Queen Elizabeth Throughout The Years
1. The Baby Queen
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Queen Elizabeth was born on the 21st April 1926 in Mayfair, London. In this picture, you can see her proud parents, the Duke and Duchess of York, who would later become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother when George took the throne in 1936.Advertisement
2. Ready for Christmas
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In this picture, a three year old Elizabeth is seen on the train station ready to make her way to the royal Sandringham House estate in Norfolk in Christmas 1929. The family spent most Christmases at Sandringham, and still to this day royals like William and Kate enjoy taking a break at the country estate.Advertisement
3. Love for Horses
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Queen Elizabeth was known for her undying love of horses, and as this picture proves, that love started from a very young age. Here, Elizabeth is just 10 years old, and stands proudly next to her pony. As Queen, she would frequently be pictured at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, as we'll see later.Advertisement
4. Two Teens
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Can you tell the difference between Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret? Here, the two sisters are just 15 and 11, and the then Princess Elizabeth stands with a bouquet of flowers, while Margaret lovingly strokes their dog, Chung. The picture was taken at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, ever a favourite haunt of the royals.
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5. Family Time
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Here's another picture, taken in 1946 of the royal family in the grounds of the Royal Lodge at Windsor. King George VI sits with his two daughter, Elizabeth and Margaret, but perhaps the star of the picture is one of Elizabeth's first beloved corgis. Of course, corgis would become synonymous with Elizabeth later in her life.Advertisement
6. The Happy Couple
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This photo of Queen Elizabeth and Phillip was released as their official engagement photograph in July 1947. Elizabeth's engagement ring was comprised of diamonds from Phillip's mother's royal tiara. She was Princess Andrew of Greece, and a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.Advertisement
7. The Wedding of a Century
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Princess Elizabeth and Phillip Mountbatten were married on the 20th November 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London, the famous scene of many a royal wedding since then. But the wedding wasn't a wholly extravagant affair - Elizabeth had to use ration coupons to purchase the materials for her wedding dress, and did her own makeup.Advertisement
8. Honeymooning
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Phillip and Elizabeth spend their honeymoon in England - they would have time to travel the world later as part of their Royal Tour. Their wedding night was spent at the Earl Mountbatten's country house, Broadlands, in Hampshire, and they spent the rest of their newlywed holiday at the Scottish estate Balmoral.Advertisement
9. First Child is Born
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Phillip and Elizabeth's first child, Charles, was born on the 14th November 1948, and here is pictured in an official photograph that was released for his first birthday. Elizabeth was just 23 years old when the picture was taken, and looks full of happiness and love.Advertisement
10. The Coronation
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When Princess Elizabeth was 25 years old, her father, the King George VI died. This meant that she immediately succeeded to the throne, and Elizabeth and Phillip quickly returned to the UK from Kenya, where they were visiting. The coronation was on the 2nd June 1953, and so began Queen Elizabeth's incredible 70 year reign.Advertisement
11. The Classic Wave
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After the Coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth and Phillip appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to wave to the thousands of people gathered in the Mall. This was a big moment worldwide, as the Coronation ceremony was the first ever to be televised.Advertisement
12. Royal Tour in Australia
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After the Coronation Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip jetted off for a Royal Tour of all the Commonwealth, taking in 13 countries. The entire tour took 7 months, and in this picture the royals are setting off for Brisbane. The Australian people loved seeing their new Queen - apparently three-quarters of the entire population are estimated to have appeared to see her.Advertisement
13. Looking Regal
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Queen Elizabeth has served some looks in her time, and this 50s glamour is iconic. There was a reason for all this style - Queen Elizabeth was attending the London showing of the film To Catch a Thief. Also attending the film screening were famous actors like Jack Hawkins and Richard Attenborough.Advertisement
14. Meeting Marilyn Monroe
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How's this for an iconic photograph? Here, Queen Elizabeth meets the American film star Marilyn Monroe at the 1956 London performance of The Battle of the River Plate. According to biographers, the female stars were told to dress conservatively to meet the royal, but instead Marilyn wore an outstanding, and very baring, gown.Advertisement
15. Style at the Horse Shows
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Here, Elizabeth is pictured meeting riders at the 1968 Royal Windsor Horse Show, which she famously attended every year. The royal loved horses, and regularly rode around her grounds in Scotland. The Queen also took an interest in thoroughbred racing, and bred her own royal racing horses which frequently won some of the UK's biggest races.Advertisement
