The Queen's birthday - 85 facts you should know about The Queen - Telegraph Queen Elizabeth II The Queen's birthday - 85 facts you should know about The Queen The Queen will celebrate her 85th birthday today by attending the traditional Royal Maundy Service at Westminster Abbey. Below of 85 facts you should know about the Queen. The Queen is celebrating her 85th birthday Photo: AFP 7:00AM BST 21 Apr 2011 Early years 1. The Queen was born at 2.40am on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London. 2. She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. 3. At the time she stood third in line of succession to the throne after Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and her father, The Duke of York. But it was not expected that her father would become King, or that she would become Queen. 4. The Princess was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace.

She was named after her mother, while her two middle names are those of her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, and paternal grandmother, Queen Mary. Related Articles The truth about growing old 24 Apr 2011 5. The Princess's early years were spent at 145 Piccadilly, the London house taken by her parents shortly after her birth, and at White Lodge in Richmond Park. 6. When she was six years old, her parents took over Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park as their own country home 7. Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her younger sister. 8. She received tuition from her father, as well as sessions with Henry Marten, the Vice-Provost of Eton. She was also instructed in religion by the Archbishop of Canterbury. 9. Princess Elizabeth also learned French from a number of French and Belgian governesses. It is a skill which has stood The Queen in good stead, as she often has cause to use it when speaking to ambassadors and heads of state from French-speaking countries, and when visiting French-speaking areas of Canada. 10. Princess Elizabeth enrolled as a Girl Guide when she was eleven, and later became a Sea Ranger. 11.

In 1940, at the height of the Blitz, the young Princesses were moved for their safety to Windsor Castle, where they spent most of the war years. A Royal romance 12. The Queen is the first British monarch to have celebrated a Diamond Wedding Anniversary. 13.Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip first met when they attended the wedding of Prince Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece to The Duke of Kent, who was an uncle of Princess Elizabeth, in 1934. 14.The engagement between Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten RN was announced on the 9th July, 1947. Prince Philip was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. He joined the Royal Navy in 1939 and after the war, in February 1947, became a naturalised British subject. Prince Philip was required to choose a surname in order to continue his career in the Royal Navy, and adopted Mountbatten, the name of his mother's British relatives. He was created "Duke of Edinburgh" by King George VI on marriage.

15.The platinum and diamond engagement ring was made by the jewellers, Philip Antrobus Ltd, using diamonds from a tiara belonging to Prince Philip's mother. 16.Prince Philip had two stag parties the night before the wedding - the first at the Dorchester to which the press were invited and the second with his closest friends at the Belfry Club. 17.The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were married in Westminster Abbey on the 20th November, 1947 at 11.30am with 2000 invited guests. 18..The eight bridesmaids were: HRH The Princess Margaret, HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambart, The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten, The Hon. Margaret Elphinstone, The Hon. Diana Bowes-Lyon. 19.There were two pages: HRH Prince William of Gloucester (aged 5) and HRH Prince Michael of Kent (aged 5). 20.The Queen's wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell. Norman Hartnell submitted designs for the dress in August 1947.

21.The fabric for the dress was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the Canmore factory, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle. 22..The Queen's Bridal Veil was made of tulle and held by a tiara of diamonds. This tiara (which can also be worn as a necklace) was made for Queen Mary in 1919. It is made from re-used diamonds taken from a necklace/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood and Co and a wedding present for Queen Mary in 1893. In August, 1936, Queen Mary gave the tiara to Queen Elizabeth from whom it was borrowed by Princess Elizabeth for her wedding in 1947. 23.The grave of the Unknown Warrior was the only stone that was not covered by the special carpet in the Abbey. The day after the wedding, Princess Elizabeth followed a Royal tradition started by her mother, of sending her wedding bouquet back to the Abbey to be laid on this grave.

