Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Elizabeth II
Elizabeth in 2015
Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms Australia 1952–present Canada 1952–present New Zealand 1952–present Jamaica 1962–present Barbados 1966–present The Bahamas 1973–present Grenada 1974–present Papua New Guinea 1975–present Solomon Islands 1978–present Tuvalu 1978–present St. Lucia 1979–present St. Vincent and the Grenadines 1979–present Belize 1981–present Antigua and Barbuda 1981–present St. Kitts and Nevis 1983–present Pakistan 1952–1956 South Africa 1952–1961 Ceylon 1952–1972 Ghana 1957–1960 Nigeria 1960–1963 Sierra Leone 1961–1971 Tanganyika 1961–1962 Trinidad and Tobago 1962–1976 Uganda 1962–1963 Kenya 1963–1964 Malawi 1964–1966 Malta 1964–1974 The Gambia 1965–1970 Guyana 1966–1970 Mauritius 1968–1992 Fiji 1970–1987
Reign	6 February 1952 – present
Coronation	2 June 1953
Predecessor	George VI
Heir apparent	Charles, Prince of Wales
Prime Ministers	See list
Born	(1926-04-21) 21 April 1926 (age 91) 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, London, England, UK
Spouse	Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (m. 1947)
Issue Detail	Charles, Prince of Wales Anne, Princess Royal Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Full name Elizabeth Alexandra Mary
House	Windsor
Father	George VI
Mother	Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Signature

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926) has been Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since 6 February 1952. She is Head of the Commonwealth and Queen of 12 countries that have become independent since her accession: Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Elizabeth was born in London as the elder child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and she was educated privately at home. Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. She began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In 1947, she married Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, with whom she has four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.