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Elizabeth II
Introduction.
At the age of just 25, Elizabeth II became queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . She came to the throne after the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952. In 2015 she became the longest-reigning British monarch.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London, England, on April 21, 1926. The royal family belongs to the House of Windsor . Windsor is used as the family name, though the members of the family are known mostly by their given names. Elizabeth’s father was the second son of King George V, who died in 1936. George V’s oldest son reigned as King Edward VIII for only a short time. Then he surprised the world by giving up the throne. Elizabeth’s father took over as King George VI. As a result, the 10-year-old Elizabeth became next in line for the throne. The young princess began training for her future duties. She also studied history, languages, and music at home with her younger sister, Margaret Rose.
Marriage and Family
On February 6, 1952, King George VI died. Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II. Her coronation, or crowning ceremony, took place on June 2, 1953.
In 2002 Elizabeth reached her Golden Jubilee, or 50 years as queen. Only two other British monarchs had had a Golden Jubilee— George III in 1809 and Victoria in 1887. Both of those were celebrated with parties and fireworks displays. To mark Elizabeth’s anniversary in 2002, events were held throughout the United Kingdom.
Ten years later the queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years on the British throne. The official anniversary was in February 2012, but the major festivities took place in early June. The organized events included a parade of boats on the Thames River and a concert at Buckingham Palace, the queen’s home. In cities throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, people gathered to light a series of 2,012 beacons. (The Commonwealth is an association of countries that once were part of the British Empire.) On the final day of the celebration the queen appeared at several lunches, receptions, and a church service at Saint Paul’s Cathedral. Finally, a procession carried her back to Buckingham Palace, where she greeted the people of London from the balcony.
Queen Elizabeth died on September 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Her son Charles then became king of the United Kingdom.
Elizabeth’s funeral was held on September 19. Before that, thousands of people waited hours in line to walk past her casket. They came from all over the country to honor the queen. Her funeral took place in Westminster Abbey. After the ceremony her casket was brought to her burial place in Saint George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
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Queen Elizabeth II primary resource
Learn all about the life of the queen in this fun comic strip.
This primary resource explores significant events during the lifetime of Queen Elizabeth II. Discover the Queen’s life up until this comic strip was made for her Diamond Jubilee. When was the Queen born? How old was Elizabeth when she was crowned queen? Who did she marry?
Pupils will learn about the Queen’s childhood, coronation and recent life in our National Geographic Kids’ History primary resource sheet.
The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for a simple overview of Queen Elizabeth II’s life and reign. It can be used as a printed handout for each pupil to read themselves, or for display on the interactive whiteboard, as part of a whole class reading exercise.
Activity: Ask the children to choose a stage of the Queen’s life (e.g. childhood, during WWII, her coronation as a young adult, her marriage, etc.) and design a poster with some facts from this time. These could be used for a class display or timeline of her life. Pupils could use the resource as a starting point for their own research about the Queen, creating their own comic strip showing events in the Queen’s life since the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
N.B. The following information for mapping the resource documents to the school curriculum is specifically tailored to the English National Curriculum and Scottish Curriculum for Excellence . We are currently working to bring specifically tailored curriculum resource links for our other territories; including South Africa , Australia and New Zealand . If you have any queries about our upcoming curriculum resource links, please email: [email protected]
This History primary resource assists with teaching the following History objectives from the National Curriculum :
- Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
- Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales
National Curriculum Key Stage 1 History objective:
- Pupils should be taught: significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
- Pupils should be taught: the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods [for example, Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria]
National Curriculum Key Stage 2 History objective:
- Pupils should be taught a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066
This primary resource also assists with teaching the following English objectives from the National Curriculum :
- Comprehension skills develop through pupils’ experience of high-quality discussion with the teacher, as well as from reading and discussing a range of stories, poems and non-fiction. All pupils must be encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum
As a British values primary resource , this resource sheet assists with promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC (spiritual, moral, social and cultural development) in schools using the following OFSTED assessment criteria:
- Schools should promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
- Through their provision of SMSC, schools should: encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.
