I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong."

--The Queen on her 21st birthday, April 1947

 

From her royal childhood to Coronation Day to the "Annus Horribilis" and beyond, Queen Elizabeth II explores the dramatic life of Britain's current monarch. Entertaining and enlightening, it looks at her 63 years on the throne, recounting the tumultuous historical events that transpired during her reign, laying bare her personality, and delving into the private tragedies and triumphs of her reign.