Queen Elizabeth II dead: Key dates in her life

Queen Elizabeth had one of the longest reigns by any head of state

Queen Elizabeth's death brings to an end the longest reign in the history of the United Kingdom. (Reuters)

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch, died on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was 96. Her reign was the longest in the history of the United Kingdom, and one of the longest reigns by any head of state. Here are some key moments in her life:

– Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926, christened on May 29 that year in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace.

– She became heir apparent when her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated on Dec. 11, 1936, and her father became King George VI. She was 10 years old.

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-She married navy lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at London’s Westminster Abbey on Nov. 20, 1947.

-They had four children: Prince Charles (born in 1948), Princess Anne (1950), Prince Andrew (1960) and Prince Edward (1964). Philip died in April 2021, aged 99.

-She ascended the throne on the death of her father on Feb. 6, 1952, while she was in Kenya on a royal tour.

-She was crowned on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.

-When she ascended the throne, Josef Stalin, Mao Zedong and Harry Truman were leading the Soviet Union, China and the US, while Winston Churchill was British PM.

-She has been served by 15 PMs.

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-On Sept. 9, 2015, she surpassed the 63 years, 7 months, 2 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes that her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria spent on the throne.

– Elizabeth remains queen of 15 realms, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada.

– She celebrated her Platinum Jubilee – the 70th anniversary of her accession – on Feb. 6, 2022.

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