LONDON (AP) — Key milestones in the life of Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at age 96 after serving more than seven decades on the throne.
—April 21, 1926: Born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in Mayfair, London, the first child of the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later called the Queen Mother.
—Dec. 10, 1936: Elizabeth becomes heir-apparent to the throne after her uncle King Edward VIII abdicates and her father becomes king.
—Oct. 13, 1940: Elizabeth makes first public speech at age 14 on the BBC Children’s Hour to reassure children who had been separated from their parents during the Blitz.
—1945: Elizabeth is made a Subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, serving for Britain during World War II.
—Nov. 20, 1947: Elizabeth marries Prince Philip Mountbatten of Greece and Denmark at Westminster Abbey.
—Nov. 14, 1948: Prince Charles, now Prince of Wales, heir-apparent to the throne, is born.
—Aug. 15, 1950: Elizabeth’s second child and only daughter, Anne, the Princess Royal, is born.
Left: Princess Elizabeth is pictured in her baby carriage for her first outing on October 9, 1926. Center: Queen Elizabeth II, at the age of three in London. Right: Princesses Margaret (L) and Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II, posing in the doorway of a miniature Welsh cottage in 1933. (Photos via AFP via Getty Images) 1935: Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) seated between her grandfather King George V (1865-1936) and grandmother Queen Mary of Teck (1867-1953) as they ride in a carriage back to Balmoral Castle from Crathie Kirk near Braemar in Scotland in August 1935. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) 1937: 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 on May 12, 1937. (Photo by Central Press/AFP via Getty Images)
1940: Britain’s Princess Elizabeth (future Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Princess Margaret sending a message during the BBC’s children program, particularly to the children who were being evacuated because of the World War II. (Uncredited photo by AFP via Getty Images) 1941: The Royal Princesses Elizabeth (Elizabeth II) as ‘Prince Florizel’ and Margaret (1930 – 2002) as ‘Cinderella’ with Hubert Tannar in costume in the Christmas production of ‘Cinderella’ at Windsor Castle, UK, 21st December 1941. (Photo by Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) 1944: Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (R) and King George VI, pose with their daughter Princess Elizabeth on April 21, 1944, as they celebrate her 18th birthday at Windsor Castle. (Photo by Planet News/AFP via Getty Images)
1947: Specially posed portrait of HRH Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, before the microphone for her 21st Birthday speech, April 21, 1947, which she made from Cape Town, South Africa. (AP Photo) 1947: Members of the British Royal family and guests pose around Princess Elizabeth (future Queen Elizabeth II) (CL) and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (CR) in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day November 20, 1947. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) 1947: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh wave at their wedding, on November 20, 1947 in London. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)
1949: Picture taken in 1949 showing the future Queen Elizabeth II of England with her baby Prince Charles. (Photo by Intercontinentale/AFP via Getty Images) 1950: The Princess Elizabeth of Great Britain greets Winston Churchill at a Guildhall reception, 23 March 1950 in London. In the background can be seen the Prime Minister Mr Atlee and his wife Mrs Atlee. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) 1951: HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, wearing formal dress as they attend a concert at Festival Hall, London, May 1951. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
1951: 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 (L) and Princess Anne (R). (OFF/AFP via Getty Images) 1951: 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. (Photo by Stringer/Intercontinentale/AFP via Getty Images) 1951: Princess Elizabeth shows Prince Charles the annual Trooping the Colour from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, on 7 June 1951 in London, surrounded by Queen Mary, Mary of Teck (L), and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (R). (Photo by Intercontinentale/AFP via Getty Images)
1953: Prince Charles is seen with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II and his sister, Princess Anne, left, as they sit in an automobile following their arrival in London, Feb.9,1953 by train from a six-week Christmas vacation at Sandringham,England. (AP photo) 1953: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, wave to supporters from the balcony at Buckingham Palace, following her coronation at Westminster Abbey. London, June. 2, 1953. (AP Photo/Priest)
—Feb. 6, 1952: Elizabeth becomes queen upon the death of her father George VI.
