Born on the 21st of April, 1926 at her maternal grandfather’s private Mayfair, London townhouse, Princess Elizabeth’s early years were marked by a quiet determination that would eventually define her long and prosperous life. Her journey into the public eye took a definitive, hands-on turn during the Second World War. As a teenager, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, training as a mechanic and driver. This experience of swapping royal finery for oily overalls established a lifelong ethos of practical service and a grit that remained her hallmark.
