July 31, 2013 Issue

Iconic photos of Queen Elizabeth’s private and public life.   Following the birth of Prince George Alexander Louis, what better time to celebrate his great-grandmother? A glorious coffee-table book—published last year in honor of the Diamond Jubilee and now rereleased as a “Royal Edition,” with an irreverent cover designed by Vivienne Westwood—presents the most iconic photographs of Queen Elizabeth II. In 366 pages, it chronicles her life from childhood through the present, and documents along the way her coronation and subsequent tours of the Commonwealth.   In pictures, Her Majesty the Queen tells the story of what it’s like to grow up royal. Childhood activities include knitting garments for war charities and pantomimes with her mother and sister. Following her wedding to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947 and the birth of their children, Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward, the queen is seen happy at home and often accompanied by her Corgis.   The images give readers a peek into the exceedingly private moments of the queen’s life, like relaxing with her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and her sister, Princess Margaret (above)—and the public ones, like the speech she gave following Princess Diana’s death. They also feature the work of some of the century’s greatest photographers, including Cecil Beaton, Annie Leibovitz, Patrick Lichfield, and Henri Cartier-Bresson.