The royal family marked the 67th anniversary of the Queen's coronation with a series of posts on its Instagram account. In addition to a photo showing the 27-year-old monarch in her dress and robe on 2 June 1953, the royal family also shared facts about the day.
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According to the royal family, the solemn ceremony lasted almost three hours and was attended by 8,000 people, while millions watched it on TV. Rumours have it that the young monarch did not want the event to be televised, as she was very camera-shy.
Another interesting fact reveals that Prince Charles, the Queen’s firstborn, who at that time was four years old, received a personal invitation to the event that was designed just for him. It featured a beautiful illustration that depicted a lion, a unicorn, and a military band.
According to another Instagram story, the Gold State Coach, which Her Majesty and her husband Prince Philip rode on that day, was driven by eight grey horses named Cunningham, Tovey, Noah, Tedder, Eisenhower, Snow White, Tipperary, and McCreery. Incidentally, horse riding is one of Her Majesty’s numerous hobbies, which also include pigeon racing and football (she is a fan of Arsenal).
And while we are at it, here are some other interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II you may not be aware of.
- She has two birthdays. Her actual one is on 21 April. However, it may be too cold to celebrate, so her official state-recognised birthday occurs on a Saturday in May or June, when the weather is better.
- She doesn’t need a passport or driving license or license plate, since they are all issued in her name.
- She became the first female member of the royal family to join the Armed Forces as an active member. She joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War and was trained as a mechanic.
- According to the Queen’s cousin, Margaret Rhodes, the monarch’s favourite drink is gin. "She takes a gin and [wine-based aperitif] Dubonnet before lunch, with a slice of lemon and a lot of ice. She will take wine with lunch and a dry Martini and a glass of champagne in the evening", Rhodes said.
- She uses her purse as a signal to her aides. Royal sources claim that if Her Majesty places her purse on the table, it means she wants to leave within five minutes and if she places her handbag on the floor, it means that the conversation is not interesting and she needs to be rescued.
