On September 9th, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in British history. In 2017, she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, which commemorates 65 years on the throne.
For many of us, Queen Elizabeth II was the only British monarch we’ve ever known. It’s painful to think about England without her, and yet, the royal palace has been preparing for her death for years. What will happen now that the queen has passed away? Keep reading to find out.
Her Body Must Be Brought To Buckingham Palace
The queen spent most of her time in England in Buckingham Palace, but since she passed away in Scotland, her body will immediately be returned to the palace in England.
Buckingham Palace was her home, and the people of England want to grieve properly. There are procedures in place for getting the queen’s body to the palace.
The Queen Passed Away In Scotland
Queen Elizabeth II spent a quarter of the year during summer break in Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Members of the royal family often visited her there in the summer. Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British royal family since 1852. A Scottish ritual will take place at the royal residence in Edinburgh.
Following the Scottish ceremonies, a train will take the queen’s body back to Buckingham Palace.
The Secret Code
There is a codename for the plan: “Operation London Bridge.” Official palace employees were instructed to use the phrase “London bridge is down” to let the Commonwealth know that the queen has passed away.
When King George VI died, officials used the phrase “Hyde Park Corner” to let a few key people in on the news. They didn’t want Buckingham Palace switchboard operators to find out what had happened too soon.
How The Media Will Handle It
An announcement of the queen’s death was sent out as a newsflash to the British Press Association as well as the rest of the world’s media.
Many news outlets already had articles and obituaries ready. As soon as journalists were informed of the queen’s death, they added some key details to those pre-written articles (such as the time and place of her death).
The Next Monarch
Prince Charles will officially become King Charles III on the day immediately following the queen’s passing. Charles won’t have a coronation ceremony for at least another few months, though. Charles’ first official duty as king will be to swear to protect the Church in Scotland.
Then the Queen’s body will be taken to Westminster Hall, where it will remain for four days. After those four days, there will be a huge military parade so that all of England can pay their respects.
The Public Will Pay Their Respects
The Abbey will remain open 23 hours a day for the four days that the queen’s body rests there. The palace is prepared for over half a million people to line up to pay their respects over those four days. When the Queen Mother died, more than 200,000 people visited her in person.
Four soldiers will stand vigil in 20-minute shifts. The queen’s children and grandchildren will also stand watch in shifts alongside the soldiers.
The Funeral Will Be Held Nine Days After Her Death
There’s a lot of work that goes into a queen’s funeral. The floor of Westminster Hall will be covered in nearly 5000 feet of carpet. Candles need to be brought over from the Abbey, and Britain’s major streets need to be converted into ceremonial spaces.
Pallbearers need to be selected, and then they need to practice carrying a lead-lined coffin. All of this preparation takes a long time, so the actual funeral won’t happen until nine days after the queen’s death.
Who Will Come To The Funeral?
The queen’s funeral will be a very high profile event. Only 10,000 admission tickets will be printed for invited guests. These tickets can get you into the funeral itself and the proclamation of the new king.
The British government will have to make sure that everything runs smoothly. The government will also be responsible for coordinating security, transportation, and a military presence at the event. Most businesses will shut down on the day of the queen’s funeral.
Prince Charles Will Give A Speech
At some point, Prince Charles, the queen’s eldest son, will make a speech. He will likely speak to the public after he has been proclaimed king, but the speech may happen before the proclamation.
He will likely speak on the evening of the queen’s death, and the speech will be broadcast on television. Charles has probably had the speech written for years now, and he will just have to add in some details before he delivers it.
Parliament Will Be Recalled
After the queen passes, parliament will be recalled. Members of Parliament will start swearing oaths of allegiance to the new monarch— King Charles III. The throne that currently sits at the House of Lords, Elizabeth’s, will be adorned with new cushions to welcome the incoming king.
Britain cannot go on without a monarch for long, so this process will likely happen shortly after Charles is named as the new king.
Charles Will Go On A Tour Of Britain
While Queen Elizabeth’s body remains in the palace, Charles will go on a tour of Britain. He will attend memorials and vigils held in honor of his mother, and he will meet with government leaders.
This way, British people who live far away from Buckingham Palace, or people who are unable to travel, can still pay their respects to the royal family and welcome in their new king. Charles has been preparing for this tour for much of his adult life.
