Great Britain is one of the few countries that have preserved the traditions of the monarchy. Today, the kingdom is headed by the Windsor dynasty, which traces its roots back to Queen Victoria. It is interesting to look into the depths of centuries and find out how this noble family ascended the throne. And perhaps we should start with the fact that her roots are far from British.
German blood of the royal family
The ruling family of Great Britain is the Windsor dynasty. Its history originates from the famous princely family of Germany - the Wettins. This family got its name in the second half of the 10th century from the name of the family castle. It was acquired around 1000 by Count Dietrich I of Gassegau. Since then, the genealogy has been clearly traced, although the name of the ancestors of the founder of the family is unknown. None of the versions offered by the researchers have any documentary evidence.
Almost five hundred years later, in 1485, the descendants of Dietrich I Ernst and Albrecht divided the possessions between them. The event went down in history as the Leipzig section. Since then, the Wettin line has been divided into Albertine and Ernestine. From the second comesthe ruling dynasty of the Windsors of England.
Connection of dynasties
This family has been in leadership positions for over 800 years. Thanks to their fortunate position and advantageous marriages, today they head the thrones of Belgium and Great Britain.
It all started with the marriage of Victoria to Prince Albert, who belonged to the Saxons. The queen herself came from the Hanoverian dynasty. Representatives of this family in total occupied the throne in Great Britain from 1714 to 1901. It was through the marriage of Victoria and Albert that two dynasties were united: Hanover and Windsor.
From a noble family to a family castle
The new line actually began to rule in Great Britain with the beginning of the reign of Edward VII (son of Victoria and Albert). But from the point of view of the law, Edward VII (reigned 1901-1910) is officially the first and last of the Saxon, paternal family.
He was succeeded by his son George V, grandson of Queen Victoria. It was this man who changed his German surname to English in 1917. This is how the Windsors were born. The name is borrowed from Windsor Castle, the residence of the British monarchs. Therefore, in fact, the Windsor dynasty began with George V, the grandson of Albert, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Double of Nicholas II on the throne
George V (occupied the throne from 1910 to 1936) was born on July 3, 1865. His mother Alexandra was from a noble family and was the sister of Maria Feodorovna (wife of the Emperor of Russia). So cousinsGeorge V and Nicholas II were very similar in face.
From infancy, the boy had he alth problems, later he was sent to sail. So he continuously stayed on the ship for fourteen years. He lived like a sailor, got a parrot and got tattoos. Returning to England, he was educated and married a princess who was to marry his older brother as the first pretender to the throne. George V took over the leadership of the country in 1911. Interestingly, during the coronation, his wife was consecrated as Mary, although her birth name was Victoria. This move was made on purpose. The Windsor dynasty in England decided that henceforth no woman could bear the name of the great Empress Victoria. Also, the emperors could not bear the name of Victoria's husband - Albert.
With the outbreak of the First World War, King George V issued a decree changing the surname from Saxon to British. It was a manifestation of patriotism, which was supported by subjects with German roots.
Before his death, the king was seriously ill. Died in 1936. Only fifty years later it became known that his doctor had deliberately injected him with a lethal dose of morphine and cocaine.
The royal dynasty of the Windsors continued with the eldest son of George V - Edward VIII (ruled the country from January 20 to December 11, 1936).
The King in Love
Edward VIII (future monarch, son of George V) after birth was given to the upbringing of a nanny. Such separation from parents then created misunderstandings in the family. Participated in the First World War. Later, he openly admired fascism.
At one of the receptions I met a beautiful and strongwoman Wallis Simpson, who was married to an American businessman. Feelings arose between young people. They did not hide their love, although earlier there were rumors about Edward's homosexuality.
He ascended the throne after the death of his father George V, but abdicated in favor of his brother George VI after only ten months of reign. It was a forced step that the Windsors pushed him to take. The dynasty was against Edward's marriage to a divorced woman. In turn, the king, when explaining the reasons for the renunciation, said that he could not rule without the support of his beloved. At the wedding of Edward VIII and Wallis, the groom's family was absent. Their marriage was strong and lasted until the death of the ex-ruler. The wife lived after that for another fourteen years. She was buried next to her husband.
