1926: The Queen was born at 2:40 a.m. on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in London.

This photo shows the newly born Princess Elizabeth with her father and mother, the Duke and Duchess of York — later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

1927: She was the couple’s first child and was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in Buckingham Palace’s private chapel.

She was named Elizabeth after her mother, Mary after her grandmother Queen Mary, and Alexandra after her great-grandmother Queen Alexandra.

This picture was taken as the baby princess was taken for a ride on the grounds of Windsor Castle. She is seen with her cousin, the honourable Gerald Lascelles, right, son of Princess Royal.

1928: No one ever thought Elizabeth would become queen.

This became apparent only once her father’s elder brother Edward abdicated, putting her father on the throne and making her first in line.

1929: In this photo, a young Elizabeth is strolled by her nanny in Green Park.

The Queen was 3 years old when this photograph was taken.

1930: The Queen was home-schooled by her father and the vice-provost of Eton, Henry Marten.

She also learned French after spending time with French and Belgian governesses and regularly spoke the language when delivering speeches abroad during her reign.

1931: The Queen began attending garden parties at a young age.

In the photo above, the future Queen is seen attending a party held at Glamis Castle in Angus, Scotland, in August 1931. 

The event was in celebration of the golden wedding of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore.

1932: Here, the young princess walks through the rain.

She was visiting the Royal Tournament at Olympia.

1933: This photo shows a young Elizabeth playing with her family’s dogs.

The image shows the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) with both daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

1934: The royals have always been keen equestrians.

This photo shows the Duchess of York arriving at Olympia’s International Horse Show with Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

1935: Even at the young age of 9, the future Queen had perfected her royal wave.

This photo was taken after the family had attended the Jubilee service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

1936: In this picture, a young Elizabeth takes her pet dog for a walk in Hyde Park, London.

She spent much of her childhood in 145 Piccadilly, a townhouse located next to The Ritz and bordering the city’s Green Park.

1937: The Queen Mother is shown here with her husband, King George VI, and their two daughters, Princess Elizabeth, centre, and Princess Margaret.

This is also the year Princess Elizabeth signed up as a Girl Guide when she was 11 years old.

1938: Elizabeth and her sister were animal lovers from a young age.

The princesses can be seen here watching the Pony Show in London from the royal box. Since then, Queen Elizabeth attended a huge number of races and pageants.

1939: Elizabeth and Princess Margaret went to watch a swimming display given before the royal visitors at Dartmouth Naval College, on July 22, 1939.

Both were known to be keen swimmers.

1940: A year after the beginning of World War II, a 14-year-old Elizabeth sent out her first radio broadcast.

She addressed the children of the Commonwealth, most of whom had been evacuated and were away from their families. She told them to remember that when peace comes, “it will be for us children of today to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place.”

1941: Here, Princess Elizabeth discusses the pantomime with her mother, Queen Elizabeth of England, while her sister, Princess Margaret, looks on.

The two princesses took the leading roles in the show and also produced the play for the benefit of the Royal Household Concert Wool Fund.

1942: A 16-year-old Elizabeth often met with troops and spoke with them.

She was appointed colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards by her father in 1942 and made her first public appearance inspecting the troops that year.

1943: Throughout the war, Princess Elizabeth helped in several ways.

She knitted garments for the poor, contributed funds to purchase cigarettes for the armed forces, and attended dances and programs for evacuated children.

1944: Though the young royals were moved to Windsor castle for their safety during the war, Princess Elizabeth regularly greeted the troops before they began bombing raids.

She christened the plane in this photo the “Rose of York.”

1945: Winston Churchill joined the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace minutes after the official announcement of Germany’s unconditional surrender in WWII.

Thousands of people gathered outside the royal residence to celebrate the end of the conflict.

1946: Prince Philip of Greece acted as an usher, assisting Princess Elizabeth with her coat as they arrive at Romsey Abbey for the wedding of Patricia Mountbatten.

A year later, they themselves would walk down the aisle.

