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0 / 29 Fotos
Sisters - Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret with Queen Elizabeth and pet dogs in June 1936, in the garden of the Royal Lodge in Windsor. Many years later, Queen Elizabeth II would keep corgis, her favorite dog breed.
© Getty Images
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Wartime - Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at Waterloo Station in London. At the outbreak of war in 1939, the two young royals went to stay at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and later at Sandringham House in Norfolk.
© Getty Images
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Royal Windsor Horse Show
- Enjoying the first day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 1947 with the Duchess of Beaufort and Princess Margaret.
© Getty Images
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Engaged
- The year also saw her engagement to Prince Philip, born into Greek and Danish royal families. The royal couple married in London's Westminster Abbey.
© Getty Images
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Young women - Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at the unveiling of the memorial to American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1948. Later that year, Princess Elizabeth would give birth to her first child, Charles.
© Getty Images
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Motherhood - Prince Charles as a newborn in his crib in 1949.
© Getty Images
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Royal Horse Show - The royal couple smile across the aisle at the Royal Horse Show in 1949.
© Getty Images
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Mother of two - In 1950, the future queen became a mother for the second time with the arrival of Princess Anne.
© Getty Images
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Intergenerational - Princess Elizabeth holds her baby daughter Princess Anne after her christening. Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary look on proudly.
© Getty Images
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Young mother - Princess Elizabeth wipes baby Anne's face in an unguarded moment caught by the camera.
© Getty Images
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USA - Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip smile as US President Harry S. Truman pauses during a speech in 1951.
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
Canada - The royal couple is given a tour of the Ottawa Public Archives in 1951.
© Getty Images
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Montreal - Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip clearly engrossed in an ice hockey game in Montreal.
© Getty Images
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Girl Scouts - Members of the Girl Scouts meet Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip outside the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
© Getty Images
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Visit to Halifax - Arriving at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada.
© Getty Images
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Landmark destination - At Niagara Falls during the royal couple's tour of Canada. Note the respectable distance kept by the press corps.
© Getty Images
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The princess and the politician - Princess Elizabeth alongside Winston Churchill at the opening of the International Youth Centre in Chigwell, Essex in England.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
The Coronation - While on tour in Kenya in April 1952, word arrived of the King's death. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2, 1953.
© Getty Images
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Royal tour - On the balcony of Government House in Melbourne, Australia. In 1953, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a seven-month, round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries.
© Getty Images
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Down under - Queen Elizabeth inspects a Guard of Honour at Prince's Wharf, Tasmania in Australia. She was the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to actually set foot in these countries.
© Getty Images
20 / 29 Fotos
Formal occasion - During the Australian leg of their tour, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh are greeted by the Hon. Thomas Playford upon their arrival for a State Banquet at Parliament House.
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Meeting the troops - The young Queen meets an injured serviceman in Australia.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
Back in the United Kingdom - Queen Elizabeth disembarks the Royal Barge at Westminster Pier in London in 1954.
© Getty Images
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Patron of the arts - Queen Elizabeth meets actress Claire Bloom and producer Sir Alexander Korda.
© Getty Images
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A day at the races - Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret enjoy horse racing at the Epsom Derby.
© Getty Images
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African days - Queen Elizabeth inspects the Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria.
© Getty Images
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Historic presentation - Queen Elizabeth presents the trophy to American tennis player Althea Gibson—the first black athlete to cross the color line of international tennis—at the Women's Singles final at Wimbledon.
© Getty Images
27 / 29 Fotos
Family outing
- Pictured with her husband and two children in a car. Queen Elizabeth II would give birth to Andrew in 1960 and Edward in 1964. See also: Things every home in the '70s had that you rarely see today
© Getty Images
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© Getty Images
0 / 29 Fotos
Sisters - Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret with Queen Elizabeth and pet dogs in June 1936, in the garden of the Royal Lodge in Windsor. Many years later, Queen Elizabeth II would keep corgis, her favorite dog breed.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
Wartime - Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at Waterloo Station in London. At the outbreak of war in 1939, the two young royals went to stay at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and later at Sandringham House in Norfolk.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Royal Windsor Horse Show
- Enjoying the first day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 1947 with the Duchess of Beaufort and Princess Margaret.
