Side-By-Side Pics Of The Royal Family Show Just How Much They've Changed

The members of the British Royal Family are arguably among the most recognizable faces in the world, not least because their lives and movements are followed so closely. Every time they attend an event, it's newsworthy, and in recent years, media stories about them have caused much discussion, especially when details of ill health or some form of scandal have arisen. All of them have grown up in the spotlight, or if they married into the family, have been followed by the same press. As such, photographs of the House of Windsor can be used to show a timeline of each member's life. 

As a famously wealthy and well-connected group, the British royals enjoy many perks and privileges as part of their royal status, including invitations to events, access to amazing properties, and other opportunities not afforded to commoners. They've also been pictured at hundreds of events over the years, whether they wanted to be or not. As such, we can see how each member of the family has changed over the years, whether they're an older or sadly departed member, or a younger royal who hasn't made a name for themselves yet.

Arguably one of the most famous members of any royal family worldwide, Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed a long reign of almost 71 years. She became the British monarch in 1952 after the death of her father, George VI, when she was just 25 years old, and was the longest-serving ruler in British history and the longest-serving queen ever. As such, through photos, we can see not only how much she — and her most memorable fashion moments — changed but also how her country transformed during her reign.

The longest-serving consort to the British monarch in history, Prince Philip was born into both the Greek and Danish royal families before becoming the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947 when he married Queen Elizabeth II. Also serving as a member of the Royal Navy from the age of 18, Philip became a mainstay alongside Elizabeth II at royal events and ceremonies, as well as during extended royal visits. Living to the admirable age of 99, Philip's life has been well documented in photos.

The eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, King Charles III has served as the British monarch since September 2022. Well-known as an avid environmentalist and staunch critic of climate change, King Charles III also boasts a large portfolio of stunning properties across the globe as part of his royal and personal estates. Having performed duties as the Prince of Wales for most of his life, the long timeline of King Charles' transformation is easy to follow.

As arguably the most controversial member of the British Royal Family due to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the former Prince Andrew now goes by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor since his royal titles and privileges were removed by his older brother, King Charles III. It's a big change from his previous status as Queen Elizabeth II's favorite son, and the charities that he previously patronized have since cut ties with him. Still, it's alleged that the royal family can't agree how to handle the Andrew situation.

Diana, Princess of Wales, was a fan-favorite royal from the moment she was pictured alongside her ex-husband, the then-Prince Charles, until her sad and sudden death in a road accident in Paris in 1997. Known as the People's Princess, Diana was famous for her sweet nature, charity work, and iconic fashion sense — she was pictured many times in outfits that showed off her killer legs. Diana was also a devoted mother to her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

The dramatic rise and fall of Sarah Ferguson (aka Fergie) has been well documented over the years, even beyond her relationship with her ex-husband, the former Prince Andrew. Since their divorce, Fergie has dealt with debt and other financial problems, written children's books, and is often pictured with her two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Fergie was also a close friend of Princess Diana since their teenage years, although they were estranged at the time of Diana's death.

As someone who's been heavily photographed her entire life, Princess Eugenie has gone through a stunning face transformation over the years. While she mostly chooses to keep a low profile, despite being a grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, Eugenie made a splash in 2018 when she married wine merchant, tequila brand ambassador, and socialite Jack Brooksbank. Despite the scandals surrounding her parents, Eugenie keeps in touch with her mother, Sarah Ferguson. However, rumors allege that she and her sister have been losing invitations to royal events due to their parents' scandals.

Much like her sister Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice grew up in the spotlight and has been photographed many times over the years. However, due to controversies surrounding her parents, Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, speculation continues about whether Beatrice and Eugenie will cut ties with them to continue enjoying royal perks and privileges. Beatrice enjoyed a moment in the spotlight, particularly in 2020, when she married British property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

Currently enjoying his status as first in line to the British throne, Prince William's transformation through the years has been well documented and much discussed. The oldest son of King Charles III and the late Princess Diana, the Prince of Wales spent much of his time as a young man being considered a "teen heartthrob" (via Vogue). His profile seemed to reach new heights when he married Catherine, Princess of Wales, in 2011 and became a father to their three children: George, Charlotte, and Louis.

Much like his older brother, Prince William, Harry, Duke of Sussex, has grown up aware of the role of the media and the interest they have shown in him and his family. Having made a break from the rest of the British royal family several years ago, Harry has since revealed the heartbreaking moment when he stopped wanting a royal life, and now enjoys living in California with his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, Lillibet and Archie.

A veritable fashion icon since her wedding to Prince William in 2011, Princess Catherine (aka Kate) has shown off her best fashion moments ever, despite dealing with serious health issues in recent years. She was diagnosed with cancer and has discussed how treatment has been "really difficult" (via Healthline). As a result, Kate made the decision to step back from some of her royal duties to focus on recovery, but has since been taking steps to return to full royal work.

Prior to becoming a member of the British royal family, and even longer before she and her husband, Prince Harry, decided to step back from the House of Windsor, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was best known for her role as Rachel Zane in the legal drama "Suits". Now known for her charity work and fashion sense, which has resulted in many outfits that meant more than anyone realized, Meghan now lives in California with Harry and their two children when they're not jetting around the world.

