Three years on from Queen Elizabeth II‘s death in September 2022, Woman’s Day is taking a trip down memory lane to visit the most memorable moments from her 70-year reign.
From her childhood spent at the Royal Lodge in Windsor to her 1953 coronation and her death – here are the significant moments from Queen Elizabeth II’s life
GROWING UP
Dutiful Elizabeth and her free-spirited sister Margaret enjoyed a unique connection.
Their father King George VI once famously described the pair, saying, “Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy.”
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1953 CORONATION
Elizabeth was just 27 when she became Queen following her father’s death.
In a televised speech after the coronation, she told the nation, “I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service.”
It was a promise the monarch would stay faithful to until the very end of her long life.
BABY BOOM
After Elizabeth fell for the dashing Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, the pair married and soon welcomed two children – Charles and Anne.
Conscious of maintaining her royal duties even as a new mum, Liz was reportedly more relaxed by the time Andrew and Edward came along.
1977 SILVER JUBILEE
A million supporters lined the streets to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Elizabeth’s reign, with the then 51-year-old carried by a gold state coach in a procession from Buckingham Palace to St Paul’s Cathedral.
500 million more watching it all on TV.
1981 SHOOTING DRAMA
Queen Elizabeth was riding her 19-year-old horse, Burmese, during the Trooping the Colour ceremony in 1981 when 17-year-old anti-royalist Marcus Sarjeant fired six blank shots at her from the crowd.
The Queen was visibly shaken by the ordeal but was unharmed, and continued the parade.
1992 ANNUS HORRIBILIS
“1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure,” Elizabeth said as she marked 40 years as Queen.
Marriage trouble between three of her four kids, the release of a bombshell book about Princess Diana and a devastating fire at Windsor Castle added to her woes.
LASTING LOVE
In a speech marking her golden wedding anniversary in 1997, the Queen described Philip as her “strength and stay”, adding that she and his family, and the country owed him “a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know”.
2002 GOLDEN JUBILEE
“Gratitude, respect and pride, these words sum up how I feel about the people of this country and the Commonwealth – and what this Golden Jubilee means to me,” the Queen said in a speech to mark her 50th year on the throne.
GAN-GAN
In 2016, Princess Kate revealed Prince George’s nickname for Elizabeth, “Gan-Gan”.
“She always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we go and stay and that just shows her love for her family,” William’s wife told the BBC.
LONGEST SERVING MONARCH
When the Queen took to her bed just a day after appointing a new British Prime Minister in September 2022, even loyal staff didn’t expect that within hours she’d be gone.
Elizabeth was 96 when she died peacefully of “old age” at her beloved Scottish hideaway, Balmoral Castle.
Prince Charles and Princess Anne made it to her bedside to bid a final farewell to Britain’s longest-serving monarch.
Charles later paid tribute, saying, “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother.”
