It’s been 65 years since Queen Elizabeth took the throne after her father King George’s untimely death from a blood clot at age 56. But taking the throne and becoming the British monarch at age 27 wasn’t exactly easy for Liz. 

Just 14 years after her dad’s passing, the now-92-year-old launched the Royal Yacht Britannia, a dream of George’s, and footage of the ceremony is shown in the new documentary, Queen of the World. “She had an aura of sadness and it was picked up in the press,” Robin, Countess of Onslow once said. Prince Charles, 69, also one shared, “To commit to that challenge the way she did was truly remarkable. It appeared effortless, but it wasn’t, of course.”

queen elizabeth
Getty Images

The Queen has one said that grief “is the price we pay for love. When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.”

As Nick Kent, executive producer of the documentary, exclusively noted to Closer, the royal family often has to hide their negative emotions. “Hers was a generation that lived through the Second World War,” he shared. “They experienced a degree of trauma and suffering we can’t even imagine. They learned to keep a stiff upper lip.”

But Elizabeth’s strong attitude has made her such a successful monarch — for example, she’s grown the Commonwealth from eight to 53 countries. “She inherited her crown, but the Commonwealth is something she really devoted her energies to building,” Kent shared. “I think that message is the reason why she wanted to be a part of this documentary.” We can’t stop watching it!

For more on Queen Elizabeth, pick up the latest issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now — and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for more exclusive news!

Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Prince William, and all things royal!

closer cover