From time to time, the British witness how Queen Elizabeth II travels along the roads of the country in her Jaguar. Of course, in most cases, especially when it comes to some big events, the queen is brought in a car driven by a driver. However, on more everyday trips, the Queen is able to make do on her own. Even though she is already 91 years old. And even though the Queen still doesn't have a driver's license.
1957
Queen Elizabeth II takes her children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, to Windsor surrounded by spectators.
1958
The Queen attends a polo match in Windsor. August 1958
In fact, the Queen once had a license: in 1945, she drove a military truck, and then received a license to drive a car. However, since then no one has decided to check whether her rights have expired. However, it is unlikely that there will be a policeman in the UK who would dare to stop the Queen and fine her for driving without a license. It’s not that the queen can do whatever she wants, but she still allows herself this “prank.”
1982
Driving in the grounds of Great Park in Windsor.
1992
During the royal races in May 1992
1995
Arriving at a polo match at Smith's Lawn in June 1995.
2000
Driving a car at the entrance to Windsor Castle in 2000.
2002
The Queen leaves the Grand Prix race in Windsor, in which the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen's husband, took part. May 2002
Elizabeth II learned to drive during World War II while serving as a mechanic in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Corps. Back then, she drove both cars and Tilly trucks, and could easily fix a breakdown on the road or change a tire. A 1992 BBC documentary reveals that the queen drives a Land Rover Defender jeep. In addition, she can also often be seen driving a Jaguar X-Type Sportwagon.
2005
On the way to the Windsor races in May 2005.
2005, on one of the days of the races in Windsor.
Elizabeth the Second follows in her car behind her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who competed in the Grand Prix race that year.
The Queen is driving.
Elizabeth II is known for her love of driving, as well as her love of driving across the rugged Scottish terrain. So, in 1998, when she took the Saudi King Abdullah to Balmoral, he was even forced to ask her to drive more quietly and at least a little more carefully - the queen’s manner of driving at full speed over hills and bumps frankly frightened him.
2006
The Queen watches Lady Penny compete in a Land Rover Grand Prix race.
2008
During the three-day races at Windsor.
2010
Leaving the final of the Royal Polo Cup competition.
Last year, photographs of the Queen carrying her daughter-in-law Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, around Scotland went viral on the Internet. The Queen allegedly drove the Range Rover without even thinking about wearing a seat belt. Together with her daughter-in-law, she was heading for a picnic in the mountains beyond Lake Muik on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, where Prince William was waiting for them. However, viewers noticed how relaxed and calm Kate felt in the passenger seat, apparently completely trusting the 90-year-old driver.
2011
The Queen in a Range Rover during the races.
2013
On the way to the opening of the royal races.
2014
Elizabeth II watches the Grand Prix races taking place in Windsor from her car.
In 2015, the British press discussed the Queen's somewhat extravagant prank. The fact is that when Elizabeth II, as usual, was heading to church on Sunday morning, driving a Jaguar car, she met a young couple with a child on the way. The Queen decided to simply go around the pedestrians, and boldly drove straight onto the lawn.
2017
At the opening of the Royal Races in Windsor. May 2017
This photo was taken quite recently. In it you can see how the queen, despite her very old age, still cheerfully drives the car to morning mass in the church.
It is difficult to find a person who does not know Elizabeth II. The Queen of Great Britain is already 91 years old, but she still drives a car herself. The review features iconic cars that are in the garage of the British monarch.
1. Austin K2/Y (1945)
In 1945, 18-year-old Elizabeth, Princess of York, was trained as an ambulance driver and got behind the wheel of a military truck. The girl enrolled in the “Auxiliary Territorial Service” - a self-defense unit recruited from female volunteers.
2. Rolls-Royce Phantom IV (1950)
In 1949, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Elizabeth II, ordered a new luxury car from Rolls-Royce. The following year, a green car with an 8-cylinder engine was delivered to a high-profile customer. When Elizabeth ascended the throne, the car was moved to the royal garage and repainted in the official black and burgundy color.
Even decades later, the Rolls-Royce Phantom IV is still in service. In 2011, the car took part in the wedding procession of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Over the course of 6 years, 18 copies of the Rolls-Royce Phantom IV were built, the owners of which are known to millions of people. Among them are Princess Margaret, Princess Marina, Francisco Franco, the King of Iraq, the Prince of Saudi Arabia, the Sheikh of Kuwait, and the Shah of Iran.
3. Land Rover Series I (1953)
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain can be called one of the few people still living on Earth who drove the very first Land Rover model. In 1948, the 100th Land Rover off the production line was presented to her father, King George VI. Five years later, Elizabeth herself bought a military SUV. Since then, the queen has been seen driving this car more than once.
4. Land Rover Defender (2002)
Land Rover SUVs seem to be permanently entrenched in the Windsor Castle garage. In recent years, Queen Elizabeth II has been spotted driving a 2002 Land Rover Defender 110 with a diesel engine.
5. Range Rover (1970)
In 1970, Land Rover began producing the Range Rover luxury SUV. It is not surprising that the royal family began to actively use these cars.
