Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-lived and longest-reigning monarch in British history and by all accounts a lifelong driving enthusiastyes died. She was 96 years old.
Your Majesty always has to drive. At the age of 18, as Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen joined the British army, served in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Services. She was the first woman of the Royal Family to serve in the army, driving an army ambulance and learning how to repair heavy trucks on the battlefield. Despite initial reluctance from her father, King George, the Princess’ military service was warmly received by the British public. The press dubbed her the Princess of Automotive Mechanics.
The Queen’s eagerness to serve in the war effort seems to have started the driver’s enthusiasm of a lifetime. During her 70-year reign, the Queen has is known to have driven his Land Rover into gearshifts around his 20,000-acre propertysometimes scares poachers, who probably never expected the Queen of England to actually roar around a bend.
Looks like she’s also a speed demon. In a hilarious account by Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, the former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, we learn about the moment when the then King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, visited the Queen at Grandma’s mansion and have the trip of his life:
… In September 1998, Abdullah was invited to Balmoral, having lunch with the Queen. After his brother King Fahd suffered a stroke in 1995, Abdullah became the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. After lunch, the Queen asked her royal guest if he would like to tour the estate. At the urging of his Foreign Minister, Prince Saud, an initially hesitant Abdullah agreed. Royal Land Rovers were erected in front of the castle. Following instructions, the Crown Prince climbed into the front seat of the Land Rover, with the interpreter in the back seat. To her surprise, the Queen climbed into the driver’s seat, turned on the fire, and drove off. Women are – yet – allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, and Abdullah was not used to being driven by a woman, let alone the queen. His anxiety only increased when the queen, a wartime army driver, sped the Land Rover along the narrow streets of the Scottish estate, talking all the time. Through his interpreter, the Crown Prince begged the Queen to slow down and focus on the road ahead.
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Even as she entered old age, Her Majesty was frequently photographed at the wheel of one of her more custom Royal Land Rovers, all adorned with her signature Labrador hood. The Queen herself driving around is a notable departure from the standard decor around the British Royal Family, which the majority choose to be Drive around by the driver.
Here’s her in 1991, strolling around her estate in a gearshift Rover enjoying every minute of it:
Queen Elizabeth’s reign coincided with major and ongoing changes in the way societies function. In recent years, many have begun to reassess the role of the British Monarchy in the United Kingdom and around the world properly. There will be a lot of discussion around those topics as the world reacts to the Queen’s passing.
For us, though, we’ll always remember Queen Elizabeth as the Royal Ambulance driving speed demon. In that way, she is one of us.
