The Royal Family is under constant watch by the public, who have seen the Queen, her children, grandchildren, and now even great-grandchildren grow up.
As Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, you could be forgiven for not knowing a huge amount about who came before her – here’s everything you need to know.
Who was the Queen’s father?
King George VI, born on 14 December 1895, never expected to sit on the throne of the United Kingdom. His parents were King George V and Queen Mary of Teck, but he was their second son, and thus unlikely to ever become sovereign himself.
His older brother, Edward VIII, was heir to the throne before him and became king in 1936 upon his father’s death. Less than a year on, however, Edward VIII gave up the throne, becoming the only sovereign to voluntarily do so in British history. He did so for love, as neither the Church of England or British public would back his marriage of American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
On 11 December 1936 he delivered a message to the country: “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.”
The old law of rex nunquam moritur activated – the king never dies – and Edward’s little brother, Albert Frederick Arthur George, became King George VI.
George had already married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923 and the pair had two children: Elizabeth II and Margaret Rose, aged 10 and six. His wife became Queen Elizabeth and his first-born daughter became heir to the throne.
George VI was known for his stammer that became the subject of the 2010 film The King’s Speech, and this added to a character of normalness and modesty. He reigned through the Second World War, where the essence of this image made him incredibly popular. George painted lines inside the baths at Buckingham Palace to show how much hot water to use, and opted to remain in the palace after it was bombed in solidarity with other Brits undergoing the Blitz.
The stress of the war took a toll on the king’s health however, and George was also a heavy smoker, developing lung cancer in 1951. His health declined until, on 6 February 1952, George VI was found dead in bed.
His eldest daughter, Elizabeth II, was in Kenya at the time, and became the first sovereign in over 200 years to accede abroad – she was 25 years old.
Who was the Queen’s mother?
Queen Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, wife of King George VI, was the noble-born daughter of Claude and Cecilia Bowes-Lyon. She was born on 4 August 1900 as her parents’ 9th child (eventually of 10) and married George on 26 April 1923, though he was still just Prince Albert at the time.
Alongside her husband, Elizabeth grew in popularity during the Second World War. She released The Queen’s Book of the Red Cross in support of the charity, which compiled various writings and artworks from well-known contributors.
Elizabeth is perhaps best remembered during the war for her defiance, however, as she refused to heed the government’s recommendation to leave London or send her children to Canada. She said: “The children won’t go without me. I won’t leave without the king. And the king will never leave.”
She became and served as a popular public figure for another half-century. After George VI’s death in 1252, and Elizabeth II became Queen, her moniker became the Queen Mother to avoid confusion. She died on 30 March 2002 at the age of 101.
Who are the Queen’s other family members?
Princess Margaret Rose, the Queen’s younger sister, was perhaps known for controversy above all else, as her glamorous lifestyle and various relationships brought unwanted attention to the Royal Family. A heavy smoker, she died in 2002 aged 71 after a lung operation, a case of pneumonia, and at least three strokes.
The Queen and husband Prince Phillip had four children: King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Elizabeth II also had eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.