© Getty Images
3 / 29 Fotos
Engaged
- The year also saw her engagement to Prince Philip, born into Greek and Danish royal families. The royal couple married in London's Westminster Abbey.
© Getty Images
4 / 29 Fotos
Young women - Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret at the unveiling of the memorial to American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1948. Later that year, Princess Elizabeth would give birth to her first child, Charles.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
Motherhood - Prince Charles as a newborn in his crib in 1949.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Royal Horse Show - The royal couple smile across the aisle at the Royal Horse Show in 1949.
© Getty Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Mother of two - In 1950, the future queen became a mother for the second time with the arrival of Princess Anne.
© Getty Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Intergenerational - Princess Elizabeth holds her baby daughter Princess Anne after her christening. Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary look on proudly.
© Getty Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Young mother - Princess Elizabeth wipes baby Anne's face in an unguarded moment caught by the camera.
© Getty Images
10 / 29 Fotos
USA - Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip smile as US President Harry S. Truman pauses during a speech in 1951.
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
Canada - The royal couple is given a tour of the Ottawa Public Archives in 1951.
© Getty Images
12 / 29 Fotos
Montreal - Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip clearly engrossed in an ice hockey game in Montreal.
© Getty Images
13 / 29 Fotos
Girl Scouts - Members of the Girl Scouts meet Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip outside the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
Visit to Halifax - Arriving at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada.
© Getty Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Landmark destination - At Niagara Falls during the royal couple's tour of Canada. Note the respectable distance kept by the press corps.
© Getty Images
16 / 29 Fotos
The princess and the politician - Princess Elizabeth alongside Winston Churchill at the opening of the International Youth Centre in Chigwell, Essex in England.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
The Coronation - While on tour in Kenya in April 1952, word arrived of the King's death. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2, 1953.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
Royal tour - On the balcony of Government House in Melbourne, Australia. In 1953, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a seven-month, round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries.
© Getty Images
19 / 29 Fotos
Down under - Queen Elizabeth inspects a Guard of Honour at Prince's Wharf, Tasmania in Australia. She was the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to actually set foot in these countries.
© Getty Images
20 / 29 Fotos
Formal occasion - During the Australian leg of their tour, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh are greeted by the Hon. Thomas Playford upon their arrival for a State Banquet at Parliament House.
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Meeting the troops - The young Queen meets an injured serviceman in Australia.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
Back in the United Kingdom - Queen Elizabeth disembarks the Royal Barge at Westminster Pier in London in 1954.
© Getty Images
23 / 29 Fotos
Patron of the arts - Queen Elizabeth meets actress Claire Bloom and producer Sir Alexander Korda.
© Getty Images
24 / 29 Fotos
A day at the races - Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret enjoy horse racing at the Epsom Derby.
© Getty Images
25 / 29 Fotos
African days - Queen Elizabeth inspects the Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria.
© Getty Images
26 / 29 Fotos
Historic presentation - Queen Elizabeth presents the trophy to American tennis player Althea Gibson—the first black athlete to cross the color line of international tennis—at the Women's Singles final at Wimbledon.
© Getty Images
27 / 29 Fotos
Family outing
- Pictured with her husband and two children in a car. Queen Elizabeth II would give birth to Andrew in 1960 and Edward in 1964. See also: Things every home in the '70s had that you rarely see today
© Getty Images
28 / 29 Fotos
Fascinating photos of a young Queen Elizabeth II
The British monarch was born on April 21, 1926
© <p>Getty Images</p>
Princess Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926, and ascended the British throne on February 6, 1952, at just 25 years of age, to become Queen Elizabeth II. Alongside her royal duties, she was a wife of over 70 years and a mother to four. Her Royal Highness managed to successfully fulfill her inherited responsibilities for 70 years, making her the longest-reigning British monarch. Sadly, she passed away on September 8, 2022, when she was 96 years old.
In honor of the late monarch, browse this gallery and take a look back at the early days of her life, captured in these fascinating historical photos.
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