24.The bride's wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from the Clogau St David's mine near Dolgellau. 25..Around 10,000 telegrams of congratulations were received at Buckingham Palace and the Royal couple received over 2,500 wedding presents from well-wishers around the world. 26..As well as jewellery from their close relatives, including the King and Queen, the couple received many useful items for the kitchen and home, including salt cellars from the Queen, a bookcase from Queen Mary, and a picnic case from Princess Margaret. 27.The "wedding breakfast" (lunch) was held after the marriage ceremony at Westminster Abbey in the Ball Supper-room at Buckingham Palace. The menu was Filet de Sole Mountbatten, Perdreau en Casserole, Bombe Glacee Princess Elizabeth. 28.The couple departed Waterloo station with the Princess's corgi, Susan, for their honeymoon. 29.The newlyweds spent their wedding night at Broadlands in Hampshire, home of Prince Philip's uncle Earl Mountbatten. The second part of the honeymoon was spent at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate.

30.Early in 1948 the couple leased their first marital home, Windlesham Moor, in Surrey, near Windsor Castle, where they stayed until they moved to Clarence House on 4th July 1949. 31.After marrying Princess Elizabeth, The Duke of Edinburgh continued his naval career, reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Commander in command of the frigate HMS Magpie. 32.Although he was The Queen's husband, The Duke of Edinburgh was not crowned or anointed at the Coronation ceremony in 1953. He was the first subject to pay Homage to Her Majesty, and kiss the newly crowned Queen by stating "I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, do become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship; and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of folks. So help me God." 33.Prince Philip has accompanied The Queen on all her Commonwealth tours and State visits, as well as on public engagements in all parts of the UK.

The first of these was the Coronation tour of the Commonwealth from November 1953 to May 1954, when the couple visited Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar, travelling a distance of 43,618 miles. 34. The Coronation took place in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. It was a solemn ceremony conducted by Dr Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury. 35. The Coronation was followed by drives through every part of London, a review of the fleet at Spithead, and visits to Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. 36.The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have four children: Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales (b. 1948), Princess Anne, The Princess Royal (b. 1950), Prince Andrew, The Duke of York (b. 1960), and Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex (b. 1964).

37.With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, The Queen became the first reigning Sovereign to give birth to a child since Queen Victoria, whose youngest child, Princess Beatrice, was born in 1857. 38.The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have eight grandchildren - Peter Phillips (b. 1977), Zara Phillips (b. 1981) Prince William (b. 1982), Prince Harry (b. 1984), Princess Beatrice (b. 1988), Princess Eugenie (b. 1990), Lady Louise Windsor (b. 2003) and James, Viscount Severns (b. 2007) She has one great-grandchild Savannah (b. 2011) Queen's speeches 39. The Queen has delivered a Christmas message every year except in 1969, when she decided the royals had been on TV enough after an unprecedented family documentary. Her greeting took the form of a written address. 40. In her 1991 message, the Queen silenced rumours of abdication as she pledged to continue to serve. 41.

The Queen issued a writ against The Sun newspaper after it published the full text of her 1992 broadcast two days before transmission. She later accepted an apology and a £200,000 donation to charity. 42. The Queen's grandfather, King George V, delivered the first royal Christmas broadcast live on the radio from Sandringham in 1932. 43. George V was at first unsure about using the relatively untried medium of the wireless, but eventually agreed. 44. There was no Christmas broadcast in 1936 or 1938, and it was the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 that firmly established the tradition. 45. Last year the Queen delivered her address from Hampton Court Palace - the first time the historic building had been used. 46 The speech is written by the Queen and each has a strong religious framework, reflects current issues and often draws on her own experiences. Interest and hobbies 48. An animal lover since childhood, The Queen takes a keen and highly knowledgeable interest in horses.

As an owner and breeder of thoroughbreds, she often visits other race meetings to watch her horses run, and also frequently attends equestrian events. 49. She attends the Derby at Epsom, one of the classic flat races in Britain, and the Summer Race Meeting at Ascot, which has been a Royal occasion since 1911. 50. The Queen's horses won races at Royal Ascot on a number of occasions. There was a notable double on 18 June 1954 when Landau won the Rous Memorial Stakes and a stallion called Aureole won the Hardwicke Stakes, and in 1957 The Queen had four winners during Ascot week. 51. Other interests include walking in the countryside and working her Labradors, which were bred at Sandringham. 52. A lesser known interest is Scottish country dancing. Each year during her stay at Balmoral Castle, The Queen gives dances known as Gillies' Balls, for neighbours, estate and Castle staff and members of the local community. 53. The Queen is the only person in Britain who can drive without a licence or a registration number on her car.

