20 Surprising Facts About Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrates the 60th year of her reign this year,
has been in the public eye all her life. And yet she's far from your
typical celebrity: she doesn't give media interviews and maintains a
public persona often characterized as aloof. But published reports over
the years have given some insight to the queen's private life. Below,
learn more about what goes on behind closed palace doors along with
surprising moments from her personal history.
Famously reserved in public, the queen may be a regular cut-up in
private, reportedly doing surprisingly skilled impressions. But exactly
whom she mimics is any commoner's guess -- her inner circle isn't
telling.
| 2. Her Human Alarm Clock |
The queen wakes to the sound of her personal bagpiper every morning.
| 3. Heady Monikers |
The queen's tiaras have names such as "The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara" or "The Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara."
Grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry don't call the queen "your majesty." To them, she's just "Granny."
While she's driven by a chauffeur in public, the queen does drive herself around the royal family's private estates.
The queen knows more about motor vehicles than just how to drive them;
she learned how to fix truck engines during World War II as a member of
the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women's branch of the British
army.
7. Say Yes to Dress, Again
Royals can recycle. The queen sometimes wears her outfits more than once in public. On a trip to Australia, the queen was spotted wearing the same dress she wore months earlier to wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
8. Pretty in (Bright) Pink
One reason royals watchers may have an easy time spotting the queen's wardrobe repeats is because of dresses' memorable colors. She tends to wear brightly-colored dresses, as well as large hats, to stand out from the crowd she draws.
9. Young Love
The queen met her future husband, Prince Philip, when she was just 13.
10. No Passport Necessary
The queen is well-traveled, but she doesn't have a passport. According to the official website of the British monarchy, "As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is unnecessary for The Queen to possess one."
11. All the Queen's Horses
The queen, an avid horse racing fan, owns and breeds race horses.
12. Her Childhood Nickname
What do you call a pint-sized Elizabeth? "Lilibet," of course!
13. The Queen Who Almost Wasn't
In her youth, she wasn't always known as the future queen. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary's prominent place in line for the throne was secured only after her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated the crown and was succeeded by Elizabeth's father, King George VI. Elizabeth was 10 at the time.
14. Crowning Glory
The bejeweled gold crown that the queen donned during her 1953 coronation doesn't actually belong to her. Along with the rest of the collection known as the "Crown Jewels" -- including other crowns and other precious ceremonial objects -- it is property of the state.
15. In the Cards
The queen excels at the card game solitaire, known in the U.K. as "patience."
16. Famous Face
Long before she was the queen, she was a cover girl. She graced the cover of Time Magazine when she was 3 years old.
17. Canine Companions
Her favorite dog is the Corgi. She owns several at any given time.
18. Green Acres
The queen's home in Scotland is a 49,000-acre working farm.
19. Rooms to Spare
Her main residence, Buckingham Palace, has 775 rooms.
20. Royal Employment
About 1,200 people work in the royal household.
| 4. Queen Granny |
| 5. Her Way, Not the Highway |
| 6. Keeps on Truckin' |
7. Say Yes to Dress, Again
Royals can recycle. The queen sometimes wears her outfits more than once in public. On a trip to Australia, the queen was spotted wearing the same dress she wore months earlier to wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
One reason royals watchers may have an easy time spotting the queen's wardrobe repeats is because of dresses' memorable colors. She tends to wear brightly-colored dresses, as well as large hats, to stand out from the crowd she draws.
The queen met her future husband, Prince Philip, when she was just 13.
10. No Passport Necessary
The queen is well-traveled, but she doesn't have a passport. According to the official website of the British monarchy, "As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is unnecessary for The Queen to possess one."
The queen, an avid horse racing fan, owns and breeds race horses.
13. The Queen Who Almost Wasn't
In her youth, she wasn't always known as the future queen. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary's prominent place in line for the throne was secured only after her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated the crown and was succeeded by Elizabeth's father, King George VI. Elizabeth was 10 at the time.
The bejeweled gold crown that the queen donned during her 1953 coronation doesn't actually belong to her. Along with the rest of the collection known as the "Crown Jewels" -- including other crowns and other precious ceremonial objects -- it is property of the state.
The queen excels at the card game solitaire, known in the U.K. as "patience."
Long before she was the queen, she was a cover girl. She graced the cover of Time Magazine when she was 3 years old.
Her favorite dog is the Corgi. She owns several at any given time.
18. Green Acres
The queen's home in Scotland is a 49,000-acre working farm.
Her main residence, Buckingham Palace, has 775 rooms.
20. Royal Employment
About 1,200 people work in the royal household.
