Today is the birthday, in 1926, of Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch, the second-longest of any sovereign state, and the longest of any queen regnant in history.
Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London, during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother). Her father acceded to the throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother Edward VIII, making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive.
As queen, Elizabeth was advised by more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her many historic visits and meetings included state visits to China in 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011; she met five popes and fourteen US presidents.
Princess Elizabeth of York — the future Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom — when she was seven years old.
Today is the birthday, in 1944, of English author, composer for musical theatre, and songwriter Tony Macaulay. He has won the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors Award twice as ‘Songwriter of the Year’ (1970 and 1977) and is a nine-time Ivor Novello Award-winning songwriter. Macaulay’s best-known songs include ‘Baby Now That I’ve Found You’ and ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ with The Foundations, ‘(Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All,’ (The 5th Dimension) as well as ‘Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)’ (Edison Lighthouse) and ‘Don’t Give Up on Us’ (David Soul). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSofzQURQDk
