This is our beloved Queen Elizabeth II as you have never seen her before, swapping the palace for a garage and doing her bit for the war effort.
In a picture set kept under wraps until now, the then princess can be seen tinkering under a bonnet and behind the wheel of a military vehicle.
The archive even includes her provisional driving licence for her job in the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
The official document lists her name as “HRH Princess Elizabeth” and states she has blue eyes, is 5ft 4in and has light brown hair.
These intriguing artefacts were kept by the late Major Violet Wellesley, who was the princess’s ATS driving instructor.
Before her death in 1971, Miss Wellesley gave strict instructions for the documents not to be sold off until after the Queen had passed as she didn’t want to offend Her Majesty.
But the set is now being auctioned by the daughter of the close companion Miss Wellesley had left it to.
It is made up of seven black and white photos of a 19-year-old Elizabeth wearing her ATS mechanic’s uniform.
There are three group shots of her with other ATS girls.
Other images show a visit to the ATS training centre at Camberley, Surrey, by her parents, King George VI, and her mother, the Queen Mother.
Accompanying the photos is an account by Miss Wellesley that she was asked to give to the royal biographer Sir John Wheeler-Bennett in 1959.
She praised Princess Elizabeth for her work ethic and for getting “thoroughly dirty” in the role.
She wrote: “She insisted on being treated as an ordinary ATS subaltern and of receiving no favours whatsoever.
“I remember what a lot of enjoyment she got out of being behind the scenes for a change when the King and Queen inspected our training centre.”
She said Princess Elizabeth’s driving was “outstanding” for a beginner.
The archive includes a letter sent from Buckingham Palace to Miss Wellesley thanking her for her birthday wishes.
It is being sold by Reeman Dansie of Colchester, Essex, on November 8 with a guide price of £1,000-£2,000.
Auctioneer James Grinter said: “Miss Wellesely kept this fascinating archive of relating to the Queen’s service in the ATS and it was treasured by her for the rest of her life. I would imagine there will be a lot of interest.”