1947: Philip and Elizabeth married at Westminster Abbey in London in front of 2,000 guests.

She was the first British monarch to have celebrated a diamond wedding anniversary. This family photo was taken at Buckingham Palace following the ceremony.

1948: Following the christening of Prince Charles in December 1948, this official photo was taken of the young royal.

He is pictured alongside his mother, his grandfather King George VI, and his great-grandmother Queen Mary.

1949: Here, an 8-month-old Prince Charles is cradled by his mother on a warm July day.

The photo was taken at Windlesham Moor, their summer residence, in Ascot, England.

1950: Her second child, Princess Anne, was born on August 15, 1950.

The above photo took place after Anne’s christening in October 1950.

1951: This summer picture shows the soon-to-be Queen and her family.

She’s joined in the photo by her husband Prince Philip, and their children Charles and Anne on the lawn at Clarence House, London.

1952: In 1952, the Queen’s father, George IV, died.

She immediately became Queen and began what would be the longest reign of any monarch in British history. In this photo, a veiled Elizabeth accompanies her father’s coffin to his final resting place in Windsor.

1953: On June 2, 1953, Elizabeth was crowned at Westminster Abbey, making her the 39th sovereign to be crowned in the iconic church.

Though she officially became Queen in 1952 after the death of her father, King George, her coronation wasn’t until a year later. An estimated 27 million people in Britain watched the ceremony on TV.

1954: During her reign, she met with 15 prime ministers.

In this photo, the Queen and Winston Churchill wait at Waterloo Station in London for the Queen Mother to arrive back from a month in the US.

1955: The Queen played a key role in maintaining diplomatic relationships with other countries.

Here, the Queen arrives by car with Prince Philip at the Portuguese Embassy in London’s Belgrave Square to attend a dinner party thrown in their honor by the visiting Portuguese president and Madame Craveiro Lopes.

1956: Traveling and representing Britain overseas was an important part of her job.

She and Prince Philip visited the Lagos City boundary in Nigeria on their way to the city from Ikeja Airport in 1956. Here, she’s pictured sitting next to Chief Oba Adeniji-Adila II, who reigned from 1949 through 1964.

1957: In this photo, the Queen and her sister, Princess Margaret, enjoy a day out at the horse shows in Badminton, Gloucestershire.

The Queen is pictured holding an old-fashioned movie camera as she takes pictures of the cross-country competition.

1958: Queen Elizabeth II met many famous figures throughout her reign, from politicians to movie stars like Jayne Mansfield.

In 1958, she met legendary actress and early Playboy playmate Jayne Mansfield at London’s Odeon Theatre during the annual royal film festival.

1959: The Queen met with every sitting US president but one, Lyndon B. Johnson.

Here, she stands on the grounds of Balmoral Castle, Scotland, with President Eisenhower. They are joined by Prince Philip, Princess Anne, and Prince Charles.

1960: Here, the royals are pictured enjoying some family time at Balmoral Castle.

This family photo shows the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen entertaining the kids, including a baby Prince Andrew, as they relax on the grounds of Balmoral Castle.

1961: The royals were joined by President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen was invited to Kennedy’s funeral following his assassination in 1963 but was unable to attend because she was pregnant with Edward.

1962: The Queen attended the Ascot races with her mother.

The Queen wore a blue lace​ dress to Ladies Day, while her mother opted for a floral print.

1963: The Queen and Prince Philip visited Adelaide, South Australia.

They were greeted by about 90,000 schoolchildren, some of whom had traveled hundreds of miles to catch a glimpse of the Queen and her husband.

1964: While visiting Canada, part of the British Commonwealth, the Queen addressed the provincial legislature of Quebec in October 1964.

She did so in both French and English.

1965: Winston Churchill died on January 24, 1965. The Queen attended his funeral on February 1.

World leaders and politicians from around the globe attended. A Guardian article from the day said: “By one o’clock the great State funeral was over, the Kings and Queens, Presidents and Prime Ministers, the generals and Politicians from the world over had paid their respects.”

