26 of Queen Elizabeth II's Loveliest Childhood Photos

Newborn Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was photographed in her pram soon after her birth in 1926.

Elizabeth appeared in her high chair as a cute and chubby toddler in 1927.

The future queen, age 2, already had the royal wave down to a fine art in 1928.

An official portrait of the queen was taken in July 1928, soon after her second birthday.

The queen was a protective big sister to Princess Margaret Rose, putting a guiding hand on her pram during a walk in London in the early 1930s.

The young Princess Elizabeth was the picture of poise as she headed out on an early engagement around 1932.

Young Elizabeth adored her grandparents King George V and Queen Mary, and they loved looking after her as on this trip to Scotland around 1933.

Elizabeth loved talking as a youngster and kept chatting to her mom and sister as they arrived at an engagement in London in 1934.

Sisters Elizabeth and Margaret were just so happy in each other's company in this cute photo from 1935.

We know just how passionate the queen is about her horses, and the young Elizabeth's love for animals can be seen in this gorgeous photo from the early 1930s.

Princess Elizabeth was surrounded by pets from an early age and took one of the family's dogs for a walk in the late 1930s.

Elizabeth's love of dogs is world famous, and she was snapped at age 10, in 1936, cuddling one of her early favorites.

Princess Elizabeth was up to mischief at the Silver Jubilee service for her grandfather King George V in 1935.

Elizabeth posed with her mom and sister Margaret in the Summer of 1936, just months before the abdication of Edward VIII turned the young princess into heir to the throne.

Elizabeth took the steering wheel in a toy car under the watchful eye of her beloved governess, Marion Crawford, in the mid-1930s.

Princess Elizabeth, in her golden coronet, sat with her granny Queen Mary during the coronation of her parents as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937.

Princess Elizabeth, future queen, greeted the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after her father's coronation as George VI in 1937.

Elizabeth got up close with some penguins on a visit to London Zoo in the late 1930s.

Being first in line to the throne didn't stop the young queen from giggling her way through engagements, as seen here in Scotland in 1937.

Even princesses get a bit bored, as Elizabeth, with sister Margaret, showed while taking the royal train in 1939.

A teenager, Elizabeth is seen here on an royal engagement with her granny Queen Mary and sister Margaret in 1939.

This gorgeous photo of Elizabeth and Margaret was taken to mark the future queen's 14th birthday in 1940.

Elizabeth read to Margaret at Windsor Castle in 1940, soon after the Second World War had started.

A pretty portrait of Elizabeth, age 15, was taken in 1941.

Elizabeth and Margaret enjoyed a day outdoors in the Summer of 1941.

Elizabeth posed for official photos in 1944, the year she turned 18 and left her royal childhood behind her.