Below are few amazing facts about Queen Elizabeth II. Get to know them-
Travel Without A Passport
She has being travelling a lot of countries but despite of being history’s most widely traveled head of state (reportedly visited 116 countries during her reign), Elizabeth does not hold a passport. Since all British passports are issued in the queen’s name, she herself doesn’t need one. She also doesn’t require a driver’s license, though she has been known to take joyrides around her various estates.
Have her Face on Cash still 257th Richest Person
Her face may be on all the cash but Queen Elizabeth II doesn’t have all of it. She’s reportedly worth around £300million, making her the 257th richest person in the UK.
Own Private Cash Machine
She has her own private cash machine. For use by the royal family it’s installed in the basement of Buckingham Palace.
Drove a Truck during World War II
At the age of 18 she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II. Known as Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor, she donned a pair of coveralls and trained in London as a mechanic and military truck driver. The queen remains the only female member of the royal family to have entered the armed forces and is the only living head of state who served in World War II.
Married Her Cousin
Princess Elizabeth fell in love with Prince Philip, her third cousin and a Greek prince. They shared the same great-great-grandparents.
Fluent French
The Queen has many hidden talents, including speaking fluent French. She often doesn’t use an interpreter on state visits.
Lilibet
Princess Elizabeth is called “Lilibet” by close family, a nickname she got because she couldn’t pronounce her own name. Her father, King George VI, used to say, “Lilibet is my pride”.
Shot at by a Teenager
During her birthday celebration on June 13, 1981, shots rang out as Elizabeth rode her horse in a parade near Buckingham Palace. Marcus Sarjeant, a 17-year-old who idolized the assassins of John F. Kennedy and John Lennon, had fired six blank shots in the queen’s direction. Swiftly subdued by police, the teen would spend three years in a psychiatric prison. Elizabeth, meanwhile, merely calmed her startled horse and resumed her procession.
First Head of State to have Used Electronic Mail
On March 26, 1976, Queen Elizabeth sent her first email while taking part in a network technology demonstration at the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, a research facility in Malvern, England. The message was transmitted over ARPANET, the forerunner of the modern Internet. She is considered the first head of state to have used electronic mail.
Text Messages Her Grandchildren
With her own YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Twitter handle, the queen is a modern monarch. But according to Sally Bedel Smith, she also started using a cell phone to text message her grandchildren.
Record-holder
Elizabeth II is the 40th monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England on Christmas Day 1066. She is also the oldest monarch to have celebrated a Golden Jubilee (in 2002 at the age of 76) – the youngest was James VI and I, at the age of 51. Elizabeth was also the first British monarch to celebrate her diamond wedding anniversary, on 20 November 2007.
