Childhood
The nation would get a first glance of Princess Elizabeth, on 19 July 1821, at the age of 6 months, during the coronationof her older uncle, George IV. Many would comment on how happy the royal couple, Duke and Duchess of Clarence and St Andrews, looked.
The young royal, from the age of three, would be always beside her father's side, even while he went to the House of Lords. Princess Elizabeth, would learn the ways of British politics from a young age.
Elizabeth was educated by John Keate, who had ties with the royal family already, with his brother, Robert Keate, being the Serjeant Surgeon to her father. She did well in French, German, Classics, Geography and History.
One thing that Elizabeth, remembered vividly from her childhood, was the love she felt and recieved from her older cousins, Princess Alexandria of Kent and Prince George of Cumberland.
Famously, these three would speak privately in German and Latin.
For the first seven years, the young royal, grew up in bliss, seeing her parents positive and loving influence on her and each other. On 5 January 1827, Princess Elizabeth, was informed that, her uncle Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, had died meaning that herself was now second in line, just behind her father.
At 65, the government and nation, had come to the embrace the fact, that King George IV, was not going to bare a child, meaning that William, who himself was 60, would be the next king, with his daughter as his heir.
Although, Princess Elizabeth, was only 6, when she was elevated to the third in line, she would become one of the most important women in Britain.
When King George IV died on 26 June 1830 without surviving legitimate issue, Elizabeth saw her father, succeeded him as William IV. Aged 64, her father was the oldest person ever to assume the British throne.
At nine year old, Elizabeth was invested as Princess of Wales, the office not held since, her uncle, George became Prince Regent in 1820. She was also supportive of her father's policial reforms such as the poor law updated, child labour restricted, slavery abolished in nearly all the British Empire, and the British electoral system refashioned by the Reform Act 1832.
On 30th May 1837, King William IV, made his last pulic apperence, when he walked (slowly due to age and illness) Princess Elizabeth, down the aisle of Westminister Abbey, for her marriage to her cousin, Prince George of Cumberland.
Not only were these two truely in love, the match, was greeted with happiness by the British public and also allowed the British and Hanoverian thrones to stay united, with George, being titled as King of Hanover, allowing the new royal couple to become equal state heads.
Queen Adelaide and Princess Elizabeth attended the dying William devotedly, neither of them, going to bed for more than ten days.
King William IV died in the early hours of the morning of 20 June 1837 at Windsor Castle, where he was buried.
Elizabeth, was now Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 16, due to being young, the new monarch, would have to serve, a year and seven months, under a regency.
The Royal Regency was made up of nobility and politicians.
- The Queen's Mother, Adelaide
- William's nephew and Elizabeth's husband, Prince Consort, King George.
- William's brother and Elizabeth's father-in-law, Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland.
- Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
- Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
- Charles Blomfield, Bishop of London [1]
- William's brother and Elizabeth's uncle, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge was carrying on as Viceroy of Hanover.
[1] Archbishop of Canterbury, William Howley was not put onto the council due to his perception by the public, who disliked his opposition to the Great Reform Act.