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Entertainment

Queen Elizabeth II’s Astounding Life in Famous Photos

By Jaclyn Anglis

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At age 91, Queen Elizabeth II has lived quite a storied, colorful life. The reigning monarch of Great Britain for a whopping 65 years, Queen Elizabeth II has more than cemented her legacy in history–not only in her country, but also the world.

From helping boost her country’s morale at the ripe age of 14 during the perils of World War II to comforting mourners after the devastating death of Princess Diana, it’s clear this royal has left her mark on more people than we could ever count.

Now that she’s made history (for the umpteenth time) being the first reigning monarch of Great Britain to make it to her Sapphire Jubilee–65 years of rule–let’s take a second to look back at some of the most powerful moments ups of her monumental life.

MUST-SEE: See Queen Elizabeth II’s 13 Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren Then and Now

See some of the most famous photos of Queen Elizabeth II below.

  1. Queen Elizabeth II Baby

    Getty
    Elizabeth II poses for a portrait as a baby in 1926. Even back then, the camera seemed to love her!

  3. Queen Elizabeth II Royal Wave

    Facebook
    Even when she was a small child in 1928, her signature wave was already making an appearance. She was totally meant to be a royal!

  5. Queen Elizabeth II Childrens Hour

    Getty
    At the young age of 14, Elizabeth (pictured alongside sister Margaret) was already well on her way to leading the nation. She appeared in a radio program called Children's Hour in 1940, sending well wishes to kids affected by the horrors of World War II.

  6. Queen Elizabeth II World War Ii

    Getty
    Never one to shy away from a challenge, Princess Elizabeth spent three weeks with the women's branch of the British army during the last year of World War II in 1945. Not only did she learn some great skills, she also got her own uniform!

  7. Queen Elizabeth II Wedding Day

    Facebook
    Princess Elizabeth II and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, get hitched in 1947 at Westminster Abbey.

  9. Queen Elizabeth II Baby Charles

    Getty
    Princess Elizabeth looks on at her firstborn child Charles, five weeks after his birth in 1948.

  10. Queen Elizabeth II Crowning 1953

    Facebook
    The newly crowned Queen waves to the crowd from the Buckingham Palace balcony after her coronation in 1953.

  11. Queen Elizabeth II Marilyn Monroe

    Getty
    Queen Elizabeth II meets Marilyn Monroe in 1956. Both women are 30 years old at the time.

  13. Queen Elizabeth II Corgis

    Getty
    Queen Elizabeth II poses with one of her beloved corgis in 1970. This breed of dogs remains one of her favorite pets.

  14. Queen Elizabeth II Princess Diana First Photo

    Getty
    Queen Elizabeth II poses with Lady Diana for the first time at Buckingham Palace in 1981, a few weeks after Prince Phillip announces his engagement to the soon-to-be Princess.

  15. Queen Elizabeth II Princess Diana Prince Charles Wedding

    Getty
    Queen Elizabeth II looks on at the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana as the bride and groom share their first kiss as a married couple.

  17. Queen Elizabeth II Prince Harry Christening

    Facebook
    The Queen poses for a formal portrait following her grandson Prince Harry's christening in 1984.

  18. Queen Elizabeth II Great Wall

    Getty
    The Queen made history in 1986 when she became the first British monarch to travel to mainland China--and take a stroll on the Great Wall.

  19. Queen Elizabeth II Princess Diana Funeral

    Getty
    Queen Elizabeth II attends Princess Diana's funeral in 1997.

  21. Queen Elizabeth II Prince William Kate Middleton Wedding

    Getty
    Queen Elizabeth II looks on at the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, as the bride and groom share their first kiss as a married couple.

  22. Queen Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee

    Facebook
    Queen Elizabeth II marks her Sapphire Jubilee in 2017--a historic celebration of her 65th year as a reigning monarch--with a gorgeous portrait of her decked out in sapphire jewelry. She is the first British monarch to ever reach this mark.

  23. Queen Elizabeth Ii Recreated Train Ride

    Twitter
    Queen Elizabeth II recreates the iconic train ride that Queen Victoria—the first British monarch to ever ride a train—took, 175 years after the fact.

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