We lost the American colonies because we lacked the statesmanship to know the right time and the manner of yielding what is impossible to keep.

Elizabeth's popularity sank to a low point in the 1990s. Her father was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. Home Secretary Herbert Morrison took forward another plan: for her to become patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League of Youth).

From 1956 to 1992 the number of her realms varied as territories gained independence and some realms became republics. Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926[note 1]) is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms and their territories and dependencies and head of the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations. Major events in the Queen's reign have included the Troubles in Northern Ireland the Falklands War wars with Iraq and the War in Afghanistan.