Elizabeth II

=== Early reign ===
{{Further|Commonwealth realm#From the accession of Elizabeth&nbsp;II}}
[[File:British Empire in February 1952.png|thumb|upright=1.3|[[List of sovereign states headed by Elizabeth II|Elizabeth's realms]] and their territories and [[British protectorate|protectorates]] at the beginning of her reign in 1952:
{{legend|#ff0000|United Kingdom}}
{{legend|#800000|Colonies, protectorates and mandates}}
{{legend|#ff80c0|Dominions/realms}}]]

From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the [[British Empire]] continued its transformation into the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].{{Sfn|ps=none|Marr|2011|p=272}} By the time of her accession in 1952, her role as head of multiple independent states was already established.{{Sfn|ps=none|Pimlott|2001|p=182}} In 1953, Elizabeth and her husband embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than {{Convert|40000|mi|km}} by land, sea and air.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Commonwealth: Gifts to the Queen |url=https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/gifts-to-the-queen |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301123708/https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/gifts-to-the-queen |archive-date=1 March 2016 |access-date=20 February 2016 |publisher=[[Royal Collection Trust]] |mode=cs2}}</ref> She became the first reigning [[monarch of Australia]] and [[Monarchy of New Zealand|New Zealand]] to visit those nations.<ref>{{Multiref|{{Cite web |date=13 October 2015 |title=Australia: Royal visits |url=https://www.royal.uk/australia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201044226/https://www.royal.uk/australia |archive-date=1 February 2019 |access-date=18 April 2016 |publisher=Royal Household |mode=cs2}}; | {{Cite news |last=Vallance |first=Adam |date=22 December 2015 |title=New Zealand: Royal visits |work=The Royal Family |publisher=Royal Household |url=https://www.royal.uk/new-zealand |url-status=live |access-date=18 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322052936/https://www.royal.uk/new-zealand |archive-date=22 March 2019 |ref=none |mode=cs2}}; | {{Harvnb|Marr|2011|p=126}}}}</ref> During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her.{{Sfnm|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|1p=278|Marr|2011|2p=126|Pimlott|2001|3p=224|Shawcross|2002|4p=59}} Throughout her reign, Elizabeth made hundreds of [[List of state visits made by Elizabeth II|state visits]] to other countries and [[List of Commonwealth visits made by Elizabeth II|tours of the Commonwealth]]; she was the most widely travelled [[head of state]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Campbell |first=Sophie |date=11 May 2012 |title=Queen's Diamond Jubilee: Sixty years of royal tours |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/Queens-Diamond-Jubilee-sixty-years-of-royal-tours |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/ZsXhc |archive-date=10 January 2022 |access-date=20 February 2016 |work=The Telegraph |mode=cs2}}{{Cbignore}}</ref>

In 1956, the British and French prime ministers, [[Sir Anthony Eden]] and [[Guy Mollet]], discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted, and the following year France signed the [[Treaty of Rome]], which established the [[European Economic Community]], the precursor to the [[European Union]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomson |first=Mike |date=15 January 2007 |title=When Britain and France nearly married |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6261885.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123072141/https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6261885.stm |archive-date=23 January 2009 |access-date=14 December 2009 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> In November 1956, Britain and France [[Suez Crisis|invaded Egypt]] in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture the [[Suez Canal]]. Lord Mountbatten said Elizabeth was opposed to the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later.{{Sfnm|ps=none|Pimlott|2001|1p=255|Roberts|2000|2p=84}}
[[File:Queen Elizabeth II and the Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth Nations, at Windsor Castle (1960 Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference).jpg|thumb|left|alt=A formal group of Elizabeth in tiara and evening dress with eleven politicians in evening dress or national costume|With Commonwealth leaders, at the 1960 [[Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference|Commonwealth Conference]]]]

The governing [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] had no formal mechanism for choosing a leader, meaning that it fell to Elizabeth to decide whom to [[Kissing hands|commission to form a government]] following Eden's resignation. Eden recommended she consult [[Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 5th Marquess of Salisbury|Lord Salisbury]], the [[lord president of the council]]. Lord Salisbury and [[Lord Kilmuir]], the [[lord chancellor]], consulted the [[British Cabinet]], Churchill, and the chairman of the backbench [[1922 Committee]], resulting in Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: [[Harold Macmillan]].{{Sfnm|ps=none|Marr|2011|1pp=175–176|Pimlott|2001|2pp=256–260|Roberts|2000|3p=84}}

