19 of the most iconic photos from the Queen's 70 years on the throne

When she was just 18 years old, the Queen — then Princess Elizabeth — joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, a branch of the military.

It was there that she learned how to drive a truck and change a spark plug. Queen Elizabeth is the only female member of the royal family to have been in the armed forces.

When she was young, Elizabeth didn't anticipate becoming Queen. Her father became King George VI after his brother abdicated.

He had failed to recover from a lung operation and died shortly afterward in his sleep on February 6, 1952. He was just 56 years old.

The pair met for the first time when Princess Elizabeth was just 8 years old, and Philip was 13.

Philip was born into the Greek and Danish royal families and is a distant cousin of Elizabeth's. They both descend from the Victoria royal line.

The wedding took place after World War II, which was reflected in the grandeur of the ceremony and celebrations. The British government awarded Princess Elizabeth an extra 200 clothing coupons for her to purchase her wedding gown, and 2,500 guests attended the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

The first part of the couple's honeymoon was spent at Broadlands in Hampshire, the country home of Prince Philip's uncle, Earl Mountbatten. They then traveled on, accompanied by one of Elizabeth's corgis, to Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

She is pictured with one of her many corgis from over the years. Queen Elizabeth has owned more than 30 corgis since 1945, as well as a number of corgi-dachshund mixed-breed dogs known as "dorgis."

The Queen currently has two corgis named Muick and Sandy, a dorgi named Candy, and a cocker spaniel named Lissy.

However, she had technically assumed the role when her father passed away over a year earlier.

Queen Elizabeth is pictured here with her husband Prince Philip, her eldest son Prince Charles, Princess Anne, and an infant Prince Andrew.

She is pictured here alongside Prince Philip, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and President John F. Kennedy in 1961.

The photo was taken during the filming of a controversial BBC documentary film centered around the royal family in 1969. The premiere of the film was viewed by 30 million people but was later removed from public view by the royal family.

It was reportedly Queen Elizabeth herself who later encouraged her eldest son and Princess Diana to end their marriage, according to a report in the LA Times.

She is pictured here meeting "Baby Spice" Emma Bunton and "Posh Spice" Victoria Beckham in 1997.

CNN reported that 10 to 15 tons of bouquets, including 60 million individual flowers were laid in Princess Diana's honor following her death in August 1997.

The public funeral was held on September 6, 1997, and was attended by Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and their two sons Prince Harry and Prince William.

Obama recently recounted the experience and said she reminded him a little of his own grandmother.

"Before I took office, Michelle and I hadn't been to too many palaces," Obama said during the BBC broadcast of Trooping the Colour. "So, we weren't sure what to expect on our first trip to Buckingham. But we shouldn't have been worried. Her Majesty put us at ease with her grace and generosity. So much so that I walked away thinking she actually reminded me a little bit of my grandmother."

"And in the years since, I like to think Her Majesty and I have formed a special relationship of our own," he continued. "Certainly, I can say that getting to know her was one of the great privileges of my years in office. And I learned so much from seeing the example she set for all of us who have the privilege to serve."

Of the meeting, Trump said that the pair had a great amount of fun, so much so that "her people said she hasn't had so much fun in 25 years."

"Then I got criticized for it because they said we were having too much fun," Trump told Fox News in June 2019.

Trump later called the Queen an "incredible lady."

After Meghan Markle and Prince Harry left their royal positions, it was assumed that their relationship with the Queen, like their rapports with Prince William and Kate Middleton, had become strained. However, while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not reveal much in their bombshell Oprah interview in March 2021 about their relationship with Prince Philip, they did speak about their positive rapport with the Queen.

"I've spoken more to my grandmother in the last year than I have done for many, many years," Harry said, while Markle said the Queen "has always been wonderful to me."

By then, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had reached another important milestone – they were the longest-married couple in the history of the royal family.

Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton were also in attendance at the funeral, though they sat separately to follow Covid-19 regulations.

Throughout her 70-year reign, the Queen has become known for her classic, yet colorful, personal style. She is often seen in perfectly coordinated dresses, coats, and hats, always accessorized with one of her signature handbags. However, she does sometimes favor bolder outfits.

She is the only British monarch to reach this milestone and is the longest-reigning female monarch in world history.

"I continue to be inspired by the goodwill shown to me, and hope that the coming days will provide an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved during the last seventy years, as we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm," Queen Elizabeth said in a statement.