We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. While we pause for thought, and contemplate in no doubt that millions of words have been written about the world’s longest reigning monarch, here are some interesting facts about the Queen's incredible life and some things you might not know about this royal legend.
1. In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II made history by becoming the first British monarch to reign for 70 years.
2. Her Majesty was gifted her first Corgi for her 18th birthday. The Corgi was named Susan, and has since gone on to own over 30 Corgis.
3. The Queen used her purse to send secret signals to her staff. For instance if the Queen was at dinner and places her handbag on the table, her staff knew that she wanted the event to end in the next five minutes. And if she put her bag on the floor, it signalled that she would like to be rescued from her current conversation.
4. Her Majesty hosted the first ever women’s only event at Buckingham palace. The ‘Women of Achievement’ luncheon was hosted in 2004. Along side the Queen, guests included Charlotte Church, Twiggy, Marjorie Wallace, Kate Moss and more.
5. The Queen bought her wedding dress with ration coupons. Due to post-war austerity measures in the UK, the then-Princess Elizabeth had to use clothing ration coupons to purchase the material for her wedding dress.
6. Her Majesty spoke fluent French and frequently used the language during audiences and royal engagements when visiting.
7. The Queen was the only person in the UK who was not required to have a driving license or license plate on her vehicle. She also didn’t need a passport to travel, as all British passports are issued in her name.
8. The Queen had her own private ATM in the basement of Buckingham Palace. Courtesy of Coutts bank, the ATM is strictly for members of the Royal Family only.
9. The Queen, the then Princess Elizabeth volunteered as a truck driver during World War II, making her the first female member of the Royal Family to serve in the military.
10. Her Majesty, The Queen has worn the same nail polish since 1989, Essie pale pink shade ‘Ballet Slippers’.
11. Within the Commonwealth alone, the Queen made more than 150 visits during her 70 year reign.
12. The Queen carried out more than 21,000 engagements over the course of her 70 year reign.
13. Her Majesty's face has been coins of at least 35 countries.
14. The Queen travelled on the London Underground for the first time in May 1939 with her sister Princess Margaret.
15. Made her first radio broadcast in 1940. The Queen made her first radio broadcast aged 14, she recorded a message of support for young people affected by the war in Europe, particularly those being evacuated from their homes, on the BBC’s Children’s Hour.
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