The Royal Family
The House of Windsor
The British Royals’ family name is ‘The House of Windsor’. It started in 1917 when King George V changed the family name to Windsor. He and his wife, Queen Mary, had six children. Edward, who was the oldest son of George and Mary, became King after his father died. He fell in love with an American divorcée and wanted to marry her. The government was against the wedding for religious reasons. Therefore, King Edward decided to step down. Now his younger brother Prince Albert became King. He named himself after his father and took the regnal name: King George. When he passed away at the age of 56, his eldest daughter Elizabeth became Queen. Her Majesty the Queen is still on the throne today. She has ruled for more than 66 years and is the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
Queen Elizabeth II
She was born in 1926 and became queen on February 6, 1952 because her father, King George, had died that day. On June 2, 1953 she was crowned in Westminster Abbey in London. The coronation ceremony was broadcast on television for the first time in history. The television cameras of the BBC made it possible for people from all around the world to watch the event. Click here to watch a fragment from the coronation.
Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten on November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey. Together they had four children. Their first son, who is the first in line to the throne, is Charles. Later, Anne, Andrew and Edward followed. In 1981 the 32-year old Charles married the 19-year old Diana, later known as Princess Diana. The wedding got a lot of attention and caused London’s streets to be very crowded on the big day. Charles and Diana had two children: Prince William, the second in line to the throne, and Prince Harry. After a difficult marriage, Charles and Diana eventually divorced in 1996. Throughout her marriage with Charles, Diana was very popular and was called the ‘People’s Princess’. When Diana suddenly died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, the country was in mourning.
William and Harry
Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011 and together they have three children. Prince Harry wed Meghan Markle in 2018 and they have one son. In January 2020 Harry and Meghan decided to step away from their royal titles and duties and moved to America.