A Young Queen in the Making: A Look at Queen Elizabeth II's Youth Through Unseen Photos

Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, in London, England. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during World War II, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service.

In her early 20s, as a young queen, she traveled extensively throughout the Commonwealth, visiting countries such as Canada, Jamaica, and New Zealand. She also made her first state visit to the United States in 1957.

In 1947, Elizabeth became engaged to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a former prince of Greece and Denmark. They were married on November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey. The couple has four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

Queen Elizabeth II faced several challenges as a monarch. In 1956, her husband, Prince Philip, was involved in a severe car accident; in 1957, her mother passed away. Additionally, the Suez Crisis and the Cold War were ongoing political concerns during this time.

Despite these challenges, the Queen continued to carry out her official duties, including opening Parliament and receiving state visits from foreign leaders. She also continued to travel and represent the UK at various events and ceremonies.

In the late 1960s, Queen Elizabeth II faced further challenges with the decolonization of Africa and the rise of the republican movement in the UK. Despite this, she maintained a high profile, undertaking numerous state visits and supporting various charities and organizations.

By the end of her 30s, Queen Elizabeth II had established herself as a respected and experienced leader. She had also overseen significant changes in the Commonwealth and the monarchy’s role. Despite her youth, she had proven herself to be a capable and dedicated monarch and had laid the foundation for a long and prosperous reign.

She is the longest-reigning current monarch in the world, surpassing the previous record held by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, on September 9, 2015. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth II has seen significant changes in the world and the role of the monarchy. She has undertaken numerous state visits and has represented the UK at the funerals of world leaders and the weddings of European royalty. In addition to her official duties, the Queen is known for supporting various charities and organizations.

#1 Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret posed together in December 1938.

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#2 King George VI, the Duchess of York and Princesses Margaret and Elisabeth on their way to attend mass at Crathie Church, 1939.

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#3 Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II, in Windsor Great Park with her white pony, 1939.

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#4 Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret with their arms around each other, 1939.

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#5 Elizabeth II swimming backstroke in 1939.

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#6 Elizabeth II, won a children’s swimming competition in London with 35 points in 1939.

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#7 Elizabeth II as a teenager: Elizabeth II, Queen of England since 1953, won a children’s swimming competition in London with 35 points in 1939. (Vintage property of ullstein bild)

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#8 The English princesses Elizabeth and Margaret in London after a children’s party, March 7th 1939.

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#9 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrive at the wedding of Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, a niece of the queen, and Kenneth Harington on March 8th, 1939 in London, UK.

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#10 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth watching a performance from a box with Princess Elizabeth at the Coliseum Theatre, London, March 28th, 1939.

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#11 King George VI out riding his horse with his daughters Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Margaret (left) in Windsor Great Park, England, 21st April, 1939.

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#12 King Georg VI of England, his wife Elizabeth, and the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret in Portsmouth, Great Britain, May 6th, 1939.

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#13 Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret see off their parents, King George VI and Queen consort Elizabeth, at Waterloo Station, London, May 6th, 1939.

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#14 Royalty and Nanny: Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret with their nanny Miss Marion Crawford leaving the headquarters of the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association) in London, 15th May 1939.

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#15 Princesses visit YWCA: Royal governess Marion Crawford accompanies Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret to the headquarters of the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association) off Tottenham Court Road, London, 15th May 1939.

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#16 Elisabeth II, with her sister Princess Margaret Rose and governess on a walk in London.

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#17 Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret view the cot that they both used as babies during their visit to an exhibition of royal and historic treasures at their old home, 145 Piccadilly, London, 28th July 1939.

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#18 Princesses at Exhibition: Princesses Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II, centre) and Margaret at an exhibition of royal treasures at 145 Piccadilly, London, 28th July 1939.

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#19 Queen Elizabeth with Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret during World War II in 1940.

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#20 Queen Elizabeth with Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret as they knit for war charities during World War Two, 1940.

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#21 Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother with her two daughters, Princess Margaret (left) and Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) during World War Two, 1940.

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#22 Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother with her two daughters, Princess Margaret (right) and Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II), holding a dog, during World War Two, 1940.

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#23 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret practicing their knitting skills in the grounds of the Royal Lodge in Windsor during World War II, Windsor, England, 1940.

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#24 Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret study the Ministry of Agriculture’s cropping chart in their allotments on the east side of Windsor Castle during World War Two, England, 1940’s.

