Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II was born on the 21 April 1926 and became the Queen of Great Britain in 1952. She served well into the 21st century and was one of the longest-serving monarchs in history.
Biography
20th century
The alien Wire attempted to take the energy from the millions of humans watching her 1953 Coronation on their televisions. However, the Tenth Doctor foiled the Wire's plans. (DW: The Idiot's Lantern)
Students at Brendon Public School (as well as the rest of Great Britain), where the Brigadier taught, celebrated the silver anniversary of Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1977. (DW: Mawdryn Undead)
In 1988, her path almost crossed that of the Seventh Doctor (who almost but not quite recognized her) at Windsor Castle as she walked her pet corgis about the grounds. (DW: Silver Nemesis)
Elizabeth II was also apparently no longer on the throne at the time the Seventh Doctor reunited with The Brigadier for an adventure "several years" into Ace's future, probably sometime in the 1990s. An unnamed King (presumably her son, Charles) was said to be on the throne at this time (DW: Battlefield).
- To date, no TV episode or novel has attempted to explain why Elizabeth was no longer queen in the 1990s, yet was seen in this capacity in episodes set in the 2000s. A possible explanation is that the events of Battlefield take place in an alternate or negated timeline; alternately there may be an as-yet unchronicled reason as to why she was not on the throne at this time.
Queen Elizabeth was briefly deposed by the Ice Lord Xznaal in May 1997, but was later restored to the throne and her Re-Coronation was held on 23rd November. (NA: The Dying Days)
21st century
In 2001, Dr. Who, a fictional duplicate of the Doctor, tried several times to assassinate her, convinced she was the leader of an oppressive regime. During an appearance in Sheffield he succeeded, but the self-doubts of his accomplice Jason, coupled with his own essentially fictional nature, meant that the Queen survived after all. (NA: Head Games)
In 2006, Harriet Jones was invited to form a government by the Queen. (WEB: UNIT website (Secure section)) On Christmas Day of that year, the blood control powers of the Sycorax (operating out of a ship hovering over London) threatened to make Elizabeth II, as well as the rest of the British royal family jump off a roof and kill herself. (DW: The Christmas Invasion)
After the Battle of Canary Wharf (DW: Doomsday) in 2007, the Queen ordered the immediate closure of Torchwood 1 (WEB: torchwood.org.uk). The level of her involvement with and support of the Torchwood Institute, established by Victoria, both before and after the Battle of Canary Wharf, is unclear. However events prior to and following this event indicate she was on better terms with the Doctor than her ancestor (likely due to his involvement with UNIT during much of her reign).
Due to the Sycorax and "Christmas Star" incidents (DW: The Runaway Bride) occurring on consecutive Christmases in London, most of the city's residents fled during Christmas 2008. The Queen, however, staunchly decided to remain in Buckingham Palace.(DW: Voyage of the Damned) On Christmas Day, the alien Titanic almost crashed into Buckingham Palace; the Tenth Doctor contacted the Palace and uttered a pre-arranged code number that resulted in the immediate evacuation of the Queen and her staff. However, at the last moment he was able to pull the ship up above the palace. The Queen could be heard thanking the Doctor by name (DW: Voyage of the Damned).
In Easter 2009, the Tenth Doctor left his TARDIS in Buckingham Palace gardens, telling Captain Erisa Magambo that the Queen did not mind. (DW: Planet of the Dead)
Other timelines
- The regime of a fascist Britain had the royal family executed at some point before 1943. Presumably, this would have included Princess Elizabeth. (DW: Inferno)
- Elizabeth II was not on the throne on the parallel Earth known as Pete's World; on that world, Great Britain was a republic governed by a president. (DW: Rise of the Cybermen) As not every person on our Earth was duplicated on Pete's World (i.e. Rose Tyler) or as an exact double (i.e. Ricky Smith), Elizabeth's existence on Pete's World is a matter of conjecture.
- In a nightmare alternate timeline created by a Time Beetle latched onto Donna Noble back, the starship Titanic did hit Buckingham Palace and caused a nuclear explosion. The Queen is assumed dead; as no reference to a successor is ever made, it's unclear whether anyone sat on the throne after this event. (DW: Turn Left)
Minor references and mentions
- Rose Tyler theorized that the royal family including Elizabeth II could be werewolves after Victoria (Queen) was attacked by one. (DW: Tooth and Claw)
- Whilst listing some of the Doctor's past encounters with the Royal Family to Eleventh Doctor, Liz 10 mentions "tea and scones with Liz Two." (DW: The Beast Below)
Behind the scenes
Elizabeth II and Doctor Who
Elizabeth II reportedly enjoyed viewing classic Doctor Who and, when she met members of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop commented on their connection with the series. The British press has reported that she now watches the new series.
Elizabeth II on Doctor Who
Archival footage of the Queen's coronation appeared in The Idiot's Lantern.
Reportedly, Producer John Nathan Turner attempted to get the Queen to appear as herself in Silver Nemesis, but was unsuccessful. An uncredited Mary Reynolds played Her Majesty instead. Other records of the time, however, such as those released by the BBC Archives suggest the Queen was never approached, but rather her son, Prince Edward, was the one invited to appear, but declined.
Other information
According to Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale, Russell T Davies originally planned to end Voyage of the Damned with the Titanic actually destroying part of Buckingham Palace (though the Queen escapes). Rather than cheering the Doctor from the ground, Elizabeth (in keeping with her ancestors Victoria and Elizabeth I) would have been heard cursing the Doctor. This ending was scrapped as being too negative and special effects-intensive.
External links