1966: Queen Elizabeth II presented the World Cup, the Jules Rimet trophy, to England’s team captain Bobby Moore on July 30, 1966.

This was the first — and remains the only — time England had ever won the World Cup.

1967: As part of a six-day visit to Canada, the Queen took a ride on the Expo 67 electric train, which at the time was revolutionary.

It was originally constructed for the 1967 world fair, which took place in Montréal.

1968: To mark the 50th anniversary of the RAF, her majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh toured the Royal Air Force Base in Abingdon​, England.

In this photo, they’re driven past a collection of Bloodhound missiles.

1969: Throughout her reign, the Queen met some of the men and women who helped shape history.

Astronauts and first men on the moon Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were invited to meet with the monarch in Buckingham Palace.

1970: The Queen entertained US President Richard Nixon and his wife on many occasions.

This photo shows them with Prime Minister Edward Heath at Chequers, the country retreat of Britain’s prime ministers. The Queen visited Chequers three times throughout her reign.

1971: In 1971, Japanese Emperor Hirohito visited Britain for four days.

The Emperor and Queen Elizabeth II rode in an open Landau through the gates of Buckingham Palace in a lavish procession after his arrival at Victoria Station.

1972: The Queen toured Asia.

She paid a visit to Malaysia, where she stopped to speak to schoolchildren along the way.

1973: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Canada again.

In this photo, they are shown arriving at an “Old Canada” exhibition in High Park, Toronto.

1974: Here, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh are pictured toasting the King of Malaysia, seated between them on July 12, 1974, at Claridge’s in London.

The dinner marked the third day of the King and Queen of Malaysia’s visit to England.

1975: Film and music icon Barbara Streisand met the monarch in London at the Royal Film Performance.

After the presentations, the Queen saw the musical “Funny Lady,” in which Streisand was the star.

1976: US President Gerald Ford led Queen Elizabeth II in a dance following a State Dinner at The White House.

The dinner party was thrown in honor of Her Majesty during her tour of the US.

1977: This year marked the Queen’s Silver Jubilee — celebrating 25 years on the throne.

As part of the festivities, she conducted a brief walkabout in London where she met and spoke with members of the public before attending​ a ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

1978: Here, the Queen reviews her Yeoman of the Guard on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

The Yeoman of the Guard is the world’s oldest military corps.

1979: The monarch was a regular guest of Middle Eastern leaders throughout her reign.

Here, she is escorted by King Khali of Saudi Arabia, far right, after her arrival at Riyadh Airport, Saudi Arabia. This was one of eight official state visits to various countries she made that year.

1980: The Queen visited the Vatican for the first time.

Here, she talks to Pope John Paul II while her husband looks on.

1981: The Queen looked over the crowd of 600,000 people who lined the streets of London on the day of Charles and Diana’s wedding, while the bride and groom kissed.

An estimated 750 million people watched the event worldwide on July 29, 1981.

1982: Pope John Paul II sought to overcome centuries of distrust when he became the first pope to visit British shores in 1982.

He came preaching reconciliation between the Vatican and Anglicans even as British troops battled Catholic Argentines in the Falklands.

1983: Mother Teresa of Calcutta, one of modern history’s most iconic religious figures, received the Insignia of the Honorary Order of Merit from the Queen at the Rashtrapati Shavar in New Delhi.

The order recognizes distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture.

1984: Queen Elizabeth II arrived through the avenues of guns during the second day of her review of the Royal Regiment of Artillery in Dortmund, Germany, in May.

The moment made for a dramatic picture.

1985: Here, proprietor of the Times of London, Rupert Murdoch, and Queen Elizabeth II look over printing operations as editions of the March 1 issues of the newspaper go to press.

The Queen’s visit marked the newspaper’s 200th anniversary.

1986: Queen Elizabeth II was followed by schoolchildren during her state visit in China to meet President Li Xiannian.

She toured a children’s centre in Canton during her visit.

1987: King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who carried out a four-day state visit to Britain, was photographed with Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, and the Duke of Edinburgh before they attended a banquet in the King’s honour at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen wore the chain of the Order of King Abdul Aziz in honour of the King.

