Queen Elizabeth II: The Life and Legacy of Britain's Second Longest Reigning Monarch

*Includes pictures *Includes quotes by the Queen about her life and reign *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents “When I was twenty-one I pledged my life to the service of our people and I asked for God's help to make good that vow. Although that vow was made in my salad days, when I was green in judgement, I do not regret nor retract one word of it.” – Elizabeth II Until the implementation of new legislation on March 26, 2015, men were given preference to women in the British royal line. This system of male primogeniture meant that women seldom inherited the throne, and even when they did, they were often dominated by male councillors. Those women who married British kings gained the title of Queen, but they were queen consorts, holding the title with no power. This makes Elizabeth II one of a select few queens regnant - queens ruling in their own right - and one of even fewer to set her own course in the history of her family and its throne.