Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 96th birthday: A look back at her life and legacy

Queen Elizabeth II is marking her 96th birthday privately on Thursday, retreating to the Sandringham estate in eastern England that has offered the monarch and her late husband, Prince Philip, a refuge from the affairs of state. Elizabeth is expected to spend the day at the estate’s Wood Farm cottage, a personal sanctuary where she also spent her first Christmas since Philip’s death in April 2021.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born on April 21, 1926 in Mayfair, central London. Above : The Royal family released the picture on socila media. ''Today as The Queen turns 96, we’re sharing this photograph taken when she was 2-years-old''.

In 1940, as Nazi Germany bombed the British capital, Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, moved to Windsor Castle, west of London, for their safety. Above: 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟗: During a State Visit to Denmark, The Queen joins Queen Margrethe, The Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Henrik on the balcony of the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.

During World War II, she trained as a military auto-mechanic.

Their first child, Prince Charles, was born in 1948. A daughter, Anne, arrived in 1950, followed by Andrew in 1960 and Edward in 1964. Above: The Royal family social media released the picture on socila media, ''To all dads everywhere, we wish you a very special Father’s Day. To mark #FathersDay we are sharing this photograph of The Queen with her father, King George VI, and Prince Philip watching a young Prince Charles sitting on a statue at Balmoral in 1951''.

Princess Elizabeth, then aged 25, was visiting Kenya with Philip when her father died aged 56 on February 6, 1952. She cut short the trip and rushed back to Britain. Above: 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟔: In Luxembourg, The Queen lights the perpetual flame at the Monument of National Solidarity, which commemorates all those who fought in the war.

She was crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953, in front of 8,500 assembled guests.

On February 6, she became the first monarch in British history to rule for 70 years. Above: The Queen and The Duchess are pictured during a joint visit to Chester in 2018.

Prince Philip died aged 99 in April, 2021. Above: The Queen and The Duke are pictured here in 1947 on their honeymoon at Broadlands in Hampshire.