Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 and became the Queen of the United Kingdom in 1952. She succeeded her father George VI.
Biography
20th century
When Queen Elizabeth was coronated in 1953, it gathered a huge crowd, and families across Great Britain watched the event on their new televisions. The Wire attempted to take the energy from the millions of humans watching the coronation. However, the Tenth Doctor foiled the Wire's plans. (TV: The Idiot's Lantern)
While his granddaughter Susan Campbell and great-grandson Alex Campbell were celebrating Christmas in the TARDIS with him and Lucie Miller, the Eighth Doctor wanted to watch the Queen's 1953 Christmas speech using the Time-Space Visualiser as 1953 was a "great year." (AUDIO: Relative Dimensions)
On 5 April 1973, Her Majesty invited the Fourth Doctor to dine at Buckingham Palace. The Doctor reacted by running off in his TARDIS with Harry Sullivan and Sarah Jane Smith. (TV: Robot)
In 1977, students at Brendon Public School (as well as the rest of Great Britain), where Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart taught mathematics, celebrated the silver anniversary of Elizabeth II's Coronation. (TV: Mawdryn Undead)
The Queen was not in residence in Windsor Castle when the Luron mothership, which was more than a mile across, hovered above it in 1979. (AUDIO: The Valley of Death)
In 1988, her path almost crossed that of the Seventh Doctor (who almost but not quite recognised her) at Windsor Castle as she walked her pet corgis about the grounds. (TV: Silver Nemesis)
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 23 November. (PROSE: The Dying Days)
Elizabeth II was concurrently the Queen of Australia, a situation with which not all Australians were satisfied. The Fourth and Fifth Doctor's companion Tegan Jovanka, who described herself as "downright Bolshie," favoured her country's transition from a constitutional monarchy to a republic. (AUDIO: The Children of Seth)
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. (PROSE: Head Games)
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. (TV: The Christmas Invasion)
Due to the Sycorax and "Christmas Star" incidents (TV: 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. 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. (TV: 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. (TV: Planet of the Dead)
During her reign, she would make yearly televised speeches on Christmas. In 2009, the Woman interrupted the Queen's speech for Wilfred Mott, warning him of what was to come. Her speech immediately continued, no one else having seen the Woman take over. (TV: The End of Time)
The Queen was eventually succeeded by King Charles III. (PROSE: Revenge of the Judoon) As the British Army had a King's New Delta Squadron by 2020, she had seemingly died by this time. (AUDIO: Black and White) In any event, the United Kingdom was described as having a king by 24 May 2027. (AUDIO: A Death in the Family)
Other timelines
- In a nightmare alternate timeline created by a Time Beetle latched onto Donna Noble's back, the starship Titanic did hit Buckingham Palace and caused a nuclear explosion. The Queen was killed. (TV: Turn Left)
Other universes
- The regime of a fascist Britain had the royal family executed at some point before 1943. (TV: Inferno)
Minor references and mentions
- Rose Tyler theorised that the royal family, including Elizabeth II, could be werewolves after Queen Victoria was attacked by one. (TV: Tooth and Claw)
- Whilst listing some of the Doctor's past encounters with the Royal Family to the Eleventh Doctor, Liz 10 mentioned "tea and scones with Liz Two." (TV: The Beast Below)
- When the Tenth Doctor found that Edward VII had disappeared along with Balmoral Castle in 1902, he warned that the future of the royal family, along with the rest of history, was threatened. Saying that, along with the rest of his successors, there would be no Elizabeth II. (PROSE: Revenge of the Judoon)
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.
Behind the scenes
The Writer's Tale
According to 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 predecessors Victoria and Elizabeth I) would have been heard cursing the Doctor. This ending was scrapped as being too negative and special effects-intensive.
Torchwood website
On the series 1 version of the Torchwood website, a case file outlined the fall of Torchwood One around 2007. It suggested after a massive loss in life and technology, that it was recommended to Her Majesty for "the immediate closure of Torchwood One, together with the formation of a steering committee to fully examine future options." [1]
Footnotes
- ↑ Report: Closure of Torchwood One. Torchwood website. Archived from the original on 26 August 2007. Retrieved on 24 July 2013.
External links
