The touching reason why the Queen and Prince Philip's 70th wedding anniversary pictures are so significant

The Queen and Prince Philip have been captured by photographer Matt Holyoak in a series of new portraits to mark their 70th wedding anniversary.

The photographs show the royal couple, who tied the knot in a momentous ceremony at Westminster Abbey on November 20th 1947, looking happy and relaxed as they pose together in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.

Prince Philip, 96, chose a smart grey suit for the occasion, whilst Queen Elizabeth, 91, gave a nod to her bridal look by choosing a white shift dress, accented with pearl jewellery and a red brooch.

The images are significant not only for the pair themselves, but also for British royal history, as Elizabeth is the first monarch to have reached the milestone of 70 years of marriage; their platinum wedding anniversary.

The couple actually first met when Her Royal Highness was just 11 years old, at the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark to Prince George, Duke of Kent. Their engagement was announced 13 years later, on 9th July 1947, much to the delight of the nation.

Throughout the course of their relationship, The Queen and Prince Philip have welcomed four children: Prince Charles, born in November 1948, Princess Anne, in August 1950, Prince Andrew, in February 1960, and Prince Edward, in March 1964.

They also went on to become proud grandparents eight times over, and have five great grandchildren, although this number is soon to become six, when their grandson Prince William and his wife Kate have their third child (opens in new tab) in April 2018.

Speaking during an emotional tribute to her husband in 1997, Elizabeth said: 'He is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.'

Philip, meanwhile, has said that the recipe for the pair's happy marriage is 'tolerance'.

'I think the main lesson that we have learnt is that tolerance is the one essential ingredient of any happy marriage,' he said on their golden wedding anniversary in the same year.

'It may not be quite so important when things are going well, but it is absolutely vital when the going gets difficult. You can take it from me that the Queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance.'