This History primary resource assists with teaching the following Social Studies Second level objective from the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence :
- I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence
- I can compare and contrast a society in the past with my own and contribute to a discussion of the similarities and differences
As a British values primary resource , this resource sheet assists with promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC (spiritual, moral, social and cultural development) in schools using the following OFSTED assessment criteria:
Through their provision of SMSC, schools should:
- enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England
- further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures
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Queen Elizabeth I
Who was Queen Elizabeth I?
Elizabeth I was one of the most famous queens England ever had. She was the last Tudor monarch (a monarch is a king or queen).
Elizabeth I was King Henry VIII ’s youngest daughter, and her mother was Anne Boleyn.
The 44 years in which Elizabeth I ruled England are called the Golden Age, because England was very prosperous.
Top 10 facts
- Elizabeth was born on 7 September 1533. Her mother was Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII ’s second wife.
- Elizabeth had a half-sister, Mary, and a half-brother, Edward. Both ruled England before she became queen.
- Elizabeth I was the last Tudor monarch – she never married.
- Elizabeth I is famous for having red hair, like her father Henry VIII.
- During Elizabeth I's reign lots of English explorers searched for new lands and treasures. The explorer Sir Francis Drake was knighted by Elizabeth for services to his country.
- The time when Elizabeth I was Queen is known as England’s Golden Age.
- In 1588 the King of Spain, Philip I, sent a fleet of ships called the Armada to invade England , but they were defeated. Elizabeth gave a famous speech to encourage her troops at Tilbury.
- Elizabeth I wore thick white makeup to cover up scars on her face leftover from when she had smallpox.
- There were quite a few plots to assassinate Elizabeth I and put her cousin Mary Queen of Scots on the throne instead. The most famous is the Babington Plot.
- Elizabeth I died on 24 March 1603. She is buried in Westminster Abbey.
- 7 September 1533 Elizabeth I was born in Greenwich
- 17 November 1558 Queen Mary I died
- 15 January 1559 Elizabeth I was officially crowned queen (coronated)
- 1562 Elizabeth I became very ill with smallpox
- 1577-1580 Sir Francis Drake sailed around the world
- 1583 The Throckmorton Plot was discovered
- 1584 The Bond of Association became law, meaning that anyone involved in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth I and rule England instead would be put to death
- 1586 The Babington Plot was organised, and discovered by Sir Francis Walsingham
- 8 February 1587 Mary Queen of Scots was executed at Fotheringay Castle in Northamptonshire
- 1596-1597 The Spanish sent two more Armadas, and both were defeated
- 30 November, 1601 Elizabeth I gave her Golden Speech to Parliament
- 24 March 1603 Elizabeth I died
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Did you know?
- Elizabeth I did a lot of travelling around England. You may spot signs saying ‘Queen Elizabeth I slept here’ around the country!
- Elizabeth could speak six languages!
- Elizabeth I had red hair. She wore a wig because that’s what rich people in Tudor times did, and even her wig was red.
- Elizabeth I is also called the Virgin Queen because she never married. Her other nickname is Good Queen Bess.
- The time when Elizabeth I was queen is also called the Elizabethan Era.
- The state of Virginia in America is named after Queen Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen.
- Elizabeth I signed her name in a very pretty way, with lots of zigzags at the end of the first ‘e’ and ‘z’ and an uppercase ‘R’ at the end – the R stands for ‘regina’, which is the Latin word for queen.
- None of Queen Elizabeth I’s dresses are still around today, but we know what she wore because of what we can see in paintings. Her clothes were very beautiful, and decorated with jewels and pretty designs.
- Smallpox was a very serious disease in Tudor times that gave people blisters all over their face and skin. Elizabeth I caught it too – she got better, but had scars on her face that she covered with white makeup for the rest of her life.