Multiple Receptions Will Be Held
Immediately following the Queen’s death, many heads of state, diplomats, and important world leaders will flock to England. These people will come to pay their respects, to welcome Charles as the new King, and to discuss future steps.
The Queen is currently Head of the Commonwealth, and there are 36 nations in the Commonwealth. Unlike the British Monarchy, the Head of the Commonwealth is not a hereditary title, and those nations may not want Charles to assume the position.
They Don’t Want False Information Out There
One reason that the announcement of Queen Elizabeth’s passing is so controlled is that the royal family wants to prevent any false information from making its way into the world. Not only were all press outlets informed at once with an official news release, but the royal family’s official website posted the announcement on its homepage.
A footman in mourning clothes also posted a black-edged notice on the gates of Buckingham Palace.
Where The Coffin Will Rest
After the funeral, the casket carrying the queen’s body will be taken to Windsor Castle and placed in the royal vault. The royal vault is located in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. It is the final resting place of several British monarchs dating back to Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom, who was laid to rest there in 1810.
Charles will place red earth onto his mother’s coffin as he enters the royal vault, where it will remain forever.
Big Ben Will Not Strike Ten
On the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, Big Ben will strike 9 A.M., the bell will sound, and then leather will be placed around the bell to quiet the ringing. The bell will not sound again until the next day.
Also, on the day of the funeral, the royal jewels that were on display on top of the coffin for four days will be removed from their glass case and cleaned. The stock market will be closed, and most of the country will have a day off.
There Will Be A 12-Day Mourning Period
Many reports have suggested that there will be a 12-day period of mourning. This means that all of the union jack flags in the UK and around the world will be flown at half-staff, and the London Stock Exchange could be closed for several days.
Even though the Queen’s passing marks the start of a new era in British history, the people of Britain still need time to mourn the loss of the woman who led them for so long.
Who Will Become the Next Queen?
On February 5, 2022, Queen Elizabeth delivered a message that came as a surprise to many. The date marked the 70th anniversary that she became the British Monarch, and no one was expecting her to deliver an important announcement about the succession of the throne. Yet, the Queen penned her wishes for Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, after she passes away.
She wrote, “When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me.” The message continued, “and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.”
If Camilla is the Queen, What Will Kate and Meghan Be?
If Queen Elizabeth’s wishes are fulfilled (which we can assume they will be) and Camilla becomes Queen consort, what will that mean for Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle?
Both the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex will keep their current titles. Kate’s title will not change until after Prince Charles steps down from the throne after becoming King, or passes away. However, Prince William and his three children will be one step closer in line in succession to the throne.
Prince Charles Will Be Delivering More Speeches
In May of 2022, Prince Charles delivered the Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament and the people of the Commonwealth nations got a glimpse of what it will be like when Prince Charles takes the throne.
It was the first time during her 70-year reign that Queen Elizabeth did not deliver the speech herself. Now 96-years-old, the beloved Queen is experiencing ongoing mobility issues, making it difficult for her to travel and fulfill her traditional duties.
Canada Is Part Of The Commonwealth
Canada has been putting together a plan for the days following the Queen’s death since 2002. All government buildings will hang black fabric over their flagpoles. Government officials in Canada will wear black ties and black armbands.
Canada’s national television station, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), will halt all programming and switch to 24-hour news coverage. There won’t be any advertisements on the station, and all CBC radio stations constantly covered the events unfolding across the pond.
Australia Will Be Affected, Too
Australia is part of the Commonwealth, so the government and the citizens of Australia are also affected by the Queen’s death. Flags will be flown at half-staff for ten days in Australia following Elizabeth’s passing.
The Australian Defence Force conducted a gun solute in the Queen’s memory, and the Prime Minister of Australia delivered a speech that was already drafted. The whole nation mourned along with England and the royal family.
How New Zealand Will Remember The Queen
New Zealand has already set up channels to receive news of the Queen’s passing directly from the Royal Household. After they received the news, all of the flags in New Zealand flew at half-staff. Twenty-one gun salutes was ordered and all of the broadcasters in the country halted regularly scheduled programming to report on the Queen’s death.
All of the radio stations in New Zealand were asked not to play punk music or songs by the band Queen on the day of Elizabeth II’s passing.
