When did the Queen get married? What year did she marry Philip, how old were they, how long were they married

For seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip maintained a strong and happy marriage, and attended countless events together.

The pair were second cousins once removed on the Duke of Edinburgh’s side, and third cousins on the Queen’s, when they met nearly 90 years ago, now with four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

As the Queen marked her Platinum Jubilee this year, we take a look back at the Royal marriage that is the only one to reach the platinum anniversary.

When did they first meet?

The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, first met Prince Philip Mountbatten of Greece in 1934 at the wedding of Philip’s cousin Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark to Elizabeth’s paternal uncle, Prince George, Duke of Kent.

At this first meeting, Elizabeth was only eight years old - while Prince Philip was 13, and was not projected to be Queen as her father’s brother Edward was next in line.

The pair met again in 1937, before once more two years later at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth when Elizabeth’s family went for a visit and Philip was training as a cadet.

From this meeting, Princess Elizabeth said that she fell in love with Philip and they began to exchange letters. Her nanny at the time Marion Crawford wrote in her book that she was quite smitten with the prince and “never took her eyes off him.”

When and where was their wedding?

After years of correspondence, the couple were madly in love, and although Philip did not have enough titles to marry someone in the queen’s position, King George gave his blessing in 1946 when Philip asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage.

The only contingency was that any public engagement was to be held off until Elizabeth’s 21st birthday in April 1947 - it was then announced in July of that year.

Philip proposed with a 3-carat ring made with diamonds taken from his mother Princess Alice of Battenburg’s tiara.

The Royal wedding took place just four months after the announcement on 20 November 1947, in Westminster Abbey, and remained relatively small with only 150 guests, due to the end of World War 2.

However, the service was televised to 200 million people around the world.

When did Elizabeth become Queen?

After several years of a quiet life and marriage, living in Malta where Philip was stationed with the Navy, and the births of Prince Charles and Princess Anne, Princess Elizabeth received news of her father’s passing in 1952, when touring Kenya.

Elizabeth inherited the throne at 25 years of age on 2 June 1953.

Her family moved into Buckingham Palace, and at the time of the coronation, her title and responsibilities allegedly put a strain on the new marriage with the children not being able to take Philip’s surname; yet the young family soon settled into Royal life.

Elizabeth and Philip through the decades

Throughout their anniversaries, the public could catch glimpses of the happy and strong marriage that lasted 73 years.

At the Silver Wedding celebrations, Queen Elizabeth gave a speech stating: “If I am asked what I think about family life after 25 years of marriage, I can answer with equal simplicity and conviction, I am here for it.”

During their 50th anniversary dinner, Prince Philip raised a toast to the Queen: “I think the main lesson we have learnt is that tolerance is the one essential ingredient in any happy marriage…You can take it from me, the Queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance.”

For the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, Prince Philip was praised in the highest remarks once again, ahead of their 70th platinum anniversary where the Royal couple released new portraits together in 2017.

When did Prince Philip die?

Last year on April 9, the Queen announced the passing of her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Royal family shared the news on Instagram saying “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle,” at 99-years of age.

Prince Philip had retired from duty in 2017 after an incredible 22,220 solo public engagements, 637 solo overseas trips and 5,493 speeches.