From the young Princess Elizabeth to the steadfast monarch she is today, the world has watched her every step of the way.

Through the incredible highs and devastating lows of the royal family, she has never swayed.

To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, here are 70 images that chart the incredible life and times of a monarch like no other.

1. As a child, the future Queen was affectionately nicknamed Lilibet by her adoring family. The cute moniker came about when the cherubic tot struggled to say “Elizabeth”. Her pronunciation sounded more like “Lilibet” and the adorable error stuck.

2. Before her royal education got fully underway, Princess Elizabeth’s early childhood was an idyllic one. Here, she plays with a doll outside the Welsh House, a miniature cottage presented to Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret by the people of Wales in the grounds of the Royal Lodge, Windsor.

The house was refurbished by Princess Beatrice in 2012 who spoke of her fondness for the cottage and gave TV viewers a tour for a BBC documentary.

3. The Queen’s love of corgis started early as this delightful image taken at her family home at 145 Piccadilly in central London in July 1936 shows.

4. An avid horsewoman from an early age, here is Princess Elizabeth aged nine.

5. The future Queen and her beloved younger sister, Princess Margaret, are pictured knitting for the troops during World War II in the grounds of the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, April 1940.

6. The young Elizabeth was the first female member of the royal family to be an active member of the armed forces, helping to boost the morale of the public during World War II.

She joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service aged 19, training as a driver and mechanic and was later promoted to Junior Commander.

7. The then Princess Elizabeth with Susan the corgi. The dog was presented to the Queen on her 18th birthday and all of her corgis have descended from her original faithful companion.

8. Princess Elizabeth at her desk in her sitting room in Buckingham Palace. Groomed from an early age to rule, the Queen’s lifelong commitment to service has made her our most popular monarch.

9. On her 21st birthday, April 21, 1947, Princess Elizabeth was with her parents and younger sister on a tour of South Africa. In a speech broadcast on the radio from Cape Town, the Princess dedicated her life to the service of the Commonwealth.

10. Princess Elizabeth poses for an official photograph to mark her engagement to the then Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in July 1947.

11. A radiant Princess Elizabeth beams in the engagement photo that signified the beginning of a lifelong love story that spanned decades and generations.

The union would result in the births of three heirs to the British throne — Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George.

Despite the initial objections of her parents, Elizabeth was determined to marry her dashing royal suitor, Philip.

In 1947, Philip proposed with a three-carat round diamond engagement ring, consisting of a centre stone flanked by 10 smaller pave diamonds.

The ring’s stones were originally part of a tiara that belonged to Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.

12. Princess Elizabeth with her beloved father, King George VI, around the time of her engagement. The premature death of her father just five years later shocked the nation and propelled the young Princess into the role of monarch earlier than she had expected.

13. A carefree Princess Elizabeth plays tag with midshipmen while on board the HMAS Vanguard in 1947. In the early years of their marriage, the Queen and Prince Philip lived in Malta where he was stationed as a naval officer. In later years, she has recalled that period as one of her happiest.

14. Princess Elizabeth outside Buckingham Palace on horseback in 1947.

15. The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947, brought joy to the Commonwealth in the aftermath of World War II.

16. The Queen’s dress was designed by famed British designer Norman Hartnell.

Interest in the design of the dress was unprecedented and Hartnell was forced to whitewash and curtain the windows of the workroom at his Bruton Street premises to ensure secrecy.

17. The newlyweds walking together in the grounds of Broadlands, the home of Prince Philip’s uncle, Earl Mountbatten. The royals spent their honeymoon there and would later recreate the image for their diamond wedding anniversary.

The Queen touchingly wore the brooch during her Christmas message last year, her first since the death of her husband.

18. Prince Philip did not have the title of king because of British royal tradition whereby a man marrying into the royal family does not assume the male version of the title held by his wife.

He became Duke of Edinburgh prior to his marriage to Elizabeth in 1947, and she designated him a prince in 1957.

19. The proud parents with first child and future king, Prince Charles, who was born at Buckingham Palace on November 14, 1948.

20. The royal couple, who had by now welcomed their second child, Princess Anne, took the place of an ailing King George VI for a tour of Canada.

21. In 1952, just weeks after she inherited the throne after the death of King George VI, the Queen posed for official photographs by Dorothy Wilding. The images — known as The Wildings — were used for stamps, coins and portraits.

22. Another image from the iconic Wildings series.

23. The Queen with Prince Charles and Princess Anne in 1951. She would later go on to have two more sons, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

24. A touching image of the Queen and a young Prince Charles, who played in his toy car while at Balmoral.

25. The Queen posed with her children as they celebrated Prince Charles’s fourth birthday.

26. An official portrait of the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth. Her steadfast reign has seen the royal family — and the world — through turbulent times.

27. The Queen pictured on Coronation Day, which in a world-first was televised. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953, at Westminster Abbey. The ceremony attracted 27 million TV viewers in the UK and 11 million listened on the radio.

28. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh wave from the royal balcony on the day of the coronation.

29. Although the Queen had already been serving as the head of the British royal family for 16 months, June 2, 1953 marked the day she was crowned. She was 27 years old.

30. The Queen has always cherished her time at her castle in Balmoral, Scotland, where she can revel in the great outdoors.

