The queen has allowed the world to see the “fun behind the formality” of her royal life in the first-ever home-made films.
The clips, which span his life from being a baby pushed in a pram by his mother to his coronation in 1953 at the age of 27, appear in a new documentary to mark his platinum jubilee.
The creators of the BBC film “Elizabeth – The Unseen Queen” received unprecedented access to more than 400 hours of family videos of Her Majesty.
Just last week, the Queen agreed to record her thoughts on why the collection is so special and hinted at why she was so interested in it being seen by the public.
Image: Princess Elizabeth with her father, then Duke of York, in her home garden at 145 Piccadilly in 1930 Image: Princess Elizabeth is seen with her uncle Prince George the Duke of Kent at Windsor Castle in 1930
The message, which was recorded at Windsor Castle, says: “Cameras have always been a part of our lives.
“I think there’s a difference in watching a home movie when you know who’s on the other side of the lens, holding the camera. It adds to the feeling of intimacy. Like many families, my parents wanted to keep a record of our precious moments together.And when it touched us with our own family, we did the same.
“I’ve always enjoyed capturing family moments. Private photos can often show the fun behind the formality.”
He adds: “I hope that almost every family has a collection of photographs or movies that used to be viewed regularly to remember precious moments, but which, over time, are replaced by newer images and more recent memories.
“You always hope that future generations will find them interesting, and you may be surprised that you were young at some point.”
The 75-minute program is largely narrated in the Queen’s own words, using clips and audio news from her speeches to explain what viewers see and show what has mattered to her throughout her reign.
Image: Princess Elizabeth with her grandmother Queen Mary Image: Princess Elizabeth, 20, enjoying a visit to South Africa in 1947
Clips released to promote the show show a young Princess Elizabeth on holiday in Balmoral with her parents and sister Margaret, as well as family videos filmed on her first overseas tour with her family in South Africa when he was 20 years old.
It was during this tour that he made his famous speech from the empire to commemorate his 21st birthday, committing himself to a life of service and duty.
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BBC Studios Productions creative director Claire Popplewell said: “I think the film shows the love and affection that Her Majesty’s father, King George VI, had for his daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.
“There’s a scene of him playing football and messing with the two princesses from very young children that’s especially emotional.”
Image: Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth, right, with her father, King George VI, aboard HMS Vanguard in 1947 Image: Princess Elizabeth, right, is seen dancing with Princess Margaret at the Royal Lodge in Windsor in 1940 Image: Princess Elizabeth, left, Princess Margaret, center, and Prince Philip relax at a picnic in Balmoral in 1946
Ms Popplewell continued: “And like all families, they like to play in front of the camera, no more so than the home movie in South Africa while they are on their three-day break. Prince Philip does too , playing for the camera in a hat of trappers during a break on the 1951 Canadian tour.
“There’s a wonderful extensive montage of Prince Philip: water skiing, playing chase with a dog, riding children’s toy vehicles, which, combined with the queen’s words about him, is incredibly poignant.”
“Little things like successive generations rolling up toddlers with wicker garden loungers give an idea of the family’s traditions,” he adds.
Image: Princess Elizabeth, right, and Princess Margaret at Balmoral in 1939 Image: Princess Elizabeth is seen in the Royal Natal National Park during a visit to South Africa in 1947
The last scenes show a compound queen being photographed after her coronation, with family group photos, children wanting to run and Philip kindly looking at his wife.
Ms Popplewell said: “Then, at the final dam, only she, smiles and swallows. This swallow is very human.”
The show will be broadcast on BBC One on Sunday night.