To coincide with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Door2Tour thought it would be a good idea to take a look into the life of our monarch and provide you with some titbits of info that you wouldn’t necessarily know. If you have a few moments to spare, enjoy our mini history lesson with our 20 Fab Facts About The Queen. Maybe there’s something you know about The Queen that we don’t, if that’s the case, do get in touch and let us know…
1. The Queen was born at 17 Bruton St, London W1 on 21 April 1926, was christened on 29 May 1926 in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace, and was confirmed on 28 March 1942 in the private chapel at Windsor Castle.
2. The Queen learnt to drive in 1945 when she joined the Army.
3. The Queen was a Girl Guide (1937) and a Sea Ranger (1943).
4. As a young girl, The Queen acted in a number of Pantomimes during World War Two including playing the part of Prince Florizel in Cinderella in 1941. These pantomimes took place every year in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle.
5. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were married on 20 November 1947 in Westminster Abbey. The Queen’s wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell and was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the Canmore factory, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle.
6. The Queen is the 40th monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England.
7. During her reign, The Queen has undertaken over 256 official overseas visits to 129 different countries.
8. The Queen has 30 Godchildren.
9. The Queen sent her first email in 1976 from an Army base.
10. The Queen has owned more than 30 corgis during her reign, starting with Susan who was a present for her 18th birthday in 1944. The Queen currently has five corgis; Emma, Linnet, Monty, Holly and Willow.
11. The Queen takes a keen interest in horses and racing. Her Majesty’s first pony was given to her by her grandfather, King George V, when she was four years old. This was a Shetland pony called Peggy. The Queen continues to ride at Sandringham, Balmoral and Windsor.
12. The Queen speaks fluent French and often uses the language for Audiences and State Visits. Her Majesty does not require an interpreter.
13. The Queen has received many unusual gifts including a variety of live animals. The more unusual animals have been placed in the care of the London zoo, among them jaguars and sloths from Brazil, and two black beavers from Canada. The Queen has also received gifts of pineapples, eggs, a box of snail shells, a grove of maple trees and 7kg of prawns.
14. The Queen has sent around 100,000 telegrams to centenarians in the UK and the Commonwealth.
15. Every year The Queen sends Christmas trees to Westminster Abbey, Wellington Barracks, St Paul’s Cathedral, St Giles, Edinburgh, The Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh, Crathie Church and local schools and churches in the Sandringham area.
16. The Queen is the first member of the Royal Family to be awarded a gold disc from the recording industry. 100,000 copies of the CD of the ‘Party at the Palace’, produced by EMI, were sold within the first week of release.
17. Technically The Queen still owns the sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the waters around the UK.
18. Over the course of the reign, around 1.1 million people have attended Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse
19. The Queen is patron of more than 620 charities and organisations.
20. The Queen has visited Australia 15 times, Canada 23 times, Jamaica six times and New Zealand 10 times. Her Majesty most recently visited Australia in March 2006 to open the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Will any of you be visiting London for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations? If so, do get in touch and let us know what happens or perhaps send in your photos of the day!