The lavish life of Zara Tindall (née Phillips) is nothing to be sniffed at, but neither is how decorated a sportswoman she is. While she's generally seen as a lot more lowkey than any of her royal cousins, due to her mother, Princess Anne, eschewing titles for her children, Zara tends to come across as a regular person than most of her family. However, Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter is a decorated equestrian in her own right and even won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.

The untold truth of Princess Anne is that, by many, she's often seen as the hardest-working member of the British Royal Family. Determined to do things differently as the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Princess Anne is known for her bluntness and no-nonsense approach, as well as being an accomplished equestrian — she represented Great Britain at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. In 2024, she even managed to appear at more events than any member of the royal family, despite sustaining an injury to the head from a horse.

The youngest son and child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, has mostly lived a life less in the spotlight than his older siblings. Of course, like any royal, that doesn't mean there aren't rumors about Prince Edward that we can't ignore. While he does similar charity work to other members of his family, Edward has also dipped his toe into TV work (despite some criticism surrounding it) and was, for a short time, a member of the Royal Marines.

Prince Edward's wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is known for her gorgeous style transformation. She's often described as the royal family's "secret weapon" (according to Tatler). Being married to Prince Edward since 1999, she's very much a part of the House of Windsor and spends her time as patron of over 70 charities, mostly focusing on rights for people with disabilities, women's rights, agriculture, and avoidable blindness.

One of the younger members of the royal family, Lady Louise Windsor is the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. At just 22 years old, Louise's stunning style transformation hasn't gone unnoticed by many, and much like her mother, Sophie, she's also been described as her family's "secret weapon" (per Cosmopolitan). Louise is currently attending the University of St Andrews, where she is studying English. She's also a member of the St Andrews University Officer Training Corps, continuing the British royal military traditions.

The current wife of King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles), has been a rather divisive figure in her time, not least due to some of the most inappropriate outfits she's ever worn. Her love story with King Charles has been anything but straightforward; both of them were married to other people, yet showed interest in each other, something which was detailed in Netflix's "The Crown". She's also been harassed by the press and stalked, as well as had her looks compared to Princess Diana's more than once.

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, more commonly known as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, died in 2002 at the age of 101. Having stepped back from her role as royal consort after the death of her husband, King George VI, Elizabeth died just weeks after her daughter, Princess Margaret. She was known for her love of television sitcoms such as "Fawlty Towers" and "Dad's Army" and for enjoying a drink; she once escaped her security detail to go to the pub.

Zara Tindall's husband, Mike Tindall, has had several awkward moments that have left people uncomfortable over the years, mostly because he tends not to bother as much with royal protocols as others like him who have married into the royal family (he was told off for breaking his silence during a royal procession). Aside from being married to Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara, Tindall was also the former captain of the England rugby team and played for both the Bath and Gloucester teams.

Princess Alexandra, The Honorable Lady Ogilvy, is definitely one of the lesser-known members of the British Royal Family. A first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Alexandra is both a second cousin and a first cousin once removed to King Charles III. At 90 years old, Princess Alexandra doesn't attend as many events as she used to, but she did make an appearance for what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday in 2026 alongside King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.

Another lesser-known member of the royal family, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is also one of Queen Elizabeth II's first cousins. Despite being further down the line of royal succession at 32nd in line, Prince Richard attended 212 royal engagements in 2025 and "outperformed" William, Prince of Wales (according to The Express). Richard married Birgitte van Deurs Henriksen in 1972, and they had three children together. He sadly lost his brother, Prince William of Gloucester, in an air crash in 1972.

Known as one of the most popular royals in modern history, Queen Elizabeth II's sister Princess Margaret was known as the "party princess" and the royal family's "wild child" during her youth (via HistoryExtra). However, details of what her final years were really like painted a very different picture, especially after her tumultuous marriage to Antony Armstrong-Jones and subsequent affair, which resulted in a nervous breakdown. She died in 2002 at the age of 71 after suffering a stroke and developing heart problems.

One of the more private members of the royal family, Lady Sarah Chatto is the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II's sister, Princess Margaret, and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon. Currently 27th in line to the throne, Lady Sarah was very close to her aunt, Elizabeth II, due to the late queen's close bond with her mother, and she was known to have spent a long time privately grieving her death. In 1994, she married artist and actor Daniel Chatto, and shares sons Arthur and Samuel Chatto with him.

The grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II and wife of King George VI, Queen Mary of Teck was queen consort from 1910 until 1936, as well as Empress of India until her son ascended the throne. She was originally betrothed to George VI's brother Prince Albert, who died during a pandemic. As such, she was then betrothed to George V, who was then first in line for the British throne, and the two were married in 1893 before going on to have six children together, including two future kings.

The father of the former Queen Elizabeth II and grandfather of the current British monarch King Charles III, King George VI ascended to the throne after his older brother, Edward VIII, abdicated due to pursuing a relationship with the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. Known as a shy person who never expected to take the throne as the second son, George VI was known to close friends and family as "Bertie", as per the tradition of British monarchs to take on another name when becoming a monarch.

The oldest and only son of Princess Anne and her first husband, Mark Phillips, Peter Phillips has experienced some renewed interest in his royal status in recent years when he appeared next to Princes William and Harry at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, leading to royal fans suddenly talking about him. Like his sister Zara, aside from appearances at high-profile royal events, Peter tends to live a life out of the royal spotlight, due to his mother's wish for her children not to feel the pressure of "living up to a prince or a princess [status]" (via Daily Express).