On September 8, Queen Elizabeth, 96, died. Her last appearance was at Balmoral Castle on September 6, accepting Johnson's resignation and formally appointing Tras as the new prime minister.
On February 6, 70 years ago, the 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth succeeded to the throne as Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her father's death. 70 years, the vicissitudes of the world, the crown accompanied her graceful aging, witnessing her queen's road, and the world changes. But for her, no matter how glamorous she was on the throne, her mother was still the only important role.
● 70 years on the throne: Breaking the British record for the "longest reign"
Elizabeth was born in London in 1926, and at the age of 10, her father, the Duke of York, succeeded to the throne as King George VI , the prototype of the famous film "The King's Speech", and Elizabeth Jr. also became the heir to the throne. Shortly thereafter, World War II broke out, and although she was only 13 years old at the time of the war and had taken refuge in Ireland, she was not frightened at all, showing for the first time the style of a future queen. In 1940 she gave her first radio speech, giving courage and confidence to the children in the asylum. Although her father suffered from stuttering and had trained for years to perform in public, Elizabeth's first speech worked well. At the age of 19, she finally persuaded King George to fulfill his wish to go to war. She joined a women's group that supported the war, and Lieutenant Elizabeth Windsor, numbered 230873, became her new identity. Perhaps it was the battlefield experience that cultivated her loyal and tenacious character, whether it was in the post-war national economic difficulties or when the people's grievances were high in the 1970s, she was always in danger, visiting many countries and radiating positive energy for Britain.
On 6 February 1952, Elizabeth returned to London after succeeding to the throne at a hunting ranch in Kenya. She left as a princess and became Queen of England when she set foot on British soil again. Today, Queen Elizabeth II has not only broken the record of her great-grandmother Queen Victoria's 64-year reign, becoming the longest-reigning monarch in British history, but also the world's longest-serving head of state.
In the 70 years since she ascended the throne, Elizabeth II has experienced 15 British prime ministers, which can be described as "the queen of iron and the prime minister of flowing water". She accompanied the United Kingdom from the End of World War II into the 21st century, witnessed the "decline of Britain's influence", and also saw the "black swan" of Brexit.
The Queen's life has gone through almost the entire modern and contemporary history, from the first human landing on the moon to the Internet age. In the past 70 years, the world in which humanity lives has undergone earth-shaking changes, British society has also undergone fundamental changes, and the existence of the royal family itself has even been questioned. For many, however, the Queen is an indispensable spiritual symbol.
Queen Elizabeth II is not only queen of the United Kingdom, but also queen of more than 10 Commonwealth countries and regions. During her reign, she has visited overseas more than 300 times, traveled to hundreds of countries and regions, and become the most well-known "spokesperson" in the United Kingdom. Many countries, including the United Kingdom, have shown respect for her portrait over the years. Some British people once lamented: "I can hardly imagine that the currency I use does not have the head of our queen (what it would look like)".
● The Way of the King: Excellent royal management skills
In a way, the Queen is the backbone of the British spirit and a symbol of national unity. Over the years, Elizabeth II was very conservative in religion, moral standards, and family affairs, and her integrity was a model for the entire nation to measure the conduct of individuals. Never speaking vulgar words, her etiquette and demeanor in diplomatic occasions are also very concerned by the outside world.
Elizabeth II has hardly been interviewed by the media, so few people know her political positions and views, except for a few foreign heads of state who have spoken to the Queen. In terms of diplomatic etiquette, she also never yawns in public, dresses very conservatively, and prefers only monochromatic coats and hats of different colors.
As the head of the royal family, the Queen has also been personally exercising the royal family to adapt to the changes of the times. Although the Queen's image is rigorous and conservative, in fact she has taken the lead in breaking the tradition countless times in her life. Shortly after ascending the throne, the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip ( who has died in 2021 ) began holding small informal lunch parties at Buckingham Palace for the first time to entertain outstanding folks. In the 1960s, the British royal family produced and published the first documentary about royal life, The Royal Family. In 1962, the Queen also opened a new gallery at Buckingham Palace dedicated to the royal collection. This is the first time in history that Buckingham Palace has been open to the general public. These open moves have brought the royal family closer to ordinary people, but at the same time Buckingham Palace has had to find a balance between overexposure and keeping a low profile. In the late 1980s, the media revealed the discord between Crown Prince Charles and Princess Diana, tearing open the curtain that covered the royal family's affairs, and since then, the marriage problems of the queen's children have continued to appear in the news. 1992 became a "year of disaster" for the British royal family. In that year, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew separated from their wives, Princess Anne's marriage officially broke down, and Windsor Castle was partially damaged in a fire. In the face of public criticism of the royal family, the queen showed a calm attitude, saying that criticism is inevitable, but she hopes that these criticisms will be "humorous, gentle and understanding".
