Platinum Jubilee: Queen's life in pictures

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations have begun, with Elizabeth II becoming the first British monarch to reign for 70 years. To mark the event we present an image from the archives of PA Media from every year of her life.

1926

Elizabeth was born on 21 April 1926 in London, the first child of Albert, Duke of York, and his wife, formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.

1927

The future Queen was soon introduced to her subjects, who came to see her on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. She is seen here with her parents alongside King George V and Queen Mary.

1928

The well-known royal wave was also in evidence early on.

1929

Princess Elizabeth is seen here being taken out in a park. Her parents kept with the tradition of not taking their children on royal tours.

1930

The young princess was pictured here arriving at Olympia for the Royal Tournament.

1931

In 1931 she attended the wedding of Lady May Cambridge and Capt Henry Abel Smith at Balcombe in Sussex.

1932

A confident princess strides home in the rain.

1933

Both Elizabeth and her sister, Margaret Rose, who was born in 1930, were educated at home.

1934

Elizabeth is back at Olympia for the International Horse Show with her sister and the Duchess of York.

1935

The young pirincess was called Lilibet by her family. Her cousin Margaret Rhodes said she was "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible".

1936

She is pictured here shaking hands on arrival at the Royal Tournament with her family.

1937

The future Queen is seen with her mother, then Queen Elizabeth, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, after the Coronation of her father as King George VI.

1938

A year before World War Two engulfed Europe, the Royal Family posed for a picture.

1939

The royal sisters launch a model seaplane at the Bekonscot model village in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

1940

Princess Elizabeth, 14, featured in radio programme Children's Hour, sending a message to children who had been evacuated from Britain during World War Two. This is the earliest recording of the future Queen in the BBC archives.

1941

It was suggested that the Royal Family should seek safety abroad, specifically in Canada, but the King and Queen would have none of it. The children were moved to Windsor Castle instead.

1942

Elizabeth is seen here in her Girl Guide uniform. She became a Guide in 1937, her sister, Princess Margaret enrolled as a Brownie and their mother became the Patron of the Girl Guides.

1943

Princess Elizabeth visited the military camp at Bulford in Wiltshire with King George VI, who is pictured with Brig Hugh Kindersley.

1944

Princess Elizabeth visited the National Sea Scouts Exhibition at the London Scottish Headquarters in Buckingham Gate.

1945

In the final year of the war, Elizabeth donned a uniform herself, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service - the ATS. She spent three weeks with a carefully chosen group of other recruits, learning basic motor mechanics and how to drive a lorry.

1946

Elizabeth lays a wreath at the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday.

1947

On 20 November 1947 she married her third cousin, Prince Philip of Greece, at Westminster Abbey.

1948

Their first child, Charles, was born in 1948.

1949

The young couple enjoyed a relatively normal life for a number of years. Here Princess Elizabeth opens a holiday centre for young people.

1950

In 1950 Charles's sister Anne was born.

1951

Elizabeth and Philip lived with their children in Clarence House, London, but her father was terminally ill with lung cancer.

1952

In February 1952, while in Kenya, Elizabeth heard of the death of the King. She returned to London as the new Queen.

1953

Her Coronation in June 1953 was televised and millions gathered around TV sets, many of them for the first time.

1954

Following her Coronation, the new Queen set off on a tour of the Commonwealth and is seen here on her return, once more on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

1955

Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill welcomes the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to 10 Downing Street for dinner.

1956

Elizabeth with her corgi by her side strolls through Windsor Great Park with Prince Charles to watch the Duke of Edinburgh play polo.

1957

She is seen here in the Long Library at Sandringham after making the first televised Christmas Day broadcast to the nation. Elizabeth is holding the copy of Pilgrim's Progress from which she read a few lines.

1958

The Queen is seen here during a visit to Rothes Colliery, Fife. It was her first visit to a coal mine and she spent about half an hour underground at the coalface.

1959

The royal couple are joined by Sugar, one of their corgis, at Windsor.

1960

Prince Andrew was the first child to be born to a reigning monarch for 103 years.

1961

With the Prince of Wales out riding at Windsor Castle.

1962

The leopard-skin coat worn at a Sandown Park race meeting has since been consigned to the wardrobe after conservationists urged her not to wear it - but she has been spotted in other fur items over the years.

1963

Riding side-saddle, the Queen returns to Buckingham Palace after attending the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Horse Guards Parade. She began riding in a carriage at her annual birthday parade in 1987.

1964

At home and abroad, the Queen has had to maintain political neutrality, but she was making her own mark on the role of monarch.

