Rare, classic photos of Queen Elizabeth II

Informal portraits of Elizabeth II —

Queen Mother Elizabeth, from left, Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II attend Princess Margaret's wedding in 1960.

Loomis Dean/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Informal portraits of Elizabeth II —

Queen Elizabeth II watches a University of Maryland vs. University of North Carolina football game at Maryland's Byrd Stadium during her 1957 official visit to the United States.

Alfred Eisenstaedt—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Informal portraits of Elizabeth II —

The queen speaks at a state dinner in Ghana in 1961.

Paul Schutzer/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Informal portraits of Elizabeth II —

Queen Elizabeth visits Ethiopia in 1965.

John Loengard/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II visits Ethiopia in 1965. <a href="http://life.time.com/culture/elizabeth-ii-rare-and-classic-photos-of-the-queen-of-england/?iid=lb-gal-viewagn#1" target="_blank" target="_blank">See the full gallery on Life.com.</a>

Informal portraits of Elizabeth II —

Queen Elizabeth II visits Ethiopia in 1965. See the full gallery on Life.com.

John Loengard/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

CNN —

Anyone who has remained in power for longer than many people remain alive – even if that power is far more symbolic than practical – deserves attention. And when it comes to England’s Queen Elizabeth II, paying attention is something the world has been doing for a long, long time.

Here, on the 60th anniversary of her coronation, LIFE.com offers a series of informal portraits of the queen, including several that never ran in the magazine. See the entire gallery and read the full story on Life.com.