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#25 Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother) with her two daughters, Princess Margaret (right) and Princess Elizabeth who later became Queen Elizabeth II in 1940.

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#26 Princess Elizabeth (left, later Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret with their nurse Marion Crawford on a trip down a river.

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#27 Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II) at Sandringham with one of the horses, undated.

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#28 The Royal Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret in horsewomen clothes standing in a daffodils field, UK, 1940.

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#29 The Royal Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret riding horses, UK, 1940.

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#30 The Royal Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret with a Pembroke Welsh Corgi dog in their garden at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, UK, April 1940.

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#31 The Royal Princess Elizabeth holding a Pembroke Welsh Corgi dog, UK, April 1940.

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#32 The Royal Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret in their garden at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, UK, April 1940.

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#33 The Royal Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret riding horses, UK, 1940.

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#34 The Royal Princess Elizabeth in horsewoman outfit, UK, 1940.

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#35 Princess Elizabeth of York posing in the 40s.

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#36 Childhood studio portrait of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret in 1940.

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#37 Princess Elizabeth out riding at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, April 1940.

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#38 Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900-2002) posed together with her daughter, Princess Elizabeth, at Royal Lodge, Windsor, Berkshire, April 1940.

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#39 Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II, left) with her younger sister Princess Margaret Rose on the terrace steps at the back of the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, April 1940.

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#40 Princess Elizabeth in a riding habit and riding hat, Royal Lodge, Windsor, UK, April 1940.

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#41 Portrait of Princess Elizabeth taken at Windsor Castle, 22nd June 1940.

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#42 Princess Margaret (1930-2002, left) and Princess Elizabeth playing the word card game Lexicon, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, Great Britain, 22nd June 1940.

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#43 Princess Elizabeth with a book at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, Great Britain, 22nd June 1940.

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#44 Princess Elizabeth at a desk with books at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, Great Britain, 22nd June 1940.

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#45 Princess Elizabeth smiling at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, Great Britain, 22nd June 1940.

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#46 Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, Great Britain, 22nd June 1940.

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#47 Princess Margaret plays with a corgi while Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) reads at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, Great Britain, 22nd June 1940.

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#48 Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II, left) and her younger sister Princess Margaret Rose (1930-2002) in a carriage in the grounds of the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, 4th July 1940.

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#49 Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret (1930-2002) making a broadcast to the children of the Empire during World War II, 10th October 1940.

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#50 Princess Elizabeth of England (future queen Elizabeth II) and her sister princess Margaret in gradens of Windsor, 1941

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#51 Princess Margaret Rose, younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and sister of Queen Elizabeth II, in the garden at Windsor Castle, 1941

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#52 The Queen Mother with Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle in England on 8 July 1941.

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#53 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret prepare to set off for a bicycle ride at Windsor Royal Lodge.

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#54 Queen Elizabeth II wearing riding gear, 1942.

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#55 Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret wearing summer dresses, 1942.

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#56 Queen Elizabeth II

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#57 Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret inspecting the Grenadier Guards (who are not visible) on Princess Elizabeth’s 16th birthday.

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#58 King George VI pets a dog while the Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret look on at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Castle, England on April 11, 1942.

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#59 Princess Elizabeth plays the piano as Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret look on at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Castle, England on April 11, 1942.

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#60 Princess Elizabeth looks on as Princess Margaret plays the piano at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Castle, England on April 11, 1942.

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#61 Princess Elizabeth places Princess Margaret’s arm in a sling as part of the girl guides in Frogmore, Windsor, England on April 11, 1942.

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#62 Princess Elizabeth learns to tie a knot with the girl guides in Frogmore, Windsor, England on April 11, 1942.

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#63 Princess Elizabeth poses in her girl guide uniform in Frogmore, Windsor, England on April 11, 1942.

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#64 Princess Elizabeth places a young girl’s arm in a sling as part of the girl guides in Frogmore, Windsor, England on April 11, 1942.

