As I’m sure you have all heard, Queen Elizabeth II (born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) died today, September 8, 2022 at the age of 96.
Here are some interesting facts about the long-reigning Queen:
1. She became Queen at 25 years old, when her father King George VI failed to recover from a lung operation and died at 56 years old.
2. She had the longest reign of any British monarch in history – 70 years and 214 days.
3. She never needed a passport when traveling around the world, and was the only person in Britain who didn’t need a drivers license.
4. She was fluent in French.
5. The Queen and her sister Margaret were home-schooled by their governess Marion Crawford. They were the last members of the Royal Family to be educated at home.
6. The Queen was given her first corgi, Susan, for her 18th birthday, and has owned over 30 corgis during her reign.
7. She visited more than 120 countries on six continents, making her the most traveled monarch ever.
8. During World War II, wanting to do something for the war effort, Princess Elizabeth joined the women’s branch of the British Army. She was the first female member of the royal family to serve as a full-time, active member of the military. She trained as a mechanic and military truck driver, and was promoted to the rank of honorary Junior Commander.
9. Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, were distant cousins. They were both great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria. They received over 2,500 wedding gifts when they married in 1947, and were married for more than 70 years, until Philip died in 2021 at 99 years old.
10. The Queen always wore bright colors. The reason? So all 5’3 inches of her would stand out in a crowd.
11. The Queen’s alarm clock was bagpipes! A musician played the bagpipes for 15 minutes at 9:00am near her window every morning.
12. The Queen lived through 14 U.S. Presidents, and met with all except President Johnson.
13. Her hobbies were pigeon racing, horseback riding, and watching football.
14. The Queen had two birthdays! Her actual birthday was April 21st, but was always celebrated publicly the second Saturday in June, when the weather was warmer. This was a tradition started by the Queen’s great-grandfather, Edward VII, who was born during the cold month of November.
15. The Queen sent the first-ever royal email 42 years ago, long before any of us did! She was visiting a telecommunications research center and her mail account had the username “HME2” (Her Majesty, Elizabeth II).
Hope you enjoyed my little fact round-up about the Queen!
If you want to read about some inspiring people, check out my post “It’s Never Too Late – 20 Inspiring Stories of Success After 50” https://www.imightbefunny.com/heartwarming/its-never-too-late-20-inspiring-stories-of-success-after-50/