And she doesn't have a passport. 54. The Queen is patron to more than 600 charities 55. To formally greet the Queen men should perform a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. On presentation to The Queen, the correct formal address is 'Your Majesty' and subsequently 'Ma'am'. Fashion 56. Norman Hartnell, who first worked for the then Princess Elizabeth in the 1940s, produced many of the finest evening dresses in Her Majesty’s wardrobe. His signature style of the 1940s and 1950s was full-skirted dresses in sumptuous silks and duchesse satins 57. Hardy Amies began designing clothes for The Queen in the early 1950s and established his name with the deceptive simplicity of his accomplished tailoring. The portraits by Cecil Beaton released to mark Her Majesty’s birthday in 1969 the are amongst the most memorable designs by Hardy Amies. 58. n the 1970s The Queen awarded her patronage to Ian Thomas, who was an assistant designer to Norman Hartnell before setting up his own salon.

Thomas’s flowing chiffon dresses from the 1970s reflect the relaxed style of the decade. Maureen Rose of the same house continued to design for Her Majesty after Ian’s death until the late 80’s. 59. Between 1988 and 1996, Her Majesty’s dresses were designed by John Anderson. His business partner Karl Ludwig Rehse took over the mantle after his death in 1988 and the Queen still wears his designs today. 60. Stewart Parvin, the youngest of Her Majesty’s designers, trained at Edinburgh College of Art. He began to design for The Queen in 2000 and continues to do so. 61. Angela Kelly is Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser to The Queen. Her role includes designing for The Queen, which she has done since 2002. Angela and her team try and use both old and new fabrics when designing. Some of the material they incorporate has been given to Her Majesty many years ago, some dates from when she was Princess Elizabeth. Birthdays 62. The Queen celebrates two birthdays each year: her actual birthday on 21 April and her official birthday on a Saturday in June.

63. The Queen usually spends her actual birthday privately, but the occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London at midday: a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London. 64. In 2006, Her Majesty celebrated her 80th Birthday in 2006 with a walkabout in the streets outside of Windsor Castle to meet well-wishers. 65. On her official birthday, Her Majesty is joined by other members of the Royal Family at the spectacular Trooping the Colour parade which moves between Buckingham Palace, The Mall and Horseguards’ Parade. And the rest... 66. Queen Elizabeth II is the fortieth monarch since William the Conqueror 67. She has visited Australia 15 times, Canada 23 times, Jamaica six times and New Zealand ten times 68. She has sent around 100,000 telegrams to centenarians in the UK and the Commonwealth 69. The Queen has launched 23 ships and met five astronauts at Buckingham Palace 70.

She first flew in an aeroplane in July 1945 71. She is the only British monarch in history properly trained to change a spark plug 72. On VE Day she and her sister slipped into the crowd to celebrate 73. She collected clothing coupons for her wedding dress 74. The Queen has a bank account at Coutts & Co. There is a Coutts cash-dispensing machine in Buckingham Palace 75. The Queen celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2002, including visiting 70 cities and towns around the UK 76. Tony Blair was the first prime minister to be born during her reign, which has already seen nine prime ministers 77. The Queen has sat through 91 state banquets and posed for 139 official portraits 78. Technically The Queen still owns the sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the waters around the UK which are recognised as 'Fishes Royal'. She also owns all wild 'mute' swans living in open water. 79.

The Queen introduced a new breed of dog known as the "dorgi", when one of the corgis mated with a dachshund named Pipkin 80. The Queen is the first British monarch to see three of her children divorce 81. She demoted a footman for feeding her corgis whisky 82. The Queen has nine Royal thrones - One at the House of Lords, two at Westminster Abbey, and six in the throne room at Buckingham Palace. 83. She is a Patron of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association. One of the Queen's birds is called Sandringham Lightning 84. There have been six Archbishops of Canterbury during the Queen's reign 85. The Queen is 5ft 4 inches or 160cm tall. What happens when Queen Elizabeth II dies - Business Insider print Stefano Pozzebon/Business Insider, Getty Images UPDATE: A new, revised, and expanded version of this story was published on December 27, 2016.