● Unique personality: 90 years old used to act as a driver to drive himself
Just a few years ago, although the Queen of England was over ninety years old, she was still in good spirits and full of energy. At the age of 90, she took herself as a driver and took her granddaughter-in-law, Princess Kate, to a Scottish manor for a holiday with her family. So what's the secret to her longevity and health?
From the Queen's food, clothing, shelter and daily life, you may find clues. She usually has a very regular life schedule and goes to bed at 11 o'clock in the evening. And, for decades, the Queen has insisted on walking in Windsor Park. Before the age of 70, the Queen of England often rode horses and walked. It is said that the Queen uses the "royal walking method" when walking, walking with her head up and chest, walking faster, and lasting for a period of time, this walking posture is said to correct the old hunchback, remove abdominal fat, exercise cardiopulmonary function, and make people refreshed.
In addition, Queen Elizabeth II is also a strict "self-disciplined" person, her eating habits have a characteristic, regular and quantitative, pay attention to less and fine, even delicious food is only one or two bites. Darren McGrady, a former "royal chef" who has been in charge of the Queen for more than 10 years, has revealed the Queen's eating habits, saying that the Queen insists on eating seasonal vegetables and fruits, such as strawberries from the Royal Garden only in the summer, and will never eat this fruit in January.
The young queen has a star temperament. She and her handsome husband, Prince Philip, attracted countless admirers. But the Queen and his wife didn't want their star charm to affect their hearts. Prince Philip recalled: "The degree of pursuit you can't believe. This would have corrupted people's hearts and made you do sensationalism. ”
The subtleties reveal the queen's humble character. She would sneak in after the lights went out in the theater. On occasions when others are being celebrated, she will hide in the crowd. When her cousin, Mrs. Mary Clayton, celebrated her 90th birthday in 2007, a cartoonist documented the scene with a cartoon. Mrs Clayton's image is the tallest and central, while the Queen hides in the crowd in the last row. Another of the Queen's cousins, Margaret Rhodes, said: "She can be both upheld as Queen and low-key and humble. ”
In addition, the queen is also a hidden scribbler. To mark the 65th anniversary of the Coronation of the Queen's Monarch, the BBC aired a documentary called The Coronation, which recreates the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953 after the death of her father, King George VI.
Such a historical documentary, the queen is definitely going to appear to say it, and this is also the first time that the queen has been interviewed by the media alone. Perhaps without the constraints of the people around her, the queen in the documentary changed the perfect monarchy style that was sometimes serious and dignified and sometimes amiable, and transformed into a grounded neighbor grandmother temperament, shaking gossip and strength to spit at the camera, making many Britons drop their jaws.
At first, the Queen and the host sat on set on filming and watched the video of the coronation 65 years ago. The host praised everyone's movements for being precise and without a single mistake. The Queen said, "Well, after rehearsing so many times, of course they all know what to do." ”
Halfway through the video, BBC staff brought out the Crown of St Edward– the Year of coronation, which the Archbishop of Canterbury personally put on the Queen. The crown was dedicated to the coronation of the new monarch, and after the coronation of the Queen, it was housed in the Tower of London, which the Queen had never seen again except when she glanced through the glass when she opened the jewelry cabinet in the Tower of London in 1994.
When the crown was placed on the table on the set of the film, the queen leaned in like a child to observe: "Is this thing still that heavy?" As he spoke, he moved his hands, knocking left and right: "Sure enough... I felt like it weighed a ton when I wore it. After a while, she said to the host as if she had discovered a "new continent": "You see, the golden border of this thing is really solid." Then, the queen was not very satisfied with the design of the crown: "You see this before and after looks the same... Anyway, I can't tell which side of this thing is in front of which side is behind. ”
Speaking about the feeling of wearing the crown, the queen said: "Fortunately, the crown is more suitable for my head shape, so it will not be easy to move when wearing it... I just have to stand up at the waist, I can't read the manuscript with my head down, I can only pick up the manuscript. Saying that, he straightened his waist and raised his hands to simulate the scene of wearing the crown, "You can't bow your head, otherwise your neck will break and the crown will fall off."
