- Owned one of the world's largest private collections of postage stamps.
- Was fluent in French.
- Owned a McDonald's Restaurant (in actuality, she owned the building in which the restaurant was a tenant).
- Was crowned in Westminster Abbey in London on June 2, 1953. This coronation became the first major international television broadcast.
- She enjoyed watching horse-racing, Doctor Who (2005) and the British comedy Last of the Summer Wine (1973). She was also known to enjoy quiz programmes.
- On September 9, 2015, she surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as the longest-reigning English or British monarch in history.
- Liked tea, always Earl Grey, with milk and no sugar every morning.
- She never held a drivers license, despite driving an ambulance in WWII for the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, a military unit, which gave her the authority to drive under military command. She had the right to drive without a license once she became queen, because motor vehicle operator's permits in the UK were issued in her name, and having a driver's permit would be issued by her government to herself. After the war, she did not drive on public roads in the United Kingdom, but did drive in Malta while Prince Philip was stationed there during his time in service in the Royal Navy. After becoming Queen, she had the legal right to drive anywhere in the United Kingdom; in practice she did not do so, but she was well known for driving on her private estates, Balmoral and Sandringham.
- Earned her nickname "Lillibet" as a child, when she could not pronounce her name.
- In addition to the United Kingdom, she was queen and head of state of over a dozen countries, including Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Since she did not live in those countries, though she visited often, many of her duties were performed by a governor general who she appointed on the advice of the prime minister of the country in question. Neither Elizabeth nor her governors general had a hand in governing these countries and their roles are purely ceremonial.
- She sat for 139 official portraits.
- The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated her net worth at $442 million.
- Her Majesty became Queen in a tree house. At the time of her father's death, she was staying at the Treetops Hotel. It is literally built into the tops of the trees of the Aberdares National Park as a tree house, offering the guests a close view of the local wildlife in complete safety. It was there that, uniquely, she "went up a Princess and came down a Queen". She was the first British monarch since the Act of Union in 1801 to be outside the country at the moment of succession, and also the first in modern times not to know the exact time of her accession (because her father, George VI, had died in his sleep at an unknown time); it fell to Prince Philip to tell her. The night of the King's death, Sir Horace Hearne, then Chief Justice of Kenya, escorted The Princess Elizabeth, as she then was, to a state dinner at the Treetops Hotel. Upon finding out that she was now Queen, she returned immediately to Britain.
- Her Coronation in 1953 was watched by a 13-year-old David Jason; she later knighted him during her birthday honors on December 1st, 2005. According to Jason, she never told anyone to 'arise' once they had been knighted - it's an urban myth and not part of the ceremony. Later, she told Jason he had been in the business a long time, and he asked if he had ever done anything to offend her. She laughed and said no.
- Although most of the "Crown Jewels" are owned by the state, the British Royal Family do own one of the most valuable collection of jewels in the world, containing some of the worlds largest diamonds, Emeralds, Sapphires, and Rubies.
- At the time of her coronation, her favourite actors were Laurence Olivier, Gary Cooper and Dirk Bogarde.
- Learnt to drive in 1945 when she joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service.
- She owned the world's finest Pink Diamond; it forms the Centre of a flower brooch and weights 54.50 carats.
- As monarch, she had to formally approve all government legislation before it could become law (known as "royal assent"). It would have created a massive constitutional crisis if she did not approve a piece of legislation-a monarch hasn't refused assent for a bill since Queen Anne in 1708-although the monarch may choose to ask the prime minister for a two-day delay, which is meant to cause the prime minister to reconsider the legislation; in practice, this very seldom happens.
- She received over 3 million items of correspondence during her reign.
- Fifteen prime ministers of the United Kingdom served during Elizabeth's reign: Winston Churchill (1951-1955), Anthony Eden (1955-1957), Harold Macmillan (1957-1963), Alec Douglas-Home (1963-1964), Harold Wilson (1964-1970, 1974-1976), Edward Heath (1970-1974), James Callaghan (1976-1979), Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990), John Major (1990-1997), Tony Blair (1997-2007), Gordon Brown (2007-2010), David Cameron (2010-2016), Theresa May (2016-2019), Boris Johnson (2019-2022), and Liz Truss, who took office two days before the queen's death, following Boris Johnson's resignation in July 2022. This surpassed the record 14 prime ministers who served under George III (reigned 1760-1820).
- She owned over 30 corgis over the years, and her four dogs as of February 2002 were named Pharos, Swift, Emma, and Linnet.
- Her favourite Royal residence was Windsor Castle.
- Ascended the throne when she was 25.
- May 4-8. Her Majesty stayed in Jamestown, Virginia to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the colonizing of Jamestown. (May 2007)
- In February 2017 she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee (65 years on the throne) and in November 2017 she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum (70th) wedding anniversary., ultimately married for seventy-three years before the death of husband, Prince Philip in April 2021.
- Ascended the throne as queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth on February 6, 1952.
- She visited the sets of Britain's most popular TV soap operas - Coronation Street (1960) in 1982 and again in 2021, EastEnders (1985) in 2001 and Emmerdale Farm (1972) in 2002.