1965

The Royal Family gather for a picture in the gardens of Frogmore House, Windsor, as they celebrate the Queen's 39th birthday. Prince Edward, born the previous year, is in the same pram used to ferry the Queen's great-granddaughter Princess Charlotte to her christening in July 2015.

1966

England captain Bobby Moore holds the Jules Rimet Trophy after leading his team to a 4-2 victory over West Germany in the World Cup Final.

1967

The Queen at a garden party at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, to mark the 50th anniversary of women in active service.

1968

Another royal portrait at Frogmore House in Windsor.

1969

Queen Elizabeth II formally invests her son Prince Charles with the Coronet of the Prince of Wales during a ceremony at Caernarfon Castle. He took on the title when he was nine, but the Queen wanted the ceremony to wait until he fully understood its significance.

1970

Queen Elizabeth II with Prime Minister Edward Heath (second right) and American President Richard Nixon and his wife Pat Nixon at Chequers, Buckinghamshire. Since the Queen came to the throne, there have been 14 US presidents - she has met every one except Lyndon B Johnson.

1971

Elizabeth leaves the King Edward VII Hospital for Officers after visiting Princess Anne, who had undergone an emergency operation.

1972

The Queen in her study at Balmoral in the year of her silver wedding anniversary. Even when she is away from London, in residence at Balmoral or Sandringham, the Queen receives official papers nearly every day and her working day begins at her desk.

1973

Sitting with her corgis at Virginia Water to watch competitors, including Prince Philip, in the Marathon of the European Driving Championship, part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The Queen has owned more than 30 corgis - many of them direct descendants from her first one, Susan.

1974

Elizabeth celebrates her 48th birthday at Windsor Castle.

1975

The Queen is seen beside an oak sapling which she planted in the garden of the government guesthouse in Tokyo, after it had been brought to Japan from Windsor Castle. Tree planting is a staple part of royal duties, with the monarch planting hundreds during her reign.

1976

On her 50th birthday, she was photographed with her husband and their youngest son Prince Edward, 12, in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

1977

The Queen marked 25 years on the throne with a busy tour - visiting 36 UK counties over 10 weeks, and travelling 56,000 miles around the world.

1978

Queen Elizabeth II with a Jersey cow presented to her at the Country Show at Le Petit Catelet, Saint John, Jersey. An exotic range of live animals has been given to the Queen as gifts over the years, including two black beavers from Canada, two young giant turtles from the Seychelles and an elephant called Jumbo from Cameroon.

1979

In 1979 she visited Oman, and is seen here during a walkabout in Muscat.

1980

The Queen and some of her corgis walk the cross country course during the second day of the Windsor Horse Trials.

1981

The monarch usually attends the Royal Ascot race meeting each year and has owned 22 winners.

1982

The Queen enjoyed getting behind the lens herself to take photos of the Duke of Edinburgh carriage driving and while on tour. Here she is taking photographs with her gold Rollei camera during her visit to the South Sea islands of Tuvalu.

1983

Elizabeth inspecting the Guard of Honour at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya. The Queen has visited all 53 Commonwealth nations except two recent joiners, Cameroon and Rwanda.

1984

A formal picture of the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince and Princess of Wales after the christening ceremony of Prince Harry. The Queen has eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

1985

Queen Elizabeth II taking the salute of the Household Guards regiments during the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London.

1986

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Bedaling Pass, on the Great Wall of China, on the third day of their state visit to the country. No British monarch had ever travelled to mainland China, let alone walked the Great Wall.

1987

During her Christmas broadcast she remembered those affected by the IRA bombing of a Remembrance Day service in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.

1988

The Duke of Edinburgh helping Queen Elizabeth II to alight from the new £120,000 Australia State Coach, Australia's bicentennial gift.

1989

The Queen with US President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy at Buckingham Palace in London. The Queen and the former film star shared a love of horses and were once pictured riding together at Windsor.

1990

Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

1991

Queen Elizabeth II gesturing to Ruud Lubbers, Prime Minister of the Netherlands and President of the EC Council of Ministers, to sit on an empty chair as the leaders of the G7 Summit countries gathered for a pre-dinner photocall in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace.

1992

Queen Elizabeth II surveying the scene at Windsor Castle following a fire. She dubbed the year her "annus horribilis" as it also saw the Princess Royal divorce and both the Duke and Duchess of York and the Prince and Princess of Wales separate.

1993

The Queen, with Chief Instructor Lt Col George Harvey, firing a standard SA 80 rifle when she attended the centenary of the Army Rifle Association at Bisley.

1994

The Queen took part in events to mark the 50th anniversary of D-Day. She is seen here at Bayeux Cemetery after a commemoration service.