In the busy affairs of the state, Elizabeth II still spent a lot of time and energy and played a great mother role.
In the first few years of her term in office, due to busy government affairs and strict royal norms, Elizabeth II could see two children almost only during breakfast and afternoon tea. But even so, Elizabeth II cherished her time alone with her children. Prince Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten once said, "When nanny Mabel leaves work, Elizabeth II can kneel by the tub, bathe her children, and then tell them stories and personally coax them to bed." ”
In 2012, when actress Kate Winslet was awarded the Order of Commander of the British Empire, she told the Queen she "loves motherhood more" than actress. The Queen reportedly replied to Kate: "Yes. That's the only important role in life. ”
● Chinese Romance: Practice Chinese pronunciation
Elizabeth II visited China in October 1986, the first head of state in British history to visit China. At this time, it has been two years since China and the United Kingdom signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong. When the biggest and final obstacle between the two countries was removed, Sino-British cooperation in various fields has since developed rapidly.
In anticipation of Elizabeth II's visit, Chinese and British diplomats began planning for it as early as 1985. Tang Longbin, who was working in the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time, participated in the reception throughout the reception, and what impressed him was the queen's pomp and circumstance — a group of 900 people, weighing 5 tons of personal clothing, as well as a huge amount of communication equipment, office equipment and food. Considering the special status of the Queen and the relations between China and the United Kingdom, coupled with the fact that the Queen has received a grand reception in the past visits, the United Kingdom is the most particular about the royal ceremony, and the reception work is completely in accordance with the royal tradition and the queen's habits.
On 13 October, the first day of the Queen's visit to China. In the hall of the Great Hall of the People, she and Li Xiannian had a courtesy meeting. "About 390 years ago, my ancestor Queen Elizabeth I wrote to the Wanli Emperor expressing the hope that trade between Britain and China would develop. The messenger who delivered the letter was unfortunate, so the letter never arrived. Fortunately, the postal industry has progressed since 1602, and the letter you invited us here has arrived safely, and accepting this invitation has given us great joy. British officials also revealed that the Queen had asked the Chinese Embassy in britain to provide the pronunciation of the names of Chinese leaders, and some Chinese place names Chinese audio tapes of pronunciation. At the state banquet that evening, when the queen spoke, the place name and the Chinese pronunciation of the Chinese leader were pronounced very accurately, which showed that she had definitely made a lot of effort.
The next day, the queen's meeting with Deng Xiaoping, then a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and director of the Central Consultative Committee, at yangyuanzhai at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse was seen as a major culmination of the visit. Deng Xiaoping smiled and shook the queen's hand and said, "It is a pleasure to invite you to come, please accept the welcome and respect of an old Chinese man." The queen was clenched by Deng Xiaoping's hands, and Deng Xiaoping said that Chinese, she could not help but be a little nervous, after the translation explained, the queen understood its meaning, eased her mood, and laughed.
Deng Xiaoping was very addicted to smoking, and he kept smoking during his usual meetings with guests, almost one after another. He learned that the Queen did not smoke, so he did not smoke a single cigarette during the entire meeting and banquet. The Queen was touched by her great self-control, and after her visit to China, the Queen specifically mentioned the matter in her thank-you letter to Deng Xiaoping: "I hope that not smoking a cigarette has not made you too uncomfortable." Actually, we won't mind, but we still appreciate your kindness. ”
On October 15, on the fourth day of their arrival in China, the Queen and her party concluded their visit to Beijing and set off for Shanghai, Xi'an, Kunming and Guangzhou. Unlike Beijing, where itineraries are mostly linked to politics, the theme of visits to these places has become mainly to understand traditional Chinese culture and visit famous places.
Visiting 4 cities in 4 days, each of the Queen's itineraries is precise to the minute. In Guangzhou, the queen stayed for less than 9 hours, and Guangdong Province set up a special reception team for the reception. Every route and visiting point of the Queen in Guangzhou is inspected by the heads of reception at the provincial and municipal levels one by one. When the Queen's motorcade passed the bell tower in the center of Xi'an, thousands of people along the way released 500 auspicious pigeons, and the huge scene surprised the queen, especially asking the driver to slow down to show her gratitude. In Kunming, Yunnan Province, thousands of teenagers dressed in ethnic minority costumes were organized to go to the tarmac to welcome the queen. The reception ceremony in Guangzhou was even more innovative – Ye Dingding, the grandson of Ye Xuanping, then governor of Guangdong Province, presented flowers to the queen. Allegedly, this is hoping to add some warm family atmosphere to the welcome ceremony.