Have a look through the gallery and see if you can spot all the following:
- A painting of Queen Elizabeth I around 1565-1570
- A portrait of Queen Elizabeth I around 1573-1575
- Queen Elizabeth I, painted by an unknown artist around 1585-1595
- Queen Elizabeth I in 1588, painted after the Spanish Armada victory
- Queen Elizabeth I around 1600
- King Henry VIII
- Anne Boleyn
- Queen Mary I
- King Edward VI
- Sir Francis Drake
Elizabeth I’s mother, Anne Boleyn, was put to death by Henry VIII, Elizabeth’s father. Princess Elizabeth was only three years old when this happened, so she didn’t really know her mum.
Elizabeth I led England into a Golden Age. Explorers set up colonies overseas, and claimed land in the name of England. There was more trade with foreign countries, which brought in foods and goods that people had never seen before. English literature, music and art also flourished.
Elizabeth I was very interested in helping poor people have a better life. She passed laws that gave poor people and children a chance to work or to learn a new trade, and set up hospitals and orphanages to look after poor people who were too young, old or sick to work. But, if people who were poor, healthy and didn’t want to do any work at all would be punished and sent to prison!
Elizabeth I was known for being a good public speaker. Two of her most famous speeches are:
- The Speech to the Troops at Tilbury in 1588 during the attacks by the Spanish Armada
- The Golden Speech in 1601, which was like a farewell speech to government leaders – she spoke about how she much she loved working with them, and serving England.
The Throckmorton plot in the early 1580s was a plan to have Elizabeth I assassinated, and put her cousin Mary Queen of Scots on the throne instead. Mary was Catholic, and had important Catholic nobles helping her in this plan – King Philip II from Spain, Henry I from France, and even the Pope. Sir Francis Throckmorton was a Spaniard who sent messages between Mary Queen of Scots and King Philip II’s ambassador.
It was thanks to Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth I’s secretary of state, that the Throckmorton Plot was discovered. He also organised for the Bond of Association to become law in 1584, meaning that anyone who plotted to assassinate Elizabeth I or try to rule England instead would be put to death.
In 1586, Sir Francis Walsingham discovered another plot that also involved assassinating Elizabeth I and having Mary Queen of Scot s rule instead. It was also supported by Philip II from Spain, and led by a man called Sir Anthony Babington. Sir Francis discovered the Babington Plot by reading secret letters between Mary and the plotters – they were written in code, so he had to decipher that first. Mary and the plotters didn’t know that Sir Francis was reading their letters, which were sent back and forth in waterproof cases inside beer barrels.
Because of the Bond of Association, everyone involved with the Babington Plot was arrested and executed in 1586, including Mary Queen of Scots in 1587. Elizabeth I had to approve her cousin’s death warrant, which wasn’t easy.
In 1588, the Spanish sent a fleet of ships to England to try to start a war, but they were defeated by the English at sea. One way that the English fought against them was to set fire to some of their own boats and push them straight into where the Spanish boats were. It meant that the Spanish Armada had to sail in all different directions to protect themselves, which gave English warships a chance to organise themselves for battle.
Sir Francis Drake was the second person to sail around the world, also called circumnavigation. Ferdinand Magellan from Portugal was the first person we know of to sail around the world.
Famous friends:
Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596) – Sir Francis Drake was the first English person to sail around the world. He helped to defeat the first Spanish Armada in 1588.
Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1554-1618) – Sir Walter Raleigh was a famous explorer and trader, and began colonies in America. He named the state of Virginia after Elizabeth I.
Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587) – Mary Stuart was Queen Mary I of Scotland, and more famously known as Mary, Queen of Scots. She was involved in plots to assassinate Elizabeth I and take the throne instead. It was because of the last plot – the Babbington Plot – that she was arrested and put to death.
Robert Dudley (1532- 1588) – Robert Dudley was a very close friend of Elizabeth I, and was a trusted advisor. Some people thought Elizabeth I wanted to marry him.
Sir Francis Walsingham (c. 1532-1590) – Sir Francis Walsingham was Elizabeth I’s secretary of state, and is known as her spymaster for his role in stopping plots to have Elizabeth I assassinated. The most famous is the Babington Plot, when he decoded secret messages sent between Mary Queen of Scots and the plotters.
