On September 9, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II will surpass Queen Victoria to become the longest reigning monarch in British history. Here are some royal facts about Her Majesty.
- At the time she became Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth, she became head of state for many countries, although many have since cut official ties. Among them: Pakistan (until 1956), South Africa (1961), and Ceyon (1972, and it’s called Sri Lanka now). Other countries to join the Commonwealth during her reign: Fiji, the Bahamas, Belize, and the Solomon Islands.
- Her full, real name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, although it’s not like she needs identification. In fact, she doesn’t have to have a license to drive around one of her many Range Rovers.
- Her favorite TV show in recent years: Downton Abbey. After viewing one episode, she wrote to producers when she noticed a tiny inaccuracy. The medal worn by a British officer in World War I were not given out until World War II.
- She’s the most English person in the world…but she still speaks fluent French.
- John and Frances Manning of Manchester, England, sent the Queen an invitation to their 2012 wedding as a lark. The Queen and her husband, Prince Phillip, actually showed up, as they were in town having lunch next door to the wedding venue.
- The Queen famously loves her little corgi dogs, and in 1999 began outfitting them in specially made rubber boots to protect their feet from the gravel outside Buckingham Palace.
- She served in World War II as a driver and mechanic.
- The Queen’s favorite retreat is Balmoral Castle in Scotland. That’s only about 70 miles from Loch Ness, and the supposed Loch Ness Monster, for whom the Queen once had at least a passing interest. Letters from 1962 between her office and naturalist Sir Peter Scott asked for Her Majesty to be kept abreast of any discoveries or developments in the hunt for the (still mythical) beast.
- If by some chance you capture a dolphin off the coast of England, it’s not yours—it’s the property of Queen Elizabeth II.