- Prince Harry's graduation from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, was the first time in 15 years she presented the ceremony.
- Had 8 grandchildren: Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (b. 21 June 1982), and Prince Henry Charles Albert David (b. 15 September 1984, Prince Charles' sons), Peter Mark Andrew Phillips (b. 15 November 1977) and Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips (b. 15 May 1981, Princess Anne's children), Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary (b. 8 August 1988) and Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena (b. 23 March 1990, Prince Andrew's daughters), Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary (b. 8 November 2003) and James Alexander Philip Theo, Viscount Severn (b. 17 December 2007, Prince Edward's children).
- Elizabeth's reign coincided with the terms of fourteen presidents of the United States, and she met every president with the exception of Lyndon B. Johnson. In chronological order, she met Harry S. Truman (Canadian Embassy Washington 1951), Dwight D. Eisenhower (St. Lawrence Seaway opening 1959), John F. Kennedy (London 1961), Richard Nixon (UK 1970), Gerald Ford (White House 1976), Jimmy Carter (Buckingham Palace 1977), Ronald Reagan (UK 1982), George Bush (Washington 1991), Bill Clinton (Buckingham Palace 2000), George W. Bush (White House 2007), Barack Obama (London 2009), Donald Trump (London 2018), and Joe Biden (UK 1982 as senator & 2021). She also met former president Herbert Hoover more than 20 years after he left office (New York City 1957).
- Has been played by Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, Cate Blanchett, Jane Alexander, Jeannette Charles, Dana Wynter, Kate Robbins, Jennifer Saunders, and Trey Parker, among others.
- On the 9th of September 2007 there was much news coverage of Queen Elizabeth II attending the Opening of the Welsh Assembly. Unfortunately, unintentional humor resulted when some broadcasters used the common abbreviation of the word Assembly.
- Also in her role as "Defender of the Faith," gave Royal Assent to the Equality Act, which put all religions on an equal footing under United Kingdom law.
- First British monarch to celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee (65th anniversary on the throne February 6, 2017), and first British monarch to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee (70th anniversary on the throne February 6, 2022).
- In 2022, Elizabeth became only the fourth monarch of a sovereign state to have reigned for over 70 years (based on verifiable dates). In June 2022, she became the second-longest reigning monarch ever, behind only the 72-year reign of Louis XIV of France (1643-1715). Considering Elizabeth's reign never included a period of regency-Louis XIV ascended his throne at age four, and his mother ruled for him as regent until he came of age-Elizabeth reigned in her own right longer than any other monarch.
- Both she and her namesake Queen Elizabeth I (who was her first cousin 14 times removed) were not expected to be monarch at birth -- both were third in line at their lowest point, but in both cases the short reign of a childless king named Edward ended abruptly, changing the expected succession and making them second in line. Both ascended the throne at age 25 following the untimely death of the previous monarch. Both were interested in horses and the arts and had long reigns over periods of great technological innovation. Both were also proposed to by a man named Philip -- for Elizabeth I, it was her former brother-in-law Philip II of Spain (whom she turned down), while for Elizabeth II it was her husband Philip Mountbatten.
- Was delivered via Caesarean section.
- Had she still been on the throne on May 27, 2024, she would have surpassed King Louis XIV of France (ruled 1643 to 1715) as the longest reigning monarch of a sovereign state in history whose length of reign is verifiable.
- To commemorate her Platinum Jubilee, Mattel toy company unveiled a Gold Label Collector's Edition Barbie Doll sculpted in her likeness on April 20, 2022. The doll was released one day before her 96th birthday.
- Appeared on the cover of Time magazine more than ten times, with her first cover as a small child in 1929. She was also named Person of the Year in 1953.
- Was the "Defender of the Faith" and once described Jesus as having completely human parentage in a Christmas Message.
- Born at 2:40 AM (GDT).
- The Queen's role as a mechanic/ambulance driver in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II began when she was 17 years old in 1943.
- As of 2021 she remained the third most admired woman in the world according to the annual Gallup poll, her 52 appearances on the list meaning she had been in the top ten more than any other woman in the poll's history.
- Her last official act as queen, two days before her death, was meeting with Prime Minister-designate Liz Truss and granting her permission to form a government. This meeting was also the last time she was photographed.
- All but two of her great granddaughters have some form of Elizabeth in their name. Her granddaughter Zara's has a daughter Lena Elizabeth, Peter Phillips Zaras brother has a daughter Isla Elizabeth. Williams daughter is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana and Harry's daughter is Lilibet Diana and Princess Beatrice named her daughter Siena Elizabeth.
- In 1991, she became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress.
- At 96, she was the longest-lived English or British monarch in history. She's held that distinction since 2007, when she surpassed the longevity of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who died at age 81.
- She was educated solely by tutors and governesses, and never attended any formal school. The only time she ever participated in any group education was in 1945 when she took a six-week training course to learn to be a driver and mechanic as part of the UK's World War II effort.
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