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In pictures: 70 years of the Queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

  • <p>King George VI, right, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the day of his coronation with the then Queen Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother, second left, and their children, the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, front. (Getty)</p>
    1/19

    12 May 1937 – Coronation of George VI

    King George VI, right, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the day of his coronation with the then Queen Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother, second left, and their children, the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, front. (Getty)

  • <p>Prime minister Winston Churchill, centre, joins George VI, second right, the then-Queen Elizabeth, second left, and their daughters Elizabeth, left, and Margaret, right, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe – known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day. (Getty)</p>
    2/19

    8 May 1945 – VE Day

    Prime minister Winston Churchill, centre, joins George VI, second right, the then-Queen Elizabeth, second left, and their daughters Elizabeth, left, and Margaret, right, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe – known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day. (Getty)

  • <p>Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip waving to a crowd shortly after their wedding at Westminster Abbey. (Keystone/Getty)</p>
    3/19

    20 November 1947 – Wedding of Elizabeth and Philip

    Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip waving to a crowd shortly after their wedding at Westminster Abbey. (Keystone/Getty)

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  • <p>Just months before she ascended to the throne, Princess Elizabeth watchs the annual Trooping the Colour with her eldest son, Prince Charles, accompanied by Queen Mary, left, and Queen Elizabeth, right. (Intercontinentale/AFP/Getty)</p>
    4/19

    7 June 1951 – Trooping the C0lour

    Just months before she ascended to the throne, Princess Elizabeth watchs the annual Trooping the Colour with her eldest son, Prince Charles, accompanied by Queen Mary, left, and Queen Elizabeth, right. (Intercontinentale/AFP/Getty)

  • <p>The Queen and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on the balcony with her two eldest children Charles and Anne; the Queen Mother, third right, and Princess Margaret, right, on the day of her coronation. (AFP/Getty)</p>
    5/19

    2 June 1953 – Coronation of Elizabeth II

    The Queen and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on the balcony with her two eldest children Charles and Anne; the Queen Mother, third right, and Princess Margaret, right, on the day of her coronation. (AFP/Getty)

  • <p>The Queen waves to the crowds on her 30th birthday, accompanied by Prince Philip, right, Princess Margaret, left; the Queen Mother, second left, and her children Charles and Anne. (Intercontinentale/AFP/Getty)</p>
    6/19

    21 April 1956 – Queen marks 30th birthday

    The Queen waves to the crowds on her 30th birthday, accompanied by Prince Philip, right, Princess Margaret, left; the Queen Mother, second left, and her children Charles and Anne. (Intercontinentale/AFP/Getty)

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  • <p>The Queen and a baby Prince Andrew following the Trooping the Colour – the Queen's birthday parade. (Central Press/AFP/Getty)</p>
    7/19

    12 June 1961 – The Queen and baby Prince Andrew

    The Queen and a baby Prince Andrew following the Trooping the Colour – the Queen's birthday parade. (Central Press/AFP/Getty)

  • <p>The Queen and other members of the Royal Family on a day when her horse, Magna Carta, won the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot. (Central Press/AFP/Getty)</p>
    8/19

    16 June 1970 – Queen's horse wins Ascot Stakes

    The Queen and other members of the Royal Family on a day when her horse, Magna Carta, won the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot. (Central Press/AFP/Getty)

  • <p>The Queen and members of the Royal Family watch Trooping the Colour in 1973, the same year that Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, married her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles. (AFP/Getty)</p>
    9/19

    3 June 1973 – Royals watch Trooping the Colour

    The Queen and members of the Royal Family watch Trooping the Colour in 1973, the same year that Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, married her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles. (AFP/Getty)

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  • <p>Newlyweds Princess Diana and Prince Charles kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace just after their wedding, surrounded by Queen and other members of Royal Family, as well as children from their wedding party. (Getty)</p>
    10/19

    29 July 1981 – Charles and Diana get married

    Newlyweds Princess Diana and Prince Charles kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace just after their wedding, surrounded by Queen and other members of Royal Family, as well as children from their wedding party. (Getty)

  • <p>The Duke and Duchess of York, accompanied by the Queen and other members of their wedding party, wave to the crowds from the Buckingham Palace on the day of their wedding. (PA)</p>
    11/19

    23 July 1986 – Andrew marries Sarah

    The Duke and Duchess of York, accompanied by the Queen and other members of their wedding party, wave to the crowds from the Buckingham Palace on the day of their wedding. (PA)

  • <p>The Queen waves as she stands with members of the Royal Famiy following the first Trooping the Colour ceremony of the 21st century. (AFP/Getty)</p>
    12/19

    17 June 2000 – First Trooping the Colour of the 21st century

    The Queen waves as she stands with members of the Royal Famiy following the first Trooping the Colour ceremony of the 21st century. (AFP/Getty)

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  • <p>The Queen, centre in red, and other members of the Royal Family watch an RAF flypast over Buckingham Palace at the end of a weekend celebrating 50 years of her on the throne. (Getty)</p>
    13/19

    4 June 2002 – Queen marks her Diamond Jubilee

    The Queen, centre in red, and other members of the Royal Family watch an RAF flypast over Buckingham Palace at the end of a weekend celebrating 50 years of her on the throne. (Getty)

  • <p>The Queen waves to onlookers as the young princes Harry and William join her and Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence for Trooping the Colour. (Getty)</p>
    14/19

    14 June 2003 – Trooping the Colour

    The Queen waves to onlookers as the young princes Harry and William join her and Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence for Trooping the Colour. (Getty)

  • <p>Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Edward watch the flypast over The Mall of British and US Second World War aircraft on National Commemoration Day. Poppies were dropped from the Lancaster Bomber of the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight as part of the flypast. (Getty)</p>
    15/19

