7 rarely seen photos of royal siblings
We’ve pulled together some rarely seen photos of members of the English royal family – past and present – with their brothers and sisters.
A future Queen and her little sister
In 1933, the future Queen Elizabeth II stands beside her four years younger baby sister, Princess Margaret Rose, holding a handbag that was reportedly made by disabled soldiers.
Same family, divergent destinies
Elizabeth and Margaret were born “minor” royals in that they were the daughters of the Duke of York, who was the second son of the King and therefore not expected to become a monarch. But when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in December 1936, the Duke of York ascended, thrusting Elizabeth into the role of heir presumptive. Nevertheless, the two always remained close, although this photo from 1955 (when Elizabeth had been Queen for three years already) poetically catches the sisters as they gaze on in different directions.
Cheeky sisters
Princess Beatrice of York and her little sister, Princess Eugenie of York, enjoy playing in the snow in Switzerland. Both women are first cousins of Prince William and Prince Harry and are natural redheads, just like Harry.
Prince Harry and Prince William head off to school
In the mid-1980s, Prince Charles’s two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, head off to the Wetherby School in London, a private pre-K program. That’s their mum, Princess Diana, standing behind them in red.
The future kings with their sister, Princess Mary
Pictured when they were much younger, Edward and Albert are shown with their sister, Princess Mary, who would one day become Princess Royal. The title, “Princess Royal” is an honour the monarch may bestow on his/her eldest daughter. The current Princess Royal is Princess Anne.
The four siblings together
Marking their forthcoming Diamond Wedding Anniversary at Clarence House in London in 2007, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh enjoy a photo opportunity with their four children, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, and Prince Charles.
Siblings and the next generation of siblings
In 1988, Princess Anne and Prince Charles brought their respective kids together, along with their parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The children, pictured left to right, are Prince Harry, Zara Phillips (the daughter of Princess Anne), Prince William, and Peter Phillips (the son of Princess Anne).
Written by Lauren Cahn. This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.