The Constitution

Constitutional Monarchy: Queen Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), born 21 April 1926, is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms (and has previously been Queen of sixteen others). These are the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

She became Queen of the United Kingdom, of Canada, of Australia, of New Zealand, of Ceylon, of Pakistan and of South Africa on the death of her father, King George VI on 6 February 1952. As other colonies of the British Commonwealth (now Commonwealth of Nations) attained independence from the UK during her reign she acceded to the newly created thrones as Queen of each respective realm. By the Statute of Westminster 1931 she holds these positions equally; no one nation takes precedence over any other.

In her 50-plus years on the throne, Elizabeth II has also seen a number of her former territories and realms attain independence and become kingdoms under a different dynasty, or republics.

Today about 128 million people live in countries of which she is Head of State.

She also holds the positions of Head of the Commonwealth, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Lord of Mann and the Duke of Lancaster.

She is currently the second-longest-serving head of state in the world, after King Bhumibol of Thailand. Her reign of over five decades has seen ten different Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and numerous Prime Ministers in the other Commonwealth Realms of which she is or was Head of State.

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Related Links

• Official Website
• Biography: Queen Elizabeth II