Queen Elizabeth II’s Evolution From Princess to the Longest-Reigning British Monarch

Even before her ascension to the throne, all eyes were on Princess Elizabeth, who would, of course, become Queen Elizabeth II — the longest-reigning British monarch.

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Throughout Her Majesty’s time in the spotlight, she’s made it clear that whether she’s attending formal royal engagements or celebrating a joyous occasion — like her grandsons’ weddings — she’ll always put her best fashion foot forward.

The British monarch has had quite the style evolution through the years, effortlessly transitioning her wardrobe through the decades. No matter what stage she found herself at in life — be it a newly married wife or at her Diamond Jubilee, Elizabeth has developed a Stylish reputation.

She often opts for monochromatic ensembles, sensible patent pumps and fashionable coats. The monarch also puts the Crown Jewels to good use, accessorizing her outfits with her iconic pearl necklace or extensive collection of brooches.

As a young princess, she frequently wore floral dresses and pleated gowns. Then, when she married the late Prince Philip in 1947, she picked a wedding dress that was truly fit for a royal. Designed by Norman Hartnell, her gown featured pearl and crystal embroidery and a standout 13-foot train.

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The Queen has also broken out formal royal attire on a handful of occasions. For example, in 1983, she wore a full uniform to salute her guard at the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony. Just one year later, in 1984, added a blue cape and diamond tiara to her white gown for the Service of Saints Michael and George.

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In recent years, the monarch has come to be known for her bright, monochromatic ensembles, ranging from red to yellow to green. She always has her trusty Launer handbag and loafers in tow, as well as the occasional headscarf.

For Prince William and Duchess Kate’s wedding in 2011, the Queen wore a sunshine-yellow suit. Then, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married in 2018, she opted for an equally as cheery ensemble, wearing a lime green coat over a floral patterned dress.

In April 2021, the Queen traded in her colorful frocks in favor of an all-black outfit for Philip’s funeral. To the ceremony, which took place at St. George’s Chapel, she also wore the Richmond Brooch, a diamond and pearl piece of jewelry, that was first gifted to her on her wedding day.

For her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, Her Majesty looked regal in a pale blue outfit by Angela Kelly and hat, which she coordinated with a brooch and pearl necklace. A few months later, the queen showcased her timeless style in a tartan skirt to appoint the new U.K. Prime Minister, Lizz Truss. In a royal first, the queen met with Truss in Scotland amid recent mobility issues. (She has been suffering from “episodic mobility problems” since May, opting not to attend the opening of Parliament.) [ami-related id="1694409" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/prince-harrys-cutest-moments-with-queen-elizabeth-ii/" title="Prince Harry's Cutest Moments With Queen Elizabeth II Through the Years" target="_blank" thumb="false" imgsrc="https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/prince-harrys-cutest-moments-with-queen-elizabeth-ii-Her-Highness-Humor.png?quality=86&strip=all" imgid="2342354" format="gallery" flag="" channel="1"] The appointment of Truss, which took place on September 6, 2022, came days before Buckingham Palace announced that the queen was experiencing health issues. “Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the September 8, 2022, statement read. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.” Hours later, the palace confirmed that the monarch died at age 96. "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," read a statement from Buckingham Palace. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

Keep scrolling to see the queen's life in photos, from 1926 to 2022.

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The young future Queen posed with two of her Corgi’s at her home in Piccadilly, London, wearing a frilly white dress.

Princess Elizabeth poses with her father, the newly-coronated King George VI, her mother, Queen Elizabeth, and her sister, Princess Margaret, regal in their official coronation robes.

A rare photograph of Princess Elizabeth (age 13) in a bathing suit, after winning the Challenge Shield in the annual Children's Annual Swimming Meeting at the London Bath Club. Her specialty? The breaststroke.

While Elizabeth reads in a puff-sleeve dress, her sister and one of her beloved corgis sits perched with her at a window.

Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret broadcasted to the children during World War II. They dressed elegantly for the task in blazers with striped shirts underneath. 

Princess Elizabeth, age 19, models her uniform. The future queen held the rank of second subaltern, the equivalent of a second lieutenant, in the Auxiliary Territorial Service of the British Army (i.e. the volunteer women's branch) during World War II. 

The royal family — including Elizabeth, far right — sit for a family portrait. The first child of the Duke and Duchess of York donned a collared dress with buttons up the front.

