Since Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne in 1952, the English royal family tree has grown to include her four children, eight grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. For most people, a family tree is simply a fun curio, but for the British royal family birth order and parentage is all […]
Category: Royals
Queen Elizabeth Dead at 96
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, died on Thursday. She was 96 years old. Nicknamed “the Steadfast” by her biographer Douglas Hurd, the queen dutifully served her country and territories for 70 years. For many in Britain, Elizabeth II was the only living monarch they had ever […]
Queen Elizabeth II: A Life of Diplomacy
From international tours to meetings with the most powerful people on earth, the queen spent her life at the center of the world stage.
Queen Elizabeth’s Incredible Pop-Culture Impact
Elizabeth II was still a newborn when she earned her first book dedication (from Winnie the Pooh creator A.A. Milne) and only three years old when she landed a 1929 Newsweek cover, where she was introduced to the world as a cherub-faced “Princess Lilybet.” By the time of her death […]
Queen Elizabeth II With Her Family Over the Years
United by its duty to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and the royal blood that stretches back centuries, the royal family is also just a family—people who go on vacations together, share hobbies and passions, and help each other juggle babies (even if those babies are wearing elaborate christening […]
Prince William and Prince Harry, with Kate and Meghan, View Floral Arrangements Outside Windsor Castle
As floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth continue to mount near the palaces of the United Kingdom, William and Kate, now the Prince and Princess of Wales, were joined by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle outside of Windsor Castle on Saturday to look at the mounting number of flowers […]
The Queen’s Bees Have Been Informed of Her Passing
On Friday, John Chapple, the 79-year-old official Palace beekeeper, performed a sad, traditional task. It fell upon him to inform tens of thousands of bees about the death of Queen Elizabeth II. As reported in the Daily Mail, Chapple travelled to Buckingham Palace and Clarence House to perform his opposite-of-sweet […]
Late-Night Hosts React to Queen Elizabeth II’s Death
The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah took a slightly different approach in his remarks about the queen’s passing, highlighting the mixed response to her death across the globe. In a contrast to Corden’s “universally adored” characterization, Noah said of the late monarch, “It’s been interesting to see how varied the reactions […]
King Charles Addresses a Grieving Nation After the Queen’s Death
King Charles III addressed the nation for the first time on Friday, paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth as a mother and a monarch; acknowledging both of his sons, Prince William and, notably, Prince Harry, and vowing, with “unswerving devotion,” to continue his mother’s history of service as Britain’s next king. […]
What Does It Really Mean When We Call Queen Elizabeth a “Global Icon”?
It’s fitting that Queen Elizabeth II’s last official engagement was political in nature. She welcomed Liz Truss, the UK’s new prime minister, to Balmoral, formally giving her permission to form a new government. The ritual, which the queen had performed again and again, as King Charles will now do the next […]
“Next Few Days” Will Reveal Possibility of William and Harry Reconciliation: A ‘DYNASTY’ Bonus Episode on the Crown’s Future
Continuing the gimlet-eyed analysis of royal power dynamics and history on Vanity Fair’s DYNASTY podcast, a special episode looks back at the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II—and looks ahead into King Charles III’s future reign. On Thursday, September 8, the Windsor clan lost its stalwart head, the woman […]
Queen Elizabeth II: How the World Is Mourning Britain’s Longest-Serving Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II was a daughter, a sister, a mother, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother to the Windsor clan, but she was also a beloved public figure who came to represent nobility, grace, and humor on the world stage. When news of her death broke on Thursday evening in the […]