When we think of Queen Elizabeth II, we often picture her as the dutiful monarch who reigned over the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth for seven decades. However, behind the crown and the ceremonial duties, she was also a devoted daughter, loving wife, and caring mother. Her life was deeply intertwined with her family, and it is this personal side that truly humanises her and makes her such a beloved figure in British history.

A Devoted Daughter

Born on April 21, 1926, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She quickly became a great favourite of her grandfather, King George V.  She called him “Grandpa England”, and he called her his “sweet little Lilibet.” She was ten years old when her father unexpectedly ascended the throne, and she became the heir presumptive. Despite the weight of her future responsibilities, she remained a loving daughter, often accompanying her parents on official duties and learning the ropes of royal life.

Elizabeth's bond with her father was particularly strong. She admired his dedication to duty and his efforts to overcome his speech impediment. She spent a great deal of time with him, learning, first-hand, the duties and responsibilities of a constitutional monarch.  One of her earliest assignments came when she was eleven and he asked her to write a complete report of his coronation in 1937.  She wrote that she “thought it all very, very wonderful” but concluded that “the end of the service got rather boring as it was all prayers.”

When King George VI passed away in 1952, Elizabeth mourned him deeply. She honoured his legacy by dedicating herself to the role of Queen and Head of the Commonwealth with the same unwavering duty and commitment as he had done.

A Loving Wife

Elizabeth's love story with Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark began when she was a young girl. They first met at a family wedding in 1934 and later reconnected in 1939 when Elizabeth visited the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, where Philip was a cadet. During World War II, they exchanged letters, and their correspondence blossomed into a deep and enduring love. They were married on November 20, 1947.

As a couple, Elizabeth and Philip faced the challenges of royal life together. Philip, who gave up a promising naval career to support his wife, became her rock and confidant. Their marriage was a partnership built on mutual respect and shared values. They raised four children together: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. Despite the demands of their public roles, they always made time for family, often spending holidays at Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House.

A Caring Mother

As a mother, Queen Elizabeth II was deeply involved in the lives of her children. She balanced her royal duties with her parental responsibilities, ensuring that her children received a well-rounded education and upbringing.

King Charles III has often spoken of his mother's dedication and the values she instilled in him. He once recalled with great amusement that, when he was a small boy, she walked into the bathroom wearing King Edward’s crown as he was taking a bath. The crown was so heavy that she wanted to practice walking with it on her head before the Coronation! Many thought that the young prince was too young to attend the ceremony, but his mother insisted and arranged for him to receive a hand-painted children’s invitation.

In 1974, the Queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne, narrowly avoided a violent kidnapping just outside Buckingham Palace by refusing to get out of her chauffeur-driven limousine.  Her royal police protection officer, driver, journalist and policeman were all shot as they tried to intervene, but the gunman was eventually overpowered by a retired boxer, Ron Russell, who happened to be passing. Russell was later awarded the George Medal for his heroism and recalled that when the Queen presented it to him, she said, “The medal is from the Queen, the thank you is from Anne's mother."

When her former daughter-in-law, Princess Diana, died suddenly in a car accident in Paris in 1997, the Queen made an unprecedented live broadcast from Buckingham Palace on the eve of the funeral, paying tribute to her life and expressing her personal feelings as a grandmother.

The Queen's role as a mother extended to the eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren born during her reign. To them, she was known as ‘Ganny,’ or ‘Gan Gan’ and she took great pride in their achievements and milestones. The last great-grandchild born before her death was Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born in Santa Barbara, California, in June 2021. Her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, gave her the family nickname that the Queen had been called when she was a young child.

Her family was her anchor, providing her with love and support throughout her reign.

Family Life

In 1968, the Queen allowed film-makers unprecedented access to her family for a documentary which was watched by 37 million people in Britain.  The idea behind the film was to humanise the royal family by following them as they went about their daily lives, revealing that, behind all the pomp and the ceremony, they were a normal family like any other.  Record numbers tuned in to watch ‘Royal Family’ when it aired the following year. Among its many revelations was the fact that the Queen made her own salad dressing and that she stored leftover food in Tupperware containers to keep it fresh!

Arguably, the role of monarch is one of the highest-profile jobs in the world. The Queen travelled around the world more than any other monarch before her, and her portrait appeared on billions of coins, banknotes and stamps during her reign. Despite having the most recognisable face on the planet, the Queen was a deeply private woman who rarely invited the cameras to observe her with her family. In a speech in 1972, she said, “If I am asked what I think about family life after 25 years of marriage, I can answer with equal simplicity and conviction, I am for it.” 

Queen Elizabeth II's role as a family woman is a testament to her character and values. She was not just a monarch; she was a daughter who honoured her parents, a wife who cherished her husband, and a mother who nurtured her children. Her ability to balance her public duties with her private life made her relatable and beloved by many.

In the grand tapestry of British history, Queen Elizabeth II stands out not only for her long and dedicated reign but also for her unwavering commitment to her family. Her legacy is one of love, duty and devotion, and it is this human side that will be remembered and cherished for generations to come.