Princess Elizabeth and her love, Philip Mountbatten, the future Duke of Edinburgh, announce their engagement at Buckingham Palace. She looked glamorous in a romantic gown, accessorized with a pearl necklace and a flower-shaped brooch.

Queen Elizabeth II meets Marilyn Monroe wearing a black off-the-shoulder gown, long white gloves, a necklace and of course, her crown.

The Queen and her husband are received at an Indian court in Bo, Sierra Leone. She donned a green dress embroidered with sequins, paired with pearl earrings and her signature matching necklace.

The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and their four children — Princes Charles, Edward and Andrew, and Princess Anne — pose during their annual summer vacation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Queen Elizabeth II meets Meryl Streep at a screening of Kramer vs. Kramer, which Streep co-starred in, at the Odeon in London's Leicester Square. The royal went all out with the accessories, including a statement-making necklace, a fur wrap and a gilded handbag. 

Queen Elizabeth, in full uniform, salutes her guard at the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony outside Buckingham Palace.

The Queen, dressed in a white gown with a blue cape and a diamond tiara, enters St. Paul's Cathedral in London for the Service of Saints Michael and George.

Prince Charles kisses his mother's hand after she awards him a prize at a polo match in Windsor, England. She grinned from ear-to-ear, dressed in an eye-catching red ensemble.

The Queen and her grandsons Princes William and Harry watch a polo match from the Royal Box at Guards Polo Club in Windsor, England. She paired her sky blue dress with a blue textured sun hat.

The Queen carried her camera as she snapped photos during the Royal Windsor Horse Show. She wore wide-brimmed glasses, a scarf and a puffy navy jacket.

Bold and bright frocks! Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mum — with Queen Elizabeth II, Margaret, Diana and Harry — waves to the crowds outside Clarence House on her 92nd birthday.

The Queen, the Queen Mum and Princess Margaret celebrate V-E Day, the anniversary of the day the Allies won World War II, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth stood out in an all-red ensemble.

Queen Elizabeth II petted Prince Edward’s Sewbald horse at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. For the sporting affair, she donned a long checkered skirt, a long-sleeved blouse and a beige hat.

The Queen poses with Nelson Mandela at Buckingham Palace wearing an unforgettable puff-sleeved gown featuring a gold bow design.

Queen Elizabeth II sits for a formal portrait with her family on the day of Prince Charles' wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. For the special occasion, the Queen of the United Kingdom looked radiant in all-yellow.

The Queen meets Daniel Craig wearing a silk gown at the premiere of the 21st James Bond film, Casino Royale, at the Odeon in Leicester Square in London.

Proud grandma Queen Elizabeth beams at Prince Harry while inspecting the soldiers at the Sovereign's Parade at Sandhurst Military Academy in Surrey, England. She looked fashionable in a monochrome beige ensemble and white gloves.

During a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, the Queen cut a piece of cake wearing a pink peacoat and matching hat with black details.

The Queen flexed her green thumb by planting a tree during her visit to Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in Scotland. She proved there was no need to dress down for the occasion, wearing a lavender coatdress and matching hat.

The Queen is escorted by her grandson Prince William during her visit to RAF Valley in Holyhead, England, where William was stationed as a search and rescue helicopter pilot. She accessorized her red number with chic black accessories.

Queen Elizabeth II modeled a sunshine-yellow suit the day of her grandson's royal wedding to Kate Middleton — now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. This family portrait was taken in the Throne Room inside Buckingham Palace.

The Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, welcome the 44th U.S. president, Barack Obama, and his wife, Michelle Obama, to Buckingham Palace for a state banquet. She looked breathtaking in a long-sleeved white gown with intricate embellishments.

All smiles! Duchess Kate laughs as the Queen gestures while the pair watch a children's sporting event at Vernon Park in Nottingham, London. She was warm-weather perfection in a blue coat with a floral dress underneath.

Pretty in purple! The Queen and Prince Harry have a conversation as she meets all U.S., U.K. and Commonwealth teams at Buckingham Palace ahead of the Walking With the Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge. Harry participated in the challenge as one of the team leaders.

Elizabeth and her son Prince Charles share a laugh while taking in the Braemar Highland Games during the famed Braemar Gathering in Braemar, Scotland. 

Duchess Kate and the Queen smile at Princess Charlotte in her carriage before entering the church on Sandringham Estate for her great-granddaughter's christening. She wore a baby-pink coat for the momentous occasion. 

