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The Most Iconic Images From Queen Elizabeth’s 70-Year Reign

Darren Ryding September 12, 2022

Elizabeth Line

It’s impossible to escape the Queen’s influence in London because it’s everywhere. The London Underground opened a new train line in 2022 and named it in honor of the monarch. The Elizabeth Line was the newest addition to the sprawling rail system (via Washington Times).

Queen Elizabeth surprised many people when she visited Paddington Station after it opened. The line used the color purple as its identifier because of its association with royalty. It has 41 stations and runs for over 100km as it brings the city closer together.

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Alone

The photograph below became one of the defining images of the global health crisis. Prince Philip passed away but the health restrictions prevented open displays of public mourning. He should have had a grand state funeral but it didn’t happen in this way (via USA Today).

The Queen sat alone in Westminster Abbey as she paid her last respects to her beloved husband. It was a devastating image because she was old and frail. It also reminded the world that she was mortal and human too. Her eyes tell the story of the emotions that she couldn’t openly express.

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Two Generations

King George VI never expected to become the reigning monarch. However, he was next in line after his brother, Edward VIII abdicated. This rocked the United Kingdom and threatened the future of the monarchy. It also made Elizabeth the heir to the throne (via Express).

In this photo, Elizabeth and Philip stand beside the future queen’s parents. Notably, George wasn’t the King’s given name but the monarch could change it. Queen Victoria instructed that none of her descendants should eclipse her husband, Albert.

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Trump’s Visit

President Trump visited London in 2018 under a cloud of protests. He visited the Queen at Buckingham Palace but broke convention by arriving late. The worst aspect was that he left the elderly lady standing for almost 15 minutes. Then he defied further protocols by walking in front of her.

Despite this, Trump claimed that he had a great working relationship with the Queen. He extended his sympathies after she passed and reminisced about her sense of humor. The polarizing President appeared sincere in his condolences (via Newsweek).

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Wimbledon Woes

Queen Elizabeth extended her patronage to many sports and creative arts. However, she only attended Wimbledon four times in her life. The tournament is British tennis’s showpiece event and takes itself incredibly seriously. All athletes must dress head-to-toe in white if they wish to play.

But the Queen never enjoyed tennis and only went when the occasion demanded it. Her final visit to the event was in 2010 when she watched Andy Murray win. Otherwise, she allowed her grandson, the Duke of Cambridge to attend in her stead (via The Sun).

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Garden Party

The Royal Garden Parties are the stuff of legend. All of the who’s who of society attend this event and the Queen played host. Usually, they took place at Buckingham Palace with one also in Scotland. Many aristocrats and famous socialites ensured their presence.

30,000 members of the public also come to these parties and enjoy meeting the Royal Family. They consider it to be a massive honor because it’s a unique opportunity. Some people dream of this moment but never receive the chance. That’s why they want to make the most of it (via Vogue).

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Tense Relationship

It’s safe to say that Boris Johnson was one of Queen Elizabeth’s least favorite prime ministers. The polarizing figure’s tenure in charge of the nation came to a humiliating end. Finally, his party ousted him and replaced him with Liz Truss. His attitude and antics allegedly infuriated the Queen too.

Johnson: Death of Elizabeth the Great leaves Britain enduring its saddest day | The Independent — The Independent

Nonetheless, the Queen never made her personal feelings public. She took immense pride in maintaining a stoic demeanor when it came to constitutional matters. It was immensely damaging for governments if it became known that they had a poor relationship with the Palace (via E Online).

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Last March

The Queen’s death rocked the nation because it appeared to happen very suddenly. After all, she even met the new Prime Minister two days before she passed. She continued to fulfill the official duties of the state until the very end. That was the way she wanted to go as she refused to retire completely.

Her body passed from Balmoral to Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. From there it made the journey south to London where she would finally rest in Westminster Abbey. The coffin lay in the state along the way so that British citizens could pay their respects to their fallen monarch (via Indian Express).

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The Queen’s Jewels

It’s difficult to put a price on the Queen’s tiaras and jewelry because the palace will never sell them. This makes it priceless but keen-eyed auctioneers have made estimates. They believe that ornate pieces including the one below have a value of six to 12 million dollars.

The Queen owned at least four dozen crowns throughout her reign as well as innumerable necklaces and brooches. Any of them was worth a fortune but with this came great responsibility. These were her uniform and showed her status as Protector of the Realm (via The List).

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Expensive Car

The Queen allegedly owned the second-most expensive car in the world. She had a massive collection of vehicles but one stood out. This was her Bentley State Limousine, a gigantic burgundy beast of a car. However, it had many additional features that ensured her protection.

This bespoke vehicle had kevlar tires and armor-plated doors. Meanwhile, it could resist chemical attacks as well as significant explosions. There are likely more unspecified features including blood supplies to protect the Queen’s health in a crisis (via Obul).

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British Heroes

The Royal Family played a crucial role in maintaining the morale of British citizens during World War II. This was a harrowing time for the nation as they came under assault. However, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret refused the offer of evacuation as they served their country.

One duty saw them make regular radio speeches as they spoke to their subjects. This heartened the men and women who lost everything during the nightly bombings. They knew that millions of people were dying across the planet in the battle against Fascism (via Forces.net).

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Blissful Couple

The beautiful photograph below shows Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip celebrating their lengthy 73 years of marriage. This remarkable milestone outlines their commitment to each other. While Netflix’s The Crown hinted at infidelity, there were no signs of this in reality.

Prince Philip sacrificed a lot to become Elizabeth’s husband. He knew that he would remain in her shadow for the remainder of his life. This was a serious proposition because there was no escaping it without scandal. But they made it work and remained happy (via NBC News).

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Happy Queen

Finally, let’s enjoy this photograph of the Queen laughing at an unknown joke or comment. Everybody who met her insisted that she had a fantastic sense of humor. They claimed that her dry wit broke the ice on tense occasions. It also reminded people that she was human, too (via Sky News).

It’s crucial to remember that the Queen was a woman who accomplished a ton throughout her 70-year reign. She was an incredible person with remarkable longevity. But she enjoyed life’s smallest pleasures more than anything because these were the hardest for her to claim. The British people will never forget Queen Elizabeth II.

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