The Funeral Service Will Be Broadcast On Television
At exactly 11 a.m. on the day of the funeral, the queen’s coffin will be moved a few hundred meters from the entrance to the Abbey.
The whole country will go silent for the funeral proceedings. The funeral service will be filmed and broadcast on national television. The television cameras will take care to avoid focusing on the faces of the royal family during the service. Even though the service will be broadcast to the public, the country still wants to respect the family’s privacy.
These Plans Could Have Been Rolled Out Earlier
During the Queen’s long and fruitful life, she has been close to death on a number of occasions. According to a report by the Times, she was nearly shot by one of her own guards. She reportedly liked to walk around the palace grounds on nights she couldn’t sleep.
Once at 3 A.M., a guard mistook her for a prowler but once he realized it was the Queen, he said, “Bloody hell, your majesty, I nearly shot you.” She replied, “That’s quite all right. Next time I’ll ring through before hand so you don’t have to shoot me.”
Even Reporters Have Their Outfits Planned Out
As you now know, every last detail of the Queen’s death has been planned out. The media already has plans for what to do, down to what they publish and how reporters will announce the sad news to the public. Reporters don’t need to scramble to find their best mourning clothes either, since there is already a dress code in place for the occasion.
Reporters will wear dark-colored suits and the men, in particular, are required to wear a white shirt with a black tie in order to show their respect.
Don’t Expect To Catch Your Favorite Shows
Entire countries will obviously be mourning Queen Elizabeth’s passing. As such, even network television will be rightfully affected. For one, the BBC devotes all of its programmings to the sad event as well as other news involving the royals. This includes interviews with the Queen’s inner circle and presentations on her legacy.
Many suspect that comedy shows will also not air during the period of mourning and will be suspended until at least after her funeral.
Social Media Will Also Take A Back Seat
The BBC made the first official announcement on its broadcast networks, which funneled into the Internet and various social media platforms.
This is precisely what happened in 2002 when the Queen Mother passed away, and in 2021 when Prince Philip passed.
Many Think That Prince Charles Is Impatient
By 2008, Prince Charles has succeeded his great-great-grandfather Edward VII as the longest-waiting heir in U.K. history. We’d imagine that he is quite frustrated, having to wait his entire life to ascend the throne. After all, he is already 70 years old and still just a prince.
“He is impatient, but when he becomes king, his activities and all the projects he most enjoys where he can make a difference will be seriously curtailed. He has spent an awful lot of his life searching for a role, but I think he does now feel fulfilled pursuing his various interests,” a royal biographer once wrote.
His Coronation Is Still TBD
Although the Queen’s funeral proceedings have been laid out for decades, little thought has been put into Prince Charles’ coronation when he takes the throne. Out of respect for the Queen, while she was still living, it’d be in poor taste to be planning a celebration surrounding her death.
Even she had to wait to celebrate her ascension to the throne. Despite the fact that she stepped up immediately after her father died, Queen Elizabeth had to wait 16 months before her official coronation.
Will Prince Charles’ Coronation Mimmick His Mother’s?
When Prince Charles does finally ascend the throne, we may already have an idea of what it will look like. It all harkens back to when his mother ascended the throne. After enough time had passed from her father’s funeral, she swore her oath and was anointed with holy oil in 1953.
While wearing the Robe Royal and Stole Royal, she held the orb and scepter as the crown was placed on her head. At that point, her peers removed their hats, kneeled, and said, “God Save Queen Elizabeth. Long Live Queen Elizabeth. May the Queen live forever.” Indeed, this prayer has come to fruition.
Many Things Will Have To Change
Now that Queen Elizabeth has passed, it will be a long time before anyone stops talking about her. Her image remains everywhere in countries that are a part of the Commonwealth, for which she was the symbolic head. When Charles becomes King, he won’t even automatically take that place since it has to be agreed upon by the heads of government of all 53 Commonwealth members.
Certainly, Prince Charles will start showing up on stamps, bank notes, coins, and on merchandise bearing his new title. The national anthem will change from “God Save The Queen” to “God Save The King.”
Will All Of This Make Camilla The New Queen?
When Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne, her husband was never named a King. Instead, he remained Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. When their son Prince Charles becomes king, many people are questioning whether his wife Camilla will, therefore, be named queen.
