The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral on Thursday 8 September 2022 after reigning for 70 years. The late monarch had a record-breaking reign after succeeding her father King George VI to the throne following his death on 6 February 1952.
While many of us will be familiar with images of the late Queen during her more senior years, more may be unfamiliar with images of the monarch when she was growing up and was simply known as Princess Elizabeth.
The last Queen had a marvellous childhood, playing with toys like prams and automobiles and enjoyed a particularly close bond with her younger sister, Princess Margaret, who was four years her junior. And it's clear that the Queen loved animals from a very young age as she was seen with corgis, which would become synonymous with her and horses.
Scroll through the gallery below to see beautiful childhood photos of her Late Majesty before she married husband Prince Philip...
![A baby Queen Elizabeth in a buggy](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/e8b8be08131c-queen-elizabeth-ii-baby.jpg)
The Queen's first royal outing as a baby
On 9 October 1926, the then Princess Elizabeth enjoyed her first royal outing as a small baby. Her Majesty was born on 21 April 1926 to the Duke and Duchess of York, at her maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair.
Remembering the late Queen
![A Baby Queen Elizabeth in a bonnet with an unknown woman](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/ea2f85f634c8-queen-elizabeth-ii-baby-carriage.jpg)
A royal ride
The late Queen was always known to be stylish and this must have stemmed from her childhood, look how sweet she looked in this bonnet! The then-Princess Elizabeth was accompanied by a nanny for this carriage photo.
![A young Queen Elizabeth holding the hand of a woman at a train station](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/509c8178c2a5-queen-elizabeth-ii-sandringham.jpg)
Trip to Sandringham
Sandringham would become an important place in the Queen's life, with the late monarch regularly spending the Christmas season there with her family. In this photo, taken in 1929, the royal was at a train station preparing to head to the Norfolk home.
![A young Queen Elizabeth next to a bagpipe player](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/9ea510e36aa0-queen-elizabeth-bagpipes.jpg)
A taste of Scotland
Another place that was loved by the late Queen was Scotland, and in this 1929 photo the three-year-old royal can be seen getting serenaded by a bagpipe player.
![A young Queen Elizabeth pciking flowers](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/2cf77d9bee63-queen-elizabeth-flowers.jpg)
Her Majesty picking flowers as a young girl
Ever the nature lover, a young Princess Elizabeth was photographed picking flowers in an adorable summer dress. The heartwarming photo was snapped by her father, King George VI.
![A young Queen Elizabeth walking](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/49a8811eff0e-queen-elizabeth-walking.jpg)
One busy Princess!
The life of a princess is never boring, and the young royal looked to be striding with purpose in this photo which was taken when she was six-years-old.
![A young Queen Elizabeth playing with a baby doll and a pram](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/3cac03c85d48-queen-elizabeth-ii-pram.jpg)
Princess Elizabeth plays with a pram
Proving she's just like any other child, the young royal enjoyed playing with a toy pram outside her impressive Wendy House on the Windsor Estate. The Queen was just six-years-old when she received the extravagant gift from the people of Wales.
![Queen Elizabeth holding a corgi](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/70360a156bd3-queen-elizabeth-corgi.jpg)
The Princess and the Corgi
Since ascending the throne in 1952, the Queen owned more than 30 Corgis in her lifetime. At any one point, she has had up to 10 — and tolerates no less than the royal treatment for them. Elizabeth's father, King George VI, first introduced Corgis to the Palace in 1933, and they've been a fixture ever since.
![The Queen Mother, a young Queen Elizabeth, a young Princess Margaret and King George VI on Buckingham Palace balcony](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/afeb578d1c5c-queen-elizabeth-ii-fathers-coronation.jpg)
An unexpected coronation
Princess Elizabeth was never supposed to be Queen Elizabeth, but when her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated, the royal's destiny was sealed. In this 1936 photo, she joins her family on the Buckingham Palace balcony following the coronation of her father, King George VI.
![A young Queen Elizabeth sat with two corgis and King George VI](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/57974e4f4c1c-queen-elizabeth-father.jpg)
A father-daughter moment
The late Queen had an incredible bond with her father, and in this 1936 photo, the pair are seen sitting together on a bench with a pair of Corgis.
![The Queen with a white pony](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/42cbb6abef50-queen-elizabeth-ii-pony.jpg)
The royal on her 13th birthday
Ever since her childhood, Queen Elizabeth has enjoyed a life-long love affair with her treasured horses. The keen equestrian had her first riding lesson at the age of three and continued to ride well into her 90s.
