23 Rarely Seen Photos of the British Royal Family Through the Years
George V’s kids, including two future kingsThe four eldest of King George V and his wife, Mary of Teck (known as Queen Mary) six children include David (usually known as “Edward,”) George V’s first-born son, who later became King Edward VIII in 1936 and then abdicated after only one year in order to marry American divorcée, Wallis Simpson, Albert (second-born son, who became King George VI after Edward VIII abdicated, and father of Queen Elizabeth II) Princess Mary, and Prince Henry.
Future (and now former) King Edward VIII, with his great-grandmum, VictoriaHere, Queen Victoria poses with her two-year-old great-grandson, Prince Edward. As a result of the death of his uncle, Albert Victor, in 1892, the little boy beside Queen Victoria, stood third in line to the throne (after his grandfather, Edward VII, and his father, George V).
Wallis Simpson, before she became the Duchess of WindsorWallis Simpson, the woman for whom King Edward VIII would abdicate the throne in 1936, just a year after ascending, is pictured here in 1928 when she was still married to her first husband, Naval Commander E. Winfield Spencer. She left her second husband, Ernest Simpson, to marry Edward, who had to renounce the throne in order to marry the twice-divorced American woman.
A big day for the future Queen Mum, the woman then known as the Duchess of YorkThis photo was taken on December 10, 1936, in the aftermath of the breaking of the news that King Edward VIII had abdicated the throne. Suddenly, the Duchess of York (first name Elizabeth) was about to become the Queen Consort of her husband Albert, who would soon be styled as King George VI. And eventually, she would become the Queen Mother, since her daughter, Princess Elizabeth, was now the next in line to the throne.
The future Queen riding her hobby horseIn this 1937 photo, Princess Elizabeth, who now knows that she will one day become Queen, plays on her hobby horse with her beloved younger sister, Princess Margaret Rose. Don’t miss these 21 candid, rarely seen photos of the royal family.
A rare swimsuit photo of Elizabeth IIThis photo of then-Princess Elizabeth in a “swimming costume” (as it’s called in England) was taken in 1938.
Princess Elizabeth as a young mumIn this 1952 photo, the future Queen Elizabeth II is with her husband, who’d been named the Duke of Edinburgh the night before his wedding to Elizabeth, and their two eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. A year later, Queen Elizabeth will be crowned. Think she’ll ever give up the throne? Think again. Here’s why Queen Elizabeth II will never abdicate.
Prince Charles, on his way to GordonstounIn 1962, a 13-year-old Prince Charles is on his way to his first term at Gordonstoun, the boarding school that he has since referred to as Colditz with Kilts and where his days started with a morning run and a cold shower. Queen Elizabeth II isn’t all that happy about this portion of her family’s life coming into public scrutiny.
Lady Diana Spencer as a schoolteacher
Lady Diana Spencer was already in the public eye on this day in September 1980, as she was being courted by Prince Charles. “Shy Di,” as she was known, is with two children from St. George’s Square Kindergarten, where she was a teacher.
Princess Margaret with nephew, the Prince of WalesPrincess Margaret ended up in this candid shot of Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince Harry (in Diana’s arms), and Prince William. The family is about to board the Britannia for a Western Isles tour in the summer of 1985.
A somber momentA week after the sudden death of Diana, Princess of Wales on August 31, 1997, both William and Harry, wipe their eyes as they view tributes left in memory of their mum.
Grandmum’s birthdayPrince William and Prince Harry pause as they leave St. George’s Chapel in Windsor after a special Thanksgiving service celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday in 2006.
Fergie’s girlsWe don’t hear about them quite as much, but Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, the daughter of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, are much beloved by the Queen. Here they’re pictured at a ski resort in Switzerland as young girls. Learn more about the newly married Princess Eugenie.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in MiamiThis photo of the first cousins of Prince William and Prince Harry was taken in December 2017 in Miami, Florida.
The Royal LOLIn this very recent photo (October 2018), the Duchess of Cambridge loses her composure and totally LOLs beside her husband, Prince William (at the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit, County Hall, London). Don’t miss these 19 times Kate Middleton was Princess Diana’s style twin.
Royally cuteHere are Princess Charlotte and Prince George, just before the wedding of their auntie, Princess Eugenie, to Jack Brooksbank, is about to begin on October 12.
Meghan on Bondi beach, with freckles abloomMeghan and Harry were visiting Bondi Beach recently, where this adorable photo of the Duchess of Sussex was taken, which we’re sure she’ll approve of because it shows off her freckles quite nicely. Next, find out the 50 things you didn’t know about the royal family.