There are plenty of citizens who take issue with this, especially for the fact that they weren’t so open to her early on when it was discovered Charles was cheating on his first wife Princess Diana with Camilla. In a 2015 poll, 35 percent of people didn’t want Camilla to be queen.
Prince Harry’s Family Won’t Have Royal Titles Now
While Queen Elizabeth was alive and Prince Charles had yet to ascend the throne, there was no hope for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to receive royal titles of His or Her Royal Highness — even before they stepped away from their royal duties. Their son Archie did not get the title of Prince like his father.
This would have only been possible had Prince Charles ascended the throne before Archie was born.
Queen Elizabeth Made Arrangements
Queen Elizabeth knew that her time on this earth wasn’t everlasting, so it makes sense that she made her own preparations for posterity. Because Prince George is the eldest son of Prince William, who will ascend the throne after Prince Charles, George automatically gains royal titles for himself and his future family.
Queen Elizabeth invoked the Perth Agreement to ensure that in the event Prince George is unable to take the throne, Princess Charlotte would be next in line ahead of the youngest, Prince Louis.
But She Can’t Control Everything
Despite everything the Queen was able to take care of before her passing, there are some things she was unable to control. In 2017, there were rumors that she preferred to have a young royal family ascend the throne, favoring Prince William and his wife Kate to take her place ahead of Prince Charles.
But this was just a rumor since the 1701 Act of Settlement states that the Queen doesn’t have the power to choose who will succeed her. It says that the heir must be a direct successor and that would be Prince Charles.
The Only Way William Could Succeed His Grandma
While Queen Elizabeth didn’t have the power to choose who would succeed her after she was gone, Prince Charles did have the option to abdicate the throne. This would mean that he could give up the spot and hand it over to his eldest, Prince William.
Lest you forget, this is precisely how Queen Elizabeth took her place on the throne in the first place. Her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated the throne, with her father taking his place as king. And after her father died, Elizabeth became queen. However, it’s highly unlikely Prince Charles would do such a thing, since he has been waiting his whole life to be king.
They Don’t Want It To Happen Anyway
Regardless of the possibility that Prince Charles could give up the throne for Prince William, it’s highly doubtful that either of them want this to happen anyway. Despite the fact that Prince Charles has had to wait so long to become king, he has had the benefit of being able to raise his sons. According to People, Prince Charles wants William to have the same opportunity.
“He wants his son to have a chance of a family life before he takes up the burden of kingship,” says Majesty editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward. Besides, Prince William reportedly wouldn’t think of being king before his father.
The Queen Had Other Options
With all this talk about what is to happen now that Queen Elizabeth’s gone, many people forget that she also had other options. She could have also lived to see her son Prince Charles take the throne if she wanted to. All she would have had to do is abdicate the throne. Just like Prince Philip did, all it takes is renouncing the royal duties, and the job would be done.
However, she never did.
When William Becomes King
Long after Queen Elizabeth is laid to rest, Prince William will eventually become the king himself after his father (unless, of course, he abdicates). At that point, he will become the next King William of the British monarchy. The last ruler to share the name was William IV, who was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
When Prince William does become king, it is believed he will become King William V.
They Have An Option To Change Their Names
Prince William will have the option to change his name to George or Charles to honor the kings that came before him. That is, after all, what his great-grandfather did. Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI wasn’t even born with the name George.
Before King George ascended the throne, he was known as Prince Albert, or more commonly, “Bertie.” There’s even speculation that Prince Charles will change his name when he becomes king to honor his grandfather or his father if he doesn’t want to be King Charles III.
What Would That Mean For Kate?
When Prince William does eventually ascend the throne, this would mean a lot of changes for him and his wife, Kate Middleton. Many people expect that her name will be changed from Duchess of Cambridge to Queen Catherine.
Because she is the wife of the eldest son of Prince Charles, she has a higher position than Meghan Markle. But still, she is not part of the royal bloodline, so nothing would change if William decides to pass up his chance to become king.
No One Expected Her To Be Queen
When Elizabeth was born to the Duke and Duchess of York, she stood third in line to the crown. It was her uncle, Edward, who was in line to be king but he famously abdicated the throne after less than a year. That left Elizabeth’s father, now King George VI, as the ruler of the British Empire.
Elizabeth had spent the first ten years of her life never expecting to one day be queen. When all of that changed in 1936, she had some serious catching up to do.
