Photos and timeline: The life of Queen Elizabeth II

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FILE - he Archbishop of Canterbury, foreground, reads the Benediction to Queen Elizabeth II, wearing St. Edward's Crown, during her coronation ceremony, in London, June 2, 1953. Queen Elizabeth II will mark 70 years on the throne Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, an unprecedented reign that has made her a symbol of stability as the United Kingdom navigated an age of uncertainty. (AP Photo, FIle)

LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, has died. She was 96.

Elizabeth spent more than seven decades on the throne as the U.K. rebuilt from war, lost an empire, transformed its economy and both entered and left the European Union.

She was a constant presence, the only monarch most Britons have ever known, and she guided the institution of the monarchy through choppy waters. She likely met more people than anyone in history, and her image, which adorned stamps, coins and bank notes, was among the most reproduced in the world.

But her inner life and opinions remained largely an enigma. The impact of her loss will be huge, and unpredictable.

Key milestones in the life of Queen Elizabeth II

—April 21, 1926: Born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in Mayfair, London, the first child of the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later called the Queen Mother.

—Dec. 10, 1936: Elizabeth becomes heir-apparent to the throne after her uncle King Edward VIII abdicates and her father becomes king.

—Oct. 13, 1940: Elizabeth makes first public speech at age 14 on the BBC Children’s Hour to reassure children who had been separated from their parents during the Blitz.

—1945: Elizabeth is made a Subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, serving for Britain during World War II.

Britain's Princess Elizabeth aged 16 at an unidentified event, April 7, 1942. During World War II, young Princess Elizabeth briefly became known as No. 230873, Second Subaltern Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of the Auxiliary Transport Service No. 1.(AP Photo, File)

—Nov. 20, 1947: Elizabeth marries Prince Philip Mountbatten of Greece and Denmark at Westminster Abbey.

—Nov. 14, 1948: Prince Charles, now Prince of Wales, heir-apparent to the throne, is born.

—Aug. 15, 1950: Elizabeth’s second child and only daughter, Anne, the Princess Royal, is born.

—Feb. 6, 1952: Elizabeth becomes queen upon the death of her father George VI.

—June 2, 1953: Crowned in a grand coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. She sets out on a tour of the Commonwealth, visiting places including Bermuda, Fiji, Tonga, Australia, and Gibraltar.

—Feb. 19, 1960: Elizabeth’s third child, Prince Andrew, is born.

—March 10, 1964: Elizabeth’s fourth child, Prince Edward, is born.

—May 1965: Elizabeth makes a historic visit to West Germany, the first German visit by a British monarch in 52 years.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip drive by the wall dividing East and West Germany, during a sightseeing tour of West Berlin, May 27, 1965. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022. (AP Photo, File)

—1977: Elizabeth celebrates her Silver Jubilee, which marks 25 years on the throne.

—1992: Elizabeth has what she describes as an “annus horribilis,” or a “horrible year.” The year sees marriages for three of her four children end. Also that year, a fire damages Windsor Castle. Public outcry over the cost of repairs amid a recession prompts the queen to volunteer to pay income taxes.

—Aug. 31, 1997: Princess Diana dies in a car crash in Paris. Under public pressure to demonstrate her grief, Elizabeth makes an unprecedented television broadcast in tribute to Diana’s memory.

—2002: Elizabeth marks 50 years of reign with her Golden Jubilee. The year also sees the deaths of Elizabeth’s mother and her sister, Margaret.

—Dec. 20, 2007: Elizabeth becomes the longest-living British monarch, overtaking Victoria.

—May 2011: Elizabeth makes a historic visit to Ireland — the first visit by a British monarch since Irish independence.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II bows her head after laying a wreath at the Irish War Memorial Gardens, dedicated to the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in World War I, in Dublin, May 18, 2011. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022 (Pool Photo via AP, File)

—2012: Elizabeth marks 60 years of her reign with a Diamond Jubilee.

—Sept. 9, 2015: Elizabeth surpasses Queen Victoria and becomes the longest-serving monarch in British history.

—June 11, 2016: Britain celebrates Elizabeth’s official 90th birthday with three days of national festivities.

—Feb. 6, 2017: Elizabeth becomes the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, marking 65 years on the throne.

— March 2020: Elizabeth and Philip move from Buckingham Palace in London to Windsor Castle at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

—April 9, 2021: Prince Philip, Elizabeth’s husband of 73 years, dies at age 99.

--Oct. 20, 2021: Elizabeth spends a night in a London hospital undergoing health tests. She cancels major engagements in subsequent months, on doctors’ orders to only undertake light duties.

--Feb. 6, 2022: Elizabeth becomes first British monarch to reach a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years as sovereign.

--June 2022: Elizabeth makes limited public appearances during a four-day holiday weekend celebrating her Platinum Jubilee.

--Sept. 6, 2022: Elizabeth meets Boris Johnson and Liz Truss at her summer holiday home in Scotland to oversee the handover of power from the outgoing prime minster to his successor. The ceremonies, traditionally held at Buckingham Palace in London, were moved to Balmoral for the first time in the queen’s reign in light of her mobility problems.

--Sept. 8, 2022: Elizabeth dies at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at age 96. Her eldest son becomes King Charles III.