The Queen at 90: Nine fun facts about Elizabeth II
Her Majesty is a keen linguist alongside a prodigious dog breeder and coupon collector
Despite being one of the most famous nonagenarians in the world, there are still a few facts about The Queen that may prove surprising.
On her 90th birthday, here are nine fun pieces of trivia about Her Majesty, one for every decade of her existence.
En Francais
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Not content with speaking only the "Queen's English", Her Majesty is also fluent in French and often uses the language for audiences and state visits. Most recently she welcomed French President Francois Hollande to Buckingham Palace, ably discussing a variety of weather phenomena in his native tongue.
Under the sea
Thanks to a statute from 1324 that's still valid today, the sturgeons, porpoises, whales and dolphins found in the waters around the UK are all owned by Queen Elizabeth. When a sturgeon is captured within three miles of the UK coastline, the "fishes royal" may be claimed on behalf of the Queen but in practice she refrains from dealing in any type of fishing trade.
Technology pioneer
The Queen almost certainly sent her first email before you, pinging off a private message in 1976 from a British army base. Claims that it was a picture of a cat playing the keyboard have never been verified.
Old dog, new tricks
The Queen introduced a new breed of dog to the world, known as the dorgi, when one of her corgis was mated with a dachshund named Pipkin, which belonged to Princess Margaret. A picture released by Buckingham Palace today shows the Queen with her corgis Willow and Holly and dorgis Vulcan and Candy.
Monarch mechanic
She is reportedly the only British monarch in history who has the requisite training to change a spark plug, after undertaking a car-maintenance course during the Second World War.
What's in a name?
The Duke of Edinburgh is rumoured to use the pet names "sausage" and "cabbage" for the Queen. Her more formal nickname, which is apparently how she was known is her youth, is "Lilibet".
No passport
The Queen does not legally require a passport in order to travel. She can move freely in and out of border controls across the globe because British passports are actually issued in her name. It's not immediately clear what would happen if she tried to sneak her corgis into Australia though.
Coupon collector
During the time of post-war austerity, the Queen thought it was best not to be seen splashing the cash. Therefore in order to pay for the materials from which her wedding dress was made, she collected rationing coupons just like women up and down the country – although unlike women up and down the country, she married her distant cousin Prince Philip in a live radio broadcast to 200 million listeners.
Just handbags
If you're ever in the vicinity of the Queen, be sure to watch where her handbag is placed. The famous accessory never leaves her side, but should it end up on the table or in front of her, that's said to be a signal that she wants the meeting to end and her aides will shortly come and whisk her away.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
King Charles at 75: how the monarch has made his mark
Talking Point 'Modernising monarch' puts change on hold in first year in favour of stability and continuity
By The Week UK Published
-
Royal family website attacked by Russian hackers
Speed Read Pro-Kremlin group claim responsibility just two weeks after King Charles condemns invasion of Ukraine
By The Week Staff Published
-
What have we learned in King Charles’s first year?
Today's Big Question The monarch is ‘stamping his personality’ on the role and is definitely not a ‘caretaker’, says Palace source
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Lady-in-waiting Susan Hussey resigns over racist ‘abuse’ row
Speed Read Palace aide repeatedly asked where black charity boss was ‘really’ from during royal reception
By The Week Staff Published
-
Queen Elizabeth II died of 'old age,' death certificate says
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Princess Charlotte wears horseshoe brooch that the queen gave her at funeral
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
The Queen and her prime ministers - in pictures
In Pictures Through her 70-year reign, the Queen greeted 15 prime ministers
By The Week Published
-
Inside the queen's funeral
Speed Read A final goodbye to the beloved monarch who reigned for 70 years
By Catherine Garcia Published