On April 21, we celebrate what would have been the late, great Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday, and in honor of the occasion, we’re looking back at some interesting facts about the royal.
For instance, did you know that Elizabeth — who reigned from 1952 to 2022 — trained as a car mechanic during World War II?
Or that she bought her own wedding dress with ration coupons in the wake of the second World War?
Keep scrolling for more royally fun facts, as seen in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now:
Queen Elizabeth II’s Evolution: Princess to Longtime British Monarch
1. Queen Elizabeth II was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor in London on April 21, 1926.
2. She wasn’t originally expected to be queen, but her life shifted dramatically when her uncle, Edward VIII (later the duke of Windsor), abdicated the throne in her father’s favor in 1936.
3. Elizabeth took the crown in 1952 after the death of her father, King George VI.
4. She made her first radio broadcast at just 14 years old, speaking on the BBC’s Children’s Hour.
5. She helped usher in the modern iteration of monarchy. For example, her 1953 coronation made history as the first to be televised.
6. During World War II, Elizabeth rolled up her sleeves and trained as a driver and mechanic in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. (Yes, she could literally fix a car.)
7. She married Prince Philip in 1947, and the pair were together for more than seven decades.
8. The queen bought her own wedding dress with ration coupons due to post-WWII austerity.
9. Elizabeth and Philip welcomed King Charles in 1948, Princess Anne in 1950, Prince Andrew in 1960 and Prince Edward in 1964.
10. Elizabeth’s 70-year reign made her the longest-serving monarch in British history.
11. She met 13 sitting U.S. presidents during her reign, from Harry Truman to Joe Biden.
If the Crown Fits! A Look Back at Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation in Photos
12. She didn’t need a passport (since the official document is issued in the queen’s name), but still traveled the globe extensively, reportedly visiting 116 countries during her reign.
13. She also didn’t require a driver’s license — and was the only person in the U.K. allowed to drive without one!
14. The queen had a lifelong love affair with corgis, and owned more than 30 over her lifespan.
15. She is even credited with helping to create a new breed: the “dorgi,” a cross between a dachshund and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
16. Elizabeth sent her first email in 1976 — and her first tweet in 2014.
17. She celebrated two birthdays each year: her actual birthday in April and her official birthday in June.
18. Her signature nail polish color was Essie’s “Ballet Slippers,” which she reportedly wore exclusively for over 30 years.
19. She logged hundreds of official engagements per year, even toward the end of her life. In 2016 alone, she reportedly carried out over 330 engagements.
20. She held weekly audiences with her prime ministers, starting with Winston Churchill.
21. She had eight grandchildren: Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall; Prince William and Prince Harry; Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex.
22. She lived to see the birth of 12 of her great-grandchildren — now a grand total of 13!
23. Following Elizabeth’s death at 96 in 2022, King Charles ascended the British throne, making Prince William the heir apparent.
24. On the day of the Queen’s funeral, flights over London were canceled to ensure quiet as a mark of respect.
25. London will mark the centenary of Queen Elizabeth with several events including a fashion exhibition at Buckingham Palace and the opening of a new memorial garden in Regent’s Park.