The queen poses in a neutral-toned ensemble with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, holding Princess Charlotte in her lap, inside Windsor Castle for a Vanity Fair spread snapped by Annie Leibovitz.

A vision in white! Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (in Diana's favorite tiara) stand and pose inside an opulent room in Buckingham Palace before the annual reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps.

The Queen receives a bouquet of flowers from a child outside the Royal Mail Windsor, where she toasted the 500th anniversary of the postal service in a hot pink number.

The royal family — with the Queen in the center in neon green — watch from the balcony at Buckingham Palace as planes fly overhead to salute the monarch's observed 90th birthday.

Queen Elizabeth II officially became the first British monarch in history to have reigned for 65 years. To mark the historic occasion, the royal family released a portrait of Her Majesty wearing sapphire jewelry that her late father, King George VI, gave her as a wedding gift when she married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in 1947.

Queen Elizabeth II sits for a royal portrait in a blue dress with the next three gents in line for the throne: Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George, holding his dad's hand. The portrait was taken to mark her 90th birthday.

Pretty in pink! Queen Elizabeth II signed the 70th Anniversary Review Document after  The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, commonly known as the 'Gunners', 70th Anniversary parade in London.

Her Majesty presented jockey Frankie Dettori his prize for winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on 'Persuasive' at the QIPCO British Champions Day in Ascot, England. 

Queen Elizabeth greets the High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr George Adesola Oguntade and his wife as they present his Letter of Credence during a private audience at Buckingham Palace. 

After recording her Christmas Day broadcast to the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II posed in a white dress at the desk in the 1844 Room in Buckingham Palace. She concluded her speech, "Whatever your own experiences this year; wherever and however you are watching, I wish you a peaceful and very happy Christmas."

The Queen posed with members of the royal family on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding day. Her majesty looks ever so charming in a lime green coat over a floral patterned dress and a matching hat.

Her majesty blended in with the roses at the Peter Beale flower display at the Chelsea Flower Show in London, England. She was styled in a pink coat with white gloves — the perfect combination to be amongst the prettiest flowers. 

The Queen appeared with her grandson Prince William for the Order of the Thistle Service at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh wearing traditional matching garb. 

To watch her granddaughter Princess Eugenie tie the knot with Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, the monarch sported an ice blue Angela Kelly coat with gold buttons and a matching flower-adorned hat by the designer. She accessorized with white gloves, a black top-handle bag and block heels.

While we’re used to seeing Her Majesty in bright and pastel coat dresses, she opted for a black tie-worthy sparkly LBD and patterned shawl at the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

When visiting a Sainsbury's pop-up to celebrate the supermarket chain's 150th anniversary, the British queen looked as regal as ever in a beautiful teal tweed jacket with a matching hat and white gloves.

The monarch arrived in King’s Lynn, England, by train en route to Sandringham House, where she’ll be spending the Christmas holiday, in a camel button-down coat and black accessories, but it was the Burberry headscarf wrapped around her coif that had Us rethinking our winter hat game. 

The royal was pretty in pink while visiting King’s College in London with Duchess Kate. There, the pair formally opened Bush House, a new education and learning facilities on the Strand Campus. For the event, Her Heigness complemented her pastel coat and hat with her go-to black loafers, handbag and gloves. 

Celebrating her 93rd birthday and Easter at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, the monarch looked vibrant in a robin’s egg blue coat that she layered over a fuchsia sheath.

When meeting her grandson Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, born on May 6, the British monarch looked like the cutest (and chicest!) little grandma in her blue cardigan and plaid bottoms. 

One year after Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, the Queen and members of the royal family gathered once again at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in England for the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston. Accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, the Queen wore a Stewart Parvin pink tweed coat over a floral printed silk dress and topped her look with a matching Rachel Trevor Morgan hat adorned with flowers. Lady Gabriella is the daughter of one of the monarch’s cousins, Prince Michael of Kent, and is 52nd in line to the British throne.

The queen attended the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in a white-trimmed pastel pink coat and matching flower-adorned hat. But it was the practical, pink-accented umbrella she carried as a hedge against the dreary London weather that stole the show.

To greet President Trump at Buckingham Palace for his three-day state visit, the monarch opted to wear a mint green Stewart Parvin coat, a matching hat and the famous (and stunning) Cambridge Emerald Brooch.

Before the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, the British queen posed in a white embellished gown with a necklace that matched her ruby crown.

