Khushboo Malhotra
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch passed away at Balmoral castle in Scotland, at the age of 96. A symbol of strength, grace and style, Queen Elizabeth was always looked up to for her undying spirit and power of resilience.
Born on April 21, 1926, in London as Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, Queen Elizabeth II, was named after her mother Queen Elizabeth, her paternal great-grandmother Queen Alexandra and her paternal grandmother Queen Mary. As an inspirational leader and distinguished ruler, Queen Elizabeth II lived a life well lived with her glorious aura and some of the most prominent achievements forever embellished in the golden letters in the history of the world.
From her marriage with Prince Philip to her most iconic fashion moments and crown jewels collection to her distinguished achievements to some quirky lesser-known facts from her life, there’s so much to remember about Her Majesty and learn from her iconic personality.
Read on to learn about some surprising and lesser-known facts about Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen: The Longest-Reigning Monarch
According to Reuters, Her Majesty was the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne of Britain in February 1952, when her father passed away. Her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953, was the first ever to be televised, watched by 27 million people in the UK and millions more audiences worldwide. She was the sixth female to ascend to the British throne.
Guinness World Record
The Queen held the Guinness World Record for being the oldest British queen. In 2015, she surpassed the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 years and seven months, to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Not to forget, she is also the second longest-reigning monarch of any sovereign country in the world.
She was served by 15 Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom – ranging from Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher to Boris Johnson. Just two days before doctors placed her under medical supervision, she had appointed Liz Truss as the new Prime Minister.
The Queen had Two Birthdays
The Queen had two birthdays – her actual one on April 21 was celebrated privately, and an official public declaration was held on the second Tuesday of June each year, as that’s when the weather was better for parades.
Home Education
She never went to school but was palace-schooled (home-schooled) instead. The education of the princess was supervised by her mother, who assigned both her daughters to a governess.
Military Service & Training
According to History Extra, Queen Elizabeth II was the first and only woman in the British royal family to have served in the military. She was 18 years old when she got into the Women’s Auxilary Territorial Service (ATS) during the Second World War. She volunteered as a truck driver and mechanic during the war. She was 14 years old when she first learned how to shoot which was part of her training to combat the Nazis.
Special Privileges of the Queen
Under the many special rights given to the monarch of Britain under royal precedence, the Queen was able to travel anywhere in the world without a passport and she did not hold a passport at all.
She was the only person in the UK who didn’t need a driver’s license to drive a car in her country. She could also drive a car without a number plate. Queen Elizabeth II travelled extensively compared to any previous British monarch. During her reign, she visited over 100 countries, including Canada 22 times and France 13 times.
Private ATM
While it’s rare that the Queen would need any loose cash, she did have a private ATM in the basement of Buckingham Palace. The ATM is owned by Coutts, one of Britain’s most exclusive banks is strictly for members of the Royal Family only.
The Queen and her Wedding Dress
According to British Heritage, due to post-war austerity measures in the UK, then-Princess Elizabeth used clothing ration coupons to purchase the material for her wedding dress. The government allowed her 200 extra ration coupons to make the purchase.
Humble & Modest
When you think of life behind the royal doors, cleaning and scrubbing don’t exactly spring to mind. However, contrary to popular belief, once speaking to The Telegraph, royal expert and author Harry Mount recounted a former royal courtier once told him: “I was once at a shooting lunch. At the end of lunch, I heard someone say, ‘I’ll do the washing-up.’ I turned around and there was the Queen in her yellow washing-up gloves.” Who’d have thought the Queen would be the owner of a pair of marigolds?
The Queen Loved her Royal Fans
Being the head of the British Monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II sent over 300,000 congratulatory cards to people celebrating their 100th birthdays, and over 900,000 messages to couples marking their diamond (60th) wedding anniversary. Also, it’s noteworthy that during her reign, she carried out a whopping 21,000 royal engagements.
Animal Love
It’s no secret that the Queen adored animals, especially her corgis and owned over 30 corgis during her lifetime, even bred them, having as many as nine at any one time, according to Country Life. Most of The Queen’s corgis were descended from her first corgi, Susan, who was gifted to her on her 18th birthday in 1944. Others included Candy, Lissy and Monty.
She fell in love with corgis after her father, King George VI, acquired Dookie, the royal family’s first corgi in 1933. Later, Queen Elizabeth II was credited with helping create the dorgi hybrid when her sister Princess Margaret’s dachshund mated with one of the corgis.
Aside from corgis, the Queen was given her first horse, a Shetland pony called Peggy, by her grandfather King George V, and enjoyed riding them ever since.
