It was important for me to serve alongside other young people and share in their duties. After the war ended in 1945, a new chapter of my life began. On November 20, 1947, I married my great love, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. We started our family with the births of our son Charles in 1948 and our daughter Anne in 1950. But my time as a princess, wife, and young mother was cut short. In 1952, while Philip and I were on a royal tour in Kenya, I received the devastating news that my father had died. At just twenty-five years old, in a treehouse hotel overlooking the African plains, I became your Queen.

My coronation on June 2, 1953, was a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey, watched by millions around the world on television for the first time. But for me, it was a deeply solemn moment where I made a promise to God and my people to serve for my entire life. Over the next seventy years, I tried my best to keep that promise. I saw the world change in incredible ways—from the end of the British Empire and the birth of the Commonwealth to the first person on the moon in 1969 and the invention of the internet. I worked with fifteen different British prime ministers, from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss. I traveled all over the globe, meeting leaders and citizens from the many countries of the Commonwealth, a family of nations that was always very dear to my heart. Through all the public duties and historic events, I found joy in my personal life. My family grew, and I became a grandmother and great-grandmother. My corgis were always my faithful companions, and my lifelong love for horses and horse racing was a constant source of happiness and relaxation.

My long journey came to a peaceful end on September 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a place I had always treasured. Looking back, my life was one of unexpected turns, but it was defined by the promise I made all those years ago. It was the greatest privilege and honor to be your Queen. I hope people remember me for my dedication to that promise, my love for my country and the Commonwealth, and my unwavering belief that we can achieve great things when we work together with purpose and respect. My faith in the people I served never faltered, and I was always grateful for their loyalty and affection.