Buckingham Palace definitely got everyone’s attention Thursday when it released a photograph of Queen Elizabeth II at 2-years-old in honor of her 96th birthday.
In a post on Instagram from the official account of The Royal Family, the queen was shown wearing a short-sleeve dress with a pretty necklace as she posed for the snap while smiling.
The message next to the post read, “Happy Birthday Your Majesty! Today as The Queen turns 96, we’re sharing this photograph taken when she was 2-years-old.”
“Then Princess Elizabeth, she was the eldest daughter of The Duke and Duchess of York and was never expected to become Queen,” the message added. “Her life changed in 1936 when her uncle, King Edward VIII abdicated, her father became King George VI and the young Princess became the heir presumptive.”
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“Following the sad death of her father in 1952, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II aged just 25, and this year is celebrating 70 years on the throne – a first in British history,” the message concluded, along with credit for the photo given to the Royal Collection Trust.”
The palace also released a new photo Wednesday on Twitter of the queen, that was taken a month ago, showing the member of the royal family taking the reigns while standing between her ponies.
Ahead of The Queen’s 96th Birthday tomorrow, @windsorhorse have released a new photograph of Her Majesty.
Taken last month in the grounds of Windsor Castle, The Queen is pictured with two of her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale.
Happy Birthday Your Majesty! pic.twitter.com/8m46e3SvpX
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 20, 2022
The message next to the Tweet read, “Ahead of The Queen’s 96th Birthday tomorrow, @windsorhorse have released a new photograph of Her Majesty. Taken last month in the grounds of Windsor Castle, The Queen is pictured with two of her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale. Happy Birthday Your Majesty!”
Prince William and Kate Middleton also marked the queen’s special day with a post on social media, along with a few photos of them together with her.
“Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 96th birthday today!” a post from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge read. “An inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world, it’s particularly special to be celebrating in this #PlatinumJubilee year.”
Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 96th birthday today!
An inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world, it’s particularly special to be celebrating in this #PlatinumJubilee year. pic.twitter.com/iWfyorcd8I
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 21, 2022
The queen’s birthday comes just months before the royal will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, marking her 70 years on the throne.
In honor of the celebration, Mattel has made a new doll in the image of the queen for the first time ever, reported Town & Country magazine.
The doll sports white hair while wearing a white long-sleeve gown with a blue sash, a tiara, and more.
“The tiara is based on Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, and the little medallions on ribbons are the Royal Family Orders,” reads information sent to the outlet on behalf of Barbie. “The Queen’s look is inspired by the style and color of a gown that she’s favored in royal portraits of herself—following her signature look of simple, white or ivory designs.”
Barbie has been given a Queen Elizabeth makeover! A new doll in the image of the monarch has been released in her Platinum Jubilee year. She is wearing her wedding tiara and an outfit inspired by her choice of dress for formal occasions. More here https://t.co/QyltvRKfNa pic.twitter.com/HiA6duwj3R
— Victoria Murphy (@byQueenVic) April 21, 2022
“The gown is not a copy of any one dress she wears, but rather a gown inspired by the style and color of gown that she’s favored in royal portraits of herself for the past several years,” Senior Director of Barbie Design, Robert Best shared. “If you look at those portraits or how she dresses for important events, she very much has a signature style and look—always a very simple design in white or ivory, which makes sense given that she must then wear all the accompanying jewelry and sash as befits her rank.”
The Queen Barbie comes out on Thursday in honor of the Queen’s birthday.