The Royal Portraits
CNN reports, that the Queen sat for over 200 official portraits. Sitting for a painted picture isn’t something that many of us will be accustomed to in the modern digital world of social media with a penchant for selfies and Instagram, but Her Majesty sat for over 200 official portraits (both painted and photographed) during her reign. Her first official portrait was ordered in 1933 when she was only seven years old.
Lifestyle Specifics
The Queen was very particular about certain things in her life. She had a royal bagpiper play near her window at 9 AM each morning for 15 minutes, as an alarm. This tradition was started in 1843 by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.
Her Majesty bathed every morning in seven inches of water. Every morning whilst she drank her cup of breakfast tea, the Queen’s maid would run her a bath. According to Angela Kelly, the Queen’s former personal assistant, “The bath [had] to be exactly the right temperature: tested with a wooden-cased thermometer, and no more than seven inches of water.”
In her book, Ms Angela Kelly, Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser to Queen Elizabeth II from 2002 to 2022, stated that the Queen employed a royal assistant to wear in her new shoes – and that she is the “flunky” that does it. “The Queen has very little time to herself and not time to wear in her own shoes, and as we share the same shoe size it makes the most sense this way.”
The Queen and her Sweet Tooth
Have you ever wondered what the Queen loves to munch on after a good meal? According to British Heritage, when asked about Queen Elizabeth’s taste, McGrady, who spent the best part of 15 years working for the Royal Family and Queen Elizabeth, said, “Now the chocolate biscuit bake is the only cake that goes back again and again and again every day until it’s all gone.”
Sydney Opera House
The iconic pride of Australia, the Sydney Opera House, which constitutes a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture with its unparalleled design and exceptional technological innovation, was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II on 20th October 1973.
The Queen to the Moon
To congratulate the Apollo 11 astronauts on the first moon landing (21 July 1969), a pre-recorded message from Her Majesty was deposited on the Moon in a metal container. The Queen offered the words: “On behalf of the British people I salute the skills and courage which have brought man to the moon. May this endeavour increase the knowledge and well-being of mankind.”
Spoke fluent French
Her Majesty spoke fluent French and frequently used the language to address audiences and during royal arrangements when visiting.
Movie Cameo
Queen Elizabeth II made a cameo opposite legendary actor Daniel Craig as James Bond in the opening visuals of the 2012 London Olympics, and her beloved corgis also shared screentime with her.
According to Ms Angela Kelly reported by BBC, the offer for Her Majesty to appear in a skit alongside Daniel Craig’s James Bond was considered by the Queen for just “five minutes” before she accepted.
“She was very amused by the idea and agreed immediately. I asked then if she would like a speaking part. Without hesitation, Her Majesty replied: ‘Of course, I must say something. After all, he is coming to rescue me,'” Ms Kelly recalled.
“I asked whether she would like to say: ‘Good evening, James,’ or: ‘Good evening, Mr Bond,’ and she chose the latter, knowing the Bond films. Within minutes, I was […] delivering the good news to [director Danny Boyle] – I think he almost fell off his chair when I said that the Queen’s only stipulation was that she could deliver that iconic line: ‘Good evening, Mr Bond.'”
Meeting Michelle Obama
Reports that the Queen “abandoned” royal protocol when she returned former First Lady Michelle Obama’s hug in 2009 were far from accurate. “In reality, it was a natural instinct for the Queen to show affection and respect for another great woman, and really there is no protocol that must be adhered to,” Kelly wrote in her book, The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe.
“When fondness is felt or the host of a State Visit goes to guide Her Majesty up some steps, it truly is about human kindness, and this is something the Queen will always welcome warmly. Anyone who is close to Her Majesty is not a threat and is certainly trusted.”
Mrs Obama wrote in her memoir, “We were just ‘two tired ladies oppressed by our shoes.'”
Digital Pro Queen
In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II became the first monarch to send an email. She also published her first Instagram post in 2019. Hail to the Queen who embraced digital modernisation.
World Record
Queen Elizabeth II held the record for most currencies featuring the same individual. The monarch also held the record for being the wealthiest Queen in the world.
According to Guinness World Records, Queen Elizabeth II also holds the record for the most countries to be Head of State simultaneously, which stands at 15.
Featured image courtesy of The Nix Company on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license can be found here.
Khushboo Malhotra
Khushboo is a Twitter Editor at Empoword Journalism. She is an Award-nominated lifestyle and pop culture journalist, writer, and budding entrepreneur aiming to break down the boundaries of cultural stigma and shame attached to mental health and sexual health and bring marginalised topics to light. Send your stories, tips, and press announcements to khushboomalhotrafreelance@gmail.com