The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first major personal criticism of Elizabeth. In a magazine, which he owned and edited,{{Sfnm|ps=none|Lacey|2002|1p=199|Shawcross|2002|2p=75}} [[John Grigg|Lord Altrincham]] accused her of being "out of touch".<ref>{{Multiref| Altrincham in ''[[National Review (London)|National Review]]'', quoted by | {{Harvnb|Brandreth|2004|p=374}}; {{Harvnb|Roberts|2000|p=83}}}}</ref> Altrincham was denounced by public figures and slapped by a member of the public appalled by his comments.{{Sfnm|ps=none|Brandreth|2004|1p=374|Pimlott|2001|2pp=280–281|Shawcross|2002|3p=76}} Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised Elizabeth to appoint [[Alec Douglas-Home]] as the prime minister, advice she followed.{{Sfnm|ps=none|Hardman|2011|1p=22|Pimlott|2001|2pp=324–335|Roberts|2000|3p=84}} Elizabeth again came under criticism for appointing the prime minister on the advice of a small number of ministers or a single minister.{{Sfnm|ps=none|Hardman|2011|1p=22|Pimlott|2001|2pp=324–335|Roberts|2000|3p=84}} In 1965, the Conservatives adopted a formal mechanism for electing a leader, thus relieving the Queen of her involvement.{{Sfn|ps=none|Roberts|2000|p=84}}

[[File:Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip sit on thrones before a full Parliament.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|With Philip, seated on thrones at the [[Canadian parliament]], 1957]]
In 1957, Elizabeth made a state visit to the United States, where she addressed the [[United Nations General Assembly]] on behalf of the Commonwealth. On the same tour, she opened the [[23rd Canadian Parliament]], becoming the first [[monarch of Canada]] to open a parliamentary session.<ref name="Canada">{{Cite web |title=Queen and Canada: Royal visits |url=https://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Canada/Royalvisits.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504150511/https://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Canada/Royalvisits.aspx |archive-date=4 May 2010 |access-date=12 February 2012 |publisher=Royal Household |mode=cs2}}</ref> Two years later, solely in her capacity as Queen of Canada, she revisited the United States and toured Canada.<ref name="Canada" />{{Sfn|ps=none|Bradford|2012|p=114}} In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, [[Kingdom of Nepal|Nepal]], and [[Pahlavi Iran|Iran]].{{Sfnm|ps=none|Pimlott|2001|1p=303|Shawcross|2002|2p=83}} On a visit to Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her safety, even though her host, President [[Kwame Nkrumah]], who had replaced her as head of state, was a target for assassins.{{Sfn|ps=none|Macmillan|1972|pp=466–472}} Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been absolutely determined all through&nbsp;... She is impatient of the attitude towards her to treat her as&nbsp;... a film star&nbsp;... She has indeed '[[Speech to the Troops at Tilbury|the heart and stomach of a man]]'&nbsp;... She loves her duty and means to be a Queen."{{Sfn|ps=none|Macmillan|1972|pp=466–472}} Before her tour through parts of [[Quebec]] in 1964, the press reported extremists within the [[Quebec separatist movement]] were plotting Elizabeth's assassination.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dubois |first=Paul |date=12 October 1964 |title=Demonstrations Mar Quebec Events Saturday |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19641012&id=3K4tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YZ8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6599,2340498 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123163032/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19641012&id=3K4tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YZ8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6599,2340498 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |access-date=6 March 2010 |work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]] |page=1 |mode=cs2}}</ref> No attempt was made, but a riot did break out while she was in [[Montreal]]; her "calmness and courage in the face of the violence" was noted.{{Sfn|ps=none|Bousfield|Toffoli|2002|p=139}}

Elizabeth gave birth to her third child, [[Prince Andrew]], in February 1960, which was the first birth to a reigning British monarch since 1857.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 September 2017 |title=Royal Family tree and line of succession |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-23272491 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210311001051/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-23272491 |archive-date=11 March 2021 |access-date=13 May 2022 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> Her fourth child, [[Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Edward]], was born in March 1964.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=43268 |date=11 March 1964 |page=2255 |nolink=y |mode=cs2}}</ref>