The Queen: 60 years on the throne
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-lived and second longest reigning monarch - Queen Victoria was on the throne for 63 years and seven months. We take a look at the significant dates in her history.
1926
21 April: Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is born at home at 17 Bruton Street in London, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York.
1930
21 August: Her only sibling Princess Margaret Rose is born.
1936
December: Edward VIII gives up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. Elizabeth’s father becomes King George VI, making her next in line to the throne.
1939
3 September: Britain and France declare war on Germany.
1947
20 November: Marries Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey. She collected clothing coupons for her dress, designed by Norman Hartnell. Elizabeth’s corgi Susan went with them on honeymoon.
1948
14 November: Elizabeth's first child Prince Charles is born.
1950
15 August: Princess Anne is born.
1952
6 February: Her father, George VI, dies and Elizabeth, 25, becomes Head of the Commonwealth and Queen of seven Commonwealth countries.
1953
2 June: The Coronation service at Westminster Abbey is the first to be televised, and was watched by millions. On their Coronation Commonwealth tour, the Queen and Prince Philip covered 43,618 miles.
1960
19 February: Prince Andrew is born. The Queen is the first reigning monarch to give birth since Queen Victoria’s youngest child was born in 1857.
1964
10 March: Prince Edward is born.
1977
Silver Jubilee: Celebrations are held nationwide to mark the Queen’s 25 years on the throne.
1991
16 May: Elizabeth is the first British monarch to address a joint session of the United States Congress.
2002
9 February: Death of Princess Margaret, aged 71.
30 March: Death of The Queen Mother, aged 101. The Queen's Golden Jubilee.
2011
October: The Queen, 85, and Prince Philip, 90, make an 11-day tour of Australia – her 16th visit to the country. The Queen is the only person in Britain who is not required to have a passport.
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See Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration at the V&A London until April 22, a collection of portraits of the Queen in her roles as princess, monarch and mother, including a number of photographs never before seen as well as excerpts from Beaton’s diaries and letters. For more information visit the V&A website
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