Top 10 Things You Never Knew About The Queen
Top 10 Things You Never Knew About The Queen! For this list, we'll be breaking down some fun facts about Queen Elizabeth II that you probably didn't know. Did you know that she is a modern monarch? Elizabeth II's affinity for modernity began all the way back in 1976, when she became the first member of the British royal family to send an email! She speaks fluent french! Her wedding dress was paid for in coupons! What other facts did we miss? Let us know!
#10: She Is a Modern Monarch
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Elizabeth II’s affinity for modernity began all the way back in 1976, when she became the first member of the British royal family to send an email. Since then, she’s continued to stay in touch with her younger subjects through her Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter account. Being the busy lady that she is, the Queen rarely has time to manage the accounts herself, so the task usually falls to her social media team. However, whenever one of thetweets is signed “Elizabeth R” it means that it was personally tweeted by Queen Elizabeth II. Her majesty is so hip she even texts her grandchildren from time to time!
#9: Her Wedding Dress Was Paid for with Coupons
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The year was 1947. England was still recovering from the devastation of WWII and everyone up to and including thefuture Queen of England was doing their part to get the country back on its feet. Despite having saved a considerable amount of her own clothing ration coupons to pay for her wedding dress, Princess Elizabeth still found herself scrambling to cover the bill. Though women from across the country found it in their heart to donate their own rations, she wasn’t able to use these; instead, she relied on the extra coupons that the government allowed her. This enabled Elizabeth to walk down the aisle in the Norman Hartnell designed, pearl encrusted gown of her dreams!
#8: She Speaks French
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As heir to the throne, Elizabeth was schooled in many important disciplines. She received a first rate education from people such as Henry Marten, vice provost of Eton College, who taught her constitutional history. Moreover, theArchbishop of Canterbury educated her on religion, and a number of governesses taught her how to speak French fluently. The latter is a skill she has continued to hone throughout the years and isn’t afraid to show off from time to time.
#7: She Has 2 Birthdays
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Anyone who’s perused Elizabeth II’s Wikipedia page will be quick to point out that her birthday is clearly listed as April 21st, 1926. However, in the United Kingdom she also celebrates her birthday on the second Saturday in June. The practice of celebrating the monarch’s birthday on a different day began in 1748 during the reign of King George II. Nowadays it is referred to as the Queen’s Official Birthday and it varies depending on which Commonwealth country you’re in. So why celebrate her birthday on a different day? The answer: weather. May and June offer a higher probability of nicer weather, thus ensuring that outdoor ceremonies won’t be disrupted.
#6: She Hosted the 1st Women’s Only Event in the History of Buckingham Palace
On March 11th, 2004 the Queen hosted the first ladies only event in the storied and lengthy history of Buckingham Palace, a building that has been around since the early 18th century. It was a star-studded affair, with everyone from JK Rowling and Emma Thompson to the Duchess of Gloucester in attendance. The event was meant to salute women of achievement who had risen to the top of their respective fields. It also recognized women like Cherie Blair, who despite her considerable work in the field of employment and discrimination law was often described simply as the “Prime Minister’s wife.”
#5: She Was the 1st British Monarch to Visit China
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On October 12th, 1986 Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to step foot on Chinese soil. The seven-day tour featured the Queen visiting some of the country’s most renowned landmarks, from the Great Wall to theTerracotta Army in Xi’an. China and Britain had been in the news two years earlier when the latter had agreed to return Hong Kong to the Chinese in accordance with a 99-year lease signed back in 1898. The Queen’s trip was thus used to further establish a relationship between the two countries.
#4: She Uses Her Purse to Send Messages to Her Staff
Imagine you’re the Queen and you want to tell one of your bodyguards that the person you’re currently conversing with is a total bore and you’d like nothing more to escape the conversation as quickly as possible. How would you do it? Well, if you were Elizabeth II, you’d use your purse, apparently. The position of the accessory is used to indicate a number of different things, from the aforementioned desire to be freed of a dull conversation to her yearning to depart a particular location tout de suite. Of course now that the information is public knowledge, one has to wonder whether or not she’s opted for a new signal sharing tactic.
#3: She Drives Without a License
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Not only is Queen Elizabeth II the only person in Britain who is allowed to drive without a license, but she is also theonly person who is able to drive a car without a license plate! It’s hardly as if she’s been winging it for more than 7 decades – yes we said 7 decades, as she first learned to drive all the way back in 1945. You see, Elizabeth trained as a mechanic and ambulance driver during WWII (more on that in a second). Anyway, be careful the next time an older woman cuts you off in traffic. For all you know, it might be the Queen.
#2: She Is the Only Female Royal to Have Joined the Army
If you remain unconvinced that Elizabeth II is a total badass, then this entry ought to do the trick. Unwilling to watch from the sidelines as the rest of her countrymen and women fought and died to preserve her country’s freedom, Elizabeth was appointed to the Auxiliary Territorial Service – the female Branch of the British Army – in 1945. This made her the first female royal to join the military! During her time as an enlisted woman, Elizabeth trained as a mechanic and driver and rose to the rank of honorary junior commander. She may not have seen any action, but her willingness to get her hands dirty speaks volumes about her character. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: She Loves “Downton Abbey” She’s Received Millions of Items of Correspondence She’s Been Gifted All Kinds of Animals
#1: She Doesn’t Have a Passport
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It stands to reason that if you’re the Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, you will be afforded certain…luxuries. In the case of Queen Elizabeth II, this means not having to carry a passport when youtravel. The reason for this lapse in international bureaucracy is because “a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty” and as such “it is unnecessary for The Queen to possess one.” This is taken directly from the official website of the British monarchy, so you know it’s legit. After all, if you can’t trust the Queen who can you trust?
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