![The Queen (front-left) with a group of young girls on a swimming team](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/98583c0c02c8-queen-elizabeth-swimming-team.jpg)
The late Queen's swimming lessons
The late Queen (front-left) was a keen swimmer during her youth. In 1939, she took part in a Children's Challenge Shield Competition and walked away from the event with an award in life-saving.
![Young Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret shaking hands with naval personnel](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/f6ddfc6774a2-queen-elizabeth-warship.jpg)
Royal visits
The late Queen became the heir presumptive at the age of ten and she is seen here at 13 undertaking a royal outing with her younger sister, Margaret, on board a naval ship.
![A young Princess Margaret and Queen with a script in front of them](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/783508d98b35-queen-elizabeth-princess-margaret-world-war-ii-broadcast.jpg)
A wartime message from the Princesses
Elizabeth and Margaret took their royal duties very seriously and in 1940, they delivered a wartime message to the children of Britain.
![The Queen and Princess Margsret gardening](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/01f326695ff9-queen-elizabeth-princess-margaret-gardening.jpg)
Business as usual at Royal Lodge
George and the Queen Mother still tried to give their children a normal life during the war, and then-Princess Elizabeth and Margaret can be seen here gardening together at their home, Royal Lodge.
![A young Queen Elizabeth with the Queen Mother](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/3142de1f3d27-queen-elizabeth-queen-mother.jpg)
Mother-daughter bond
It wasn't just her father that Elizabeth had a strong bond, and she was equally as close with her mother. Here, the royal is 14 as she and her mum share a special moment.
![A young Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth painting](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/3b80d05af63e-princess-elizabeth-princess-margaret-painting.jpg)
Elizabeth and Margaret's sisterly bond
Even though Elizabeth was four years older than her sister, Margaret, the royal sisters had a very close bond, and in this sweet photo the duo can be seen painting together.
![Queen Elizabeth talking to King George who is sat a desk with red boxes to his side](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/db8c437d2ae7-queen-elizabeth-ii-red-boxes-king-george.jpg)
Learning for her future job
The late Queen was dedicated to her job, and this started even before she was crowned. In this 1942 photo, when the former monarch would have been 16, she is seen with her father as he goes through the red boxes.
![The Queen putting Princess Margaret in an arm sling](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/a5db7d3539ef-queen-elizabeth-princess-margaret-arm-sling.jpg)
Royal sisters at Girl Guides
The late Queen initially joined the Girl Guides in 1937, and in this 1942 photo, she was captured training her first aid skills as she put her sister's arm in a sling.
![The Queen in a pantomime costume](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/c6474efb803f-queen-elizabeth-pantomime.jpg)
The late Queen in panto!
During her education, the late Queen was bitten by the acting bug and would regularly star in her school's pantomime productions, which ranged from Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty. In this 1943 snap, she can be seen in character as Aladdin.
![A young Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret in a horsedrawn carriage](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/d1d81b0cb33d-queen-elizabeth-princess-margaret-horse-drawn-carriage.jpg)
Carriages with Margaret
It wasn't just Prince Philip and Lady Louise Windsor who love their carriage driving, as the late Queen can be seen with her younger sister riding in a horse drawn carriage with the former monarch in complete control.
![The Queen in a sea ranger uniform](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/portrait/d26665820ec2-queen-elizabeth-sea-rangers.jpg)
Joining the Sea Rangers
After graduating from the Girl Guides, the late Queen would go on to join the Sea Rangers. The group was disbanded in 1949.
![The Queen in military uniform in front of a first aid truck](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/cdc40974574a-queen-elizabeth-truck.jpg)
Joining the military
During the end stages of World War II, the late Queen joined the military, serving as a driver and mechanic with the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
![The Queen laying a wreath at the Cenotaph](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/5b4e771b8278-queen-elizabeth-wreath-laying.jpg)
A poignant moment for the future Queen
An annual tradition for the monarchy is the laying of the wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. During her reign, the late monarch would lay a wreath every year until her age prevented her in 2017 and onwards.
![The Queen playing a piano](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/b6f4e7254621-queen-elizabeth-ii-piano.jpg)
A musical royal
It wasn't just animals and swimming that captured the young royal's attention, as she also had quite the musical talent. In this photo, a 20-year-old Princess Elizabeth could be seen playing the piano.
![A young Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret sat with King George VI and a corgi](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/8cc856105293-queen-elizabeth-king-george-windsor-castle.jpg)
A family together
Family was very important to the late Queen, and we think this 1946 photo truly embodies that. Here, the late monarch is sat with her father and younger sister on a serene summer evening, with a Corgi stretched out in front of them.