Robert Cecil (1563-1612) – Robert Cecil was William Cecil’s son, and one of Elizabeth I’s advisors. Sir Francis Walsingham trained him to be a spymaster, as he was, and keep the queen safe.
William Cecil (1521-1598) – William Cecil was Elizabeth I’s main advisor. He helped Sir Francis Walsingham stop plots to assassinate Elizabeth I, such as the Babington Plot.
Related Videos
Just for fun...
- There are lots of myths about Elizabeth I . Are any of them true?
- Who is wooing Elizabeth I in a Horrible Histories video?
- Find out about the lives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I and learn a ceremonial tune inspired by the rhythm of a Tudor pavan with a KS1 song
- Follow a step-by-step guide to drawing Elizabeth I
- Take a quiz to see how much you've learned about Elizabeth I
Best children's books about Elizabeth I
Find out more
- Read an introduction to Tudor England and find out about family life, education, work, city life, religion and court life in Tudor times
- Watch the BBC Bitesize introduction to Elizabeth I for KS1 and the BBC Bitesize videos about the Elizabethan era and the life of Elizabeth I
- A children's guide to Elizabeth I's reign
- Read detailed biography of Elizabeth I
- Barney Harwood presents a brief guide to the action-packed reign of Elizabeth I in a BBC Schools Radio programme
- Look through an interactive timeline of Elizabeth I's life from the BBC
- Watch an animated video about the life of Elizabeth I
- The National Portrait Gallery has 135 different portraits of Elizabeth I ; you can also see a portrait of Elizabeth I when she was a Princess in 1546
- Queen Elizabeth I’s Golden Speech
- Read children's books about the Tudors and the reign of Elizabeth I
- Elizabeth I, Queen of England
- Listen to Queen Elizabeth I's famous Tilbury speech rallying her troops before the invasion of the Spanish Armada in 1588
- Find out about Elizabeth I and Shakespeare
- Investigate the issues faced by England’s most famous Tudor Queen , find out about Elizabeth I in her own words and read a collection of documents from Elizabeth I's reign
- Examine Elizabeth I's clothes to find out more about her
- See a 1590 map of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
See for yourself
- Visit Hatfield House , where Elizabeth I grew up
- Elizabeth I was imprisoned by her sister Mary I in the Tower of London
- See the famous Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I, on public display in the Queen's Presence Chamber in the Queen's House in Greenwich
Give your child a headstart
- FREE articles & expert information
- FREE resources & activities
- FREE homework help
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Lady Jane Grey (reigned as Queen for just 9 days.) Age 25-69. Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Unmarried. Buried in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth I - the last Tudor monarch - was born at Greenwich Palace on 7 September 1533, the younger daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. When Elizabeth came to the throne, she was 25.
Elizabeth II - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help ... Elizabeth II
Her reign began on the 6th February 1952. Queen Elizabeth II was Britain's longest-reigning monarch, beating Queen Victoria 's record of 63 years and seven months on the throne. In 2022 she celebrated her Platinum Jubilee (70 years on the throne), the first British monarch to do so.
The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for a simple overview of Queen Elizabeth II's life and reign. It can be used as a printed handout for each pupil to read themselves, or for display on the interactive whiteboard, as part of a whole class reading exercise. Activity: Ask the children to choose a stage of the Queen's life ...
Top 10 facts. Elizabeth was born on 7 September 1533. Her mother was Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII 's second wife. Elizabeth had a half-sister, Mary, and a half-brother, Edward. Both ruled England before she became queen. Elizabeth I was the last Tudor monarch - she never married. Elizabeth I is famous for having red hair, like her father Henry VIII.
Who was Queen Elizabeth II? Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor AKA Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. She was born on 21st April 1926, the first child of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Elizabeth II married Philip Mountbatten in 1947 and have four children together: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince ...
The George Cross has been awarded directly to 155 people, 84 posthumously (awarded after the person had died), and was bestowed (awarded) on over 100 recipients during the Second World War. Facts about King George VI. King George was born in 1895 and ruled 1936-52) His great-grandmother was Queen Victoria. He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon ...
