Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II, through the years

1927 | Windsor, England

Princess Elizabeth accompanies relatives on a carriage ride on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

AP

1933 | London

Princess Elizabeth, on right, and Princess Margaret attend the annual sale of the Disabled Soldiers' Embroidery Society. They were involved in charity work from a young age.

AFP/Getty Images

1933 | Scotland

Princess Elizabeth with her uncle at Balmoral estate, the royal retreat in Scotland. He would become King Edward VIII in 1936, but he abdicated the same year to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson, which put Elizabeth in direct line for the throne.

AP

June 13, 1946 | Windsor, England

Princess Elizabeth salutes as A.T.S. cadets parade past her at the Imperial Services College.

AP

May 10, 1945 | London

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret speak to a member of the Lewisham Women's Voluntary Service two days after the end of the war in Europe. Buckingham Palace was among the many sites in London bombed during the “blitz.”

AP

Nov. 20, 1947 | London

Elizabeth was 21 when she married Philip, 26, a Royal Naval officer who was also a distant cousin and member of the exiled Greek royal family. She would later refer to him as her “strength and stay.”

AP

April 21, 1947 | Cape Town, South Africa

“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service,” she said in a radio address on her 21st birthday.

AP

Oct. 21, 1950 | London

Elizabeth and her grandmother Queen Mary take care of the newly christened Princess Anne, who is wearing a gown made in 1841 for Queen Victoria's eldest child.

AP

Feb. 11, 1952 | London

Elizabeth, on left, her grandmother Queen Mary and her mother, Queen Elizabeth, stand at the entrance to Westminster Hall, as the coffin of her father, King George VI, arrives to lie in state.

AP

June 7, 1952 | London

The new queen — an avid horsewoman — participates in the Trooping of the Colour ceremony, which marks the official birthday of the British sovereign.

AFP/Getty Images

Feb. 9, 1953 | London

Elizabeth was both a young queen and a young mother. Here, she returns with Princess Anne and Prince Charles after a Christmas holiday in Sandringham, England.

AP

June 2, 1953 | London

Queen Elizabeth II is crowned at Westminster Abbey. Her coronation was the first to be televised.

Intercontinentale/AFP/Getty Images

Oct. 16, 1957 | Jamestown, Va.

In her first visit to the United States as queen, Elizabeth marks the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, England’s first permanent settlement in America.

AP

Oct. 21, 1957 | New York

Queen Elizabeth II is welcomed to New York with a ticker-tape parade. She addressed the United Nations General Assembly and toured the sites during the trip.

AP

July 1, 1969 | Wales

Queen Elizabeth II invests her son and heir, Charles, as Prince of Wales, in a ceremony at Caernarfon Castle.

AP/Ap

Nov. 20, 1972 | London

Elizabeth and Philip celebrate their silver wedding anniversary alongside their children, Charles, Edward, Andrew and Anne, at Buckingham Palace.

AP

July 5, 1973 | Calgary, Canada

Chief Harold Cardinal escorts Elizabeth as she exits a teepee.

J. Walter Green/AP

July 7, 1976 | Washington, D.C.

Philip and Elizabeth join President Ford and first lady Betty Ford for a state dinner at the White House. Through the years, Elizabeth would meet with 13 American presidents.

AP

June 7, 1977 | London

Elizabeth receives congratulations from well-wishers during a brief walkabout as part of the Silver Jubilee, celebrating 25 years of her reign.

Robert Rider/AP

Sept. 5, 1979 | London

The royal family attends the Westminster Abbey funeral of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Philip's uncle, who was killed by an Irish Republican Army bomb. The sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland resulted in more than 3,500 deaths over three decades of Elizabeth's reign.

AP/UKPA

July 29, 1981 | London

The royal family waves from the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. Elizabeth would urge them to divorce in 1995.

AP

May 24, 1986 | Versailles, Ky.

Elizabeth inspects a foal during a visit to Lane's End Farms.

Amy Sancetta/AP

June 4, 2002 | London

Elizabeth and Philip look up from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as a Concorde flies overhead during the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

AP

Nov. 13, 2002 | London

Queen Elizabeth II, escorted by Prince Philip, walks through the Royal Gallery to the House of Lords for the opening of Parliament. She opened every parliamentary session during her reign, except in 1959 and 1963 when she was pregnant.

Adrian Dennis/AP

May 5, 2007 | Louisville

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The queen owned and bred thoroughbreds for most of her life.

Rob Carr/AP

Oct. 20, 2009 | London

Elizabeth's likeness graced British money and postage stamps. Here, she unveils a bust by the late British sculptor Oscar Nemon.

Shaun Curry/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Nov. 18, 2009 | London

Queen Elizabeth II leaves Buckingham Palace in a carriage for the official state opening of Parliament.

Leon Neal

July 1, 2010 | Ottawa

Elizabeth inspects a Guard of Honor outside the Canadian Parliament after arriving to attend the Canada Day celebrations.

Getty Images/Pool

April 29, 2011 | London

Queen Elizabeth II, bottom center, and other Royal family members attend the wedding of her grandson Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, above center, at Westminster Abbey.

WPA Pool/Getty Images

May 24, 2011 | London

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip host President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama for a state dinner at Buckingham Palace.

Larry Downing/Pool Reuters/AP

Oct. 26, 2011 | Melbourne, Australia

Elizabeth rides on the royal tram down St Kilda Road during her 16th official visit to Australia.

Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Feb. 6, 2012 | King's Lynn, England

Elizabeth is greeted by well-wishers during a visit to King's Lynn Town Hall to start celebrations for her Diamond Jubilee, 60 years to the day since she ascended to the throne.

AFP/Getty Images

March 20, 2012 | London

Elizabeth waves after she addresses the next speaker of the House of Lords, Baroness Frances D'Souza, front left, and speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, front center, at Westminster Hall.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP Pool

Oct. 10, 2014 | London

Queen Elizabeth II presents actress Angelina Jolie an honorary damehood for services to British foreign policy and the campaign to end war zone sexual violence.

July 5, 2015 | King's Lynn, England

Queen Elizabeth II talks with great grandson Prince George outside the church on the Sandringham Estate, where they attended the christening of great granddaughter Princess Charlotte.

Chris Jackson

June 11, 2016 | London

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip ride in a carriage during the Trooping of the Colour at Buckingham Palace.

Tim Ireland

June 11, 2021 | St. Austell, England

Elizabeth, center, during a reception at the Group of Seven summit. Other leaders onstage, from left: President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

JJack Hill/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

June 5, 2022 I London

From left: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince George, Prince William, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, stand on the balcony during the Platinum Pageant, marking the end of the celebrations for the Platinum Jubilee.

Pool/Reuters

Sept. 6, 2022 I Scotland

Elizabeth welcomes Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle where she invited her to become her 15th prime minister and form a new government.

Pool/Reuters

After more than seven decades of rule, the queen died on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle. She was 96.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images