An official portrait of the Queen and her two young children Prince Charles and Princess Anne has been released in honour of World Photography Day. Buckingham Palace's official Twitter account, which goes by the handle British Monarchy, posted the image on Wednesday – 61 years after it was taken.
Decades may have passed but the picture shows the Queen, then 28, beaming with joy and radiating her usual warmth.
She was joined by her two happy children, her eldest son and future King, Charles, on her right and her only daughter Anne on her left.
A 28-year-old Queen Elizabeth and her two children Charles and Anne share a sweet moment
With a head full of blonde curls and a wide grin on her face, Anne, who was four at the time, looked adorable in a pink dress. She matched her mum wearing a strand of pearls, and completed her outfit with a green mini handbag.
Older brother Charles was also full of laughter, and dressed up for the occasion in a cream shirt and red shorts. The first-in-line to the throne bore a striking resemblance to Prince William and two-year-old Prince George, who have both sported a similar red and white outfit at public engagements.
Likewise the Queen was dressed to the nines, wearing a brown dress and donning a full set of pearls.
"For @WorldPhotographyDay - The Queen with Prince Charles and Princess Anne in 1954, photographed by #MarcusAdams," the vintage picture was captioned.
The photo comes after Prince William and Kate have requested more privacy for their two children
The official portrait of the Queen, who is now 89, and her two children comes after Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton issued a statement through Kensington Palace requesting that their children have a "safe and private" childhood.
William and Kate welcomed their second child, a daughter Princess Charlotte, in May.
The palace spokesperson wrote: "They know that almost all parents love to share photos of their children and they themselves enjoy doing so. But they know every parent would object to anyone, particularly strangers, taking photos of their children without their permission."
The Queen has been seen sharing a smile with her great-grandchildren George and Charlotte this summer, proving that her family is still full of those precious moments. The official British Monarchy Twitter page is the home to pictures and updates from Buckingham Palace of the Queen and other members of the royal family.