At the age of 96, Queen Elizabeth II passed away. She had the longest reign of any monarch in British history.
She is quite private despite being one of the most well-known people in the world.
She and her sister celebrated the conclusion of World War II by having a covert party in the streets of London.
But that doesn’t mean she is illiterate. Elizabeth, known as “Lilibet” as a child, received private instruction at home. Princess Margaret, her younger sister, experienced the same thing.
1. She Once Partied Secretly in London’s Streets with Her Sister.
Elizabeth and Margaret obtained their parents’ approval before participating in the huge gatherings marking the end of World War II on May 8, 1945. The Queen described the occasion as one of her most treasured memories.
According to a royal family Instagram post from 1985, she stated, “I remember lines of unknown individuals locking arms and going down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a flood of happiness and relief.”
Even a movie titled “A Royal Night Out” depicted Elizabeth and Margaret’s misadventure.
2. On the Day of Her Wedding, Her Tiara Broke.
The diamond tiara had to be repaired right away, but Town & Country reports that it was successfully stitched up in time for the ceremony.
3. The Man She Married Was Actually Related to Her.
Elizabeth’s husband, Philip, and they were technically third cousins. On her father’s side, Elizabeth is linked to Queen Victoria, and on his mother’s side, Philip was related to Queen Victoria.
Philip was born into the royal dynasties of Greece and Denmark, but after marrying Elizabeth, he gave up his former thrones. He passed away on April 9, 2021, after 73 years of marriage.
4. She Had Two Birthday Parties Each Year.
April 21 is the Queen’s actual birthday, although the nation doesn’t observe it until June 11.
Monarchs whose birthdays fall during the colder months usually plan an extra, official celebration when the conditions are more likely to be favorable for a parade. Every June, Elizabeth held a ceremony called Trooping the Color.
5. She Ruled for So Long that Four out Of Every Five People in The Uk Were Not Alive when She Came to Power.
The majority of Britons have only ever known Elizabeth as their monarch: According to information released by the UK Office of National Statistics in 2017, 81% of UK citizens were not alive when Elizabeth took the throne.
After her father passed away in 1952, she promptly ascended to the throne. She was the world’s longest-reigning monarch alive when she passed away at age 96.
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6. She Interacted with 15 Different British Prime Ministers Throughout Her 70-Year Rule.
In addition, she has witnessed 14 different US presidents. Two days before the monarch passed away, on September 6, she last saw prime minister Liz Truss.
7. Over the Course of Her Life, She Owned More than 30 Corgis.
According to the Associated Press, Elizabeth received her very own corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday after her father brought home the first corgi for the royal household in 1933. Many of her later corgis were direct descendants of Susan.
She also popularised the corgi, a brand-new canine breed that results from crossing a corgi with a dachshund.
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8. She Was the Owner of Every Swan and Dolphin Found in Uk Seas.
According to the official royal family website, the British monarchs claimed ownership of “all mute swans” in the nation as early as the 12th century. The birds were prized as a delicacy back then.
The Queen still legally owns those swans even though she no longer consumes them. Every year, the Swan Upping, a multi-day census to count the birds and assess their well-being, is overseen by the Queen’s Swan Marker (real job title).
The 1324 statute also grants the queen possession of all “fishes royal,” which includes any sturgeon, dolphins, whales, and porpoises living in the waters near the UK.
9. Since Ascending to The Throne, Queen Elizabeth Has Taken at Least 260 Official International Journeys.
According to The Telegraph, the Queen attended 341 royal engagements in 2015, which is more than Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate combined.
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10. Queen Elizabeth Was Wealthy, but She Was Far from The Uk’s Richest Citizen.
The taxpayers gave the Queen some money, while the royal family’s private real estate assets gave her a tonne more.
In 2019, Forbes pegged her net worth at over $500 million. Although that may seem like a lot, the Queen is not by any means the richest person in the UK.