When her uncle Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, Elizabeth, aged 10, became heir to the throne. Her grandmother insisted she be given lessons to prepare for the role that awaited her - as Queen. When her father died in 1952 she was the wife of a naval officer, Prince Philip of Greece, and a mother of two. She was the youngest monarch to ascend to the throne in 100 years. Written by Enzedder

The televised Coronation of the Queen was at first controversial, but her dignity and calmness made the event a world-wide success. The Queen and Philip embarked on a world tour where she was met with enthusiasm everywhere she went. The Queen's faced Winston Churchill's stroke and retirement, and the Suez Crisis. And her role, and resolve, were tested when the palace intervened in her sister Margaret's marriage plans. Written by Enzedder

Criticised for being remote and reserved, the Queen embraced modern technology and gave her first ever televised Christmas broadcast in 1957. In the 60s, she started to rid the monarchy of its archaic protocols. A mining disaster on home soil taught lessons about the importance of her support and sympathy. A documentary, The Royal Family was a massive success, but some thought it went too far in observing the Queen's family life. Written by Enzedder

In the face of the economic and social uncertainty of 1970s Britain, the Queen's wealth came under scrutiny. Scandals continued to follow her sister Margaret who, now divorced, was photographed in the company of young men. To try to stabilize the monarchy, the Queen encouraged Prince Charles to find a wife to ensure the future of the Windsor dynasty. Written by Enzedder

The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981 marked the beginning of a golden age for the Queen and the monarchy. Most of the 1980's saw abundant support for the Queen and her children. The Queen's awkward relationship with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher posed a number of challenges, but the two managed to navigate the diplomatic challenges of the Falklands conflict. Written by Enzedder

The 1990s brought relentless public criticism and painful private tragedy to the Queen. She dubbed 1992 her 'Annus Horribilis' in which she saw the collapse of 3 of her children's marriages, as well as the devastating destruction of Windsor Castle. The death of the Princess Diana presented the Queen with the gravest challenge - as she focused on protecting her grieving grandsons, the public interpreted the Queen's silence as lack of feeling. Written by Enzedder

Still battling negative public opinion, the Queen faced a crisis in Australia where the country had plans to remove her and held a referendum. In 2002, the Queen's younger sister Princess Margaret died, followed by the death of the Queen's Mother mother just six weeks later. The Palace made plans to modernise the monarchy as the Queen celebrated her Golden Jubilee. Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles finally married in 2005. Written by Enzedder