Click here to read it » Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of this Realm and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, is not going to live forever. Since ascending to the throne in 1952, the monarch has seen 12 Prime Ministers serve Britain, and lived through another 12 US Presidents. She's now 88. At some point — not for many years yet, we hope — Queen Elizabeth II's reign will come to an end. But what happens then? For at least 12 days — between her passing, the funeral and beyond — Britain will grind to a halt. It'll cost the British economy billions in lost earnings. And both the funeral and the subsequent coronation will become formal national holidays, each with an estimated economic hit to GDP of between £1.2 and £6 billion as banks and the stock markets close, to say nothing of organisational costs. But to focus on the financial disruption doesn't begin to describe the sheer magnitude of it. It will be an event unlike anything Britain has ever seen before. There will be trivial disruptions — the BBC will cancel all comedy shows, for example — and jarring cultural changes.

Prince Charles may change his name, for instance, and the words of the national anthem will be changed, too. The deaths of Princess Diana and the Queen Mother both brought on waves of public mourning and hysteria. But the Queen, due to her longevity and fundamental place atop British society, will be on a whole new level above that. The vast majority of British people have simply never known life without the Queen. It will be a strange, uncertain time. Stefano Pozzebon/Business Insider Buckingham Palace. FLICKR/Alessandro Casagrande Much depends on the manner of the Queen's passing. If it's expected (from a long illness, say), then detailed plans will have been put in place for handling it and making the announcement. These plans are already being made: Inside Buckingham Palace, arrangements for after the Queen's passing and the subsequent succession are known as the "Bridge." But if it's sudden, unexpected, or even in public — as was the case with Princess Diana's death in 1997 — then the news will get out immediately, in an unplanned, uncontrolled fashion. Either way, the majority of staff at the Palace and associated institutions will be immediately sent home.

The Royal Court has a staff hotline for distributing news and instructions to employees in the event of occasions like this. (Many of the details in this story were provided to Business Insider by a former staff member of the Palace.) Assuming the Queen's passing was expected, the news will spread at first via the main TV channels. All BBC channels will stop their programming and show the BBC1 feed for the announcement. The other independent channels won't be obligated to interrupt their regular programming. But they almost certainly will. This is how the BBC initially announced the death of the Queen Mother in 2002: At the BBC, anchors actively practice for the eventuality of the Monarch's passing so they won't be caught unaware on their shifts. The BBC's Peter Sissons was heavily criticised for wearing a red tie to announce the Queen Mother's passing (as seen above), and the BBC now keeps black ties and suits at the ready at all times. Presenters also run drills in which they're required to make sudden "spoof" announcements that are never broadcast. All comedy will be cancelled There will be no Charlie Chaplin for weeks.

surfstyle/Flickr (CC) The last death of a Monarch was in 1952, and the BBC stopped all comedy for a set period of mourning after the announcement was made. The Daily Mail reports that the BBC plans to do the same again today, cancelling all comedy until after the funeral. CNN has pre-recorded "packages" on the Queen's life ready to be aired at a moment's notice, we're told — and so will every other major news channel. Some businesses may choose to close if the announcement happens during working hours. The protocols government bodies will follow will emanate from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (though they may also originate from the Palace). But the immediate government response beyond official statements of condolences will be hard to predict, the former palace employee we spoke to said. The last monarch died in 1952; procedures that seemed apt then may be woefully antiquated today. Whatever happens formally, the shock on the day of the Queen's passing will see Britain effectively cease to function. The day of the funeral, around two weeks later, will be declared a bank holiday, but "shell-shocked" mourning will continue throughout this time.

A brief resurrection of the British Empire The Union Jack flies at half-mast over the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London. Carl Court/Getty Images Given the Queen's international significance, it will almost certainly be the top news story across the entire world. It will trend globally on social media. After all, Britain has a massive overseas presence — not just via its embassies, but also former colonies and the Commonwealth, which swears loyalty to the crown, and more informally in any country where English is spoken. The British Empire once covered a quarter of the earth's landmass and for a brief, surreal period it will feel as if the Empire still exists, as all its former subjects will turn toward Britain for the news. A former ambassador we spoke to said what will happen overseas depends on the manner of the Queen's passing. If it has been long-expected, there will be detailed plans and procedures in place. If it's sudden, overseas posts will look to the Foreign Office for urgent guidance. A few things will definitely happen overseas: Social functions will be cancelled. The Union Jack flag will be flown at half-mast until after the funeral (this will also happen at home in the UK). Officials will enter a period of mourning, and dress appropriately.