1988: The Queen visited the Netherlands to celebrate 300 years of friendship between the two nations.

As part of her visit, she and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands walked through the Arnhem-Oosterbeek War Cemetery, in Oosterbeek. Many British paratroopers who died in World War II are buried in the cemetery.

1989: An attendant at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque saluted the Queen during her visit to Kuala Lumpur.

The Queen wore a cloak and slippers inside the mosque.

1990: The British Royal Family watched a flyover​, marking the Queen’s 65th birthday, from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Prince Philip, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Princes William and Harry watched the flyover at the Queen’s side.

1991: President George H.W. Bush escorted the Queen and Prince Philip onto the field at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore during the royal couple’s visit to the US that year.

The royals saw the Baltimore Orioles play the Oakland A’s.

1992: Disaster struck when Windsor Castle caught fire and was heavily damaged.

The hall was destroyed along with eight other principal rooms and more than 100 other rooms. The repair work on all fire-damaged areas cost £37 million.

1993: The Queen Mother walked alongside her two daughters, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret while celebrating her 93rd birthday at Clarence House in London.

The same year, Buckingham Palace opened to the public for the first time.

1994: Construction on the Channel Tunnel was completed.

Queen Elizabeth II and French president François Mitterrand unveiled a plaque in front of the head of the drill used to bore through the underwater chalk, to mark the occasion in Coquelles, France.

1995: President Bill Clinton and first lady, Hillary, visited the Queen in London in November 1995.

The pair visited during a five-day European trip.

1996: The Queen visited the scene of one of the greatest tragedies in recent British history, the Dunblane Massacre.

Queen Elizabeth II and her daughter, Princess Anne, visited the small Scottish town to lay wreaths outside the school where 16 children and one teacher were shot and killed.

1997: Tragedy struck again when Princess Diana was killed by injuries sustained in a car crash in Paris.

This photo shows the Queen and Prince Philip observing the vast sea of flowers left outside Buckingham Palace after Diana’s death.

1998: Queen Elizabeth II joined the family to celebrate the 98th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

In this photo, the Queen Mother waves as she poses with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren outside her official residence, Clarence House.

1999: The Queen visited Liz McGinnis and Susan McCarron at their housing association in Glasgow, Scotland, as part of an initiative to meet members of the public more informally.

The visit was an example of Britain’s royal family experimenting with a more intimate, casual approach to meet-the-people tours.

2000: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, celebrated her 100th birthday from the balcony of Buckingham Palace with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

Cheering fans lined her procession route to Buckingham Palace shouting birthday wishes to a woman who won the love and admiration of the nation during a turbulent century.

2001: The Queen remembered those who lost their lives in the attacks of 9/11.

In this picture, the Queen wipes a tear from her face as she’s comforted by a member of the clergy in St. Paul’s Cathedral following a 9/11 memorial service.

2002: This was a difficult year for the Queen. Her sister, Princess Margaret, and her mother died within a month of each other.

The picture above shows the Queen and other members of the family during the funeral of the Queen Mother.

2003: Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Britain for a historic state visit.

The visit was aimed at repairing diplomatic damage from the Iraq war.

2004: To mark the years since the death of Princess Diana, a memorial fountain was erected in London’s Hyde Park.

The £3.6 million ($3.4 million in 2004) creation at the side of the Serpentine was surrounded by controversy, facing delays and overrunning its budget by £600,000 ($575,189.15 in 2004), as CNN reported at the time.

2005: The Queen and Prince Philip attended the National Service of Remembrance at St. Paul’s Cathedral for the victims of the London bombings.

The service saw candles lit to represent the four sites bombed on July 7 that killed 52 people. It was also this year that Prince Charles and Camilla got married.

2006: The Queen celebrated her 80th birthday.

A fireworks display, which the Queen can be seen watching in the photo above, was put on at Kew Palace in her honour before she celebrated at a private family dinner.

