Please Enjoy These Super-Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman

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A Look Back at Queen Elizabeth as a Young WomanHulton Deutsch - Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth passed away in September 2022 after holding the throne for more than 70 years. But long before Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton were the resident cool girls of the royal family, Her Majesty was out here serving lewks. Here’s a glimpse at what her life was like as a young princess—and please note motifs of fur, pearls, and, um, workwear (…!).

1926

Little bb Lizzie! The future queen was only a few months old when this pic was taken, and she looks like the cutest cherub there ever was.

Princess Elizabeth As A Baby
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1927

Look at that smile! Those curls! Those pearls! Adorable and regal already.

Princess Elizabeth
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1928

If you squint really hard, you can kinda make out the shape of 2-year-old Elizabeth’s overexposed hand, but it’s more fun to imagine she’s flipping off a paparazzo for raising his voice or doing something she deemed unacceptable.

Princess Elizabeth
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1929

Shirley Temple WHO?!?! Three-year-old Elizabeth knew how to work the camera.

A Royal Smile HRH Princess Elizabeth
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1929

Pearls make another appearance. Side note: This ruffled dress…does it come in adult sizes?

Elizabeth Ii Queen Royalty Child
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1930

Elizabeth’s dad (King George VI) took this photo of his daughter frolicking through a field of flowers, and honestly, it’s just so pure and wonderful.

George's Snapshot
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1931

Apparently, Lizzie made her bridesmaid debut at…age 5?! Here she is looking posh in a hooded fur cape to watch Lady May Cambridge tie the knot.

History
Universal History Archive

1933

IDK what 7-year-old Elizabeth was carrying in her purse here, but if I had to guess, I would say a tube of watermelon-flavored Lip Smacker, a piece of Juicy Fruit gum, and a crumpled dandelion she ripped out of the ground. JK, it’s obviously something way more chic.

Princess Elizabeth
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1935

Really living for the caption of this photo: “Every inch a princess.”

Every Inch A Princess
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1935

Elizabeth’s parents definitely made her wear this outfit for what I can only assume must be the royal equivalent to an awkward yearbook photo. All that’s missing is a backdrop featuring a stock photo of an autumnal scene.

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1936

Here’s 10-year-old Elizabeth bonding with her pony. Little did she know back then that (a) she’d replace that poor pony with a fleet of posh and possibly inbred corgis and (b) she’d go on to almost exclusively wear massive hats and headscarves.

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1936

Speaking of corgis, here she is cradling one like a baby. Head support, Elizabeth, head support!

Princess' Dog
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1936

Okay, sorry, one more dog pic because LOOK AT HOW HAPPY THAT PUPPER IS. The love runs deep between Elizabeth and her corgis.

Royal Dog
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1936

Okay, I lied. This is actually the last pic with dogs because look how wholesome this photo is. Also, seems like 1936 was a good dog year!

dog bench
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1937

Queen Elizabeth really outshone her own father at his own coronation with that royal wave. Iconic.

Royalty - Coronation of King George VI - London
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1937

Here, Queen Elizabeth is pictured alongside her sister Princess Margaret and a seriously stunning floral arrangement. I co-sign.

elizabeth ii pictured with her sister princess margaret
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1937

The matching sister 'fits?! If I could add to cart, I would ngl.

princesses at abbey
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1938

Oh, just Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret enjoying a pony show. Looks like live footage of me and my sis at this age too, TBH.

royal pony lovers
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1939

Yep, Elizabeth was forced to take swimming lessons as a kid just like the rest of us, only she got to wear this awesome onesie with medals all over it because she’s royal and, well, we’re not.

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1939

Tell me what you were doing at 12 so I can tell you it doesn’t matter because Queen Elizabeth was legitimately in Queen Training?? at that same age.

aged 12 the young princess elizabeth is already training to be queen and is meeting people in her own right march 1939
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1940

While some of us spent age 14 trolling around Limited Too and Hot Topic at the mall, Elizabeth whiled away her time atop a friendly horse.

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1940

But honestly, had a Hot Topic been around in 1940s England, Queen Elizabeth would have gone because she was clearly deeply emo. Just look at how angsty she seems reading this book in the corner! You can basically hear the Elliott Smith playing in the background.

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1940

Just two girls and their garden (and a corgi in a wheelbarrow!).

gardening princesses
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1941

Oh, you didn’t think Queen Elizabeth would miss out on those awkward adolescent theater productions, did you? She played Prince Charming in Cinderella at Windsor Castle along with her sister, Margaret, who played Cinderella—which is a little weird if you think about it. Moving along!

Royal Thespians
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1941

Once upon a time, 15-year-old Elizabeth was minding her own business in Windsor Castle when someone with a camera was like, “You know what? Go stand in that bush.” And then she did.

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1942

OMFG, Queen Elizabeth was a GIRL SCOUT. Okay, technically they’re called Girl Guides in England, but it’s essentially the same thing. And if the Queen knocked on my door with a wagon full of cookies, I would buy them all, TBH.

Princess Elizabeth
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1942

The chicest bike ride you ever did see!

princess on a bike
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1942

“Alexa, play Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ on repeat.” —Princess Elizabeth, age 16

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1943

Why, yes, that is Queen Elizabeth dressed as Aladdin for another theater production. And yes, that’s Margaret playing the princess. Again, not weird at all!

Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret in Costume
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1944

Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth followed in the footsteps of many emo kids and took to journaling her feels. D-i-t-t-o.

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1944

Sometimes HRH and her friends put on plays and got extremely turnt/happy in the process. This is something called Old Mother Riding Boots! Like, who wouldn’t want to come out of an angst fog and act in that?!

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1945

In case you’re wondering the exact age Elizabeth started wearing headscarves, that would be around 19.

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1945

FASHUN INTERMISSION bc the Queen JOINED THE ARMY in the last year of WWII as a truck mechanic and driver. @ Carhartt, what do we think—is she the original workwear influencer?

Vehicle,
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1946

Elizabeth and her sister, Margaret, turned it out for their debutante. This picture is so lovely, I can’t even come up with a quip.

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1946

…And then they got back to their royal-but-emo roots with some *slightly* uncomf staged nature shots.

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1946

At age 20, Elizabeth was yet again part of a bridesmaid squad. Unfortunately, there’s no historical documentation of whether they went to Las Vegas and/or decorated their bachelorette party with penis-themed accessories.

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1946

“Hello, it me, just arranging these flowers in a totally natural way!”

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1947

By the age of 21, Elizabeth was an engaged woman, and she looked downright THRILLED about it. This is her beaming in the state apartments at Buckingham Palace during her engagement to Prince Philip. Highly adorable.

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1947

These newlyweds look pretty smitten on their honeymoon. But if you’ve seen The Crown, you’re probably like, “Ugh, PHILIP.”

Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh arm in arm. 28th November 1947.
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1947

*Zooms in to look at that massive, three-diamond ring.*

princess elizabeth and philip mountbatten
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1947

Fur, pearls, and a hat! The then-princess did not come to play at her benefit event at Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children in East London.

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1947

Legend has it that this photo was snapped in the final days before Elizabeth’s wedding. Totally casual, nothing to see here, just practicing “Für Elise” as I prepare to be wed…!

Toronto Star Archives

1950

Here we have a 24-year-old Elizabeth square-dancing at something called a “cowboy dress party” in Canada. I’m...speechless.

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1954

It's giving the original pap shots and I'm obsessed.

queen elizabeth ii waving from coach
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1961

The only acceptable caption for this is “icons only.” Srry, I don't make the rules!

queen elizabeth and jacqueline kennedy
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