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10 Things You Didn't Know About Queen Elizabeth

Updated: December 12, 2022
 By Margaret

Perhaps the most famous monarch in the world, Queen Elizabeth II ruled over the United Kingdom as well as a 53-member Commonwealth, for more than 70 years.

However, popular and recognised as she may have been, there are still a few things that you probably didn’t know about the Queen.


1. The Queen Liked to Drink

According to her cousin, Margaret Rhodes, the Queen enjoyed a tipple every day.

Gin before lunch, wine with her meal, and a dry martini and a glass of champagne every evening. Sounds good to us!


2. The Queen Was Rich!

She was thought to be worth around £300 million, but surprisingly, this makes her only the 257th richest person in the U.K.

She is even behind J. K. Rowling.


3. Her Handbag Did More than Carry Her Belongings.

The Queen famously uses her handbag to signal to her staff that she was tired of speaking to somebody and wished to move on.


4. Her Marriage to Prince Philip is Quite Average. 

In 1954, during a visit to Australia, the Queen was filmed throwing shoes, threats, and sporting equipment at Prince Philip after an argument.

Later she was quoted saying, “I’m sorry for that little interlude but, as you know, it happens in every marriage.”


5. She is Broke Records

The Queen was the longest-lived British monarch as well as the longest-reigning monarch in British history.


6. She Had 4 Children

Although her eldest child, King Charles III, is relatively well-known not many know that the Queen actually had a total of four children.

They are King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward. Born in 1948, 1950, 1960, and 1964 respectively.


7. The Queen Had 2 Birthdays

She celebrated her real birthday on 21st April but the United Kingdom as a whole celebrated her ‘official’ birthday every year in June.


8. She was an Animal Breeder.

Her Majesty bred corgis, Labradors, cocker spaniels and horses!


9. She Sent out Christmas Cards Every Year.

It’s estimated that she and Prince Philip had sent out over 45,000 Christmas cards throughout her reign.


10. She Refused to Let an Asteroid Be Named after Her.

Apparently, the Queen thought this would not be appropriate for a woman of her caliber but she did consent to let the asteroid be named after her dogs!

In 1992 the asteroid was officially named Shandless-McCord Beta.


All About the Queen

Famous the world over, Queen Elizabeth II reigned over the United Kingdom for just over 70 years.

Her family history can be traced back to William the Conqueror who came to England in 1066 and essentially founded the royal dynasty as we know it today.

Be sure to read our posts on Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guards.


Early Years

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Born at her maternal grandparents’ house in Mayfair, London (17 Bruton Street to be exact!) on the 21st of April 1926, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was never intended to be heir to the throne.

Her father’s brother, King Edward VIII, was the heir to the United Kingdom and it was not until Elizabeth was 10 that her uncle abdicated - giving up his claim to the throne - and her father succeeded as King George VI, making Elizabeth next in line.

Known to her close family as ‘Lilibet’ Queen Elizabeth grew up incredibly close to her mother, father, and her sister Margaret.

King George VI often referred to his family as “we four.”

As a child Elizabeth was described by Winston Churchill as “a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant.”

Her cousin declared that she was “a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved.”

In 1939 when Elizabeth was 13 and with her family on a visit to Dartmouth she met her eighteen-year-old distant cousin Prince Philip Mountbatten - the man she would marry 8 years later.

Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast at age 14 in 1940, speaking of the efforts the public were making the keep the spirits of soldiers fighting in World War II high.

It is reported that when the war was ended, both Elizabeth and Margaret secretly went out amongst the public in London, mingling anonymously with those who were celebrating all over the capital.


Accession to the Throne and Coronation

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Whilst she and her husband were visiting Kenya in 1952, Elizabeth’s father died.

She was informed of this - and her accession to the throne - while she was abroad.

Elizabeth returned to the United Kingdom, exiting the aircraft that brought her home dressed in somber mourning clothes.

