Some of the images were snapped by bystanders; others are formal studies by famous names. All are rare and several have never been seen by the public. And all these photographs will be unveiled in a comprehensive book published this week commemorating the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The price: £99.
Previously unseen shots – such as one of the royal couple waving goodbye from the steps of a jet returning from a tour of the West Indies in 1966 – were discovered after research by the book's editor, Reuel Golden. The West Indies image, taken by Glaswegian royal photographer Harry Benson, was found undeveloped in a roll of archived film.
The book, from luxury publisher Taschen, is aimed at an international as well as British market, and features the work of Sir Cecil Beaton, Yousuf Karsh and Lords Snowdon and Lichfield, alongside more contemporary photographs from Wolfgang Tillmans, Rankin and Annie Leibovitz.
As editor, Golden had access to many European photography archives, including the Royal Collection, and has included images of the Queen meeting leading figures of the 20th century, including the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe and John F Kennedy. One of the most charming images shows the Queen driving through Windsor in her Daimler in 1957, with Prince Charles and Princess Anne in the car.
"While there have been a few books on the subject this year, there's never been anything quite like this book," said London-born Golden, a former editor of the British Journal of Photography, who now lives in New York. "It's epic in size, concept and research. While some of the images will be familiar, we have also unearthed many hidden gems." The book, added Golden, is intended to focus on her majesty's working life. "The formal portraiture has to be an important part of the book but we also wanted to convey the relentless travelling, the rituals of meeting and greeting, whether it be in Ghana, France or the US – especially, in the 1950s to 1960s, when she was perceived as a glamorous figure, who would draw huge crowds wherever she went."
■ To buy a copy of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II for £74.99 with free UK p&p call 0330 333 6846, or go to guardianbookshop.co.uk