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, in Portsmouth, England, the Royal shared a sweet message of hope and freedom wearing a candy-pink feather hat and matching coat with a feminine floral print blouse underneath. She paired the ensemble with white gloves, pearl earrings, a triple-strand pearl necklace and one of her many brooches.

The Queen showed up in style for the nationwide celebration of her 93rd birthday at Trooping the Colour in London. The royal arrived via carriage in a patterned cream ensemble with a matching hat and white gloves. She accessorized with pearl earrings and black loafer heels.

Joining other members of the Order of the Garter Day — which takes place every June — the British queen wore her traditional long black cape, decorated with ribbons, tassels and medallions. 

The Queen of England attended the Royal Ascot in a periwinkle coat, with a matching hat that featured 3-D flowers. She kept the look clean and proper accessorizing with white gloves, a small broach and pearl jewelry.

While attending the second day of the Royal Ascot, the British monarch opted for a pale blue coat with a floral dress that peaked out underneath. The frock seemed to match the various purple flowers secured to her hat. But her best accessory might have been the matching umbrella — a rainy day must-have she always has custom made when necessary.

For the third day in a row, the queen wore a blue number to the Royal Ascot, this time a coat and hat in a light shade of the hue. The outerwear featured yellow flower embroidery around the neckline that matched the details on her hat. 

Deciding to change up her look on the fourth day of the Royal Ascot, Queen Elizabeth opted for a bright pink tweed coat and floral dress ensemble, which she topped off with a matching hat covered in feathers. 

The monarch could be spotted by all attendees at The Royal Windsor Cup Final at Guards Polo Club in Egham, England, thanks to her bright fuchsia coat and matching hat, paired with a cheery floral print blouse. As for her accessories, her favorite triple-strand pearl necklace and a brooch topped off the look. 

Embracing a light seasonal print, the Queen of England hosted a reception to recognize the work of faith groups donning a green, pink and cream floral frock. She topped off her ensemble with a black bag, matching shoes and pearl jewelry. 

Looking on the bright side! The royal went dressed in a yellow dress with a matching coat and hat to visit Greenfaulds High School in Glasglow.

This time opting for a bright pink coat and hat, the royal brought along a matching umbrella (one of her signatures) to host a garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland.

It’s easing being — er, wearing — green when you’re a monarch! Queen Elizabeth opted for a lime head-to-toe ensemble to stop by Gorgie City Farm in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Cementing her love of bright colors, the British monarch stunned in yet another hot pink look complete with a tweed coat and matching hat over a floral frock while visiting the National Institute of Agricultural Botany.

The queen took a trip to Buckingham Palace to view a special exhibit celebrating The 200th Anniversary of the birth of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. For the special occasion, she dressed in a long sleeve floral dress — and pearls, of course!

The queen attended the annual Braemar Games in Braemar, Scotland wearing a long, bright purple coat and a matching hat. She accessorized with a pearl earrings, a silver brooch, a black purse and gloves to keep her warm.

While meeting with new prime minister Boris Johnson, the British royal wore a bright blue print dress with her classic accessories: a broach, pearls and a black handbag around her forearm.  

Now that's a summer vacation outfit! The queen wore a light blue jacket and skirt with a matching floral hat to the Balmoral Castle to start her annual summer break. As usual, she paired the summery hue with a matching sky-blue umbrella for the perfect color-coordinated look. 

Looking bright and beautiful in a teal ensemble, the Queen of England visited the Braemar and Crathie Parish Church wearing a floral pleated skirt with a buttoned-up jacket and her go-to accessories, which include a broach, pearls and flat-brim hat. 

Looking absolutely lovely, the monarch wore a cornflower blue coat with a matching feather-adorned hat to open up a new housing trust development in the U.K.

During the 2019 State Opening of Parliament, the British queen looked ever so regal in a floor-length gown, silver shoes and some seriously stunning jewelry. Along with her classically beautiful crown, she wore two bracelets over her white gloves and a striking necklace to match. She topped it all off with a royal mantle and eyeglasses.

The royal celebrated the 750th anniversary of Westminster Abbey in a gray shin-length coat with beautiful pink trim, which matched a floral appliqué on her hat. She tied the look together with black loafers, a matching handbag and a set of pearls. 

Proving florals can be work in the fall, the monarch stunned in a pale blue and cream number that she dressed up with her signature set of pearls and black pocketbook for the Queen's Trust reception.