What You Never Knew About the Queen — and the Mystical Rainbow at her Death
The Queen Once Partied in the Streets Incognito
The Queen knew how to enjoy life, perhaps one reason for her longevity. Far from a staunchy monarch, she was warm and graceful. Let’s take a look at some of the lesser known facts about the woman known as Lilibet…
“I have to be seen to be believed.”
― Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen once partied “undercover” on the Streets of London
After the allies defeated the “Axis of Evil” in World War II, the streets of London erupted in joyous celebration.
Elizabeth and her sister Margaret joined the massive crowds on May 8, 1945. But they kept undercover, partying incognito.
“I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief,” she said.
‘When peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place.’ — Wartime broadcast with Princess Margaret, October 13 1940
She Married her Third Cousin
Elizabeth is related to Queen Victoria on her father’s side, and her husband Philip was related to Queen Victoria on his mother’s side. Their bond lasted 73 years before Philip passed on April 9, 2021. The Queen lasted one year and 5 months without her man at her side.
About 80 percent of the population wasn’t even born with Elizabeth took the crown. She ascended to queen upon the death of her father in 1952, and became the world’s longest-reigning monarch.
‘Like all the best families, we have our share of eccentricities, of impetuous and wayward youngsters and of disagreements.’ — October 1989
The Queen never attended a school
But she’s far from uneducated. Elizabeth, or “Lilibet” as she was known during childhood, had private tutors teaching her about the world in which we live.
She owns every swan in the UK’s waters
In the 12th century, the British royalty claimed all the swans, as the birds were considered a delicacy. A 1324 statute stated the queen also ownership of all “fishes royal” — that means any sturgeon, dolphins, whales, and porpoises that reside in the waters around the UK.
She sent a message to the moon
The Apollo 11 moon carried “messages of goodwill” from all over the world in 1969 on a small disc, still sitting on the surface of the moon.
It said: “On behalf of the British people I salute the skill and courage which have brought man to the moon. May this endeavor increase the knowledge and wellbeing of mankind.”
She used to day-drink, though moderately
The Queen’s cousin said that the monarch liked to enjoy a “gin and Dubonnet before lunch, with a slice of lemon and a lot of ice,” wine with lunch, and a dry martini and a glass of champagne in the evening.
In fall of 2021, however, doctors asked her to give up the daily drinks.
“It has been women who have breathed gentleness and care into the harsh progress of mankind.’ — The Queen’s Christmas broadcast, 1966
She wears a low-cost nail polish — the same since 1989
The Queen was rather taken the Essie’s classic pale pink polish Ballet Slipper, which currently costs around $7.
The Queen’s hairdresser wrote a letter to nail polish-mogul Essie Weingarten in 1989, requesting a bottle of the classic shade, as the Queen refused to wear any other color.
“I lived long enough to know that things never remain quite the same for very long.”
Her purse sent secret signals to her staff
The Queen liked to escape boring meetings with codes sent with her purse. If she places her purse on the table, her people knew that she wanted out fast — like in 5 minutes. Putting her handbag on the floor meant she needed to be rescued from an uncomfortable conversation.
She didn’t use a last name
You wouldn’t need a last name either is you were referred to as “Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.” ‘Nuff said.
On Covid-19:
“While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour… We will succeed — and that success will belong to every one of us … better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.” — Televised address On Covid-19 in April 2020:
She paid a poet in alcohol
Medium writers take note, there are other forms of payment we can accept… In this case, Queen Elizabeth pays the country’s poet laureate the traditional salary, which is $7,000 plus an entire barrel of sherry.
Simon Armitage is the current poet laureate, serving for 10 years since 2019.
“Grief is the price we pay for love.”
― Queen Elizabeth II
She volunteered as a truck driver during World War II
Then-Princess Elizabeth took to driving a truck and learning how to be mechanic as her voluntary service during World War II.
She loved her 30+ dogs, corgis to be exact
The Queen kept over 30 of them in her lifetime, having as many as nine at a time. Most descended from her first corgi, Susan, which she received for her eighteenth birthday in 1944.
A Rainbow mystically appeared outside Buckingham Palace during the time of her passing
“When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.” ― Queen Elizabeth II