This tribute edition of PEOPLE looks at the remarkable life of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who died on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96. In glorious photos over 112 pages, this special issue tells the story of Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, whose idyllic childhood took an unexpected turn toward history when her uncle’s abdication put her father, George VI, on the throne. She was crowned herself at 25, and her tenure spanned 70 years, a previously unreached milestone which the royal family and the world marked in 2022 with her Platinum Jubilee. Even amid family drama or personal loss, she accepted her role with unwavering seriousness, whether rallying British youth during wartime or returning to work after the April 2021 death of Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years. She “was the rock on which modern Britain was built,” said Liz Truss, the 15th prime minister to serve under Queen Elizabeth, who had appointed her just two days prior to Her Majesty’s death. Elizabeth’s passing marks the end of an era, one of unprecedented change but also of rock-steady tradition, of scandal and glamour but also of strength and coziness, all of which is captured in this commemorative edition of PEOPLE.
