The longest-ever reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the only monarch most of her subjects have ever known, is over. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor died Thursday at Balmoral Castle, her estate in Scotland. She was 96. After reigning over the United Kingdom for 70 years and having been royal all her life, Queen Elizabeth has lived through some remarkable times. From her first personal crisis as queen in 1953 to Princess Diana's death in 1997, here's a look at some of the most important dates from her life. Scroll through the slides to see more, and read the full story at the link in our bio.