The longest reigning monarch left for her heavenly abode on 8th September 2022. She was a woman of grit and determination and was known for her charming personality. She has played a key role in various historical events across the world through the decades. Her unassuming wit, smart sense of humor, and inclination to the lighter side with mimicry enabled her to capture the attention of people across the globe.
Think you know everything about Queen Elizabeth II? Here are some facts you may not have known!
Did you know that Prince Philip, the son of Princess Alice, was related to Queen Elizabeth II? They were third cousins and were both great great grandchildren of Queen Victoria. Prince Philip was linked to Queen Victoria through his maternal side of the family. At the same time, Queen Elizabeth II was Queen Victoria's great grandchild through her paternal side. The two met each other when they were children; this happened during the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Demark to Prince George, Duke of Kent. At the time, the then Princess Elizabeth was 8, and Prince Philip was 13.
The Queen was the first female from the Royal family to have served in the military, having served in 1945. She was the head of the armed forces and held more than 50 ranks and appointments in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Armed Service. As a part of the funeral procession, the route taken will be lined by the members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines as a sign of guard of honour in the parliament square. It will include all three military branches and will lead up to Westminster Abbey. She will be carried on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy drawn by 142 sailors.
Queen Elizabeth was quite tech-friendly and has various monumental firsts to her name when it comes to tech savviness. In 1953, her coronation was the first coronation to be televised. She adopted the internet in the early stages and sent her first email in 1976. She was responsible for launching the first version of the royal family website in 1995. This was even before most publications decided to go online. She then launched the Royal Family's YouTube Channel in 2007, followed by a Twitter account in 2014, which is @RoyalFamily.
Over a period of 70 years of her reign in the monarchy, she had over 30 Corgis she would dote over. It was her favorite animal, and she was often seen with a pack of Corgis surrounding her. Her first Corgi was gifted to her by her father, King George VI, when she was seven. Her trainer had stated that the Queen stopped breeding the Corgis as she was skeptical about leaving any of them behind when she passed away. At the time of her death, she left behind 4 dogs, one Corgi/Dachshund mix named Candy, two Corgis and one Cocker Spaniel. However, during recent visits, Prince William assured one of the British subjects that the dogs will be in good hands and cared for. "They'll be looked after very well. Spoiled rotten, I'm sure," he said to the lady.
It is said that the British Monarch laid claim on 'All Mute Swans' back in the 12th century, which was a delicacy at that time. However , the Queen did not technically eat these swans, but she did own them. A Queen's Swan Marker would offer a multi-day census count and check-up on the health of these swans. She also owned 'fishes royal,' which included sturgeon, dolphins, whales, and porpoises that reside in UK waters.
The Coutts ATM has piqued the interests of royal fans through the ages. It is an exclusive ATM that members of the royal family can use. If, in case, the Queen or the other members of the royal family were likely to use the ATM, it would be free of charge. It is more to do with the symbolism and luxury of the ATM than its actual function of it.
The Queen was one of the highest tier taxpayers on her private income. She filed her returns voluntarily and was the first member of the royal family since the 1930s to pay taxes. The royal family received flack for their special status that exempted them from paying taxes. In 1993 this was 40%, and by 2021, it rose to 45%.
The bullion coins with the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II have been in circulation for decades. In addition, various commemorative coins have been launched through the years as an ode to the Queen. The Royal Mint has been responsible for striking coins of the British Monarchs that started with Alfred the Great. Currently, various Queen Elizabeth II coins are in circulation and in demand worldwide.
The Queen came to the throne in the year 1953, and the royal mint introduced a special set of proof coins to mark this historic event. The first royal portrait was by photographer Dorothy Wildin wherein, who photographed the Queen facing right. A competition was set to create a royal effigy from the photograph, and Mary Gillick won the competition. As a result, three sets of proof coins were struck to commemorate the Queen's coronation in 1953.
The most recent coin is a 5-pound coin that was to commemorate the 95th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II that was issued in April 2021. The Queen's Reign Charity and Patronage 2022 UK £5 Brilliant Uncirculated coin was a lasting memento of the platinum jubilee with the Queen's signature in reverse. The design and illustration were by P. J. Lynch, showing traditional Maundy coins. This has been struck to a fine finish as compared to the circulating coins. The packaging consists of the Queen's dedication to charitable work.
One of the most amusing and interesting stories associated with the Queen is the secret signals to do with her handbag. When the Queen plops her handbag on the table, it signifies that she wants dinner to end in five minutes. The Queen usually drapes the handbag on her left arm. So, if she switches it to the right, it means she is done with the current conversation and wants to be rescued. These are allegedly discreet gestures that only the royal staff understands or is signalled.
While the Queen did not have a formal education, she was taught various subjects by private tutors. It is said that the Queen's father disliked schools and her mother believed that having fun is important. At the same time, she did have private tutoring in a variety of important subjects; her private schooling included horse riding, swimming, music, and dance. Her other subjects included math, constitutional history and more. She was also fluent in French and German.
How did you score? Did you know all or most of these facts? The legacy of the Queen will remain etched in the pages of history. The world will continue to celebrate her power, will, and determination for generations to come.
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