10 surprising facts you did not know about the Queen
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning British monarch and has been on the throne for 65 years.
Over the past six decades, the Queen has remained as a constant figure through many different political and cultural landscapes.
These interesting facts about the British monarch will surprise you.
1. Reportedly, the Queen was given an iPod from Barack and Michelle Obama in 2009 when they visited her in England. It has been revealed that the Queen’s music taste lends to musicals, traditional hymns, Scottish Ballads and even the Beach Boys.
2. There is a member of staff in Buckingham Palace who is in charge of breaking in every new pair of the Queen's shoes by wearing cotton ankle socks and walking on carpet to soften the leather. The Queen never has to risk getting blisters.
3. The Queen’s childhood nickname was “Lilibet” because she couldn’t pronounce her name. The Duke of Edinburgh is known to affectionally call her “Cabbage”.
4. The Queen has her own train which is equipped with chefs and lace-trimmed pillows.
5. In 1982, there was an intruder in the Queen’s bedroom. The police arrived in seven minutes which gave the Queen enough time to have a conversation with the man.
6. The Queen has a personal bagpiper who plays for her in the morning to wake her up. She can even tell if someone different is playing.
7. When Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953, it was the first time in British history that the heir to the throne wasn’t single. The queens that preceded Elizabeth that chose to marry, did not do so until they were crowned.
8. The Queen refers to 1992 as her “Annus horribilis” which means horrible year. During that year, there was a fire at Windsor Castle and the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne broke down.
9. The Queen goes nowhere without her handbag which she keeps her lipstick in. She isn’t afraid to reapply her lipstick in public and has been photographed many times doing so. When former US president George Bush’s wife, Laura, was spotted reapplying she said, “The Queen told me it was all right to do it!”
10. During WWII, Elizabeth joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945. At 18 years old, she traded her royal title for “Second Subaltern Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor". In 1976, she even sent her first e-mail from a British army base.
What is an interesting fact you know about the royal family? Let us know in the comments below.