She Had A Love Of Theatre
Elizabeth didn’t just love watching movies and plays – she always loved acting in them. Here, a teenage Princess Elizabeth (middle) is dressed up as the character of Prince Charming for a royal pantomime in 1941.
It was actually Elizabeth’s younger sister Margaret who proposed the idea of having the girls put on the plays every holiday during wartime to help boost morale. Elizabeth acted in three of the holiday pantomimes and exclusively played male characters.
Elizabeth Had A Secret Nickname
This photo of Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret was taken in 1933 when Elizabeth was only seven years old. The two girls were the only children of King George VI and he had a special nickname for one of them.
Elizabeth had trouble pronouncing her own name as a child. To help her out, King George VI gave her the nickname “Lilibet.” While we can’t confirm the royal family still calls her by that name, there are rumors that they do.
A Strong And Graceful Swimmer
Elizabeth (front left) is seen here with her Challenge Cup swimming team. Swimming was one of Elizabeth’s first hobbies and passions. She was enrolled in lessons when she was 10 years old and won her first medal the same year. A royal’s participation in a sport of “less prestige” inspired many other children in the British Empire to pick up swimming.
Her love of swimming stayed with Elizabeth and when she was coronated, she bestowed her patronage to the British Swimming club.
No School For Elizabeth
Thanks to Princess Diana’s choice to enroll Prince William and Prince Harry in school, we’re used to seeing the royal children attending schools but that wasn’t always the case. Most royal children were homeschooled and Elizabeth was no different. Both she and her sister Margaret were tutored in their home.
Of course, they didn’t employ just any tutor. One of Elizabeth’s teachers was Henry Marten, who was the vice-provost of the famed Eton College. She also received private religion lessons from none other than the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Her Governess Betrayed Her
Elizabeth and her sister were taught primarily by their governess, Marion Crawford. Crawford watched over the girls from birth and only retired when Elizabeth finally married Prince Phillip in 1947. Crawford was responsible for teaching much of Elizabeth’s etiquette and even some schooling.
Crawford’s legacy took a dark turn, though, after her retirement when she wrote a tell-all book titled The Little Princesses. She was the first governess to cash in on the royal’s private life, and as a result, Elizabeth and the Royal Family never talked to Crawford again.
She Celebrated The End Of The War With The People
Before she was queen, Elizabeth had some rare moments where she let loose. Here, she plays tag on top of the HMS Vanguard. Another special moment for her was when WW2 ended on May 8, 1945. She and her sister begged their father to let them celebrate on the streets with the people, and he actually allowed it!
The two snuck out of Buckingham Palace and joined the crowds. In a rare interview, Elizabeth recalled how scared they were of being recognized but being overwhelmed with joy and “personal freedom.”
A Queen So Nice She Celebrates Her Birthday Twice
Here, a 15-year-old Elizabeth stands with her mother, also named Elizabeth. The Queen Mother gave birth to Elizabeth on April 21, 1926, but only celebrating on that day wasn’t enough. Once she became queen, the royal family deemed April 21 to be too cold for a proper public celebration.
She celebrated her April 21st birthday and another public celebration on the Saturday in June when it’s warmer. The second birthday usually coincides with the Trooping the Color military parade.
Elizabeth Was Notoriously Camera Shy
Despite being in the spotlight since birth, Elizabeth had always been camera shy. Even in this photo from when she was 10, you can see Elizabeth is slightly uncomfortable around the camera. The shyness didn’t go away, although she slowly grew more comfortable, even allowing her coronation to be televised.
Elizabeth’s advisors were against televising the event, which would have been the first-ever broadcast to an audience. Ultimately she convinced them to allow the live broadcast.
She Really, Really, Really Wanted To Go To War
Elizabeth might look happy in this 1942 photo of her in her girl guide uniform but beneath it, she desperately wanted to be on the frontlines of the war. Elizabeth was only 14 when the war broke out and she actually begged her father to let her join the war effort.
By the time she was 18-years-old, Elizabeth convinced her father to let her help in the war effort. What she ended up doing, though, you probably would never guess.
She Finally Got To Serve
Elizabeth was finally old enough to join the war effort in February 1945, just as World War II was ending. She was appointed to the Auxiliary Territorial Service and worked as a truck mechanic. Here, she’s learning how to change a car wheel on an armored military vehicle.
