Young Queen Elizabeth II In 47 Surprising Vintage Photos
Publish date: 2024-08-26
From her World War 2 service to her coronation, these photos of a young Queen Elizabeth II capture her transformation from princess to queen.
Princess Elizabeth, a 2nd Subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service , wearing overalls and standing in front of an L-plated truck. In the background is a medical lorry.Public Domain 
Princess Elizabeth (center) with officers of the ATS Training Centre, 1945.IWM 
Left to right: Mr. Alexander with Princess Elizabeth, Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham (First Sea Lord), and Vice Admiral Sir Frederic Wake Walker (Third Sea Lord), 1944.IWM 
Princess Elizabeth watching parachutists dropping during a visit to airborne forces in England in the run-up to D-Day.IWM 
The Queen and Princess Elizabeth talk to paratroopers in front of a Halifax aircraft during a tour of Airborne forces, 1944.IWM 
Princess Elizabeth inspecting an honour guard during a Royal visit to 2nd (Armoured) Battalion Grenadier Guards, 5th Guards Armoured Brigade, Guards Armoured Division, at Hove, 1944.IWM 
Princess Elizabeth reviews a march past by a two thousand five hundred strong contingent of Mediterranean Station personnel. Also standing on the reviewing podium are Lieutenant Commander HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Sir Gerald Creasy (Governor of Malta) and Admiral Sir John H Edelsten (Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean), 1951. 
The Queen and the Princesses watching ammunition being brought on board the battleship.IWM 
Princess Elizabeth talking to an official as she walks through the crowded shipyard on arrival.IWM 
Princess Elizabeth acknowledging the cheers of the crowd from the launching platform. Behind her are Mr. Alexander (left) and Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham.IWM 
Princess Elizabeth, a 2nd Subaltern in the ATS standing in front of an ambulance, 1945.Public Domain 
Princess Elisabeth, Queen Elisabeth, Winston Churchill, George VI, and Princess Margaret on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on VE-Day.Public Domain 
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York, appear on June 12, 1961 on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Trooping the Colour - Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Parade, at The Royal Horseguards in London.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
The Queen Elizabeth (2nd-L, future Queen Mother), her daughter Princess Elizabeth (4th-L, future Queen Elizabeth II), Queen Mary (C) , Princess Margaret (5th-L) and the King George VI (R), pose at the balcony of the Buckingham Palace in December 1945.AFP/Getty Images 
An undated picture shows Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (right) standing next to her daughter Princess Anne.STF/AFP/Getty Images 
A canopy of cloth of gold is placed over Elizabeth II by the four Garter Knights prior to her anointing by the Archbishop of Canterbury at coronation ceremonies in London's Westminster Abbey, on June 2, 1953. For anointing, the Queen was disrobed of her crimson Parliament robes and took off her diadem and jewels herself.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II is seen through the window of the royal carriage on June 2, 1953 after being crowned solemnly at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth was proclaimed Queen in 1952 at age 25.STF/AFP/Getty Images 
Britain's Queen Elizabeth (center), her husband Prince Philip, their children Princess Anne (left) and Prince Charles are gathered for a lunch in 1969 at Windsor Castle, west of London.AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II arrive at a railway station in London with her dogs of Corgis breed on October 20, 1970.STF/AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II arrives at King's Cross railway station in London 15 October 1969 with her four dogs of Corgis breed after holidays in Balmoral Castle in Scotland and before welcoming at Buckingham Palace US astronauts of Apollo 11 who walked on the Moon.STF/AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by the bishop of Durham Lord Michael Ramsay (left) and the bishop of Bath and Wells Lord Harold Bradfield, walks to the altar during her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey, London, as her maids of honor carry her train.-/AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by the bishop of Durham Lord Michael Ramsay (left) and the bishop of Bath and Wells Lord Harold Bradfield, walks to the altar during her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey, London, as her maids of honor carry her train.-/AFP/Getty Images 
General view taken on June 2, 1953 inside Westminster Abbey, London shows Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the bishop of Durham Lord Michael Ramsay and the bishop of Bath and Wells Lord Harold Bradfield during her coronation ceremony.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
Archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Fisher (left) presents on June 2, 1953 Britain's Queen Elizabeth II with a sword, prior to the Coronation ceremony in London.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by the bishop of Durham Lord Michael Ramsay (left) and the bishop of Bath and Wells Lord Harold Bradfield, receives homage and allegiance from her subjects during her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey, London.-/AFP/Getty Images 
Undated picture of the Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince Philip and their two children Prince Charles of England and Princess Ann of England posing in Balmoral.-/AFP/GettyImages 
Undated picture showing the Royal British couple, Queen Elizabeth II, and her husband Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with their two children, Charles, Prince of Wales (left) and Princess Anne (right), circa 1951.OFF/AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II (center) sits in Westminster Abbey, June 2, 1953 on her coronation day in London. Elizabeth married Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh on the 20th of November 1947 and was proclaimed Queen in 1952 at age 25. Her coronation was the first worldwide televised event.STF/AFP/Getty Images 