—June 2, 1953: Crowned in a grand coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. She sets out on a tour of the Commonwealth, visiting places including Bermuda, Fiji, Tonga, Australia, and Gibraltar.
1956: Queen Elizabeth II inspects men of the newly-renamed Queen’s Own Nigeria Regiment, Royal West African Frontier Force, at Kaduna Airport, Nigeria, during her Commonwealth Tour, 2nd February 1956. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
1959:Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are a study in concentration in Schefferville, as they listen to explanation on workings of an iron ore mine on another stop in their royal tour of Canada, June 20, 1959. (AP Photo)
—Feb. 19, 1960: Elizabeth’s third child, Prince Andrew, is born.
—March 10, 1964: Elizabeth’s fourth child, Prince Edward, is born.
—May 1965: Elizabeth makes a historic visit to West Germany, the first German visit by a British monarch in 52 years.
—1977: Elizabeth celebrates her Silver Jubilee, which marks 25 years on the throne.
1982: American politician Ronald Reagan (1911 – 2004), 40th President of the United States, and the Queen of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II at a gala dinner at Windsor Castle, UK, 9th June 1982. (Photo by McCarthy/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) 1983: The Queen and Mother Teresa look at the Insignia of the Honorary Order of Merit which Her majesty has just presented to the Lady of Calcutta, at the Rashtrapati Shavar, in New Delhi. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth celebrates her 90th birthday on Thursday, April 21, 2016. (AP Photo, file)
—1992: Elizabeth has what she describes as an “annus horribilis,” or a “horrible year.” The year sees marriages for three of her four children end. Also that year, a fire damages Windsor Castle. Public outcry over the cost of repairs amid a recession prompts the queen to volunteer to pay income taxes.
—Aug. 31, 1997: Princess Diana dies in a car crash in Paris. Under public pressure to demonstrate her grief, Elizabeth makes an unprecedented television broadcast in tribute to Diana’s memory.
—2002: Elizabeth marks 50 years of reign with her Golden Jubilee. The year also sees the deaths of Elizabeth’s mother and her sister, Margaret.
—Dec. 20, 2007: Elizabeth becomes the longest-living British monarch, overtaking Victoria.
1984: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother celebrates her 94th birthday outside Clarence House, London, with her great-grandson Prince William. (AP Photo/Grant) 1987 file photo Diana, Princess of Wales, left, and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II smile to well-wishers outside Clarence House gathered on Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s birthday, in London. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver, File) 1996: South African President Nelson Mandela stands with Britain Queen Elizabeth II on his arrival at Buckingham Palace, in London for a state banquet in his honor following his arrival in Britain. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth celebrates her 90th birthday on Thursday, April 21, 2016. (AP Photo, file)
1998: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II smiles greets war veterans during the ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War I, Wednesday November 11, 1998 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Lipchitz/Pool) 2000: Queen Elisabeth II accompanied by Prince Philip (behind) waves to the crowd from her horse carriage as she leaves Buckingham palace for the opening of parliament in London, 06 December 2000. (ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images) 2005: (L to R) Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, HM Queen Elizabeth II, The Queen, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, watch the flypast over The Mall of British and US World War II aircraft from the Buckingham Palace balcony on National Commemoration Day July 10, 2005 in London. (Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)
2006: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II laughs as she meets the public during a walkabout to celebrate her 80th birthday in Windsor, England, Friday April, 21, 2006. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, Pool) 2009: Queen Elizabeth II presents Prince Charles, Prince of Wales with the Royal Horticultural Society’s Victoria Medal of Honour during a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show on May 18, 2009 in London. (Photo by Sang Tan/WPA Pool/Getty Images) 2011: Fishmonger Pat O’Connell shows his wares to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the English Market in Cork, Ireland, Friday May 20, 2011, on the fourth and final day of her first-ever state visit to Ireland. (AP Photo/pool)
—May 2011: Elizabeth makes a historic visit to Ireland — the first visit by a British monarch since Irish independence.
—2012: Elizabeth marks 60 years of her reign with a Diamond Jubilee.
