Photos: Queen Elizabeth II through the years
Princess Elizabeth, from left, Queen Elizabeth, King George VI and Princess Margaret stand on a balcony in Buckingham Palace, London on May 8, 1945 and wave to Londoners celebrating the official announcement of Germany’s unconditional surrender. (Clipper Mail / Associated Press)
Queen Elizabeth II, who turns 90 on Thursday, became Britain’s longest-reigning monarch on Sept. 9, 2015, surpassing her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. Here are key milestones in her life.
Queen Elizabeth II, left, stands with grandmother Queen Mary, center, and her mother, Queen Elizabeth, at the entrance to London’s Westminster Hall as her father’s coffin arrives to lie in state on Feb. 11, 1952. Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne Feb. 6, upon the death of her father, King George VI. (Ron Case / Associated Press)
Queen Elizabeth laughs after her hands became stuck together after shaking hands with the winner of the caber toss, who warned the queen of the resin in his hands, at the Braemar Highland Games. Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who married Charles in 1981, stand with the queen. (Ron Bell / Associated Press)
Queen Elizabeth, center, is flanked by Prince Philip, the queen mother and other members of the royal family for a celebration of her official birthday, on June 4, 1997. The queen was actually born April 21, 1926, but the official celebration is traditionally held in June. (David Thomson / Associated Press)
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Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh greet crowds on the grounds of Windsor Castle June 2, 2002 after attending a Golden Jubilee service at St George’s Chapel.
(FIONA HANSON / AFP)Queen Elizabeth speaks with her son Prince Charles after the church blessing of his marriage to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England, on Apr. 9, 2005. (Alastair Grant / Associated Press)
Prince Charles, right, kisses the hand of his mother Queen Elizabeth II at a Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace in London on June 4, 2012. (LEON NEAL / AFP/Getty Images)
Prince William, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, right, holds his son Prince George as his dad Prince Charles and wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, look on and brother Prince Harry is partially hidden during a public appearance at Buckingham Palace in London on June 13, 2015.
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A local youth takes a selfie photograph in front of Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to St George’s indoor market on June 24, 2014 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
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Queen Elizabeth II waves to the crowd as she walks across the Pariser Platz near Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate on her way to leave Berlin on June 26, 2015.
(ADAM BERRY / AFP/Getty Images)
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, 89, looks on as new mum Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, wife of the queen’s grandson Prince William, pushes Princess Charlotte in a pram as they leave the princess’ christening at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, England, on July 5, 2015.
(Matt Dunham / Associated Press)Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II , right, talks to a member of the Royal Guard as she officially opens the new Bandstand at Alexandra Gardens, a day ahead of her 90th birthday, in Windsor, England April 20, 2016. (Arthur Edwards / AP)