Elizabeth II

== Early life ==
Elizabeth was born on 21&nbsp;April 1926, the first child of [[Prince Albert, Duke of York]] (later King George&nbsp;VI), and his wife, [[Elizabeth, Duchess of York]] (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father was the second son of [[King George&nbsp;V]] and [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], and her mother was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat [[Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne]]. She was delivered at 02:40 ([[GMT]])<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33153 |date=21 April 1926 |page=1 |mode=cs2}}</ref> by [[Caesarean section]] at her maternal grandfather's London home, 17 [[Bruton Street]] in [[Mayfair]].{{Sfnm|ps=none|Bradford|2012|1p=22|Brandreth|2004|2p=103|Marr|2011|3p=76|Pimlott|2001|4pp=2–3|Lacey|2002|5pp=75–76|Roberts|2000|6p=74}} The [[Anglican]] [[Archbishop of York]], [[Cosmo Gordon Lang]], [[baptised]] her in the private chapel of [[Buckingham Palace]] on 29&nbsp;May,{{Sfn|ps=none|Hoey|2002|p=40}}{{Efn|name=baptism|Her godparents were: King George&nbsp;V and Queen Mary; Lord Strathmore; [[Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn]] (her paternal great-granduncle); [[Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles]] (her paternal aunt); and [[Mary Elphinstone, Lady Elphinstone|Lady Elphinstone]] (her maternal aunt).{{Sfnm|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|1p=103|Hoey|2002|2p=40}}}} and she was named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after [[Alexandra of Denmark|her paternal great-grandmother]], who had [[Death and funeral of Alexandra of Denmark|died six months earlier]]; and Mary after her paternal grandmother.{{Sfn|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|p=103}} She was called "Lilibet" by her close family,{{Sfn|ps=none|Pimlott|2001|p=12}} based on what she called herself at first.{{Sfn|ps=none|Williamson|1987|p=205}} She was cherished by her grandfather George&nbsp;V, whom she affectionately called "Grandpa England",{{Sfn|ps=none|Pimlott|2001|p=15}} and her regular visits during his serious illness in 1929 were credited in the popular press and by later biographers with raising his spirits and aiding his recovery.{{Sfnm|ps=none|Lacey|2002|1p=56|Nicolson|1952|2p=433|Pimlott|2001|3pp=14–16}}
{{Multiple image
| total_width = 320
| image1      = Princess Elizabeth on TIME Magazine, April 29, 1929.jpg
| alt1        = Elizabeth as a thoughtful-looking toddler with curly, fair hair
| caption1    = On the [[1929 Time magazine covers|cover]] of [[Time (magazine)|''Time'']], April 1929
| image2      = Philip de László - Princess Elizabeth of York - 1933.jpg
| alt2        = Elizabeth as a rosy-cheeked young girl with blue eyes and fair hair
| caption2    = Portrait by [[Philip de László]], 1933
}}
Elizabeth's only sibling, [[Princess Margaret]], was born in 1930. The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their [[governess]], [[Marion Crawford]].{{Sfnm|ps=none|Crawford|1950|1p=26|Pimlott|2001|2p=20|Shawcross|2002|3p=21}} Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature, and music.{{Sfnm|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|1p=124|Lacey|2002|2pp=62–63|Pimlott|2001|3pp=24, 69}} Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled ''[[The Little Princesses]]'' in 1950, much to the dismay of the [[British royal family|royal family]].{{Sfnm|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|1pp=108–110|Lacey|2002|2pp=159–161|Pimlott|2001|3pp=20, 163}} The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, and her attitude of responsibility.{{Sfn|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|pp=108–110}} Others echoed such observations: [[Winston Churchill]] described Elizabeth when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant."{{Sfnm|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|1p=105|Lacey|2002|2p=81|Shawcross|2002|3pp=21–22}} Her cousin [[Margaret Rhodes]] described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved".{{Sfn|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|pp=105–106}} Elizabeth's early life was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at [[145 Piccadilly]] (their [[town house]] in London) and [[Royal Lodge]] in Windsor.{{Sfnm|ps=none|Crawford|1950|1pp=14–34|Heald|2007|2pp=7–8|Warwick|2002|3pp=35–39}}