For a queen who was never supposed to be, Elizabeth II defied expectations and became an historic, record-breaking monarch. She was born in April 1926, in central London, and in 1947, at the age of 21, she married Prince Philip.
Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952, following the shocking death of her father, King George VI, and was coronated in 1953.
She is the longest reigning monarch in British history, and celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The Queen captured the hearts of many, oversaw periods of intense social change, and remained a figurehead for the nation throughout.
Her most recent royal meeting was to invite Liz Truss to form a Government, a meeting which she carried out at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire due to her declining health. Here we look at iconic photos from her life, from her birth in 1926 to her final photo welcoming the new Prime Minister on Tuesday.
1. Queen Elizabeth was born April 21 1926
Queen Elizabeth II is pictured in her baby carriage for her first outing on October 9, 1926.
2. The Queen with Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret (L) and the Queen (R) in 1933. Credit: AFP via Getty Images
3. Queen Elizabeth aged 11
Queen Elizabeth (2nd-L, future Queen Mother), her daughter Princess Elizabeth (4th-L, future Queen Elizabeth II), Queen Mary (C) , Princess Margaret (5th-L) and the King George VI (R), pose at the balcony of the Buckingham Palace on May 12, 1937.
4. Elizabeth with her horse at Sandringham
Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II, at Sandringham with one of the horses. Credit: AFP via Getty Images