    10 July 2005 – Flypast on National Commemoration Day

    Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Edward watch the flypast over The Mall of British and US Second World War aircraft on National Commemoration Day. Poppies were dropped from the Lancaster Bomber of the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight as part of the flypast. (Getty)

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  • <p>Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Prince William, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, the Queen, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Michael of Kent, Prince Philip and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall watch the fly past at Trooping The Colour. (Getty)</p>
    16/19

    12 June 2010 – Trooping the Colour flypast

    Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Prince William, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, the Queen, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Michael of Kent, Prince Philip and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall watch the fly past at Trooping The Colour. (Getty)

  • <p>The Queen, fifth right, joins the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace, along with other members of the wedding party, on the day of their marriage. (PA)</p>
    17/19

    29 April 2011 – William and Kate get married

    The Queen, fifth right, joins the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace, along with other members of the wedding party, on the day of their marriage. (PA)

  • <p>Queen Elizabeth II with the future kings – son Charles and grandson William – commemorate the 60th anniversary of her ascending to the throne. (Getty)</p>
    18/19

    5 June 2012 – Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee

    Queen Elizabeth II with the future kings – son Charles and grandson William – commemorate the 60th anniversary of her ascending to the throne. (Getty)

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  • <p>Meghan Markle, fourth right, stands between the Queen and new husband Prince Harry as members of the Royal Family watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the RAF. (Getty)</p>
    19/19

    10 July 2018 – Flypast to mark the centenary of the RAF

    Meghan Markle, fourth right, stands between the Queen and new husband Prince Harry as members of the Royal Family watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the RAF. (Getty)

<p>King George VI, right, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the day of his coronation with the then Queen Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother, second left, and their children, the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, front. (Getty)</p>
<p>Prime minister Winston Churchill, centre, joins George VI, second right, the then-Queen Elizabeth, second left, and their daughters Elizabeth, left, and Margaret, right, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe – known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day. (Getty)</p>
<p>Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip waving to a crowd shortly after their wedding at Westminster Abbey. (Keystone/Getty)</p>
<p>Just months before she ascended to the throne, Princess Elizabeth watchs the annual Trooping the Colour with her eldest son, Prince Charles, accompanied by Queen Mary, left, and Queen Elizabeth, right. (Intercontinentale/AFP/Getty)</p>
<p>The Queen and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on the balcony with her two eldest children Charles and Anne; the Queen Mother, third right, and Princess Margaret, right, on the day of her coronation. (AFP/Getty)</p>
<p>The Queen waves to the crowds on her 30th birthday, accompanied by Prince Philip, right, Princess Margaret, left; the Queen Mother, second left, and her children Charles and Anne. (Intercontinentale/AFP/Getty)</p>
<p>The Queen and a baby Prince Andrew following the Trooping the Colour – the Queen's birthday parade. (Central Press/AFP/Getty)</p>
<p>The Queen and other members of the Royal Family on a day when her horse, Magna Carta, won the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot. (Central Press/AFP/Getty)</p>
<p>The Queen and members of the Royal Family watch Trooping the Colour in 1973, the same year that Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, married her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles. (AFP/Getty)</p>
<p>Newlyweds Princess Diana and Prince Charles kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace just after their wedding, surrounded by Queen and other members of Royal Family, as well as children from their wedding party. (Getty)</p>
<p>The Duke and Duchess of York, accompanied by the Queen and other members of their wedding party, wave to the crowds from the Buckingham Palace on the day of their wedding. (PA)</p>
<p>The Queen waves as she stands with members of the Royal Famiy following the first Trooping the Colour ceremony of the 21st century. (AFP/Getty)</p>
<p>The Queen, centre in red, and other members of the Royal Family watch an RAF flypast over Buckingham Palace at the end of a weekend celebrating 50 years of her on the throne. (Getty)</p>
<p>The Queen waves to onlookers as the young princes Harry and William join her and Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence for Trooping the Colour. (Getty)</p>
<p>Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Edward watch the flypast over The Mall of British and US Second World War aircraft on National Commemoration Day. Poppies were dropped from the Lancaster Bomber of the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight as part of the flypast. (Getty)</p>
<p>Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Prince William, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, the Queen, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Michael of Kent, Prince Philip and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall watch the fly past at Trooping The Colour. (Getty)</p>
<p>The Queen, fifth right, joins the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace, along with other members of the wedding party, on the day of their marriage. (PA)</p>
<p>Queen Elizabeth II with the future kings – son Charles and grandson William – commemorate the 60th anniversary of her ascending to the throne. (Getty)</p>
<p>Meghan Markle, fourth right, stands between the Queen and new husband Prince Harry as members of the Royal Family watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the RAF. (Getty)</p>
Natalie Marchant

Queen Elizabeth II is set to mark her 70 years on the throne as the UK and Commonwealth nations prepare for the official four-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations at the start of June.

The Queen has been part of public life for more than seven decades and has seen countless governments and prime ministers come and go.

Some of her most iconic moments have been when she has appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony to mark major occasions like previous jubilees and royal weddings, waving to crowds who have gathered to catch a glimpse of the monarch.

The balcony appearances have become less frequent as the now 96-year-old monarch reaches her advanced years – which have particularly limiting her mobility – and she has either appeared with a walking stick or has had to pull out of events altogether.

Read more: Platinum jubilee: How old was the Queen when she came to the throne?

She had to cancel her appearance at the Easter Sunday service at Windsor and for the first time Prince Charles had to read out the Queen's Speech as part of the state opening of parliament in May.

The Queen is expected to make an appearance on the balcony during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which will feature a giant dragon puppet at the centre of a "spectacular" £15m pageant.

The pageant is one of the final spectacles of the long weekend for the Jubilee that begins on Thursday, 2 June.