Elizabeth Windsor has undoubtedly lived an extraordinary life, one that will be remembered, celebrated, and recalled for centuries to come. Beyond's latest KS3 reading comprehension, more of which can be found here, explores the extraordinary life of Queen Elizabeth II, delving into her early life and ascension to the throne, along with all manner of interesting tidbits. Fully differentiated ...
We have fun activities about lots of other famous people too! From scientists and explorers to politicians and royals, you can find more information on our Famous Figures Homework Help page. Instant access to inspirational lesson plans, schemes of work, assessment, interactive activities, resource packs, PowerPoints, teaching ideas at Twinkl!
Elizabeth I introduction. **AQA GCSE 9-1 Elizabethan England, 1568-1603 **. The overarching aim of this and the subsequent lessons is to question and explore how Elizabeth tried to assert and establish her authority in the early years of her reign. The lessons are therefore linked together to build up a picture of her difficulties in trying to ...
Updated: 7th July 2023. Elizabeth I was the second daughter of Henry VIII. Her life was turbulent from her earliest years following the beheading of her mother Anne Boleyn. However, Elizabeth would outlast her squabbling half-siblings to become one of the greatest monarchs to rule England.
Elizabeth I Bundle. This bundle follows the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum - the development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745 including the Elizabethan religious settlement and conflict with Catholics (including Scotland, Spain and Ireland). The aims of this bundle are to know and understand how peoples' lives were shaped by ...
Queen Elizabeth I; Queen Elizabeth II; Fanny Eaton; Florence Nightingale; Harriet Tubman; ... Welcome to the Primary School section of the Homework Help For Kids website! Search. ... Homework Help For Kids is a website that provides information to help you with your piles of homework. We've been doing this since 2013, with this website and an ...
Queen Elizabeth II's coronation was one of the biggest events of the 20th century. It took place on the 2nd June 1953 and was watched by people across the world. Context King George's death King George VI died on 6th February 1952 of lung cancer. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were in Kenya when he […]
Homepage Homework Help Famous Figures Queen Elizabeth II Activities. Share this homework help: Chapters. ... Need some help with your homework, or just want to learn more? Take a look at our resources here: ... Educake Assessment for Secondary & Primary; Standards. International School Curriculums; Europe;
Resources included (8) Elizabethan England: Tudor Entertainment. Elizabethan England: Poverty and the Poor Laws. Elizabethan England: What caused the Spanish Armada? (Skills lesson) Elizabethan England: Events of the Spanish Armada 1588 (Narrative Account skills lesson) Elizabethan England: Mary Queen of Scots. Elizabethan England: Education.
Queen Elizabeth II Coins Worksheet 1 review. Explore more than 229 "Queen Elizabeth 1" resources for teachers, parents and pupils as well as related resources on "Queen Elizabeth I". Instant access to inspirational lesson plans, schemes of work, assessment, interactive activities, resource packs, PowerPoints, teaching ideas at Twinkl!
4.9 (127 reviews) EYFS Remembering Queen Elizabeth II PowerPoint. 4.9 (94 reviews) Remembering Queen Elizabeth II: Thinking of You Cards. 4.8 (128 reviews) Transition in Monarchy - NewsRoom Reading Comprehension Pack (ages 9-11) 5.0 (24 reviews) KS1 The Royal Family Differentiated Reading Comprehension Bumper Pack. Royal Afternoon Tea Pack.
Scroll down a famous sunset boulevard hangout spot for cushing had swollen homework help queen elizabeth 1 primary homework help queen victoria the character. She was the last Tudor monarch (a monarch is a king or queen). Queen elizabeth 1 primary homework help - 4.
Elizabeth I was 69 years old when she died. Elizabeth I was a middle child. Can you name her older sister and younger brother? (1 point for each of their names) Mary and Edward. One of Elizabeth I's favourite pieces of jewellery was a ring with two portraits painted inside of it.