She was welcomed home by Winston Churchill in a meeting that was filmed and shown all over the world.

The public rallied around the young Queen, remarking on her impressive composure during her homecoming as well as taking on the mantle of ruler of the United Kingdom and the relatively young age of only twenty-five.

On the 2nd of June 1953, Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was broadcast internationally.

The first coronation ceremony to ever be filmed for public consumption, the iconic act of the crown being placed on the young queen’s head is familiar the world over.

In the lead up to the coronation, the Queen wore her Imperial State Crown as she went about her daily business to get used to the fit and weight.

The entire coronation took 16 months of preparation and no detail was overlooked.

For example, the gown she wore was decorated with English Tudor roses, Scots thistles, Welsh leeks, Irish shamrocks, Australian wattle, Canadian maple leaves, New Zealand silver fern, South African protea, Indian lotus flowers and Pakistani wheat, cotton and jute.

This dress, cleverly incorporating symbolism from commonwealth countries, also bore a secretly sewn four-leaf clover resting on the dress’ left hand side, where Elizabeth’s hand would be resting throughout the day.


Diamond Jubilee and Other Records Broken

In 2012 Queen Elizabeth celebrated 60 years on the throne - only the second sovereign in 1,000 years to do so (the other was Queen Victoria in 1897)!

For her Diamond Jubilee, commemorating this event, jubilee beacons were lit around the world and the Queen embarked on a nationwide royal tour as well as leading a 1,000 strong flotilla that sailed down the Thames in a widely broadcast and watched the public parade.

She also broke other records that year: She became the first head of state to open two Olympic Games in two different countries (London 2012 and Montreal in 1976).

She also became the first British sovereign to attend a peacetime Cabinet meeting since King George III in 1781.

Elizabeth II is the longest-lived and second-longest-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. She is also the second-longest-serving current head of State (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand).

In September 2014, Queen Elizabeth II also become our longest-serving sovereign - breaking Queen Victoria’s record of 63 years 216 days.


Family - Past and Future and Succession

Elizabeth’s parents were King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later known as the Queen Mother - who lived until she was 101!

When Elizabeth was born her grandfather, King George V was on the throne and it was widely reported that Elizabeth was his favourite grandchild.

Our Queen herself had four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

King Charles III has since inherited the throne and, after him, will come William, Prince of Wales followed by his son, Prince George of Wales


Official Titles

Not many people realise that our Queen was not just ‘The Queen of England.’ Her titles were many, varied, and vast!

Officially her title was given as: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

She was the constitutional monarch of 16 realms and is the head of a 53-member Commonwealth of Nations. She was also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

She also held titles from the Order of the Garter, the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and the Imperial Order of the Crown in India - just to name a few!

In Canada she also held the title Chief Hunter of the Order of the Buffalo Hunt!

She was a member of numerous institutes such as the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

She held military titles and was Colonel-in-Chief of over a dozen military branches both at home and abroad and had been awarded honorary degrees from five different universities in the UK - including two from the University of London (Bachelor of Music and Doctor of Laws).

In 2013 she was also awarded a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) in a ceremony that was held at Windsor Castle.

The BAFTA was given to her for her “lifelong support of the British film and television industry.” This also goes hand-in-hand with the Queen’s impressive appearance as a Bond girl in the opening ceremony for the London Olympics!

+++To learn more about the royal family, join our Westminster walking tour or read our other blogs on William and Kate, Prince Charles or Prince Harry or learn more about Royal Palaces in London!

We also have a self-guided Royal London Walk to explore on your own!+++

About The Author

Margaret

An American simply by accident of birth, Margaret moved to London over 16 years ago and hasn’t looked back since! With a keen interest in History – and a BA degree to match – Margaret prides herself on her knowledge of the amazing city she calls home and she's been guiding here now for nearly a decade. Social history is her real expertise, with sound understanding of the day-to-day lives of Londoners over the past centuries. Read More...
Updated: December 12th, 2022
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