1995

South Africa's President Nelson Mandela greets Queen Elizabeth II as she steps from the royal yacht Britannia in Cape Town at the official start of her first visit to the country since 1947.

1996

Queen Elizabeth II lays a wreath at the gates of Dunblane Primary School after one of the deadliest firearms incidents in UK history. Gunman Thomas Hamilton killed 16 children and one teacher at the school near Stirling on 13 March.

1997

Following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in a car accident, the Royal Family grieved in private. However, the public reaction to Diana's death led to accusations the Queen was unresponsive and out of touch with the public mood. The swell of anger had shocked the Queen and she admitted there were "lessons to be drawn from her life" and the reaction to her death

1998

Queen Elizabeth II, Colonel-in-Chief of the Corps of the Royal Engineers, looking through a theodolite during her visit to the 42 Engineer Regiment at Denison Barracks in Hermitage, Berkshire.

1999

The Queen joining Mrs Susan McCarron (far left) for tea in her home in the Castlemilk area of Glasgow, as the Royal Family experimented with a more intimate, informal approach to meeting the public. The monarch is a fan of Earl Grey tea with milk, but no sugar.

2000

Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother leaving church by horse-drawn carriage on the Sandringham Estate, Norfolk. The Queen was close to her mother and they shared a passion for everything equestrian and enjoyed talking about the turf.

2001

Queen Elizabeth II in the Queen Vic pub during a visit to Elstree Studios where EastEnders is filmed. She was accompanied by long-standing cast member Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell) and Steve McFadden, who played her character's son, Phil.

2002

David Beckham and Kirsty Howard hand the Queen's Jubilee Baton to Queen Elizabeth II after its final leg around the city of Manchester stadium, at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. Kirsty was born with a with a back-to-front heart and given just weeks to live at the age of four. She defied the odds and lived until 2015.

2003

Queen Elizabeth II and Berry the corgi with the England rugby squad, at a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate winning the Rugby World Cup.

2004

Elizabeth was caught by the camera as she glanced around a corner during a visit to the Royal Albert Hall.

2005

The Prince of Wales leaving St George's Chapel in Windsor after marrying Camilla Parker-Bowles. Queen Elizabeth II attended their religious blessing but was not present at their civil ceremony. The monarch told guests in a speech at the wedding reception that her son was "home and dry with the woman he loves".

2006

In the Regency Room at Buckingham Palace in London looking at some of the cards sent to her for her 80th birthday.

2007

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh revisiting Broadlands in Hampshire, where they spent their wedding night in November 1947, to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.

2008

Queen Elizabeth II addresses a banquet at Windsor Castle at the start of a two-day state visit by President Sarkozy of France.

2009

Planting a tree at Newmarket Animal Health Trust during a royal visit that marked her 50th year as the charity's patron.

2010

Queen Elizabeth II talking with Pope Benedict XVI in the Morning Drawing Room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh during a four-day visit by the Pope to the UK.

2011

During a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, the Queen laid a wreath next to a section of the Armed Forces Memorial where the names of those killed in 2010 are inscribed. The memorial bears the names of more than 15,000 servicemen and women killed on duty since the end of World War Two.

2012

On stage outside Buckingham Palace with Charles, Camilla and a host of pop stars at the Diamond Jubilee concert.

2013

Queen Elizabeth II joining The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (5 SCOTS) for a group photograph during her visit to Howe Barracks in Canterbury, Kent.

2014

Actress Angelina Jolie being presented with the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George by Queen Elizabeth II in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace.

2015

At 17:30 on 9 September 2015, Elizabeth had reigned for 23,226 days, 16 hours and approximately 30 minutes - surpassing the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. She spent the day in Scotland with Prince Philip, thanking well-wishers at home and overseas for their "touching messages of kindness".

2016

The Queen celebrated her 90th birthday.

2017

Queen Elizabeth II meets firefighters during a visit to the Westway Sports Centre, London, which provided temporary shelter for those who had been made homeless by the fire at Grenfell Tower.

2018

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh after the wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank.

2019

The Queen at a reception at Buckingham Palace in London to mark the 50th anniversary of the investiture of the Prince of Wales.

2020

Giving a Knighthood to Captain Sir Tom Moore for his fundraising efforts for the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic.

2021

The Queen sat alone at the funeral of Prince Philip to set an example for the public while Covid-19 restrictions limited the numbers of people at funerals.

2022

Viewing a display of memorabilia from her Golden and Platinum Jubilees.

All photographs © PA Media

Some of these images appeared before in a picture gallery when the Queen celebrated her 90th birthday.