35 unseen photographs of Queen Elizabeth II, taken just a month after the death of her father George VI, are coming to auction on March 20.
The photographs of the 25-year-old Queen, taken by Kenneth Clayton in March 1952, also feature individual shots of Prince Philip and children Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
The photographs were taken at the behest of artist Lindsay Williams, who had been commissioned to produce three portraits of the royal family.
Clayton's grandson Daniel has now decided to sell.
"The photos were not to be released because the Queen was still in mourning for her father and was not in black," he told the UK's Daily Mail newspaper.
"Also, she was wearing her crown but had not been coronated."
We believe that the £6,000-8,000 estimate could be a significant under-valuation, considering the current excitement surrounding the Queen's collectibles in her jubilee year.
 The Queen a month after her father's death |
A 1984 Daimler, driven by the Queen between 1984 and 1990, sold for $70,000 at a US auction in August 2010.
Two handwritten Elizabeth II-signed letters, written following the births of Prince Charles in 1948 and Prince Andrew in 1960, sold for a combined £4,700 ($7,600) at a UK auction in April 2011.
The Queen's signature is highly sought-after yet particularly hard to obtain; members of the royal family rarely sign autographs.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has sourced one of these great rarities: a Christmas card from the Queen, signed "Elizabeth".
Featuring a photograph of Clarence House, once the London home of the Queen following her marriage to Prince Philip in 1947, it would make for a superb addition for any royal collector.