Condolence books will be prepared for visitors to leave messages in. But the ambassador also stressed there is a massive amount of uncertainty as to what will actually happen. It has been more than 60 years since the last monarch died. Society has changed a huge amount in that time. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. What will happen inside the Palace? Behind closed doors at the Palace St. James's Palace. Elisa.rolle/Wikimedia Commons Once the majority of the staff are out the way and the public tourist attractions are closed, an Accession Council will be held at St. James's Palace to declare the successor formally — Prince Charles, barring any unforeseen circumstances. The Accession Council will be attended by Privy Councillors, Lords, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, and High Commissioners of certain Commonwealth countries, amongst others. This council is not required to make Queen Elizabeth II's successor "official" however — Charles will become the monarch from the moment of her passing. There is never not a Sovereign on the throne. This is also why the the Royal Standard is never flown at half-mast (unlike the Union Jack).

Charles could change his name It's also worth discussing the possibility of the crown "leapfrogging" Charles in favour of his son, Prince William — a possibility that has been discussed in the media repeatedly . The Royal Standard, as flown in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and overseas (a variant is employed in Scotland). Barryop/Wikimedia Commons This would cause a constitutional crisis, and definitely will not happen. Prince William himself has said there is "no question" of it happening. Instead, Prince William will become the new Prince of Wales — Charles' current role. At the council, the new Monarch (presumably Charles) will swear loyalty to Parliament, and to the Church of England. He will also become the new Supreme Governor of the church.

(Catholics cannot ascend to the throne.) The council will also make a "Proclamation of Accession." This was the most recent Proclamation, from when Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne: Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lord King George the Sixth of Blessed and Glorious memory, by whose Decease the Crown is solely and rightfully come to the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary: WE, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm, being here assisted with these His late Majesty's Privy Council, with representatives of other Members of the Commonwealth, with other Principal Gentlemen of Quality, with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of London, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of this Realm and of all Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom Her lieges do acknowledge all Faith and constant Obedience with hearty and humble Affection, beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign, to

 bless the Royal Princess Elizabeth the Second with long and happy Years to reign over us.

Charles won't necessarily become "King Charles," however. Upon ascending to the Throne, royals may pick their "regnal" name from any of their Christian or middle names. Arthur Bousfield and Gary Toffoli write that when Queen Elizabeth II was asked, she opted for "my own of course — what else?" But if Prince Charles felt inclined to change, as Charles Philip Arthur George, he could also be "King Philip," "King Arthur," or "King George." The Queen will lie in state King George V lies in state in Westminster Hall in 1936. Leonard Bentley/Flickr (CC) As these discussions are ongoing, the Queen's coffin will be prepared to lie in state — that is, to be presented for public viewing so people can pay their respects. Before this, however, both Houses of Parliament will sit, or be recalled if necessary. Members will have the opportunity to take a new oath of allegiance to the new Monarch. All MPs must swear allegiance to the present Monarch — though some republican MPs will cross their fingers when making the 500-year-old oath .

Members of both houses will also present addresses of condolences and loyalty to the new Sovereign, a House of Lords spokesperson told me, in a format that is yet to be determined. After this, both Houses will be suspended until after the official State Funeral. The Queen's body will lie in state in Westminster Hall. There will be a short ceremony to mark the coffin's arrival, after which the public will be able to file past and pay their respects. The Hall will be open all but a single hour a day for the duration, the spokesperson says. When the Queen Mother lay in state for three days, her grieving grandsons relieve the official guard to stand guard over the coffin for a short period; it was called the Vigil of the Princes. Something similar happened for George V. While not a formal ceremony, it's likely a similar act of remembrance would be accorded to Queen Elizabeth II. More than 200,000 members of the public paid their respects as the Queen Mother lay in state; the scale of mourning for the Queen should easily eclipse this. Here's footage of the Queen Mother's coffin lying in state: Throughout this period, there will be a massive, hysterical outpouring of public grief.

