Elizabeth Monarchy: Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II Compared
The Elizabeth monarchy, twice over: Elizabeth I (1558-1603) and Elizabeth II (1952-2022) compared, from their paths to the throne to their reigns, plus the dispute over the numeral 'II' in Scotland.
Last updated September 2026
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The Elizabeth monarchy has two chapters, four centuries apart. Elizabeth I ruled England from 1558 to 1603. Elizabeth II reigned over the United Kingdom and other realms from 1952 to 2022.
One ruled in person and chose her own ministers. The other reigned as a constitutional monarch. This page compares the two reigns. It also sets out the one dispute their shared name caused.
TL;DR: Elizabeth I (reigned 1558-1603) was the last Tudor. She ruled in person and never married. Elizabeth II (reigned 1952-2022) was a constitutional monarch. Her 70-year reign is the longest in British history. Scots challenged the numeral "II" in 1953, since Elizabeth I never ruled Scotland.
The Elizabeth monarchy side by side
| Field | Elizabeth I | Elizabeth II |
|---|---|---|
| Born | 7 September 1533, Greenwich | 21 April 1926, London |
| Parents | Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn | George VI and Queen Elizabeth |
| Came to the throne | 17 November 1558, aged 25 | 6 February 1952, aged 25 |
| Crowned | 15 January 1559 | 2 June 1953 |
| Realm | England and Ireland | The UK and other Commonwealth realms |
| Married | Never | Prince Philip, 20 November 1947 |
| Children | None | Charles, Anne, Andrew, Edward |
| Died | 24 March 1603, Richmond Palace | 8 September 2022, Balmoral |
| Reign | 44 years | 70 years, 214 days |
| Succeeded by | James VI of Scotland (James I) | Her son, Charles III |
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Both came to the throne at 25. That is where the likeness ends.
Elizabeth I: a queen who governed
Elizabeth I was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Her mother was executed when she was two. She was briefly held in the Tower of London during her half-sister Mary I's reign. She became queen in November 1558.
She ruled in person, with a council she chose herself. Her church settlement of 1559 made the Church of England Protestant again. England beat the Spanish Armada in 1588.
She never married. For decades she used the question of marriage as a tool of diplomacy. Her death ended the Tudor line, as the house of Tudor page explains.
Elizabeth II: a constitutional monarch
Elizabeth II was born in 1926, the elder daughter of the Duke of York. She was not expected to reign. Then her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936, and her father became George VI. She married Prince Philip in 1947.
She was in Kenya when her father died on 6 February 1952. She was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. It was the first crowning to be shown on television. As a constitutional monarch she did not govern. She appointed prime ministers, opened Parliament and gave Royal Assent to laws on her ministers' advice.
Her reign saw the end of most of the empire and the growth of the Commonwealth. She was its Head. The Royal Family website notes she made over 150 visits within the Commonwealth. She died at Balmoral on 8 September 2022. Her state funeral took place at Westminster Abbey on 19 September.
| Jubilee | Year | Years on the throne |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | 1977 | 25 |
| Golden | 2002 | 50 |
| Diamond | 2012 | 60 |
| Sapphire | 2017 | 65 |
| Platinum | 2022 | 70 |
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The dispute over "Elizabeth II" in Scotland
The numeral "II"
Royal title "Elizabeth II", 1952-1953.
Status: Disputed. Challenged in Scotland. Upheld by the courts.
Note: Elizabeth I ruled England and Ireland, but not Scotland. Scotland had its own king at the time. Some Scots argued that the new queen was the first Elizabeth of Scotland and of the United Kingdom.
In MacCormick v Lord Advocate, the Court of Session threw out the challenge in July 1953. It held that the title was a matter of royal prerogative. Separately, Winston Churchill told the Commons in 1953 how future numbers would work. Monarchs would take whichever of the English or Scottish numbers was higher.
Sources: BAILII, MacCormick v Lord Advocate, 1953 SC 396; The Royal Family, "Queen Elizabeth II's Accession and Coronation".
The numbering question has come up since. Charles III is the third Charles in both England and Scotland. So his number raised no dispute.
To read more about both queens, see our guide to the best books about the royal family. It includes Sally Bedell Smith's life of Elizabeth II.
Verdict: two versions of the Elizabeth monarchy
The Elizabeth monarchy shows how far the Crown changed between 1558 and 2022. Elizabeth I ruled and chose her own policy. Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years, the longest in British history, without ruling at all.
The only dispute between their records is the number. The courts settled that in 1953. For Elizabeth II's children and heirs, see family tree of Queen Elizabeth. Both queens appear on the queens of England list.
For every monarch since 1066, with the disputed records, see the England royal family page.
Sources checked for this page
- The Royal Family, "Queen Elizabeth II's Life and Reign"
- The Royal Family, "70 facts to mark The Queen's Platinum Jubilee"
- The Royal Family, "Announcement of the death of The Queen"
- The Royal Family, "Elizabeth I"
- The National Archives, "Elizabeth's monarchy" education resource
- BAILII, MacCormick v Lord Advocate, 1953
Questions people also ask
How long did Elizabeth II reign?
Seventy years and 214 days, from 6 February 1952 to 8 September 2022. On 9 September 2015 her reign passed Victoria's as the longest in British history.
How long did Elizabeth I reign?
Forty-four years, from 17 November 1558 to 24 March 1603.
Why was Elizabeth II called 'the second' in Scotland?
Elizabeth I ruled England and Ireland but not Scotland, so some Scots objected. The Court of Session dismissed a legal challenge in 1953, and the government said future numbering would use whichever of the English or Scottish numerals was higher.
Were Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II related?
Distantly. Elizabeth I had no children. Elizabeth II descended from Elizabeth I's aunt, Margaret Tudor, through the Stuart and Hanoverian lines.