Transport for London and HM Queen Elizabeth II

Let us take you on a journey of Queen Elizabeth II's involvement with the organisation throughout her life

Princesses go Underground (1939-06-01)TfL Corporate Archives

1939 - First Ride on a Tube Train

A young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret travel on London Underground for the first time. They journeyed from St. James's Park to Tottenham Court Road and back


They expressed a "great interest" in some of the features of the Underground

The Queen's Carriage (1953-06-01)TfL Corporate Archives

1953 - The Coronation

In 1952, Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne, and the organisation helped plan the significant historical event of her coronation the following year

Proposal by WHSmith for decoration (2053-01-12) by London Transport ExecutiveTfL Corporate Archives

Stations were decorated and renovated and a special Coronation folder map and guide were produced

To the Coronation (1953-06-02)TfL Corporate Archives

Special Travel Arrangements

How We Got Them There (1953-07-01)TfL Corporate Archives

How We Got Them There...

During nearly 24hrs of non-stop travel on Coronation Day, 10,000 train trips and 44,000 bus journeys were run into and out of Central London

TfL's Role in Coronations

London Transport Magazine: Victoria line opening (1969-04-01)TfL Corporate Archives

1969 - Opening the Victoria line

Off to a Royal Start (1969-04-01)TfL Corporate Archives

Off to a Right Royal Start

"The Queen passed on with her coded ticket through the automatic gates and down the silver escalators to the brightly lit concourse"

The Queen's Speech (1969-04-01)TfL Corporate Archives

This Great Effort

"I send my warmest congratulations on the completion of this remarkable work"

A colourful day for London's new tube (1969-04-01)TfL Corporate Archives

Airport Tube 'Wonderful New Amenity for London" (1978-01-06)TfL Corporate Archives

1977 - Opening the Piccadilly line Extension

The train makes a celebratory opening of the Heathrow extension with The Queen riding in the cab

Silver Jubilee Bus Carpet (1977-06-02)TfL Corporate Archives

1972 - Queen Elizabeth II - Silver Jubilee

A celebratory wool carpet was installed on special buses

The organisation marked the Queen's Silver Jubilee in numerous ways, including the commissioning of this new moquette

Royal Day in Docklands (1987-08-14)TfL Corporate Archives

1987 - Opening the Docklands Light Railway

The Queen at the front of the DLR (1987-07-01)TfL Corporate Archives

Queen thanks LU Staff (2002-07-01)TfL Corporate Archives

2002 - Queen Elizabeth II - Golden Jubilee

In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II made the front cover of the staff magazine On The Move, in recognition of her Golden Jubilee. The cover showed The Queen thanking London Underground staff at Uxbridge

Station Fit for a Queen (2010-04-01)TfL Corporate Archives

2010 - Queen Elizabeth II visits Aldgate station

Queen Elizabeth II visited Aldgate tube station as part of a tour, where she met with and spoke to London Underground staff

The Queen visits Baker Street (2013-03-21)TfL Corporate Archives

2013 - Queen Elizabeth II visits Baker Street Station

in 2013, Queen Elizabeth II visited Baker Street station for the 150th anniversary of the first tube journey

Queen visits Crossrail Elizabeth line (2016-02-23)TfL Corporate Archives

2016 - Queen Elizabeth II unveils the new name

In 2016, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled the new name for the Crossrail line being built at the time. It was to be called the Elizabeth line, named directly after her

The Queen visits an Elizabeth line station for the upcoming opening and tours station (2022-05-17)TfL Corporate Archives

2022 - Queen Elizabeth II opens the Elizabeth line

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Elizabeth line along HRH Prince Edward and TfL staff, including the Commissioner, Andy Byford

The Queen visits an Elizabeth line station for the upcoming opening and meets staff (2022-05-17)TfL Corporate Archives

Queen Elizabeth II Meets with Staff

Queen Elizabeth II visits Paddington station on the Elizabeth line wearing a yellow outfit, the direct complimentary colour for purple

The Queen visits an Elizabeth line station for the upcoming opening and unveils the plaque (2022-05-17)TfL Corporate Archives

Queen Elizabeth II unveils plaque

Queen Elizabeth unveils the official opening plaque of the Elizabeth line

Why not continue your royal journey by looking at our story on Royal Jubilees?

Credits: Story

Story compiled by TfL from information in records at the Transport for London Corporate Archives.

The Corporate Archives seeks to preserve and make accessible records, not to interpret them. A wider range of material is available for physical consultation.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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