Queen Elizabeth II, born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, is Britain’s longest reigning monarch. She ascended to the throne on Feb. 6, 1952, after her father, King George VI, died in his sleep. Her Royal Majesty created a lasting legacy, building the commonwealth to be stronger and less vulnerable than it was when she received it. In Nov. 1947, the Queen married Prince Philip, and remained married until his death in April 2021. The royal couple had four children together, Charles, Prince of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, Andrew, Duke of York, and Edward, Earl of Wessex, and multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth brought the monarchy out from its archaic past. During a royal tour in 1970, she broke decades of traditions and took a casual stroll to meet the people, setting a new tradition that continues today. On Sept. 8, 2022, the Queen died peacefully at Balmoral, after members of the British royal family rushed to her side in Scotland. She was 96 and served as the head of the British monarchy for 70 years. Take a look back at her incredible reign.
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the Imperial Crown, smiles and waves to the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on June 3, 1953, in London, on returning from Westminster Abbey following her coronation.
Fit to be queen! The future monarch smiles for a photographer in this early portrait, taken in 1927. Born in 1926, Elizabeth II was the first child of Britain’s King George VI and his wife, Elizabeth.
Princess Elizabeth is taken for a ride in the grounds of Windsor Castle, with her cousin, the honorable Gerald Lascelles, right, son of Princess Royal, in 1927.
Britain’s Princess Elizabeth, the little daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, photographed on her tricycle in the gardens of her London Home on June 5, 1930, with her little cousin Gerald Lascelles, the youngest son of Princess Mary and Lord Harewood.
Britain’s Princess Elizabeth, later to become Queen Elizabeth II, is introduced by her mother, the Duchess of York, to disabled soldiers at an exhibition of their work in London, on May 16, 1933.
Britain’s Princess Elizabeth, center, walking with a friend in Hyde Park, London, on Oct. 26, 1934.
King George V, Princess Elizabeth waving to the crowd, and Her Majesty Queen Mary on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London on May 6, 1935, after attending the Jubilee service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Princess Elizabeth, then aged 9, after the wedding of the Duke of Gloucester and Lady Alice Scott shown Nov. 6, 1935.
Not exactly a typical child growing up, Elizabeth was third in line to the throne behind her father and her uncle, Edward VIII, Prince of Wales. As a girl, she was homeschooled with her younger sister, Margaret, and had a love for animals. Here, the 9-year-old princess plays with a corgi. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth owned a total of 30 corgis. The first was called Susan.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is shown with her husband, King George VI, and their two daughters, Princess Elizabeth, center, and Princess Margaret, in 1937.
George VI, Queen Elizabeth II’s father, is crowned king on May 12, 1937. He is pictured after his coronation in this royal portrait alongside his wife Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, right, and his daughters, Queen Elizabeth II, center, and Princess Margaret.
Princess Elizabeth, their-apparent to the throne of England as the king’s oldest daughter, waves gracefully to the crowd which watched her leave Buckingham Palace by automobile on June 6, 1937 in London.
The Royal Family visited the B.B.C. at Broadcasting house in London on March 13, 1939. Princess Margaret Rose and Princess Elizabeth shaking hands with Frederick Ogilvie, Director General of the B.B.C. after the Royal family’s tour.
The young then princess Elizabeth glances at a bird that rests on her left arm. Rare footage of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has been shared to celebrate her 90th birthday back in 2016.
Princess Elizabeth, left, Princess Margaret and their father King George VI cuddle with two dogs on a bench in Britain.
Princess Elizabeth takes a quick dip in the pool with her father King George VI on a bright day in Britain.
Elizabeth paved the way for trendy headwear long before Kate Middleton ever donned a fascinator. Here, the 18-year-old royal is seen sporting a stylish, military-inspired hat while visiting an exhibition in London on Jan. 31, 1944.
Ready to serve! During World War II, Princess Elizabeth joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service where she was promoted to Junior Commander. In this photo, she is presented with a clock on Aug. 3, 1945 during a ceremony at the camp where she received her training.
A glamorous Queen Elizabeth II sits at her desk in Buckingham Palace on Sept. 19, 1946.
Elegant and poised, the British royal poses for a portrait on Dec. 7, 1946, a few months before her 21st birthday.
Princess Elizabeth is all smiles as she poses for her official engagement pictures with her fiance, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. The couple met at the Royal Naval College in Darmouth when Elizabeth was just 13 years old. The Queen was instantly smitten.
The happy couple walk down the aisle of Westminster Abbey in London on Nov. 20, 1947. Elizabeth, who was 21 at the time of her wedding, looks resplendent in a gown by Norman Hartnell. Philip, who became the Duke of Edinburgh upon his marriage, renounced his former Danish and Greek royal titles. The historic ceremony was broadcast around the world by BBC Radio.
H.R.H. British Princess Elizabeth before a microphone for her birthday speech which she made was taken in Cape Town, South Africa, April 19, 1947 for her 21st birthday, April 21.
The queen-to-be becomes a mom! Princess Elizabeth admires her firstborn son, Prince Charles Arthur George of Edinburgh, at Buckingham Palace on Dec. 23, 1948. The prince was born one month earlier on Nov. 14.
Radiant at age 23, Elizabeth arrives at the French Embassy in London to attend a state banquet on March 8, 1950.
Everyone smile! Elizabeth holds her young daughter, Princess Anne, while her husband Philip poses with the couple’s son, Charles, during a 1951 family outing.
