43 vintage photos of Queen Elizabeth II before she became Queen

This photo, taken in 1942, shows the royal family, including Princess Elizabeth, 16, doing some knitting for the British troops.

Queen Elizabeth started riding at age three and owned many horses throughout her life. Here she is in 1943, at age 17, with one of her many horses during Harvest Time at Sandringham in Norfolk.

On April 4, 1944, Princess Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth, and King George VI stood in a scout car during an inspection of royal artillery units. It was Princess Elizabeth’s first full-length tour with her parents.

The 18th birthday of an heir (apparent or presumptive) signifies the heir could become monarch at any time without the need for a regent to act on his/her behalf. Here, Elizabeth answers a telephone greeting on her 18th birthday, April 21, 1944.

In this photo of the royal family taken on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 1945, Princess Elizabeth wears a military uniform, following in the footsteps of her dad.

It took a lot of cajoling, but eventually, Elizabeth got her father, King George VI to agree to allow her to join the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II, for which she donned coveralls and trained as a mechanic and truck driver and was known as “Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor.” According to History, the Queen is the only female royal family member to have entered the armed forces. She may also be the only royal female who can change a spark plug.

Here, we see the king sharing a laugh with his oldest daughter in 1946.

The current Princesses of the United Kingdom are not the first to have been on almost constant style-watch. Here, Princess Elizabeth is pictured in 1946 modelling what can only be described as a truly fabulous, fashion-forward hat.

On April 21, 1947, on the occasion of her 21st birthday, Princess Elizabeth announces her intention to serve as Queen for life (when the time comes) and promises her loyalty and faithfulness in serving. Some say this speech was her commitment to never abdicate.

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In 1947, Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, RN, asked Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth for her hand in marriage. She accepted. This photo was specially posed by the royal family in connection with the upcoming wedding.

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