In celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee RDuJour highlights some favourite early portraits of Princess Elizabeth taken by Cecil Beaton. They were featured in the Victoria and Albert’s exhibition earlier this year called Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton – A Diamond Jubilee celebration and show the Queen at her most beautiful and in the loveliest of dresses and backdrops!

‘The telephone rang. ‘This is the lady-in-waiting speaking. The Queen wants to know if you will photograph her tomorrow afternoon’ … In choosing me to take her photographs, the Queen made a daring innovation. It is inconceivable that her predecessor would have summoned me – my work was still considered revolutionary and unconventional.’
Cecil Beaton’s diary, July 1939

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