The Queen died on Thursday, September 8, 2022, it was announced by Buckingham Palace. The monarch passed away at her Balmoral estate.
The Queen’s funeral will take place on Monday, September 19 and Londoners have been preparing to say goodbye to the Queen for the final time. Until the funeral, mourners can visit the abbey to pay tribute to the late Queen.
There will be a national bank holiday to allow as many people as possible to watch the Queen’s funeral.
The coffin will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral.
In recent months, the Queen has been unable to attend events due to mobility issues, such as the State Opening of Parliament, but the Royal Family has showed up in support of the monarch.
As the Queen missed the State Opening of Parliament, her son, King Charles, read the Queen’s speech on her behalf, while her grandson, Prince William, attended the event for the first time.
In April, when the Queen missed the annual Easter Sunday service, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren led the way at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor.
When the Queen attended Prince Philip’s memorial in March, she was escorted to her seat by Prince Andrew.
The Queen spoke of her family’s support in 2002, following the recent deaths of her mother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her sister, Princess Margaret. At the time, the Queen spoke of her children and said she and Philip “both have a special place in our hearts for our children.
“I want to express my admiration for the Prince of Wales and for all he has achieved for this country. Our children, and all my family, have given me such love and unstinting help over the years, and especially in recent months.”
But just how many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren did the Queen have?
How many children did the Queen have?
Queen Elizabeth had four children with the late Prince Philip: King Charles (73), Princess Anne (71), Prince Andrew (62), and Prince Edward (58). She had her first child, Charles, when she was 22.
Prince Charles was born in 1948, and Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, was born in 1950.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was born in 1960, while Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, was born in 1964.
Who is King Charles?
King Charles was born Charles Philip Arthur George on November 14, 1948, and is 73. He met his first wife, the late Princess Diana, in 1977, while he was visiting her home, Althorp. The couple's courtship attracted intense attention from the press and paparazzi. When Prince Philip told him that the media speculation would injure Diana's reputation if Charles did not come to a decision about marrying her soon, and realising that she was a suitable royal bride (according to Mountbatten's criteria), Charles construed his father's advice as a warning to proceed without further delay.
Prince Charles proposed to Diana in February 1981, she accepted, and they married at St Paul's Cathedral on July 29 of that year.
As time went on, Charles and Diana began having problems in their marriage. In 1986, it was reported that Charles and Camilla were having an affair.
Charles and Diana divorced on August 28, 1996, after being formally advised by the Queen in December 1995 to end the marriage. Diana was tragically killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31 of the following year.
Charles and Diana had two children together, William, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Between 1958–2022 he was known as The Prince of Wales. In 1969, Charles undertook official duties on behalf of Elizabeth II. He founded the youth charity the Prince's Trust in 1976, sponsors the Prince's Charities, and is a patron, president, or a member of more than 400 other charities and organisations. Between 2021–2022, he was known as the Duke of Edinburgh.
Who is Princess Anne?
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, was born Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise on August 15, 1950 and is 72. Princess Anne is currently married to Sir Timothy Laurence.
Sir Timothy is a retired British naval officer and former equerry to the Queen. The couple were married in a Presbyterian church near Balmoral in December 1992. Princess Anne was previously married to Captain Mark Phillips, an Olympic equestrian and retired military officer. She and Phillips have two children together, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.
As the daughter of the monarch, Princess Anne was awarded the title of princess at birth. In 1987, the Queen granted her the additional title of the Princess Royal.
Who is Prince Andrew?
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was born Andrew Albert Christian Edward on February 19, 1960 and is 62. Prince Andrew was previously married to Sarah Ferguson, and they were married in 1986 at Westminster Abbey. They had two children together, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, but eventually separated in 1992.
Prince Andrew has made headlines for years regarding his association with Jeffrey Epstein. They reportedly met in 1999, and Andrew has acknowledged having stayed at several of Epstein's properties over the years, including at his home in New York City in 2010, when Epstein was already a convicted sex offender. In 2019, Epstein was arrested on multiple charges related to sex trafficking and later died, allegedly by suicide, in jail.
In the weeks following Epstein's death, Buckingham Palace released a number of statements about Andrew's friendship with Epstein. It reads:
“The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes. His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behaviour is abhorrent.”
Andrew currently holds the title of Duke of York, in addition to prince. As is tradition, he was given a dukedom by the Queen on his wedding day.
Who is Prince Edward?
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, was born Edward Antony Richard Louis on March 10, in 1964, and is 58. He is the queen’s youngest son. Prince Edward is married to Countess Sophie née Rhys-Jones. Edward is the only one of his siblings who has not had a divorce. He married Sophie Rhys-Jones in June 1999, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Edward currently holds the titles of Earl of Wessex and Earl of Forfar, in addition to prince.
How many grandchildren did the Queen have?
The Queen had eight grandchildren: Peter Phillips (44), Zara Tindall (40), Prince William (39), Prince Harry (37), Princess Beatrice (33), Princess Eugenie (32), Lady Louise Windsor (18), and James, Viscount Severn (14).
King Charles was married to Princess Diana, and together they had Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Princess Anne shares children Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips with her first husband, Mark Phillips, an Olympic gold medal-winning equestrian.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York.
Prince Edward shares his children, Louise and James, with his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
How many great-grandchildren did the Queen have?
The Queen had 12 great-grandchildren.
Prince William has three children with Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge: Prince George (eight), Princess Charlotte (seven), and Prince Louis (four).
Prince Harry has two children with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (three), and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor (11 months).
Zara Tindall shares three children with husband Mike Tindall: Mia (eight), Lena (three), and Lucas (one).
Peter Phillips has two children with ex-wife Autumn Kelly: Savannah (11) and Isla (10).
Princess Beatrice has one child, Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi (seven months), with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Princess Eugenie has one child, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank (one), with her husband, Jack Brooksbank.
