Queen Elizabeth Confirms What We Suspected About Her Life's Mission
It's hard out here for a queen. As any history buffs or "The Crown" fans know, Queen Elizabeth II was never destined to be a monarch. However, after her uncle, King Edward VIII abdicated and ran off with the divorced Wallis Simpson, Elizabeth's father, George VI, was forced to take over the royal reins until his death. But before acceding to the throne, daughter Queen Elizabeth lived a rather "strange" and "lonely" life (via Express). "She didn't really have any friends [because] she didn't go to school. The only people she really saw to play with were her cousins," royal biographer Philip Dampier revealed.
Elizabeth officially became Her Majesty the Queen in February 1952. According to the royal family website, she was crowned in a coronation ceremony that's remained nearly the same for centuries. It was held at London's Westminster Abbey, as every coronation has "since the Norman Conquest in 1066." That said, it's safe to say British royals are big on tradition.
Elizabeth was only 25 when she became queen of what remained of the British empire. According to History, she allowed the coronation to be televised, much to the dismay of then-Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Elizabeth is the first British monarch to have reigned for 70 years — with 2022 marking her Platinum Jubilee. In March, HRH posted a statement to mark Commonwealth Day — and in it, Queen Elizabeth confirms what we suspected about her life mission.
Queen Elizabeth is 'devoted in service'
Showing that the royal family moves with the times, Queen Elizabeth's mission statement was shared on the royal family's Twitter account on March 14 — along with a pointing emoji! Remaining committed to her initial vows, the queen wrote, "In this year of my Platinum Jubilee, it has given me pleasure to renew the promise I made in 1947, that my life will always be devoted in service."
The statement further notes that "Our family of nations [the Commonwealth] continues to be a point of connection, cooperation, and friendship." She added, "In these testing times, it is my hope that you can draw strength and inspiration from what we share, as we work together towards a healthy, sustainable, and prosperous future for all."
With her message in tow, it doesn't seem like the 95-year-old monarch is slowing down. In fact, she still maintains a busy schedule despite a series of health issues towards the end of 2021 and contracting COVID-19 in February 2022, per The New York Times. In addition to health difficulties, HRH has also suffered quite an emotional year. Per BBC, her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, died in April 2021. He was 99 years old and had been a source of support and strength to Elizabeth, standing by her side throughout her reign and adult life. In addition, the queen has had to deal with the Prince Andrew scandal and grandson Harry's very public departure from the family and royal life.