Queen Elizabeth II 1926 – 2022

The Royal family has been involved with Shorthorns for many generations both as breeders and Patrons of the Society.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born on 21st April 1926, the first child of Albert, Duke of York and his Duchess, the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Her reign encompassed a period that saw some of the greatest changes in economical, social, industrial and technological developments yet she remained a defining symbol of our age until her death on 8th September 2022.

Elizabeth married Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh as he became on 20th November 1947 at Westminster Abbey. They lived a full life before he died a few weeks short of his 100th birthday in the height of the covid pandemic. The Queen poignantly mourned her loss alone. In 1948 their first child Charles was born followed by a sister, Anne in 1950. Two more sons would follow after a long gap, Andrew in 1960 and Edward in 1964. She is survived by their four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II was the 42nd in a line of Kings and Queens of England in addition to being head of state of 15 other countries stretching from Fiji, Australia and New Zealand to the Bahamas and Canada. For seven decades she was head of the Commonwealth whose 54 countries comprise of 2.1 billion people, thats one third of the globes population! On 9th September 2015 Elizabeth became our longest reigning sovereign in British history, surpassing her great great grandmother Queen Victoria. In February 2022 she celebrated her platinum jubilee and her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch and the longest verified reign of any female monarch in history.

During her reign she was served by fifteen prime ministers, she met five Popes and more than a quarter of all the American presidents plus hundreds of national leaders. She is by far the most travelled monarch in history travelling the Commonwealth and the length and breadth of Britain year in and year out. Elizabeth was Patron to over 600 organisations and charities and the Charities Aid Foundation estimated that she helped raise over £1.4billion for her patronages during her reign.

Yet through all this exposure and public fascination she never uttered a controversial word, engaged in partisan politics, or scarcely expressed an opinion. In private she was said to be of a witty and sharp nature but these traits were kept private as she devoted her life to service bound by a faultless sense of duty. Her greatest enthusiasm was for the countryside, particularly equestrianism and Pembroke Welsh Corgis.

Queen Elizabeth II we thank you for your selfless, courageously confident, loyal and above all dedicated service to the throne and to us the people.

You were truly an inspirational woman.