37 Iconic Photos of Queen Elizabeth, on What Would Have Been Her 100th Birthday

Editor’s Note: Read Vogue’s Hamish Bowles looks back at Queen Elizabeth II’s obituary, reflecting on her extraordinary life and legacy.

Queen Elizabeth II of England was born on April 21, 1926. The longest-loved and longest-reigning monarch in British history died on 8 September 2022, leaving behind a lasting legacy of devotion, duty and calm. Today is her 100th birthday.

As the world marks the centenary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II this week, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited a new exhibition, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Stylish Life, currently on display at the King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Collection Trust said the exhibition invites visitors to “discover the extraordinary style of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch through the clothes she wore over more than a decade of her life – from birth to adulthood, from princess to queen, from off-duty style to dressing on the global stage at the biggest moments in British history”.

Nearly four years after her death, Queen Elizabeth remains one of the most popular figures in the royal family. A recent YouGov survey of the British public showed that 81% of respondents viewed her positively. As Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, said in a BBC documentary aired on Sunday: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as responsible as she is.”

“It must have been difficult being surrounded by much older men,” Camilla added, referring to Elizabeth becoming queen in 1952 at the age of 25. “There were no female prime ministers or female presidents. She was the only one, so I think she created her own character.”

In honor of her birthday, Fashion A selection of 37 of Queen Elizabeth’s most memorable photos of all time. Some show historic moments, such as her coronation. Other photos show her performing royal duties or traditions, such as recording her annual Christmas message. Some photos just give a sense of who she is, whether it’s a photo with one of her many corgis, a photo of her flashing her signature smile, or the highlight of one of her signature brightly colored ensembles. As she once said: “I have to be seen to be believed.”

Here are all of the most iconic photos of Queen Elizabeth II taken to mark her birthday.