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At 96, Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, on September 8, 2022. She is the UK's longest-reigning monarch and has reigned for over 70 years. She was the sixth woman to ascend to the British throne when her father, King George VI, died in February 1952. Her coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II's elaborate funeral plan, Operation London Bridge, is currently in motion. As tributes pour in from all over the world, let's look at some lesser-known facts about Elizabeth II.
Seven facts about Queen Elizabeth II that you might not know
1) She used to celebrate her birthday twice a year
Queen Elizabeth II's birth name was Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. She was born in London on April 21, 1926, to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. However, the Queen celebrated two recognized birthdays. The first is her actual birthday, and the second is a particular day in June that was celebrated as her official birthday with the Trooping the Color parade.
The tradition of monarchs with birthdays in colder months typically scheduling an additional official birthday in the summer was started more than 250 years ago by King George II. He decided in 1748 to publicly celebrate his birthday in the summer rather than in November. This was done as there would be less chance of poor weather stalling outdoor celebrations and military parades.
2) She served in the military during World War II
Queen Elizabeth II joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1944, where the 18-year-old then-Princess trained as a truck driver and a mechanic to serve her country in World War II. She is the first and only female member of the British royal family to have served in the military.
Queen Elizabeth II also celebrated the end of World War II on Victory in Europe (VE) Day, May 8, 1945, by going incognito in her ATS uniform on the streets of London along with her sister Princess Margaret. She recalled her experience of the night for the BBC in 1985:
“I remember we were terrified of being recognized, so I pulled my uniform cap well down over my eyes. We cheered the king and queen on the balcony [of Buckingham Palace] and then walked miles through the street. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief…I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life.”
3) She was related to the man she married
Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on November 20, 1947. They are technically third cousins related through Queen Victoria of Britain, who was both of their great-great-grandmother. While Elizabeth II was related to Victoria through her paternal side, Philip was related to Victoria through his maternal side.
Queen Elizabeth II met Prince Philip in 1934 at the wedding of Philip's cousin Princess Marina of Greece and Elizabeth's brother Prince George, the Duke of Kent. At the time, she was only eight years old, and he was 13. Philip began writing to 13-year-old Elizabeth when he was 18 years old. He proposed to Elizabeth in 1946 while on tour to Balmoral. The couple was married for 73 years before his death on April 9, 2021.
4) She has owned several animals throughout her lifetime
The Queen's love for Pembroke Welsh Corgis is well-known. She received her first corgi named Susan as an eighteenth birthday present. Since then, she has owned over 30 dogs and even bred them herself. She also introduced a new breed of dog known as a "dorgi" when her corgi mated with a dachshund belonging to her sister Princess Margaret.
Queen Elizabeth II also owned all of the swans, whales, sturgeons, and dolphins in the waters around the United Kingdom. A statute from 1324 recognizes these fishes as "fishes royal." Being an equestrian, she also owned several horses. Similarly, her fondness for pigeon racing led her to own over 300 pigeons.
Apart from these animals, the Queen also received many exotic animals as gifts in her long lifetime, including elephants, giant turtles, kangaroos, crocodiles, sloths, and jaguars. These animals were donated to the London Zoo.
5) She signed her name a bit differently
Queen Elizabeth II signed her letters and statements with the name "Elizabeth R." The Queen used her first name, Elizabeth, but she also used the initial "R" instead of a last name. The "R" stands for "Regina," which means "Queen" in Latin.
6) She reportedly used her handbag to send secret signals to her staff
Queen Elizabeth II was never spotted without her handbag. She reportedly carried lipstick, a mirror, and other essentials in this handbag, mainly using it to send secret signals to her staff. It is said that if she placed her handbag on the table, she wanted to leave within the next five minutes. When she put her handbag on the floor, it signaled that she was not enjoying a conversation and wanted to be rescued.
7) She sent a message to the moon
In her message of goodwill ahead of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, Queen Elizabeth II wrote:
“On behalf of the British people I salute the skill and courage which have brought man to the moon. May this endeavor increase the knowledge and wellbeing of mankind.”
The goodwill messages from world leaders were transferred onto a small silicon disk and placed just below the American flag Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin planted at the landing site on the moon's surface.
Prince Charles, the eldest of her four children, inherited the throne immediately after the Queen passed away. His title will be King Charles III.
