The Queen Devoted to your service

As Britain's longest-reigning monarch through good times and bad, Queen Elizabeth II has proved a role model for generations past, present and future.

- JULIET RIEDEN

Princess Elizabeth was young, unworldly and head over heels in love when she made a speech that would become the framework of her life. It was a jubilant time for the Heir Apparent, who was aching to become engaged to Philip Mountbatten, the handsome naval officer she had known since she was 12 years old. Her parents were well aware of their eldest daughter's plans, as she had told them the year before, but they had asked the lovebirds to take things slowly and postpone any engagement announcement.

Ita Buttrose

"I first saw the Queen in person with my school in 1954. We were all at the Sydney Showground waving flags, and Her Majesty and Prince Philip drove around in a jeep.

I felt she liked Australians. When I joined The Weekly years later, the folklore was that in 1954 Sir Frank Packer took two copies of the magazine hot off the press with the Queen on the cover with him to a function at Government House. He produced them from behind his back, saying, 'Here you are, Ma'am.' I believe she was quite chuffed. I mean, where do you find characters like that? I think she liked that we weren't bound by protocol."