Elizabeth plays with her three-year-old son Charles at Balmoral in Scotland in the fall of 1952.
Queen Elizabeth II peeks out from the window of a state coach on her way to Westminster Abbey for her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953. The Queen ascended the throne after her father King George VI passed away in February 1952 at age 56. Elizabeth was 27 years old.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II poses for pictures with husband her Prince Philip on the her Coronation Day at Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth II is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, surpassing the record of her great-great grandmother queen Victoria, who reigned for 63 years and 216 days between 1837 and 1901.
Her royal highness Queen Elizabeth II takes the throne after receiving the crown, scepter and rod from the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster on June 2, 1953. The coronation ceremony was the first service of its kind to be televised. More than 27 million people are said to have tuned in.
Flags of the 13 colonies flutter from The Daily News building as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip wave to bystanders in New York City, circa 1976.
Always the good hostess, Queen Elizabeth II poses with her ever-dapper dinner guest John Kennedy during the president’s visit to Buckingham Palace on June 5, 1961.
Hats off, your majesty! Queen Elizabeth, 38, wears a feathered topper to the Royal Maundy ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England, on April 15, 1965.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip wave from plane ramp shortly before the special royal plane took off from Tokyo, May 12, 1975.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip take the salute on horseback outside the gates of Buckingham Palace, London, on June 14, 1975, following the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony.
The Queen embraces 1970’s fashion in a golden floor-length gown while visiting with President Jimmy Carter at Buckingham Palace in May of 1977.
The Queen presents Mother Teresa of Calcutta with the Insignia of the Honorary Order of Meric in New Delhi on Nov. 24, 1983.
Queen Elizabeth opts for a matching red coat and hat after attending morning prayers at the Royal Chapel in Windsor park on April 20, 1986, just days before celebrating her 60th birthday.
Queen Elizabeth stands next to Diana, Princess of Wales, while smiling to well-wishers outside Clarence House in London on Aug. 4, 1987.
Looking cheerful in yellow, Her Majesty makes her way to Buckingham Palace after watching the Trooping of the Colour in London on June 14, 1997.
A royal congratulations is in order! After 50 years of marriage, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh celebrate their golden anniversary at a luncheon on Nov. 19, 1997.
Queen Elizabeth II places a wreath in remembrance of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center site, Tuesday, July 6, 2010 in New York. The Queen also addressed the United Nations General Assembly during her New York visit. It was her final time on American soil.
The British royal beams from the balcony of Buckingham Palace while celebrating the marriage of her grandson, Prince William to Kate Middleton at the Royal Wedding on April 29, 2011.
Dripping in diamonds, the Queen poses next to President Barack Obama before the elegant State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on May 24, 2011.
Dressed in full regalia, the Queen prepares to read the Queen’s speech during the state opening of parliament in the Palace of Westminster on May 9, 2012.
Ahead of her accession, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened a new facility at King’s Lynn in Norfolk, East of England, on Feb. 2, 2015. Her Majesty celebrated the anniversary privately at her estate in Sandringham where she spends her annual winter break.
On Sept. 9, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, surpassing Queen Victoria. The 89-year-old queen is pictured here at Buckingham Palace as she reaches the milestone of ruling for 63 years and seven months.
Queen Elizabeth II posed with her daughter Princess Anne in the White Drawing Room of Windsor Castle in Windsor for this official photo to commemorate her birthday.
Just days shy of her 89th birthday, Queen Elizabeth II appeared to be in good spirits as she attended the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Meeting at Newbury Racecourse in Newbury, England. The monarch chatted to arguably the world’s best jockey Ryan Moore ahead of his race on April 17, 2015.
Annie Liebovitz photographed Queen Elizabeth II with her two grandchildren, James, Viscount Severn (L) and Lady Louise (2L) and her five great-grandchildren Mia Tindall, Savannah Philipps (3R), Isla Phillips (R), Prince George (2R) and Princess Charlotte (C) in the Green Drawing room at Windsor Castle in Windsor.
Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz photographed striking images of Queen Elizabeth II to mark her 90th birthday on April 21, 2016. Here, Queen Elizabeth II posed on the steps of the east terrace with four of her dogs Willow, Vulcan, Holly and Candy in the garden of Windsor Castle in Windsor.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2017 with the release of brand new official portraits. The photographs, taken by photographer Matt Holyoak, were taken in the White Drawing Room of Windsor Castle in early November to mark the milestone of their diamond wedding anniversary.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh got married in 1947 and are still married 70 years on. The Queen and His Royal Highness are framed by Thomas Gainsborough’s 1781 portraits of George III and Queen Charlotte, who were married for 57 years.
Queen Elizabeth wore a cream dress designed by Angela Kelly, as well as a “Scarab” brooch featuring a ruby and diamond, gifted to her by Prince Philip in 1966.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are the first royal couple to make it to their 70th wedding anniversary.
Queen Elizabeth II is all smiles alongside Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge on June 14, 2018 in the town of Widnes in Halton, Cheshire, England. Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in May 2018 and became The Duchess of Sussex.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II visits the set of the long running television series Coronation Street, in Manchester, England, July 8, 2021.
Queen Elizabeth II, left, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex; and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF on July 10, 2018 in London, England.
Queen Elizabeth II is photographed at Sandringham House to mark the start of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee Year, on Feb. 2, 2022 in Sandringham, Norfolk.
