The story of the WI and Queen Elizabeth II in pictures

Queen Elizabeth had a long, exciting history with the WI. Take a peek into our archives to see some of the highlights.

A family day out: HM The Queen Mother (second left) and Princess Margaret (far right) joined HM The Queen for her annual Sandringham WI meeting in 1977. The Queen Mother was for many years a member of the WI, as was her mother-in-law, Queen Mary.

Her Majesty chats to Denman College students at the opening of the Home Economics Centre in 1979.

A young Queen Elizabeth is delighted by homemade windchimes on the WI’s stand at the Ideal Home Exhibition in 1965. The WI was celebrating its Golden Jubilee that year.

In the thick of it: WI members get up close with The Queen (centre), with then-NFWI Chair Mrs Pike, at a garden party for the WI’s Golden Jubilee at Buckingham Palace in 1965.