Queen Elizabeth Celebrates her Diamond Jubilee: A Photo Gallery

Queen Elizabeth II of England celebrates her Diamond Jubilee this week in a dazzling event that features a Jubilee Lunch, a Jubilee Pageant, and a BBC concert from such pop icons as Paul McCartney and Elton John.  In honor of this event, I dug up some creative commons and public domain photographs and learned some interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II of England.

Here's a portrait of Elizabeth from Time Magazine, 1929.  At this time, her uncle Edward was the Crown Prince, and he was expected to inherit the throne.  Nobody had any idea he would end up abdicating to marry Wallis Simpson, a divorcee'.  When she was six, her parents built her a playhouse, recently renovated by her granddaughter, Princess Beatrice.  It is 2/3 the size of a real house, and has working plumbing and electricity.

 A portrait of Margaret and Elizabeth by Frederick Thurston

This is an image of Queen Mary with her granddaughters, Princess Elizabeth and Margaret. It is from the National Archives of Canada which lists it copyright as expired.

 Princess Elizabeth wants YOU to join the Sea Rangers as part of the war effort during WWII.

Princess Elizabeth meets with President Harry S. Truman in 1951. 

 As a young woman, she looked like this:

And here she is at her 1953 coronation.

 Queen Elizabeth has met with many United States Presidents, including Richard Nixon in 1970...

 Jimmy Carter in 1977...

  Ronald Reagan in 1982...

George Bush in 2007...

 And Barack Obama in 2009.

World leaders come and go, but Queen Elizabeth just goes on and on and on....

Learn more about the life and times of  Queen Elizabeth II as she celebrates her Diamond Jubilee at the BBC Website. 

See more about the world of Queen Elizabeth in 1926, 1952, and 2012 at The World of Queen-Elizabeth.