Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. She has ruled the throne for over 70 years and is not only looking back on the longest term in office in the British monarchy – she is also considered the longest ruling woman in the world. It was clear very early on how strongly independent Elizabeth was: in 1945 she was the first woman in the royal family to take up military service where she trained as a truck driver and mechanic. Two years later, she announced her engagement to Prince Philip of Denmark and Greece. Her intentions to marry the naval officer were controversial due to his family ties to Germany. But the heir to the throne prevailed and in 1947 she married the love of her youth. The couple has four children. After the early death of her father, King George VI, Elizabeth at the age of 25 had ascended to the throne on February 6, 1952. Her coronation at Westminster Abbey would be the first to ever be fully televised. Around 300 million people worldwide watched the ceremony. The Queen died in September 2022, around a year and a half after her husband, surrounded by her family.