The Queen will celebrate her birthday on 12 June this year, with the nation expected to be out in full force to enjoy the celebrations. Across the country there will be street parties and events to mark the occasion, while here at Moon Bingo we’ll also be having a right royal time in our bingo rooms. Happy Birthday Your Majesty
To celebrate, we thought it would be a good idea to delve a little deeper into Elizabeth II’s life, and pull out a few facts that you maybe didn’t know…
It’s not actually her birthday
The Queen has two celebrations for her birthday, but it’s actually the 21 April, 1926 the year she was born. This year she was sadly mourning the death of her husband a few weeks prior to her 95th birthday, a date she commits to spending with family. Her second birthday gives an opportunity for the British public to celebrate and takes place on the second Sunday of June each year.
Her birthday lands on World Gin Day
It’ll be a double celebration this year, as not only will we be celebrating the Queen’s birthday, but also World Gin Day. Celebrating its 12th year, it’s the perfect opportunity for Her Majesty to raise a glass, particularly as it’s widely known she likes to start the day with a cocktail of gin and Dubonnet each morning, followed by a dry gin martini at lunchtime.
She served in WWII
The Queen was part of the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945 & was the first female member of the Royal Family to serve as a full-time member of the Armed Services.
The Queen’s Bridesmaids
The Queen and Prince Philip had a long and happy marriage, and it all began with a wedding with a huge bridal party. In total she had eight bridesmaids that included Princess Margaret, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Pamela Mountbatten, Diana Bowes-Lyon, Margaret Elphinstone, Lady Mary Cambridge, and Princess Alexandra of Kent.
A love of Corgis
It’s common knowledge that the Queen is a lover of corgis, but did you know she’s had a staggering 30 since she was young. She has even bred them down the years.
She’s a French speaker
Ooh la la. The Queen isn’t your typical Brit abroad and is multilingual and a fluent French speaker. She learned from a young age and will often speak in a country’s language when on tour. She addressed a State Banquet in 2014 in fluent French and shocked a number of people.
License free
Elizabeth II doesn’t need to worry about remembering her passport or driving license before she heads out. Given that it’s in the Queen’s name in which passports and licenses are granted, she doesn’t actually need one herself.
She own the swans
It’s fair to say the Queen is an animal lover, and despite a whole host of corgis, she also technically owns all the swans, whales and dolphins that reside in British waterways. This is due to all UK waters being owned by Her Majesty, with statutes dating back hundreds of years claiming the animals and mammals above. Happy Birthday Your Majesty
