The image of Queen Elizabeth II is iconic in today's world. Everyone recognizes her and feels like they know her, because she's always been there. A lot of us don't quite understand what she does, which makes us all the more curious about her — and really about the entire British royal family — so we watch television dramas and documentaries about the monarchy, and maybe even read books and magazine articles about the royals. But those things don't always give us the full picture. We get glimpses into who the Queen is, but there are still plenty of things about who she is as an individual, what she does as the Queen, and how she got where she is today that many people don't know.
The royals in general — and particularly the monarch herself — are a rather private lot. We suppose that's because there are always people watching them, and their actions and choices have consequences that go beyond just their own family. (It's important for them to keep as much to themselves as possible.) They are calculated and organized about how and when they release information, and they certainly do as much as possible to ensure only the private details they choose to share actually reach the public — although of course that doesn't always happen.
That said, Queen Elizabeth is 94 years old and has been the monarch for 65 years (yup — she is the world's longest reigning monarch), so the media and her fans have had plenty of time to dig up lots of interesting and little-known facts about the head of the British royal family. Keep reading to find out some fascinating things about Queen Elizabeth.
Never Meant To Be Queen
Those who haven't watched the Netflix drama The Crown might not know that Queen Elizabeth was never meant to be Queen. Her uncle, Edward VIII, was first in line for the throne, followed by her father. In quite the scandal, Edward abdicated the throne to marry a divorcée. Elizabeth's father became King of England, but his untimely death at just 56 years old thrust Elizabeth onto the throne.
Adorable Nicknames
Queen Elizabeth's family members do not call her "your majesty" at home. She actually has two really cute and unexpected nicknames. Her family — including her husband, Prince Philip — call her Lilibet, which is how she pronounced her own name as a toddler. Philip also apparently calls the Queen "Cabbage," which likely comes from an inside joke between the couple.
Pantomime Performer
During World War II, the future queen and her sister, Princess Margaret, performed in pantomime shows at Windsor Castle. Here, Elizabeth is pictured playing the role of Prince Charming in Cinderella alongside Margaret, but over a number of years, she acted in various shows — including Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty among others.
No Formal Education
Just like all of the members of the royal family before her, Queen Elizabeth did not receive a formal education. She was tutored at the castle, where she studied constitutional history and law. Her tutors had excellent pedigrees, though — one was actually the vice provost of Eton College, where both Prince William and Prince Harry later studied.
Using Ration Coupons for Her Wedding
In the wake of World War II, many Brits were living off of rations, so when Queen Elizabeth became engaged in 1946, she actually used ration coupons to buy the fabric for her wedding dress. She was allowed 200 extra rations for the making of the dress. The ingredients to prepare their wedding cake were also donated.
Inventing a Dog Breed
Believe it or not, the Queen invented a dog breed. Most of us know that Queen Elizabeth is quite fond of the corgi dog breed, which she's owned since childhood, but she's actually been credited with inventing the "dorgi" breed. The dorgi was apparently created when her Corgi mated with her sister's Dachsund, and the line has remained in the royal family for years since.
Sneaky Celebration
When World War II ended, Queen Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, got special permission from their parents to go celebrate with the masses in the streets outside Buckingham Palace. The girls went incognito, of course, and were camouflaged by the hundreds of other people out celebrating. The Queen recalls it as one of the most memorable nights of her life.
Marrying Her Cousin
We've probably all heard the anecdotes about all royalty being inbred, so it might not come as such a shock that Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, are actually third cousins. The Queen is a direct descendant of Queen Victoria on her father's side, and Prince Philip is a direct descendant of Queen Victoria on his mother's side.
Love for Meghan
Despite all of the drama, the Queen and her granddaughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, actually get along quite well. The media and the British public have long tried to pit nearly every member of the royal family — including the Queen herself — against Prince Harry's wife, but it's been said that the Queen accepted Meghan from the beginning, because she appeared to make Harry so happy. Likewise, it's evident from nearly every photo of the two together that Meghan genuinely admires and respects the Queen.
"Annus Horribilis"
The Queen stated in a speech in November of the same year that 1992 was her "annus horribilis." It truly was a rough year for the royals. There was a fire in Windsor Castle, and three out of four of her children ended up separating from their spouses. "1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure," she said in the speech. We suppose anyone who has live as long as the Queen has is bound to have some difficult years along the way.
Chinese, Anyone?
Before William and Harry, British royalty were typically born at home, including Elizabeth. But she wasn't born in the palace like her own children. The Queen was actually born in her grandparents' home, in what was at the time a normal residential neighborhood. Today, the location is home to an upscale Cantonese restaurant called Hakkasan.
Trailblazer
Email existed in the 1970s?! Why, yes it did. In fact, Queen Elizabeth sent her very first email back in 1976, so she's definitely not a stereotypical, anti-tech granny. The email was sent as part of a technology demonstration at the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment. Keeping ahead of the times is probably pretty important for a world leader.
"Fishes Royal"
Wanna know something weird? Her Majesty actually owns all of the dolphins, sturgeons, and whales in British waters, which are collectively known as "fishes royal." Her ownership rights date all the way back to a rule that was put in place in the 14th century. But that's not all. She also owns all of the swans in certain portions of the River Thames.
Weird Royal Gifts
The Queen receives hundreds of letters per day, and many, many gifts every year. (Some are quite elaborate, and others are rather strange.) She's been given tortoises, an elephant, beavers, pineapples, a bag of salt, and many other oddities. Don't worry — the animals were all donated to the London Zoo. Generally, a lot of the gifts she receives are meant to represent a nation or some sort of cause, which might explain their sometimes odd nature.
Rule-breaker
Most of us think of Queen Elizabeth as someone who is super buttoned-up and proper, and she is, but that doesn't mean she isn't willing to break the rules on occasion. She's been Queen so long, who would actually question her? From bending all sorts of protocols during her visit with Michelle Obama, to putting the happiness and well-being of her grandchildren above formalities, she does what she thinks is right regardless of the rules.
Nervous She Will Never See Archie Again
Now that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have stepped down from their royal duties and hopped the pond, the Queen is apparently nervous that she'll never see her youngest grandson, Archie Harrison, again. That might sound a little dramatic, but in light of our new normal — and the fact that the Queen is so far along in years (no one lives forever) — her fear might not be totally unfounded.
Passion for Riding
Apparently, being 94 doesn't automatically mean a person can no longer horseback ride. The Queen is reportedly quite passionate about horses and has been spotted riding quite frequently, even in her advanced age. We're sure someone's probably warned her against it, but clearly she enjoys it too much to worry about any potential consequences.
Boozy Side Hustle
The Queen has officially debuted a gin that is made with botanicals from the gardens at Buckingham Palace. The gin is only available from the Royal Collection Trust, which means it'll provide an additional stream of income for Buckingham Palace. Oh, and did we mention it has an ABV of 42%?
Yasss, Queen! Sadly, it's only available for shipping in the UK.
