In 2022, people of the British Commonwealth are celebrating the Platinum Jubilee: 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25. It was the start of the longest reign of any British monarch in history; in April, the Queen turned 96. This article was written in 1945, at the end of the Second World War, and two years before Elizabeth married Prince Philip
PRINCESS ELIZABETH ALEXANDRA Mary Windsor will someday claim the allegiance of 489,000,000 of the world’s population when she takes her full title: Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Queen, Defender of the Faith and Empress of India.
She recently saw her sceptered isle go through the turmoil of sudden political change when Winston Churchill lost the election in July, just two months after he declared VE Day. Her one recorded comment when she learned that her good friend had been snowed under an avalanche of leftist votes was, “Oh, bother.”
This is not to say that the events of the day were altogether lost on Elizabeth. She has been educated to think very seriously while saying very little.
This story is from the June 2022 edition of Reader's Digest UK.
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This story is from the June 2022 edition of Reader's Digest UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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