In Photos: Queen Elizabeth II Through the Years
A look back at all the iconic moments from her life.
The longest-reigning living monarch, Elizabeth became queen in 1952 at the age of 25 following the death of her father, King George VI. Since then, she’s worked with more than 15 prime ministers in her over six decades on the throne, all while carrying out service, engagements, and overseas visits. She’s also shared her royal duties with her late husband of over 73 years, Prince Philip (who passed away on April 9, 2021), their four children, grandchildren, and—in the future—great-grandchildren.
Ahead, take a look at snapshots from the monarch’s life, from the defining regal milestones to rare, intimate moments with her family.
1927
Princess Elizabeth with her mother, The Duchess of York, in 1927.
1932
In an adorable ballerina outfit with a floral crown and fingerless gloves. At the time of this photograph, she was Princess Elizabeth, daughter of The Duke and Duchess of York.
1937
With her father King George VI, her mother Queen Elizabeth, and her sister Princess Margaret in their coronation robes in 1937.
Late-1930s
During their royal visit to South Africa, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princesses Margaret Rose, and Elizabeth took a few moments to pose for a family photo.
1940
Princess Elizabeth has been a rider since her youth, so it's no wonder Princes Charles, William, and Harry are all polo players.
1940
Princess Elizabeth took a quick break from reading for a quick photograph on a porch at Windsor Castle.
1942
Here she is with her sister Princess Margaret (right) and an adorable lhaso apso pup at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
1942
Don't mess with Princess Elizabeth, who looks like a boss in her Girl Guides uniform in Frogmore, UK.
1944
The princess wore a floral-printed dress and pearls as she wrote a note at her desk in Windsor Castle.
1945
Princess Elizabeth was photographed in her British Army uniform. At the time of the picture, she was a second subaltern (equivalent to a second lieutenant) in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) of the British Army.
1946
Princess Elizabeth writes a note at her desk in Buckingham Palace.
1947
The queen wore a satin dress, pearl necklace, and bracelets while she read at her desk in Buckingham Palace.
1947
With her then-fiancé, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
1947
The engaged couple were photographed at Buckingham Palace shortly before their stunning wedding.
1947
The newlyweds look so in love and full of happiness during their honeymoon at Broadlands, Romsey, Hampshire.
1947
Princess Elizabeth looked lady-like and regal in her soft pink dress, simple jewelry, and curled hair for an engagement photoshoot with Prince Philip.
1947
The Queen rocked an elegant wedding dress with a 13-foot bridal trail designed by Norman Hartnel.
1947
The Princess wore a knee-length dress and pearl necklace when she hopped on the BBC radio to make a broadcast from the gardens of Government House in Cape Town.
1948
An adorable family portrait of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip with their son Prince Charles.
1949
The queen looked thrilled while she posed with her son Prince Charles.
Jennifer Algoo is the Visuals Director at Harper's BAZAAR. She is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts and has previously worked at Patrick McMullan Co. as well as completing internships at Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue and CosmoGirl! Magazine. Jennifer covers royal, celeb and art content as well as overseeing all visual assets on BAZAAR.com. When she's not obsessing over the royals you can find her attempting to solve cold cases as an armchair detective, traveling and experimenting with new recipes.
Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Best Products with over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like high-frequency wands and microcurrent devices, into easy-to-understand guides. She takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, — such as hairdryers and foundations — on our site, and spotlights her all-time seasonal favorites in her quarterly column Best New Beauty. And she tests quite literally thousands of launches for our Beauty Awards package.
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