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#65 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret on bicycles at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, 1942

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#66 Princess Elizabeth as ‘Prince Salvador’ in the Christmas production of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ at Windsor Castle, 1942

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#67 Queen Elizabeth I (Queen Mother) and Princess Elizabeth II received at the Royal College of Music by Sir George Dyson, 1943

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#68 Princess Elizabeth addressing the Governors Court at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children as their President, her first solo engagement, 1944

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#69 Princess Elizabeth wearing a summer dress and sunhat in the grounds of Windsor Castle, 1944

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#70 Princess Elizabeth pictured holding the reins of two horses in the garden at Windsor Castle, 1944Princess Elizabeth pictured holding the reins of two horses in the garden at Windsor Castle, 1944

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#71 Princess Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, seated on a sun lounger with Princess Margaret seated on the grass in the garden at Windsor Castle, 1944

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#72 Princess Elizabeth pictured holding a corgi in the grounds of Windsor Castle, 1944

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#73 Princess Elizabeth pictured seated at a desk reading a book at Windsor Castle, 1944

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#74 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret in a royal pantomime production of ‘Old Mother Red Riding Boots’ at Windsor Castle, 1944

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#75 Princess Elizabeth as second subaltern in ATS, 1945

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#76 Princess Elizabeth trains as an ATS mechanic, 1945

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#77 Princess Elizabeth driving an ambulance during her wartime service in the A.T.S. (Auxiliary Territorial Service), 1945

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#78 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret attend tree planting ceremonies at Windsor Great Park, 1945

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#79 King George VI and family arrive at Balmoral for their holidays in Scotland

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#80 Queen Elisabeth II and Princess Margaret at Dorothy Wilding’s Photography, 1946.

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#81 Princess Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, London, July 1946.

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#82 Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) holding a book at Windsor Castle, Great Britain, 8 July 1946.

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#83 Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) arranging flowers at Windsor Castle, Great Britain, 8 July 1946.

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#84 King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, and Princess Margaret at Windsor Castle, England, 8 July 1946.

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#85 Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, England, 8 July 1946.

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#86 King George VI with Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, England, 8 July 1946.

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#87 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose at a piano in the school room of Buckingham Palace, London, 19 July 1946.

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#88 Princess Elizabeth reading a book at Buckingham Palace, London, 19 July 1946.

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#89 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret in a portrait at Windsor Castle, Great Britain, 11 December 1946.

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#90 Princess Elizabeth (now The Queen) and Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, wave to crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their marriage, London, England, 20 November 1947.

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#91 The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh showing the Princess looking radiant after the wedding at Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, London, England, 20 November 1947.

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#92 Princess Elizabeth pictured at the desk in her sitting room at Buckingham Palace, London, England, circa 1947.

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#93 Princess Elizabeth during her royal tour of South Africa, 1947.

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#94 Princess Elizabeth on board the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Implacable during a visit by the royal family from HMS Vanguard, which is taking them to South Africa, 17 February 1947.

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#95 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret pictured standing together in the grounds of Government House in Bloemfontein during the Royal tour of South Africa, March 1947.

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#96 Princess Elizabeth makes a broadcast from the gardens of Government House in Cape Town, South Africa, on the occasion of her 21st birthday, 21 April 1947.

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#97 Princess Elizabeth inspects a line of Rhodesian girl guides at Lobatse, Bechuanaland Protectorate, 21 April 1947.

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#98 Princess Elizabeth with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Epsom, England, 5 June 1947.

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#99 Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II) outside Buckingham Palace, London, England, 12 June 1947.

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#100 Princess Elizabeth and her fiance, Philip Mountbatten at Buckingham Palace, London, England, 10 July 1947.

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#101 Princess Elizabeth driving from Buckingham Palace, the day before the announcement by the King of the engagement of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, London, England, 1947.

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#102 Princess Margaret is met by her betrothed sister, Princess Elizabeth, at London airport after the former had flown back from Northern Ireland launching of the new liner Edinburgh Castle, Canada, October 24, 1947.

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#103 Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten studying their wedding photographs while on honeymoon in Romsey, Hampshire, November 1947.

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#104 Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh playing with the Princess’s pet corgi Susan at Broadlands in Hampshire, during the start of their honeymoon, 24 November 1947.

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#105 Princess Elizabeth inspects a Guard of Honor of the 7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment at the War Memorial Park in Coventry, England, 22 May 1948.

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#106 Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret drive in an open carriage to the Royal box at Ascot Racecourse to watch the running of the Gold Cup race, England, 17 June 1948.

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#107 Future Queen Elizabeth II of England with her baby Prince Charles, 1949.

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#108 Princess Elizabeth leaves the London Stock Exchange after her private visit with the Duke of Edinburgh, where they watched business being done and lunched with the Chairman and Council, London, England, 1949.

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#109 Princesses at the Zoo: Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, reaches out to a chimpanzee during a visit to London Zoo, 10th May 1939, with Princess Margaret (far left).

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