To this day, Elizabeth is the only female member of the royal family to have served in the armed forces.
She Took Over Royal Duties Before Ever Becoming Queen
Elizabeth officially became Queen on February 6, 1952, after her father died. She had actually been acting on behalf of him before that though. King George VI’s health had been in decline since early 1951. Elizabeth stood in for him at many public events and even went on royal tours.
Here, Elizabeth is seen dancing while on a tour of Canada in place of her father in 1951. While she was in Canada, her secretary actually carried a draft declaration of accession in case the King died while she was away.
Elizabeth And Margot Had Some Vicious Fights As Kids
Elizabeth and her youngest sister Margaret look practically angelic in this portrait from 1940 but in their former governess’ tell-all book they still had some sisterly quarrels. According to Marion Crawford, neither Elizabeth nor Margaret “was above taking a whack” at each other if they other deserved it.
Crawford even detailed their fighting styles, saying that Elizabeth had a “quick…left hook” and Margaret was a “close-in fighter” who would “bite on occasions.”
Two Of Elizabeth’s Passions Meet Face To Face
In this photo, Princess Margaret is seen holding up one of their corgis in front of a horse that Elizabeth is holding the reigns of. Since she was a young girl, Elizabeth has had a keen interest in both of these animals.
During her life, the Queen owned at least 30 corgis, all of whom descended from one of the family’s corgis named Susan. Elizabeth received her first horse when she was four and, by 18 years old, was an accomplished rider.
She Created Her Own Dog Breed
Elizabeth was famous for her love of Corgis and as you can see here, she’s always owned the dogs. She got her first corgi, Dookie, in 1933 when she was only seven years old. Her corgi breed of choice is the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Since becoming Queen in 1952, she owned over 30 corgis.
She always took part in breeding her corgis and even created the Dorgi—a cross between her dog and her sister Margaret’s Dachshund. In 2015, Elizabeth announced she stopped breeding her dogs so as not to leave any behind when she dies.
Her Second Love Is Horses
Like many members of the royal family, Elizabeth was brought up to ride and love horses. She was given her first horse, a Shetland pony named Peggy when she was four years old. Here, she’s pictured with a pony on her thirteenth birthday.
By the age of 18, Elizabeth was an accomplished equestrian and throughout her reign, she would use horse riding as a way to relax. Elizabeth even attended many royal events on horseback until 1986, when she switched to a carriage.
She Had To Keep Her Engagement A Secret
This photo of Elizabeth was taken in 1947 at the official announcement of her engagement to Phillip Mountbatten. The two met when Elizabeth was only 13 and they would exchange letters. Phillip proposed in 1946 when Elizabeth was 20-years-old. Before proposing, he asked King George VI For permission.
King George VI agreed under one condition. News of the engagement could not be made public until Elizabeth turned 21-years-old, so she wouldn’t be perceived by the public as too young.
No One In The Family Liked Philip
Even after their engagement, Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip wasn’t without controversy. Philip was foreign-born and many complained he technically didn’t have a “home.” He was officially Prince Phillip of Greece and Denmark but was also a British citizen. Even Elizabeth’s mother was known for calling him “Philip The Hun.”
To help become more accepted, Phillip renounced all his titles, converted to Anglicanism, and adopted the last name Mountbatten, from his British relatives.
Elizabeth’s Full Name Is A Little Confusing
Technically, the royal family doesn’t have a last name and are only known by their first names. They do however get to choose a formal last name for certain events. Before her marriage, Elizabeth’s surname was Windsor, a name that George V chose in 1917.
After her marriage to Phillip, Elizabeth was initially going to keep Windsor but Philip felt that disrespected him. In 1960, she officially became Elizabeth Windsor-Mountbatten as a nod to her husband.
She Paid For Her Wedding Dress In War Rations
Elizabeth was still an active member of the military when she was married in 1948. This photo, taken earlier that same year, shows Elizabeth’s devotion to the continued effects of WWII. During that time rationing measures were still in place in England and she had to use coupons to pay for dress.
The ivory Duchesse silk dress with a 13-foot train took six months to make and hundreds of coupons. Elizabeth used saved rations and a 200-coupon supplement from the government to pay for the dress.