Oscar King
After a scandal in the family, the throne was taken by the younger brother of Edward VIII, the second son of George V, George VI (at birth he was given the name Albert, then replaced by George according to the tradition observed by the Windsor dynasty). History knows him as a man of the people. Years of government - from 1936 to 1952.
The boy was weak and received even less attention from his parents than the elder Edward. The nanny also did not devote time to the development of the child, so the future emperor grew up with a stutter.
He was in the First World War, but did not take part in the battles. In 1923 he married. Subsequently, it was his wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who made a real king out of a modest, quiet person.
In 1936, George VI unexpectedly took the place of brother Edward VIII andbecame a monarch. The beginning of his reign coincided with the start of World War II. It was he, a stutterer from childhood, who had to inform the people about Britain's entry into the war. These events were filmed in the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech.
During the bombing of London, more than a million residents were in the city, and Windsor remained. The dynasty decided not to leave the capital and its subjects. Representatives of the ruling family, like all ordinary people, fled to the basements after the sirens. They led a modest life. Together with everyone, they cheered for the victory.
George VI died in 1952. His heir was the eldest daughter of Elizabeth II, who currently leads England.
The First Queen of the World
Most of the monarchical regimes were removed during the first half of the twentieth century. But such innovations did not affect conservative England. Queen Elizabeth II succeeded King George VI. She is the eldest of two daughters. She was born on April 21, 1926. She received an excellent education at home. In 1945 she entered the military service. Learned to drive and fix cars.
Elizabeth II is the first queen to travel the world. She is also one of the richest women in Europe. Huge sums are allocated annually for the treatment of Elizabeth. She tries to treat all politicians equally well.
The Queen still rules England and is not going to abdicate in favor of her descendants. In 2012, she celebrated her sixtieth anniversary as head of the UK.
Another merit of herslies in the fact that, despite the change of surnames, the house of kings continues to be headed by the Windsor dynasty. The modern standard of the monarchy is Queen Elizabeth II.
The inconspicuous husband of the great queen
Even at the age of thirteen, Elizabeth fell in love with a poor but titled son of the Greek King Philip. He was raised by his mother and sisters. Father was famous for his love exploits.
The family was against such a party for their daughter, but the stubborn Elizabeth convinced her parents of the expediency of marriage, after which she repeatedly regretted it.
November 20, 1947 the couple played a modest wedding in connection with the recent war. They had four children. Philip's surname is Mountbatten, so all children have a double name: Mountbatten-Windsor.
There is evidence that Prince Philip had several mistresses, with whom he did not hide his relationship so carefully. Nevertheless, Queen Elizabeth kept the marriage, although she preferred the fate of the ruler, rather than his wife and mother.
Prince Charles
Charles was born on November 14, 1948. After the death of his grandfather, George VI, and the coronation of his mother, the three-year-old boy received the title of prince. They continue the Windsor dynasty. Philip was supposed to raise Charles and other children. In hierarchy, the descendants were higher than him. Because of envy, he often beat his children.
Thus, in search of warmth and love, Charles fell under the influence of Lord Mountbatten, who did not differ in aristocratic manners and led a dissolute life.
The young prince attended an elite school and, despite the badmarks, then continued his studies at the University of Cambridge.
Perfect Lady Dee and her children
At first, the love story of Charles and Diana was like a fairy tale, but subsequently became the cause of hundreds of scandalous headlines. The prince continued to meet with Camilla Parker Bowles (whom he married after the death of his wife), Diana, in turn, also had a love relationship on the side.
The royal couple had heirs, so thanks to Diana, the Windsor dynasty continued. The tree was replenished with Princes William and Harry. Moreover, the legitimacy of the second son is called into question, since even then Diana met her lover.
The family broke up in 1996. And on August 31, 1997, Lady Dee died in a car accident. She was buried on September 6 at the Spencer family estate of Althorp in Northampotonshire on a secluded island. It is said that the royal family was involved in this tragedy. Many books have been written about Princess Diana in various languages, as well as documentaries made.
After Charles, the throne will be inherited by his son William, Duke of Cambridge, who has been married to his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton since 2011. Subsequently, his newborn son George (George) Alexander Louis of Cambridge, who was born on July 22, 2013, will take the throne. Thus, the Windsor dynasty continues to exist.
