When Elizabeth was born, there was little reason to believe that she would ascend to the throne. However, the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII, abruptly altered the line of succession, and her father became King George VI. The young Elizabeth received an education befitting her role as the future queen, and she accompanied her parents on their official travels. In 1947, upon her return from one such trip, her engagement to Philip Mountbatten was announced.A

s the world anticipates the upcoming royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, Britannica marks the 85th birthday of Britain’s reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Although today is the queen’s actual birthday, it should not be confused with her “official” birthday, which is customarily celebrated on a Saturday in June (when the weather is better). The sovereign’s official birthday is marked by Trooping the Colour, a military parade through the Saint James neighbourhood.