2007: The Queen and Prince Philip visited the White House in 2007 to attend the annual State Dinner, hosted by George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush.

Bush praised the two nations’ relationship during a speech, saying that they each “hold fundamental values in common.”

“We honour our traditions and our shared history. We recognize that the strongest societies respect the rights and dignity of the individual,” he added. “We understand and accept the burdens of global leadership, and we have built our special relationship on the surest foundations: our deep and abiding love of liberty.”

2008: The Queen attended a state banquet for French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

The Queen stood to give a speech at the banquet held in Windsor Castle, near London.

2009: First Lady Michelle Obama put her arm around the Queen as they posed for photos.

At the time, some commentators suggested Obama broke royal protocol by putting her arm around the Queen. However, the Queen returned the gesture at the time and, according to Obama, told her years later that protocol is “rubbish.”

2010: The Queen and her son, Prince Charles, were pictured laughing at the Braemar Gathering in Scotland.

The sporting event is known colloquially as “The Games” and attracts visitors from around the world to the small village.

2011: The Queen’s grandson Prince William married Kate Middleton in front of an audience of hundreds of millions.

Families around the world were glued to their TV sets. The couple even received a message of congratulations from the crew on the International Space Station.

2012: The Queen had a lot to celebrate. It was the year of the London Olympics and the monarch’s Diamond Jubilee.

An estimated 1.2 million people took to the streets of London (pictured above) to celebrate the Queen’s 60 years on the throne.

2013: Malala Yousafzai met with the Queen as she attended a reception for youth, education, and the Commonwealth at Buckingham Palace.

The Pakistani teenager, who advocates for education for girls, became the face of women’s rights in the Middle East after she survived a Taliban assassination attempt in 2012 on her way home from school.

2014: Here, the Queen walks through a field of ceramic poppies at The Tower of London in October 2014.

The poppies were part of a ceramic poppy installation called “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red,” which marked the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. There were 888,246 poppies in total, each one representing a British military fatality during the war.

2015: A small dancing robot at Technische Universitaet (Technical University) in Berlin put a smile on the Queen’s face during a visit with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The photo above was taken during her official visit to Germany in June 2015.

2016: The royal family participated in a Royal Mail photoshoot for a stamp sheet in celebration of Her Majesty’s 90th birthday.

Princes Charles, George, and William were at her side for the photo shoot.

2017: Queen Elizabeth waved to onlookers as she left the Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

She was wearing one of her signature brightly-coloured ensembles.

2018: The Queen attended the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in May.

She and Markle later went on their first joint engagement in June when they visited Cheshire. 

2019: Queen Elizabeth II made her first public appearance of the year on January 6.

She attended Sunday service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in King’s Lynn, England.

2020: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their final appearance with the Queen as senior members of the royal family.

Before the coronavirus pandemic engulfed the world, Prince Harry and Markle shook the royal family by announcing they were stepping back from the royal family and leaving the UK. 

They marked their final appearance as senior royals for the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey, where royal commentators said tensions appeared high between everyone, on March 9, 2020.

2021: Queen Elizabeth II sits alone during her husband Prince Philip’s funeral.

Prince Philip, who was married to the Queen for 73 years, died on April 9, 2021. He was 99 years old. 

Queen Elizabeth II was photographed sitting alone during her husband’s funeral on April 17, likely due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. The harrowing image captured the loneliness of grieving during the pandemic. 

2022: The Queen unveiled her official Platinum Jubilee portrait as she celebrated an unprecedented 70 years on the throne. She died peacefully at Balmoral Castle on September 8.

The Queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee with a four-day celebration that began with her annual birthday parade and the Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace.

She also met her granddaughter Lili for the first time as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the UK with their children for the celebrations.

The monarch died at Balmoral Castle on September 8 after Buckingham Palace said that the Queen’s doctors were concerned for her health and recommended she remain under medical supervision.

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the Royal Family announced. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

On Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Charles became King and Camilla became Queen Consort.

Daniel Boan, Allison Millington, and Charles Clark contributed reporting on a previous version of this article.