Accomplishments of Queen Elizabeth II

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is the queen of 16 independent states which are known as the Commonwealth realms. She was born in London on 21^st April 1926, declared as the queen at the age of 25, and has reigned for more than five decades of enormous social change and development. Queen Elizabeth II was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who subsequently became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. By the age of 12, she distinguished herself as a gifted and eager horsewoman. Although she was born and brought up in a royal family, her parents were determined that Elizabeth should neither be shielded nor spoiled. On 20^th November 1947, she got married to Philip, who was the Duke of Edinburgh and her third cousin through queen Victoria. It was the perfect blend of her sense of regal duty and a love of simple pleasures, which uniquely characterized the royalty and integrity of her reign.

The Coronation

The Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, took place on 2^nd June 1953, in the Abbey Church of St. Peter, Westminster. She was declared as the queen with the recitation of following words by the Archbishop:

Sirs, I here present unto you
Queen ELIZABETH,
your undoubted Queen:
Wherefore all you who are come this day
to do your homage and service,
Are you willing to do the same?

The public signified its willingness and joy by loud and repeated acclamations, with one voice crying out, "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN", and hence she was formally accepted to rule the hearts of British people, for the decades to come.

Major Accomplishments of Queen Elizabeth II
From all the daunting experiences she had during her reign, queen Elizabeth II understood the tautology of Shakespeare’s observation, which states, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown". The challenges she had to face as a ruler were painstaking, but were successfully overcome by her, and she ruled with a supreme authority over her people. Some of the major accomplishments of queen Elizabeth II are as follows:

• After the end of the second world war, princess Elizabeth traveled extensively to attend public functions throughout the British Isles. These visits included attending the launch of a new aircraft carrier in Belfast, a tour of Ulster in March 1946, and attending the National Eisteddfod of Wales in August 1946.
• Queen Elizabeth II has constantly been an integral part of the ongoing transformation of the old British empire into the new British Commonwealth, and its modern successor (the Commonwealth of Nations). She acts as the host to the Heads of States of the Commonwealth realms. She holds Investitures in Britain and other Commonwealth countries, at which she presents honors to people who have distinguished themselves in public life.
• When she was declared a queen, she succeeded her father as Colonel-in-Chief of all the Guards Regiments and the Corps of Royal Engineers, and as Captain-General of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
• Throughout her reign, Elizabeth has also demonstrated support for inter-faith relations and has rendered respect for all the religions.
• Most important of all, she has achieved an excellent reputation as a good and wise ruler, and is truly loved and respected by her people.

In common practice, queen Elizabeth II is referred to as The Queen or Her Majesty, and in the year 2002, she celebrated her 50 years of reign. Despite the controversies and scandals surrounding her children and other members of the royal family, and the sad demise of princess Diana, she still remains the respected head of the state.