American entertainer Bob Hope is greeted by Queen Elizabeth II of England after he performed the "Royal Performance" with the Blue Bell Girls in London, in 1967.STR/AFP/Getty Images 
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II rides on June 7, 1952 a horse side saddle and salutes during a Trooping of the Colour ceremony at Horse Guard's Parade, Central London.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
Britain's Princess Elizabeth II, representing her father King George Vi, who is ill, inspects the Scots Guards at Windsor Castle, on May 26, 1951.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II poses with the royal sceptre on June 2, 1953 after being crowned solemnly at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth was proclaimed Queen in 1952 at age 25.STF/AFP/Getty Images 
The royal carriage of Queen Elizabeth II passes Buckingham Palace on its way to Westminster Abbey, on June 2, 1953, during the ceremony of coronation of the Queen. The Queen was solemnly crowned at Westminster Abbey in London.-/AFP/Getty Images 
(From left to right): Princess Elizabeth (future Queen Elizabeth II), Philip Mountbatten (also the Duke of Edinburgh), Queen Elizabeth (future Queen Mother), King George VI and Princess Margaret pose in the Buckingham Palace on July 9, 1947 in London, the day the engagement of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten was officially announced.-/AFP/Getty Images 
Photo taken on April 28, 1968 shows Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (right), Prince Philip (center), Duke of Edinburgh, and Prince Andrew, Duke of York, during "the Windsor horse trials", annual international horse show.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
From left: The Duke of Gloucester, Princess Elizabeth, her mother the Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, and the King Haakon VII of Norway, pose for a picture on June 6, 1951 in London at the beginning of King Haakon's visit to Britain.AFP/Getty Images 
The royal carriage of Queen Elizabeth II passes along Victoria Embankment on its way to Westminster Abbey, on June 2, 1953, during the ceremony of coronation of the Queen. The Queen was solemnly crowned at Westminster Abbey in London.-/AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are seen through the window of the royal carriage as they arrive, June 2, 1953 in Trafalgar Square. The Queen was solemnly crowned at Westminster Abbey in London that day.STF/AFP/Getty Images 
Portrait taken on June 2, 1953 shows Britain Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation, which was the first to be televised.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II rides on June 7, 1952 a horse side saddle during a Trooping of the Colour ceremony at Horse Guard's Parade, Central London.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
Sirikit of Siam (second from left), the queen consort and Bhumibol Adulyadej (left), King (Rama IX) of Thailand, are welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, upon their arrival in the United Kingdom, in July 1960 in London.-/AFP/Getty Images 
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (right) arrives on February 10, 1972 at the Grand Palace in Bangkok during her official visit in Thailand.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
In this picture taken on January 26, 1961, Britain's Queen Elizabeth (center) and Prince Philip (left) pose with the Maharaja (fourth from left) and Maharani (fifth from right) of Jaipur after a tiger shoot in Jaipur.STR/AFP/Getty Images 
Undated picture showing the Royal British couple, Queen Elizabeth II, and her husband Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with their two children, Charles, Prince of Wales (left) and Princess Anne (right), circa 1951.OFF/AFP/Getty Images 
Photo taken on December 29, 1953 in Nukualofa shows Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Salote, Queen of Tonga, protected state under a Treaty of Friendship with Britain, during a visit of Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip (back), accompanied by Prince and husband of Salote, William Tungi, in the British Empire.STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images 
Picture dated from 1933 of Princess Margaret (left), the younger sister of future Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (right). Margaret was born at Glamis Castle 21 August 1930. She was educated at home with her sister, and her first major state event was the coronation of her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I (later Queen Mother).AFP/Getty Images 
Queen Elizabeth II accompanied by Prince Philip waves to the crowd on June 2, 1953 after being crowned solemnly at Westminter Abbey in London. Elizabeth married the Duke of Edinburgh on the 20th of November 1947 and was proclaimed Queen in 1952 at age 25. Her coronation was the first worldwide televised event.STF/AFP/Getty ImagesBecause Queen Elizabeth II has now reigned for a whopping 65 years, there are very few of us who can recall a time when she didn't sit atop the UK monarchy. And as the years go by, it likewise becomes more and more difficult for the world to remember the 90-year-old queen as anything other than elderly, albeit supremely distinguished.
What we mustn't forget is Elizabeth's track record of leadership and public service going all the way back to her youth during World War II.
She did her part during these tumultuous times of World War II when she was just a princess, accompanying her sister and mother as they toured the British armed forces to boost morale whenever they went.
Eventually, Elizabeth II wanted to do more to help the fight and in February 1945, she joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, the female branch of the army. She trained as a driver and mechanic, drove a military truck, and was promoted to honorary Junior Commander five months later. Today, she is the last surviving head of state who served in uniform during World War II.
Seven years after the end of the war, she assumed the crown and a young Queen Elizabeth II began her royal march into a history that's still being written today.
After enjoying these photos of a young Queen Elizabeth II, check out a Queen Elizabeth II as a mechanic circa World War II, before looking at the lineage of the British royal family.
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