It won't just be sombre dress and a minute of silence at sports games — it'll be a punch to the gut of the national psyche. When Princess Diana died, the public turned out in their tens of thousands to lay flowers outside Buckingham Palace — by some estimates as many as 1 million bouquets were left. A memorial appeal raised £20 million. People queued for ten hours or more to sign memorial books. "Everything closed, saturation TV coverage, no one at work" on the day of the funeral, recounted one witness to the BBC (despite it not being a national holiday). There were "scenes of unbelievable grief," said another: "It was as though all of these people had lost someone incredible dear to them and their emotion was genuine. It worried me hugely — especially after days of mounting hysteria on the streets of Kensington, people walking into the road blinded by tears, etc.

— people appeared to be losing their grip on reality." The Guardian's Jonathan Freedland writes that many Britons felt "forced to close their shops or cancel sporting events on the day of the funeral, lest they feel the rage of the tear-stained hordes outside." Given the Queen's stature, and how intrinsically she is woven into the fabric of modern Britain, it's likely there will be even greater public mourning for her passing. Here's a photo of flowers laid 5 feet deep outside Buckingham Palace for Princess Diana in 1997: A star-studded funeral Baroness Thatcher's coffin is transported by gun carriage ahead of her funeral. Ronnie Macdonald/Flickr (CC) Queen Elizabeth II's body will continue to lie in state until the day of the funeral, which will be a public holiday. The Daily Mail believes this will be 12 days after the death . The coffin will then be transported to Westminster Abbey by gun carriage for a State Funeral. It will probably be the best-attended funeral of all time. World leaders from across the globe will flock to attend.

She's one of the most senior heads of state in the world, second only to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, who has ruled for five more years than her. On the day of Princess Diana's funeral, "more than a million people lined the route of the funeral cortege," according to the BBC , with 30 million Brits tuning in to watch it. Worldwide, there were as many as 2.5 billion viewers. The service will be led by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the second-most senior figure in the Church of England (after the Monarch). Stefano Pozzebon/Business Insider, Data: BBC, Catholic Church, Herald Sun The Queen's final resting place Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a possible burial site. Stuart Yeates/Flickr (CC) Once the funeral is concluded, it'll be time for the burial. Queen Elizabeth II may well have already decided this — in which case it could either be Sandringham or Balmoral in Scotland. These two properties are unique in that they belong to the Queen in a personal capacity, rather than to the crown. Alternately, she could be buried at St.

George's Chapel at Windsor, the site of the grave of King George VI — her father. After a certain appropriate period of mourning — up to a year or so — there will be a coronation. It's a highly ceremonial affair, although the new monarch technically has the ability to do whatever he wants — after all, he is already the King. Charles' authority as sovereign does not derive from the ceremony, so he could choose to eschew it altogether, should he desire. But assuming Charles does not wish to totally break with tradition, it will — again — be held at Westminster Abbey. And, again, it will be officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Here's archive footage illustrating the pomp and ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation: The entire event will be broadcast on television (and also streamed online), and there will be parties up and down the country. After the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011, there were thousands of street parties celebrating. The same will be true of the coronation.

As a national holiday, the Royal Wedding in 2011 lost the economy between £1.2 and 6 billion , and the Coronation will be similar — in addition to the direct cost to the taxpayer of holding the largest British ceremonial event since the 1950s. Decorations along Victoria Street in London, ahead of the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II: Ben Brooksbank/Wikimedia Commons The little things The Queen buried, a new King on the throne... is that it? Of course not. There will be hundreds of changes taking place up and down the country in the weeks and months ahead. First off, new currency will begin being printed and minted immediately. The portraits of Charles will already have been made in preparation. They won't seek to replace the entire stock of currency overnight, however — it will take several years to do so, much like how older notes and coins are gradually removed from circulation today. Of course, the national anthem, "God Save The Queen," would change too. Here's Dame Julie Andrews singing "God Save The King" for George VI in 1948. Even Trafalgar Square will change This bobby's going to need a new helmet.