However, the most thrilling preparations took place after the Queen arrived in Shanghai. One day, the Queen's chief of guards left a note to the service staff after breakfast, saying that he hoped that "mangoes will appear on the Queen's breakfast table tomorrow." Because the hotel did not prepare mangoes, the manager of the Xijiao Hotel immediately reported the situation to Ge Fei, then director of the reception department of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee. Ge Fei "went through" the whole of Shanghai, and the result was still not. In desperation, Ge Fei immediately called the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, the other party said that there was, and told Ge Fei that President Li Xiannian was going to Shanghai to attend a banquet, and he could put the mango on Li Xiannian's special plane and bring it to Shanghai. The next day, the mango appeared on time at the Queen's table.
Arrive on October 12 and leave on October 18. The Queen has repeatedly revealed that her trip to China has left her with "beautiful and long memories". In order to thank the Chinese side for its hospitality, the Queen also held a special appreciation banquet. The appreciation banquet was held in the "sea", docked on the royal yacht "Britannia" at Yangshupu Pier in Shanghai.
● A little more knowledge| how to become a queen
In human history, after moving from a matriarchal society to a patrilineal society, the status of women has plummeted, and men have become the masters of the world. In the Eastern world, queens and empresses are mostly short-lived, such as Wu Zetian, who has been emperor for more than ten years. In European history, whether it is the ancient Greek, Roman, or medieval knighthood, the terms emperor and king have never been the patent of men, and queens and empresses are rare. However, women in many European countries have the right to inherit, which is the biggest difference with Asian women. Perhaps because of this, since the 14th century, more than 30 women in Europe have ascended to the throne. There are generally two ways: from princess to queen, or from queen to queen, the former is more common. Of course, there are also individual cases, such as Catherine II, who seized the throne in the form of a coup d'état. Although these queens are only a little red in the evergreen bush, most of them are still famous in history, such as Elizabeth I of Britain, Isabel I of Spain, and Catherine II of Russia, etc. are highly praised and are generally considered by historians to be one of the most outstanding emperors.
But the queen wants to ascend to the throne, usually by inheriting the throne. Even in Europe, it is a very complicated and even difficult thing. Due to the large number of marriages between the royal families of European countries, the marriage blood relationship has become more complicated. Thus, even in countries that allow women to inherit the throne, when the throne is vacated, there may be more than one or two people who claim to inherit the throne. Because of the succession problem, it even led to war. King Charles IV of France died in 1328 without heirs, succeeded by his cousin Philip, Duke of Valois, also known as Philip VI. Edward III, then King of England, considered himself the heir to the French throne because he was the nephew of Charles IV, the grandson of Philip IV, the father of the former King of France and charles IV, and all the children and grandchildren of Philip IV were dead, he was a single seedling, and Philip VI was only a collateral descendant of Philip IV. However, Philip VI believed that according to the French tradition, women could not inherit the throne, so they did not buy the account of the "grandson of Philip IV". The two countries have opened a long war spanning a hundred years in the dispute over the succession to the throne. The "War of the Austrian Succession" and the "Carlos War" in Spain were not triggered by women inheriting the throne. In fact, after the queen ascended the throne, in addition to not leading soldiers to fight, most of the other male monarchs can do well. However, some queens ceded the throne, or even the throne, to their husbands after marriage, such as Empress Maria Theresia of Austria; Some queens do not marry for life to ensure that the royal power will not fall, such as Russian Empress Yelisavita and Queen Elizabeth I.
The Queen is still alive today and is one of the fruits of the Bourgeois Revolution in England in the 17th century. These queens are present in countries with constitutional monarchies. There are currently 29 constitutional monarchies in the world that still have monarchies, of which 3 monarchs are women, namely Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Margaret II of Denmark and the recently abdicated Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. (Readers' Daily all-media reporter He Jian comprehensively sorted) (References: "Evening Qing" Xie Ruohan / Wen, "Decision" Yongtian / Wen, "See the World" Lao Duoji / Wen, "Leadership Wencui" Yi Xuan / Wen, "Talk" Li Banzi / Wen, "Overseas Nebula")