6. Rolls-Royce Phantom VI (1978)
For the 25th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977, the British Society of Motor Manufacturers made a gift: a new Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. The car is still in government service. In 2011, a luxury limousine served the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
7. Range Rover Laundaulet (2015)
One of Queen Elizabeth II’s latest automobile upgrades is a luxurious Range Rover in a rare Landaulet body. The car has a roof that is retractable only over the rear row of seats.
The Range Rover Laundaulet SUV has become a technological “novelty” in the royal garage: it is a car with a hybrid powertrain.
8. Rover 75 (2003)
The British automaker Rover is little known in Russia, but in the UK this car brand was popular until 2005, when the company went bankrupt. It is known that in the 2000s, one of the Rover 75 business class sedans was driven by Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II.
9. 1969 Aston Martin DB6 (1969)
In 1969, Queen Elizabeth gave her 21-year-old son Prince Charles a blue Aston Martin DB6 Volante. Only 140 cars of this model were built, but the car was special for the prince, as it ran on ethanol (alcohol). The classic roadster is still kept in the garage of the royal family.
10. 1999 Volkswagen Golf (1999)
In 1999, Prince William was given a new Volkswagen Golf IV. He can travel incognito in one of Europe's best-selling cars.
11. Bentley State Limousine (2002)
The British Royal Garage uses many unique custom-made cars. Two of them are Bentley Arnage R limousines, converted to run on biofuel.
12. Audi A4 Cabriolet (1994)
This car is not much like other cars from the royal fleet, but it has its own history. When Princess Diana separated from her husband Prince Charles in 1992, she received a gift - an A4 convertible from the British representative office of Audi. In July 2017, the car was sold for $75,000.
13. Bentley Mulsanne (2012)
In 2012, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne, Bentley produced 60 copies of the Mulsanne sedan in a special Diamond Jubilee version. One of these cars ended up in the hands of the queen herself, becoming one of her personal cars. Despite the Bentley's attractive design and luxurious interior, the Queen did not use it for long. In April 2016, the car was sold for $285,000.
14. Bentley Bentayga (2015)
Bentley has spent several years and billions of dollars developing the ultra-luxury Bentayga crossover. In 2015, the first copy rolled off the assembly line and ended up in the Queen’s garage. The dark green car is located in Scotland, where it is used for hunting.
15. Audi A5
Over the past years, the Windsors have worked closely with Volkswagen Auto Group. After studying in modest Volkswagens, Princes William and Harry got behind the wheel of an Audi A5. The family's William owns several A5 Sportback sedans, while younger Harry drives the dynamic S5.
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The absolute monarchy is a thing of the past, but even today the Queen of Great Britain has a lot of privileges. Among them is the right to ignore laws that all mere mortals are required to observe.
website will tell you about 8 laws and rules that Elizabeth II can violate without any consequences.
Last name usage
In the past, members of the royal family did not have a surname at all, they used only personal names and the names of the dynasties to which they belonged. This continued until 1917, when Elizabeth II's grandfather, King George V, made the surname Windsor official for the entire British royal family. But even now the queen and her closest relatives do not use their surname - they simply do not need it.
Having a passport
The Queen of Great Britain needs a passport no more than a surname. The absence of the “most important document” does not prevent the queen from carrying out bureaucratic formalities and moving freely around the world. The reigning monarch simply cannot have this document, since it is impossible to issue a passport to himself, because in Great Britain it is issued on behalf of Her Majesty. And to cross the border, Elizabeth II only needs to present any banknote with her portrait printed on it.
Driving license
Another document that the Queen can do just fine without is a driving license. Elizabeth II is not prohibited from driving a car without any documents, but she still has a license - we even found a photo of them. They were issued to the future Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, in 1945 while she was serving as a mechanic and ambulance driver with the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Corps.
Interesting fact: in 1998, the queen scared the future king of Saudi Arabia by giving him a ride in a car. The Crown Prince begged the Queen to slow down - he clearly did not expect this, because in Saudi Arabia women are prohibited from driving.
Compliance with speed limits
The Queen can afford to speed, but she is unlikely to be indiscreet at such an advanced age, despite her love of cars. Elizabeth II can still be seen driving, but only within the boundaries of her domain. By the way, her daughter Princess Anne also loves driving fast, for which she even had to pay a 400-pound fine in 2001. After all, the privilege of not observing the speed limit extends only to the queen herself.
Paying taxes
The Queen is not obliged to pay taxes, but nevertheless, since 1992, she has voluntarily paid property tax, albeit at a minimal rate. But Elizabeth II's father, George VI, on the contrary, advocated that monarchs be completely exempt from paying any taxes.
Duty to answer to court
The Queen of Great Britain has no jurisdiction; a criminal case cannot be opened against her, she cannot be invited to court as a witness, and certainly not sent to prison. It is believed that "the monarch is incapable of bad thoughts and actions", which in theory gives the queen the opportunity to do anything with impunity. However, it is almost impossible to imagine such a thing these days.