—Sept. 9, 2015: Elizabeth surpasses Queen Victoria and becomes the longest-serving monarch in British history.
—June 11, 2016: Britain celebrates Elizabeth’s official 90th birthday with three days of national festivities.
—Feb. 6, 2017: Elizabeth becomes the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, marking 65 years on the throne.
2011: Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she opens the refurbished East Wing of Somerset House, on February 29, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Mulholland/WPA Pool/Getty Images) 2012: Queen Elizabeth II inspects the guards during a ceremony to present new colors to the 1st Battalion and No. 7 Company the Coldstream Guards at Windsor Castle, on May 3, 2012 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Andrew Winning-WPA Pool/Getty Images) 2012: Britain’s Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, left, laughs as Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II gestures while they watch part of a children’s sports event during a visit to Vernon Park in Nottingham, central England, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Phil Noble, Pool)
2012: Queen Elizabeth II attends a service for the Order of the British Empire at St Paul’s Cathedral on March 7, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Geoff Pugh/WPA Pool/Getty Images) 2016: (L-R) Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during “The Patron’s Lunch” celebrations for The Queen’s 90th birthday at The Mall on June 12, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images) 2016: (L-R) Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh stand on the balcony during the Trooping the Colour, this year marking the Queen’s 90th birthday at The Mall on June 11, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images)
2017: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh are greeted by an elephant at the Zoological Society of London’s Whipsnade Zoo, where they officially opened the zoo’s new Centre for Elephant Care as part of a visit, Tuesday April 11, 2017. (Chris Radburn//PA via AP) 2018: Queen Elizabeth II sits and laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge on June 14, 2018 in the town of Widnes in Halton, Cheshire, England. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) 2018: Queen Elizabeth II attends a reception for 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, who have been honored with the Freedom of The City of Edinburgh, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on July 3, 2018 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jane Barlow/Getty Images)
2018: Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF 100th anniversary flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Grover/WPA Pool/Getty Images) 2019: Queen Elizabeth II meets guests as she attends the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 29, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Yui Mok/WPA Pool/Getty Images) 2019: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales during the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster on October 14, 2019 in London, England. Photo by Paul Edwards/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
—March 2020: Elizabeth and Philip move from Buckingham Palace in London to Windsor Castle at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
2020: Queen Elizabeth II rides Balmoral Fern, a 14-year-old Fell Pony, in Windsor Home Park over the weekend of May 30 and May 31, 2020 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Steve Parsons/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
—April 9, 2021: Prince Philip, Elizabeth’s husband of 73 years, dies at age 99.
2021: Queen Elizabeth II watches as pallbearers carry the coffin of Prince Philip, Duke Of Edinburgh into St GeorgeÕs Chapel by the pallbearers during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, United Kingdom. (Photo by Yui Mok/WPA Pool/Getty Images) 2021: Queen Elizabeth II during an inspection of the Balaklava Company, 5 Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland at the gates at Balmoral, as she takes up summer residence at the castle, on August 9, 2021 in Ballater, Aberdeenshire. (Photo by Jane Barlow/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
2021: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister, Boris Johnson greet guests during a reception for international business and investment leaders at Windsor Castle to mark the Global Investment Summit on October 19, 2021 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Alastair Grant – Pool/Getty Images) 2022: Queen Elizabeth II is joined by one of her dogs, a Dorgi called Candy, as she views a display of memorabilia from her Golden and Platinum Jubilees in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle on February 4, 2022 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Steve Parsons/WPA Pool/Getty Images) 2022: Queen Elizabeth II attends an audience with the President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis (Not pictured) at Windsor Castle on April 28, 2022 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
2022: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, left, welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. (Jane Barlow/Pool Photo via AP) Queen Elizabeth II proceeds through the Royal Gallery before the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster on May 27, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Suzanne Plunkett /WPA Pool/Getty Images) The image of Queen Elizabeth II is projected onto a large screen and reflected in a rainy street at Piccadilly Circus, in London, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
