In Pictures: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh through their 71 years together

As the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrate 71 years of marriage, here’s a look at the monarch and her consort in pictures through the decades:

– 1940s

Their engagement was announced in July 1947 and the happy couple were pictured together at Buckingham Palace,

A delighted Princess Elizabeth was captured sat on a chair, proudly showing off her ring, and gazing up adoringly at her husband-to-be – the 26-year-old Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten.

Four months later, the princess and Philip, who was given the title the Duke of Edinburgh, married on November 20 1947.

The fairytale royal wedding in London’s Westminster Abbey was a morale boost in the tough years that followed the Second World War, and millions of people tuned in to listen to the ceremony on the wireless.

– 1950s

Five years after they married, the princess – by then a mother of two – became Queen Elizabeth II when her father George VI died in 1952.

Duty changed their lives forever as the new Queen carried out her all-consuming role as head of state.

A Commonwealth tour took them on a six-month trip around the world.

– 1960s

The sixties saw the arrival of two more children – Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

– 1970s

In the 1970s, the couple celebrated their silver wedding anniversary in 1972 and the Queen reached her silver jubilee on the throne in 1977.

– 1980s

The 1980s saw the Prince of Wales marry Lady Diana Spencer and the arrival of Prince William and Prince Harry.

– 1990s

The 90s were a difficult time for the Windsors with the War of the Waleses, the Windsor Castle fire and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

But the duke was at the Queen’s side throughout.

– 2000s

The Queen’s mother and sister sadly both died in 2002 – the year of her Golden Jubilee.

It was also the decade that saw the Prince of Wales finally marry Camilla Parker Bowles, now the Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005.

The Queen and the duke marked their diamond wedding anniversary in 2007.

A special service of thanksgiving was held at their wedding venue Westminster Abbey, before the couple headed to Malta where they spent some of their happiest days as a young married couple.

The brief poignant, private return to the Mediterranean island was the duke’s idea.

– 2010s

The 2010s have seen the Diamond Jubilee, the weddings of both the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex, and the arrival of the Queen and Philip’s seven – and soon-to-be eight – great-grandchildren.

2017 was the year of the Queen and Philip’s milestone platinum wedding anniversary – with the monarch becoming the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years of marriage.

And now in 2018, the royal couple are celebrating 71 years of marriage.