26 photos of a young Queen Elizabeth II

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Elizabeth and Margaret took their royal duties very seriously and in 1940, they delivered a wartime message to the children of Britain.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

After graduating from the Girl Guides, the late Queen would go on to join the Sea Rangers. The group was disbanded in 1949.

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.

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.

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.

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.