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Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was the Queen of 16 of the 53 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations, Head of the Commonwealth, Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
Upon her accession on 6 February 1952, Elizabeth became Head of the Commonwealth and queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon. Her coronation service the following year was the first to be televised. From 1956 to 1992, the number of her realms varied as territories gained independence and some realms became republics.
The royal style of Queen Elizabeth II was:
"By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith" before her coronation in 1953, then:
"By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith" or (in Latin) "Elizabeth II, Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regnorumque Suorum Ceterorum Regina, Consortionis Populorum Princeps, Fidei Defensor".
The title King of Gibraltar continues to be used by Spanish monarchs even though the territory was ceded to the Crown of Great Britain in perpetuity under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713. The continued use of the title thus emphasises a Spanish viewpoint that the British monarch merely has possession of Gibraltar, rather than sovereignty over it. The United Kingdom, by contrast, takes the position that the treaty transferred sovereignty as well as possession. It was customary for titles and arms of conquered territories to be omitted from British regnal claims. The title and arms were thus never claimed by the British monarchy.
In 2010 though the government of Gibraltar issued coinage using the title "Queen of Gibraltar". The title appears on most Gibraltar and UK government documents referencing the Queen in relation to Gibraltar. |
