The Queen and Prince Philip were married for more than 70 years, spending most of that time in service to the country and the Commonwealth.

The couple were married on 20 November 1947, with the Queen wearing a dress designed by Norman Hartnell.

Although they were married at Westminster Abbey, the event was not as lavish as modern royal weddings because of the proximity to the end of the Second World War. She had to use ration coupons to buy the fabric for the dress.

But they still enjoyed a four tier wedding cake which was nine feet high at their wedding breakfast in Buckingham Palace.

They went on honeymoon to Broadlands in Hampshire.

The couple had expected some years as a family, with Philip continuing in his naval career before they had to step up to the royal plate. They lived in Malta for some years and revisited on a number of occasions during their marriage, reliving those days.

Elizabeth and Philip welcomed Charles, then Anne, before she acceded to the throne when her father died in 1952.

They went on to have two more children, Andrew, and Edward.

They shared special photographs for some of their key anniversaries, including their silver and diamond celebrations. But most of the time the event was marked quietly at home.

The couple were not ones for vast shows of public affection, but Elizabeth praised Philip as her “strength and stay” in a heartwarming speech on their golden anniversary in 1997.