Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, dead at 96

William Brangham:

She was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, far down the line of royal succession and largely out of the spotlight.

That changed radically in 1936. Her grandfather, King George V, died, and, within months, her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated. This abrupt turn of events meant that Elizabeth's father became King George VI, and the princess was elevated to heir apparent.

Announcer:

The princess wished them all the best of luck and success in future operations.

William Brangham:

As she grew into a young woman, she began taking on public service roles during World War II.

And, in 1947, she married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, a one-time prince of Greece and Denmark. Their ceremony was held at Westminster Abbey, with some 2,000 in attendance. Five years later, Elizabeth's life changed suddenly again, when King George died.

Queen Elizabeth II, United Kingdom:

I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family.

Announcer:

Her Majesty, looking radiant in her wonderful gown, leaves the palace

William Brangham:

And so, at the age of 25, she ascended to the British throne.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth took place amid great pomp and circumstance, an event broadcast to the world on television for the very first time.

Person:

Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain?

Queen Elizabeth II:

I solemnly promise so to do.

William Brangham:

In those early years, the queen and her husband, now the duke of Edinburgh, started a growing family. First born was Charles, the prince of Wales and heir to the throne, then Anne, the princess royal, followed later by Prince Andrew, duke of York, and Prince Edward, earl of Wessex.

Along with motherhood, the queen also aimed to be a modern monarch and kept a busy public schedule for decades.

Queen Elizabeth II:

I would like the whole American people, North, South, East and West, to know how happy we are to be here.

William Brangham:

She met with world leaders at home and abroad and traveled extensively.

One such visit brought her to the U.S. in 2007, while then-President George W. Bush was in the White House.

Queen Elizabeth II:

It is the moment to take stock of our present friendship, rightly taking pleasure from its strengths, while never taking these for granted. And it is the time to look forward, jointly renewing our commitment to a more prosperous, safer and freer world.

William Brangham:

The queen also carried out an endless variety of ceremonial duties and was a patron of more than 600 organizations and charities, from child welfare to environmental conservation.

Through it all, she tried to keep her family's personal life largely out of the public eye, but the effort was increasingly in vain. In 1983, an intruder broke into Buckingham Palace and confronted the queen in her bedroom. And in 1992 came a series of tabloid scandals.

Tensions in the marriage between her son, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana broke open with reports that both were having affairs. The queen's second son, Prince Andrew, announced his separation from Duchess Sarah Ferguson, and Princess Anne divorced her husband, Captain Mark Phillips.

Finally, in November that year, a fire destroyed historic sections of the royal residence, Windsor Castle. That same month, the queen reflected on what she called the horrible year.

Queen Elizabeth II:

1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my most sympathetic correspondence, it has turned out to be an annus horribilis.

William Brangham:

Reports of the queen's contentious relationship with Princess Diana continued. Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, after having two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

One year later, Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris, leaving a nation in shock. Amid an outpouring of public grief, Elizabeth grew criticism for waiting a week before issuing a statement on the tragedy. She also objected to Charles' relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, but when they married in 2005, she held a reception for them at Windsor Castle.

Ultimately, the queen's popularity recovered, both at home and around the world. She became known as a devoted grandmother and later great-grandmother, and perhaps even better known for her colorful suits and hats and for her love of dogs, especially the corgis, who seemed never far away.

Britain celebrated the queen's diamond jubilee in 2012, marking the 60th anniversary of her rule with ceremonies, concerts and a maritime parade featuring more than 1,000 vessels riding down the Thames River.

Three years later, in September 2015, she officially became Britain's longest reigning monarch, surpassing her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 years. And the weddings of her grandsons, William in 2011 and Harry in 2018, once again brought an outpouring of affection for the royal family.

Through it all, Elizabeth urged her people to aspire to the good and to practice kindness, as in her prerecorded Christmas message in 2016.

Queen Elizabeth II:

We sometimes think the world's problems are so big that we can do little to help. On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice. But the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine.

William Brangham:

The queen herself tried to stay active, even at an advanced age. But, in late 2016, Buckingham Palace announced she was cutting back on her appearances and her work for a number of charities.

She also faced new personal turmoil when Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, who is half-Black, renounced their royal duties and said Meghan had been subjected to racism within the royal family. The couple ultimately moved to California.

And in April of 2021, Prince Philip, the queen's husband of nearly 75 years, died just short of his 100th birthday. Elizabeth herself slowed down markedly during 2022. The platinum jubilee of her 70 years on the throne, she missed some of the anniversary events and was said to have difficulty getting around.

But in one of her final acts, the queen did meet with Liz Truss to formally request that Truss become the 15th prime minister of her long reign. Queen Elizabeth II was 96 years old.