31. The Queen stunned royal fans in Australia with her jaw-dropping gown at the Sydney Town Hall in 1954.

32. The Queen poses for an official portrait in her regal attire.

33. The Trooping the Colour ceremony is a longhead and much-loved royal tradition. The ceremony has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign for over 260 years.

34. The arrival of Prince Andrew in 1960 delighted the Queen and his older siblings.

35. Over 1400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians come together each June in a great display of military precision, horsemanship and fanfare to mark the Queen’s official birthday.

36. Since her first visit in 1954, the Queen has visited Australia another 15 times. Each visit has attracted record crowds, with the public’s love for the monarch growing over the decades.

37. Royal fans in Australia could not get enough of the Queen’s glamorous outfits during her royal tour in 1954.

38. The Queen, who was smitten with Prince Philip the moment she met him as a young girl, famously referred to him as her “strength and stay”.

39. The Queen relaxes at Sandringham, which has long been known as a favourite royal residence. Her Majesty has returned to the much-loved royal estate to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

40. Her Majesty has always been a hit with young royal fans, all over the world.

41. As Britain’s most popular monarch of all time, the much-loved Queen always attracts thousands of fans on her world tours.

42. Her Majesty is well known for love of the great outdoors and is always at her happiest when she’s out and about on her country estates. Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the Queen spent her summer holiday for decades, is widely thought to be the monarch’s favourite residence.

“I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands,” granddaughter Princess Eugenie said in the documentary Our Queen At Ninety.

43. All eyes are always on the Queen when she attends any event — especially when she parades some of her spectacular jewellery collection.

Here, the Queen positively sparkles at the London premiere of Doctor Dolittle in December 1967.

44. For Prince Charles, 1969 was a turning point in which the Queen played a pivotal role. He was invested as Prince of Wales by his mother on July 1 in a colourful ceremony at Caernarfon Castle.

During the ceremony, he gave a memorable speech in Welsh and English after spending a term at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth to learn the language.

45. Her Majesty’s love of horseracing is legendary. Here, she chats to jockeys Ron Quinton and Hilton Cope before the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick racecourse in 1970.

46. The Queen and Prince Philip, who were married for more than 70 years, the longest marriage in British royal history.

47. When the Queen travels, her darling corgis are never far behind as this delightful image shows.

48. The Queen always knows how to make a statement with her fashion choices. A love of colour, pearls and matching hats — complete with the obligatory handbag — gives her outfits a timeless air.

49. The Queen was delighted by the arrival of her first grandchild Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne.

50. While riding in the 1981 Trooping the Colour, the Queen was shot at several times by a teenager who was firing blanks. As the shots were fired, the Queen’s horse, Burmese, almost bolted.

Her Majesty, completely unflinching, only leant forward to comfort Burmese. The offender was jailed for five years and later apologised for the terrifying attack.

51. The Queen beams as Prince Charles kisses her hand after she presents him with a polo prize at Windsor.

52. The Queen with her adored grandchildren Prince William and Prince Harry.

53. Her Majesty and Prince Philip, who was forever by the Queen’s side during the highs and lows of the royal family.

54. The royal couple posed for many anniversary portraits over the years. This one marks the occasion of their 50th year as man and wife, their ruby anniversary.

55. In 2006, the Queen began her 15th visit to Australia with a visit to Sydney Harbour, a trip she described as rich in memories and symbolism.

56. This stunning photo shows the Queen with members of the 1st Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Howe Barracks in Canterbury.

57. The long-lasting love between the Queen and Prince Philip touched the hearts of royal fans the world over.

58. The Queen gets a fit of the giggles as she walks past her husband Prince Philip who is standing to attention in his uniform and bearskin hat at Buckingham Palace in 2005.

59. A golden carriage for the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

60. The Queen enjoys the company of her loving husband and constant companion.

61. Her Majesty has a wicked sense of humour, especially when in the company of her children.

62. The Queen beams as she awaits the arrival of Turkey's President Abdullah Gul and his wife Hayrunnisa Gul at an official welcoming ceremony in London. Her Majesty has met countless world leaders and dignitaries over the course of her reign.

63. The Queen reviews the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery during their 70th anniversary parade in Hyde Park.

64. The Queen and Prince Philip recreated their romantic honeymoon photo shoot in the grounds of Broadlands for their 60th wedding anniversary.

65. Over the years, the Queen’s incredible sense of style has evolved. Her Majesty often makes headlines for her love of bold colours.

66. To the delight of royal fans the world over, the Queen showed her cheeky sense of humour by appearing in a skit featuring James Bond star Daniel Craig for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

67. Her Majesty is often referred to as one of the world’s best-dressed women. Her unique sense of style, flair for colour, love of handbags and coat dresses accessorised with matching hat have made her a style icon. Here she chats with fellow British fashion queen, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who dropped her famously icy exterior in the presence of Her Majesty.

68. An adorable photograph taken by the Duchess of Cambridge shows the Queen and Prince Philip with their great-grandchildren — Prince George, Prince Louis, Savannah Phillips, Princess Charlotte, Isla Phillips, Lena Tindall and Mia Tindall.

69. The Queen chats with Donald Trump at a lavish state banquet during his visit in 2019.

70. The Queen and Prince Philip look at their homemade wedding anniversary card, given to them by their great grandchildren, ahead of their 73rd wedding anniversary in November 2020.