16. 25 Years of Love
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Here, Queen Elizabeth stuns in a beautiful silver gown to celebrate her Silver Wedding Anniversary with Prince Phillip in 1972. By this time, the couple had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward. At the celebration, Queen Elizabeth said: "If I am asked what I think about family life after 25 years of marriage, I can answer with equal simplicity and conviction, I am for it."Advertisement
17. Her Beloved Corgis
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Queen Elizabeth was known for her lifelong love of corgis - here, she arrives at Aberdeen airport to head to Balmoral Castle with three of her dogs in tow. Each corgi that Elizabeth owned in her life (totally over 30) were each descended from Susan, who was given to the Queen as an 18th birthday gift.Advertisement
18. Jubilee Celebrations
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In 1977, Queen Elizabeth - along with the entire United Kingdom and Commonwealth Nations - celebrated 25 years of her reign. As part of the celebrations, Elizabeth undertook a huge tour of the UK, visiting 36 counties and greeting thousands of thousands of people who came out to celebrate her and shower her with gifts.Advertisement
19. An Accomplished Horsewoman
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Elizabeth was given her first pony when she was just 4 years old, and became an accomplished rider. Traditionally, the Queen has joined in the annual Trooping the Colour parade, as here in 1983, but from 1987 onwards she appeared in a carriage rather than on horseback.Advertisement
20. Meeting Icons
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Queen Elizabeth met a lot of people during her reign, from humble citizens of the UK to truly famous diplomats. One of those famous people was Nelson Mandela; in 1996, during his state visit to Britain, she shared a carriage with the President of South Africa, making for an iconic photo of two historical greats.Advertisement
21. A Regal Portrait
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By 1998, Queen Elizabeth II had become one of the most recognisable heads of state in the entire world. The royal family were at this time coming to the end of a difficult decade, with the death of Princess Diana and the separation of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York. However, in this image, she looks as regal as ever, as if she has everything under control.Advertisement
22. Smiling to Crowds
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Queen Elizabeth's dignified wave was as much a part of her personality as her corgis or the dedication to family. At her Golden Jubilee in 2002, she delighted in waving to crowds in the centre of London as she rode in the royal gold coach. This was a huge event, celebrating 50 years on the throne.Advertisement
23. Her 80th Birthday
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Not long after celebrating 50 years as Queen, Elizabeth had another big milestone - her 80th birthday. In this official portrait, she reads birthday cards sent from members of the public to honour the day. An official painted portrait was also made to commemorate the day.Advertisement
24. The Olympics
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The Queen appeared on the world stage at the Opening Ceremony for the Summer Olympics in London on Friday 27th July 2012. Not only did she appear in-person in a place of honour in the crowd, she also had a small cameo in the ceremony in a James Bond movie with Daniel Craig.Advertisement
25. Laughing with Family
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Being Queen must be a stressful job, with plenty of people to please and lots of important documents to look over. However, here the Queen showed a moment of joy, laughing with her granddaughter-in-law Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, at the opening of new Mersey Gateway Bridge. Meghan would have been looking to make a good impression, as this was her first official royal engagement after marrying Prince Harry.Advertisement
26. 73 Years
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Here, Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth, now 99 and 94 years old, read anniversary cards from their grandchildren to celebrate an incredible 73 years of marriage. Phillip looks very happy to have received one from Prince William's children, George, Charlotte, and Louis.Advertisement
27. A Lonely Funeral
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This iconic image might be one of the most heart-wrenching ever taken of the Queen. In April 2021, Prince Phillip died at the age of 99, and Queen Elizabeth lost her life partner. Because of Covid restrictions, she sat alone at the funeral, dressed all in black and with a black face mask.Advertisement
28. Happy Again
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Later the same year after losing her beloved Phillip, the Queen was pictured attending the Royal Windsor Horse Show. It was cancelled in 2020, which must have been disappointing for Her Majesty, but she was back in high spirits this year, even driving herself to the show ground like the icon she is.Advertisement
29. Celebrations
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In June 2022, the UK and the entire Commonwealth celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, signifying 70 years on the throne. This was a milestone for more than one reason - Elizabeth became the first UK monarch to reach 70 years, and it subsequently made her one of the longest-reigning monarchs in the entire world.Advertisement
30. The Last Photo
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This image will go down in history as one of the last images we have of Queen Elizabeth II before her death. It was taken at Balmoral Castle, where Elizabeth was set to receive the new Prime Minister Liz Truss. At 96 years old, she still looks sprightly and joyful, making it a very special photo.Advertisement