FaceMePLS/Flickr (CC) Another change: Police will need new insignia on their helmets. They currently display the Queen's initials and regnal number. Likewise, a great deal of military insignia will require updating. Passports too will need a refresh. The British passport currently "requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance." Stamps will also need updating so that they show the new King's head rather than the Queen's. These changes matter more than you would expect. After the current Queen was crowned, her regnal number — II — caused controversy in Scotland, which she also rules, as there was never a Scottish Elizabeth I. When postboxes bearing her cypher were erected in Scotland, some were attacked and vandalised. As signs of the Queen's reign are slowly erased, she will also be memorialised. The fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square is currently dedicated to temporary statues and works of art, but former London Mayor Ken Livingstone says his understanding is that "the fourth plinth is being reserved for Queen Elizabeth II." It may end the Commonwealth Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a Monarchist.

Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images The Queen's passing may have far more profound and long-lasting consequences than just new postage stamps, however. It may well spell the end of the Commonwealth as we know it. The 53-country organisation includes 16 countries where the British Monarch is officially the Head of State, including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Barbados. It's a remnant of the British Empire which today exists mainly as a trade and political organisation. It has few formal powers but carries the weight of symbolism: Many of these countries were part of the Empire against their will, and almost all of them declared independence long ago. With Queen Elizabeth II out of the way, some may choose to end this union with Britain once and for all. Australia, for example, has already held a referendum on becoming a Republic once before, in 1999. It was a relatively close-run thing, with the republicans ultimately losing 45% to 55%. But much support for the Monarchy arguably derives from personal affection for the Queen herself. With her gone, many Commonwealth nations may decide the time has come to separate. This also depends on the time of the Queen's death.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper are both staunch Monarchists, and certain to try and block any attempt at Republicanism on their watch. But if the Queen's passing comes later, after they have left office, resurgent republicanism may find a more receptive audience. A republican Britain? Prince Charles, the heir to the throne. REUTERS/Fayez Nureldine Depending on Charles' reign, republicanism may grow in prominence in Britain too. But there's no chance of Britain becoming a Republic in the near future. Support for the Monarch is deeply entrenched in the nation's psyche, with 66% of respondents in one survey saying Britain is better off as a Monarchy , and with just 17% opting for a Republic. But right now this is all academic — and hopefully a long way off yet. On September 9, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II will break the record set by Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother: She'll be the longest-reigning British monarch ever!

Monarchy Monday: All in a ‘regnal’ name – Royal Central Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother: A Life in Decades – 1950s Alexandrina Victoria chose to reign as Queen Victoria There are few circumstances in which one may pick their name, ascending the throne is one such. Upon becoming Sovereign, the new King or Queen may choose to use a new name to reign in. This is known as a regnal name. Regnal names are also followed by a regnal number, expressed with a Roman numeral, in order to make each name unique to such Monarch. While Queen Elizabeth II has always been known by this name, Queen Elizabeth I was simply known as Elizabeth of England during her time. With Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne in 1952, historical references were changed to included ‘I’. Most monarchs of the United Kingdom use their first baptismal name as their regnal name, yet in three circumstances this has not been the case. Alexandrina Victoria was the name Queen Victoria was christened with, when she became Queen she chose to reign under Victoria.

Not wishing to diminish the name of his father Albert, Prince Albert Edward of Wales took the regnal name King Edward VII when he became King in 1901. He claimed the name to be an honoured name, the same of six of his predecessors. This went against the wishes of his mother, Queen Victoria, she wanted him to reign as King Albert. When King Edward abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson in 1936, Prince Albert, Duke of York ascended the throne. He chose to reign as King George VI, his full name was Albert Frederick Arthur George. His daughter Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was the next monarch, however when she asked what name she would like, she replied: “My own of course — what else?” And so Queen Elizabeth II became our current monarch. In the future, as Prince Charles takes his spot as head of the Monarchy, he too will have a choice. There is speculation that he will opt for another name, as the history of “Charles” has not been great. There is the memory of King Charles II who was a known womaniser and the “young pretender” Charles Edward Stuart who claimed the title of “Charles III” (the title Prince Charles would take).

As Charles Philip Arthur George, he may choose to be ‘King George’, ‘King Arthur’ or ‘King Philip’ instead. If they gave me a say in the matter, I like the sounds of ‘King George VII’. How sweet would King ‘Grandpa’ George and little Prince George be together!

Question: What are the middle names of British monarch Queen Elizabeth II?
Answer: Alexandra Mary