Coronation to Covid and James Bond to Paddington: The key moments from the Queen's 70 year reign

15 September 2022, 11:58 | Updated: 15 September 2022, 15:33

Queen Elizabeth II - Key moments from across 70 years on the throne

The Queen's 70-year rule was a reign filled with key moments, from the first televised coronation to presiding over the death of Diana, the Princess of Wales, and addressing the nation after it was plunged into lockdown.

Queen Elizabeth was thrust into the limelight when he father acceded to the throne after his brother abdicated in 1936.

She rose to the challenge, vowing to serve the nation for the remainder of her life in a speech broadcast live from Cape Town in South Africa on her 21st birthday.

During her reign, the Queen showed off a wicked sense of humour, appearing in sketches alongside beloved characters Paddington Bear and James Bond and joking with David Attenborough.

She also showed off her serious side, hosting international leaders, opening events and addressing the nations weeks after it was plunged into a lockdown in a bit to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Here, LBC takes a look at the Queen's best moments:

Commonwealth speech

The Queen addressed the Commonwealth in a speech broadcast on the radio from Cape Town on her 21st birthday while she was on a tour of South Africa with her parents and younger sister.

Speaking on April 21, 1947, she said: "My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family, to which we all belong.

"But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me as I now invite you to do. I know that your support will be unfailingly given.

"God help me to make good my vow and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it."

Read more: Fury as MPs and four guests allowed to jump the queue to see the Queen

Coronation Day

On June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth celebrated her coronation - a year after succeeding to the throne following her father's death - at only 25.

The three-hour service fell into six parts: the recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture (which included the crowning), the enthronement and the homage.

She was later pictured on the Buckingham Palace balcony with her family, waving at the crowds to mark the special occasion.

It was the first time the monarch's coronation was televised.

Approximately 8,000 guests attended Westminster Abbey while an estimated three million lined the procession route.

BBC documentary

The Queen allowed the BBC to film the family in the 1960s and produce a documentary titled Royal Family, which was eventually released in June 1969.

The documentary when it was aired was not favourable to the Queen or the family at large.

The Queen decided it was too intrusive and ordered the BBC to lock it away in their archive.

Despite being hidden away for years, the programme appeared on YouTube in 2021.

Read more: 'Hope they are ok': Guard faints and falls off podium while holding vigil beside Queen’s coffin

Death of Diana, Princess of Wales

The Queen paid a personal tribute to Diana, the Princess of Wales, after her death following a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

She said: "I want to pay tribute to Diana myself. She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness.

"I admired and respected her for energy and commitment to others and especially, her devotion to her two boys.

"I for one believe there are lessons to be drawn from her life and from the extraordinary and moving reaction to her death.

"I share in your determination to cherish her memory. I hope that tomorrow we can all, wherever we are, join in expressing our grief at Dian's loss and gratitude for her all to short life.

"It is a chance to show to the whole world the British nation united in grief and respect."

The statement came amid a period of unprecedented public grief, during which the Royal Family were criticised for their lack of an immediate response.

The Queen said at the time she was helping Princes William and Harry process their grief at losing their mother at Balmoral in Scotland.

James Bond skydive at the London Olympics 2012

The Queen surprised viewers when she appeared to parachute into the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games in 2012 alongside James Bond, then played by Daniel Craig.

A sketch showed Mr Craig walking into Buckingham Palace, where he meets the Queen, who greets him, "Good evening, Mr Bond."

The pair then leave the palace in a helicopter that flies across London and hovers over the Olympic Park in Stratford.

There, Bond opens the helicopter doors and instructs the Queen to jump out over the stadium.

A short while after the sketch was shown at the opening ceremony of the Olympics, the Queen, wearing the same outfit as in the scene, appeared and took her seat in the stand.

Performed by stunt doubles, the sketch made for both a memorable moment of the Olympic ceremony and for the Queen herself.

Read more: Practising for the Queen's final parade: Military's pre-dawn rehearsal for Monday's funeral

Meeting Canadian PM Justin Trudeau

The Queen met Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after he took office in 2015.

The pair had met when Mr Trudeau was a child, meaning their acquaintance spanned 45 years.

When he reminded her of this fact at a meeting of the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government in Malta, she had a witty response.

She said: "Thank you, Mr Prime Minister of Canada, for making me feel so old."

David Attenborough documentary

The Queen appeared on a special ITV documentary about her legacy trees project with David Attenborough in 2018 in which they informally discussed her love of nature.

The Queen was not afraid to show her sense of humour at times.

On a walk around Buckingham Palace gardens, she was happy to make light of something he had noticed - a sun dial placed in the shade.

The pair, born just weeks apart, also shared a joke over a young sapling tree bent over.

The Queen was filmed quipping: "That one we won’t look at because it doesn’t seem to be doing very well."

She adds: "Are you sure that’s meant to be like that?" to someone off camera, joking: "somebody sat on it I think, at the garden party".

Covid-19 address

The Queen made a rare address to the nation weeks after it was plunged into a lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

"We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return," she said.

"Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones.

"But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do. While we have faced challenges before, this one is different.

"This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal.

"We will succeed - and that success will belong to every one of us.

"We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.

"But for now, I send my thanks and warmest good wishes to you all.".

Read more: How long is the queue to see the Queen lying in state? Queue tracker and where it starts

Platinum Jubilee

The Queen appeared in a skit alongside the beloved children's character Paddington Bear for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.

The scene saw the Queen amused as Paddington makes a series of gaffes, including drinking tea with offering her any.

The two share a heartwarming moment at the end of the sketch when he finally wishes her a happy Platinum Jubilee.

The Jubilee marked 70 years on the throne, with Trooping the Colour and a flypast over Buckingham Palace in early June.

Thousands of royal fans gathered on the Mall while die-hard monarchy enthusiasts camped out to get the best spots outside Buckingham Palace.

The Queen appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the last time during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.

The royal, dressed in green, appeared alongside then-Prince Charles, Camilla, and the Cambridge family on the Buckingham Palace balcony in a surprise appearance.

It was a moment for the history books, filled with poignancy, as the Queen stepped out to bid farewell to the vast crowds celebrating her 70-year reign.

As the monarch walked slowly and careful onto the famous frontage, Charles placed his hand on his mother's elbow, guiding her as she used her walking stick

Her appearance lasted less than three minutes as tens of thousands of people crammed into the Mall to sing the national anthem.

As the crowds sung along, the Queen surveyed the scenes before her, deep in thought.

Then, with smiles and a few waves of her white-gloved hands, she turned and was gone, achieving her aim of being seen to be believed in mere minutes.

Flanked by her three heirs - son, grandson and great-grandson - it offered a glimpse into the monarchy's future.