Ordinary Things Queen Elizabeth II Has Never Done (That We All Take For Granted)
Updated: Dec. 20, 2021
The Queen has dined with celebrities, travelled all over the globe and regularly receives lavish (and sometimes outrageous) gifts. But these "commoner" experiences have always been out of her grasp.
The Queen has never voted
Legally speaking, the matriarch is allowed to vote. But according to Buckingham Palace protocol, Queen Elizabeth II must remain neutral on political matters and is “unable to vote or stand for election.” The rules for other members of the royal family are a bit less firm though. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Newsweek that “by convention” members of the royal family “close to the queen” do not exercise their right to vote, which includes Prince Charles, his sons, etc. This means that even as a princess, Queen Elizabeth II most likely never made her way to the voting polls.
She never went to school
Queen Elizabeth II is an incredibly educated woman despite never being taught in a real-life classroom. She and her sister, Princess Margaret, were tutored privately by the best teachers that royalty could buy. She even studied constitutional history and law to prepare for her future role as Queen.
Check out more vintage photos of Elizabeth before she became Queen.
She’s never had a social media account
Most of the British royal family does not have their own personal social media account, but the Queen was one of the first heads of state to send an email!
She never took a driver’s test
Since driver’s licenses are issued in Queen Elizabeth II’s name, she can drive wherever and whenever she pleases without that little piece of plastic. Even as a princess she didn’t need to take the test, because royals were chauffeured from place to place. But she learned how to drive during her time serving in World War II as a first aid truck driver. Her royal status exempted her from taking a driving test for that gig as well.
Find out more laws the Queen doesn’t have to follow.
She’s never held a 9 to 5 job
Her Majesty has never had to work a typical 9 to 5 office job a day in her life. Even though being the Queen of England is a 24/7 job, it sure is worth it—Forbes estimated her net worth to be about $530 million back in 2016.
Find out what The Crown gets wrong about the British royal family.
She’s never really dated
Queen Elizabeth II met the love of her life, Prince Philip, at the young age of 13 at a wedding. He was only 18 at the time. It wasn’t until the summer of 1939 that their romantic courtship took off and by 1947 they were engaged. They remained happily married until Prince Philip’s passing in April 2021. It’s safe to say that the former princess didn’t really date around because unlike most teenage girls, she already had her sights set on her Prince Charming.
Next, take a look back at the Queen’s extraordinary life in 30 quotes.
