Later this month the Queen becomes the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding anniversary.

Official photographs taken by Lord Snowdon of the Queen with Prince Philip were recently released to mark their 60-year marriage.

Their brother-in-law’s informal photographs show the couple considerably more at ease than they must have felt as they prepared for their wedding at Westminster Abbey on Nov 20, 1947.

The Queen’s tiara fell apart on the wedding morning and the crown jeweller had to be sent for to carry out hasty repairs. George VI offered his daughter a stiff drink to steady her evident nerves but she refused it.

Six decades, four children and seven grandchildren on, the couple will celebrate Nov 20 with a 24-hour private visit to Malta before travelling on to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda.

They have happy memories of the Mediterranean island.

Prince Philip, a Naval officer, was stationed there after their wedding and, before the death of George VI and great responsibilities bore down on the couple, the Queen spent most of the period between November 1949 and February 1951 living with him there.

They will attend a celebration service with other members of the Royal Family at Westminster Abbey on Nov 19. (via The Telegraph)