Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, turns 95 today!
Since 1952, Her Majesty has worked tirelessly while carrying out her regal duties, which include the opening and dissolving of government, charitable services, and receiving world leaders at her home, Buckingham Palace.
While the Queen has an "official birthday" which she celebrates every second Saturday in June, she was actually born on April 21 to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
In essence, she has two birthdays, but today, we are paying tribute to the day the Queen of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth was born.
So, without further ado, here are the Queen's most iconic moments in photographs in honor of her 95th birthday...
1. The Queen's christening
The official photograph of the christening of the Queen as a baby was taken at Buckingham Palace on May 19, 1926 – just a month after her birth.
The longest-reigning British monarch is pictured with her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, (who would later become known as the Queen Mother) at Buckingham Palace. The future queen was born at 2:40AM on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, the home of her mother's parents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore.
2. The Queen's official engagement photo
This striking photo of the newly engaged couple was taken in 1947. Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten announced their engagement on July 10, 1947, when the future queen was just 21 and the future consort was 26.
They first met when was Elizabeth was just eight years old in 1934 at the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark to Prince George, Duke of Kent. At the age of 13, she met her future husband for a second time - at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. She was said to be smitten with the Greek-born royal despite the age gap.
3. The Queen's wedding
Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip tied the knot on November 20, 1947 – just four months after announcing their engagement.
The lavish ceremony took place at 10:30AM at Westminster Abbey, where her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were also married in 1923, some years before Queen Elizabeth II was born. The Queen and Prince Philip would remain happily married for 73 years until his death on April 9, 2021.
4. The Queen's honeymoon
This photo of the newly married couple on their honeymoon was taken on November 24, 1947, in Broadlands, Hampshire, the home of Philip's uncle, Earl Mountbatten, and where they spent their wedding night.
They made their way to Hampshire by train, which they caught from Waterloo Station. While it was an occasion for the two of them to spend alone, Princess Elizabeth's beloved Corgi, Susan joined the pair.
5. The Queen's coronation
The Queen and Prince Philip were on vacation at Sagana Lodge in Kenya in 1952 when her husband broke the news of her father, King George VI's death. The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, was just 25-years-old at the time. Her path was carved out for her – she would be the new monarch.
In this very regal photograph, the married couple can be seen waving to an excited crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace just after her coronation on June 2, 1953.
The first to swear allegiance to the new Queen, Prince Philip referred to himself as her "liege man of life and limb". Now the Queen's consort, his Royal Navy had swiftly come to an end.
6. Introducing their firstborn
On 14 November 1948, the Queen and Prince Philip became first-time parents to a baby boy, whom they named Charles. Prince Charles is currently the longest-serving heir apparent in British history.
The Queen would give birth to another three more children in the following years: Princess Anne (on August 15, 1950) Prince Andrew (on February 19, 1960), and Prince Edward, (on March 10, 1964).
7. The Queen's first 'walkabout'
In this photo, Queen Elizabeth II can be seen visiting the Town Hall in Sydney with Emmet McDermott and Lord Mayor of Sydney in May 1970.
As part of a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand with Philip and Princess Anne, the Queen went against a longstanding tradition when she made an effort to greet the crowds in person – as opposed to waving at them from a distance.
This sort of walkabout is now common practice for members of the Royal Family and the idea was first put forward by Sir William Heseltine, who had been the Queen’s private secretary.
8. The Queen's Silver Jubilee
In 1977, the Queen, aged 51, celebrated her Silver Jubilee, the 25th anniversary of her accession to the throne. Marking the milestone, an official photograph was taken of the Queen in the Throne room of Buckingham Palace on February 2, 1977.
In the very majestic photo, she can be seen wearing the Imperial State Crown, her Parliamentary Robes, and the Jubilee Necklace which was made for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.
9. The Queen's Golden Jubilee
In 2002, the Queen celebrated yet another jubilee – her Golden Jubilee. It marked the 50th anniversary of her accession to the throne.
The momentous occasion was captured in the above photograph, which sees crowds of patriots in the Mall waving their union jack flags as their monarch and her consort greet them from a vehicle. The response by the public was a clear sign that the monarchy is still very much a beloved aspect of British society.
10. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
In 2012, the Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, which essentially marked the 60th anniversary of her accession on February 6, 1952. There has only ever been one Diamond Jubilee celebration amongst Britain's previous monarchs. This took place in 1897, for the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's 1837 accession.
Amid the celebrations, the Queen was carried in the horse-drawn Diamond Jubilee State Coach.
11. The Queen's 90th birthday
On April 21, 2016, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday. The monarch was pictured greeting the crowds of people who had gathered at Windsor Castle to celebrate the occasion.
While April 21 is her actual date of birth, June is the month in which her birthday is officially celebrated. In 2016, her official birthday was on June 11 - it's also the day on which the annual Trooping the Colour was held on Horse Guards Parade.
12. The Queen at Prince Philip's funeral
Much was made of the fact that the Queen sat entirely alone at her late husband's socially distanced funeral. She had been married to the Duke of Edinburgh for over seven decades and didn't have so much as a hand to hold during the ceremony.
In full black attire and with her head tilted down, the grieving Queen appeared isolated and alone. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the funeral was limited to just 30 guests, with all of them a distance apart, unless they were in each other's bubbles.
13. The Queen's 95th birthday photograph
On April 21, 2021, the Queen turned 95, the first birthday in a very long time that she has spent without her late husband Prince Philip. Marking the occasion, the official Instagram account for the Royal Family posted the above photo and honored the nation's Queen in the caption: "Today is The Queen’s 95th birthday. The Queen was born at 2.40am on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London.
"She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. This year Her Majesty remains at Windsor Castle, during a period of Royal Mourning following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh."
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