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has been interested in cars, if not since childhood, then since her youth. Moreover, during World War II she was trained as an ambulance driver. Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar and Daimler - these are the cars most often associated with the name of the British Queen. However, her favorite car remains the Land Rover Defender. The “Royal Mews” of Elizabeth II are regularly replenished with new examples and, it should be noted, the very best examples of the automotive industry. On the other hand, also from time to time, cars used by the monarch are put up for auction, which invariably attract a lot of attention from collectors.
The first “motorist” in the royal family was Elizabeth II’s great-grandfather, Edward VII. And the first supplier to the British royal court was Daimler. And it remained in this status for quite a long time. Some of the earliest examples of the royal fleet can be seen today on display at Sandringham Palace.
The first Rolls-Royce Phantom IV was specially commissioned by Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1950, while Elizabeth was still Crown Princess. And this car is still running, moreover, it was used at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. It brought Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to Westminster Abbey.
Rolls-Royce Phantom IV. (pinterest.com)
Later, other Rolls-Royce models appeared in the “royal stables”. Elizabeth II used one of them during her official visit to Russia in 1994.
Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. (pinterest.com)
Of course, Jaguar cars are also present in the “royal stables”. Until recently, the Queen regularly drove one of them. Numerous photographs of this car appeared after a funny story circulated by the media. It happened two years ago, when the queen was driving to Sunday service through Windsor Great Park, and in order not to disturb the parents and their child who were walking there, the royal lady drove around them on the lawn.
Jaguar. (pinterest.com)
But the son of Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, is known as a lover of the Aston Martin brand. One of these cars was “borrowed” from the royal garage by Prince William and Catherine Middleton for the duration of the wedding ceremony.
Aston Martin. (pinterest.com)
So, Daimler, Rolls-Royce, Land Rover, Aston Martin. Over time, the list of cars in the Buckingham Palace garage was supplemented by Bentley cars. Thus, the Queen’s official vehicle during ceremonies and official ceremonies is the Bentley State Limousine.
Bentley State Limousine. (pinterest.com)
However, the latest purchase, if it does not outshine the entire existing collection of the royal garage, clearly adds shine to it. Elizabeth II became the world's first owner of the new Bentley Bentayga crossover.
This car has a power of 608 hp. With. capable of accelerating to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.1 seconds. And it's great for touring the Queen's Scottish estates in Aberdeenshire.
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption “Age is no barrier to driving,” the Queen seems to be hinting.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II impressed her subjects on Sunday with her driving skills: not only did the 89-year-old royal deftly steer a green Jaguar, she also drove around a young family with a baby stroller.
Elizabeth II was on her way to Sunday service through Windsor Park. Along the way, the queen, dressed in a pink coat and hat, drove around the people walking on the grass.
Mother of two Scarlett Vincent was quite impressed by the Queen's maneuver. As the woman herself told reporters, she let her husband know whose path they were on after the Queen passed by.
Driver from a young age
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption Queen Elizabeth II loves to drive her green Jaguar herself.Her Majesty's driving skills have sparked a lively reaction on social media, especially given the latest news surrounding the royal family.
Late last week, Britain was rocked by footage of six-year-old Princess Elizabeth doing a Nazi salute at the instigation of her uncle Edward. This video was published by the tabloid The Sun, which has already been threatened with legal action by the Buckingham Palace office.
The ride in the Jaguar was the first public appearance of the monarch after the sensational publication.
In addition to the surprise that the Queen herself drives a car, commentators note that Elizabeth II, as a monarch, does not possess either a passport or a driver's license.
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption Big jeeps don't scare Elizabeth II at all“It baffles me,” writes user @Jano_JLSx on Twitter.
Some noticed how differently the British media portrayed her behavior behind the wheel.
"The Queen drove to church yesterday. The Daily Record says she drove with a straight face. The Mail says she waved and smiled." notes Observant Scottish National Party MP John Nicholson.
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption Elizabeth II confidently mastered driving four-wheeled vehicles from a young ageIt is known that Elizabeth II loves to drive independently: in a 1992 BBC documentary, she drives a jeep Land Rover Defender. And during the Second World War, Princess Elizabeth not only drove Tilly light trucks, but also knew how to change their tires.
Like in other royal houses?
Drivers are not so common among royalty.
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption Carl Gustav XVI loves to drive, but sometimes turns a blind eye to traffic rulesUnlike other monarchs, Swedish King Carl Gustav XVI likes to drive his BMW himself.
In 2007, he and his youngest daughter were fined the equivalent of $126 for two cars for parking illegally at a restaurant in Stockholm.
The press service of the royal house of Bernadotte then hastened to declare that the fines were immediately paid, and the king promised to look very carefully at the signs prohibiting parking in the future.
The Prince of Monaco, in his extreme hobbies, did not bypass motorsport: while still heir to the throne, the representative of the Grimaldi dynasty participated in the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1985.
Illustration copyright AFP Image caption Albert II became one of the first Monegasques to become interested in electric sports carsSubsequently, the aristocratic lover of bobsleigh, swimming, football and traveling to the North Pole repeatedly got behind the wheel of racing cars.
As part of environmental activities in the principality, Albert II even switched to personal electric vehicles.
