DID YOU KNOW THAT QUEEN ELIZABETH II HAS TWO BIRTHDAYS?

Thanks to a tradition established by her fifth grandpa, King George II of Great Britain (Jorge II), and dating from a ceremony on the battlefield in 1748, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, turns twice in the year, and therefore, there is double Celebration in Australia, since Elizabeth is the sovereign monarch of 16 independent states constituted in the kingdom, and Australia is one of them.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary or (Isabel Alejandra María Windsor in Spanish), was born in London on April 21, 1926, is Queen Elizabeth II (Isabel II), after in the second half of the 16th century, at the time of William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I (Isabel I), also known as the Virgin Queen, will rule.

Elizabeth II or (Isabel II) has reached her 94th birthday, and along with it, she not only becomes the longest-living queen but also erects the longest-running female reign in history. That is why she is the only British Queen who has achieved the so-called Sapphire Jubilee, for turning 65 on the throne.

The time of her reign is very close to that of King Sobhuza II of Swaziland – Africa, who holds the recognition of the longest male reign in the history of humanity, which lasted 82 years and 254 days, and was the one who curiously, in 1968, made his people independent of the territory of the United Kingdom, while Elizabeth II was its Queen.

During the more than 67 years of his stay on the throne, her eyes have seen the global order change several times. The Second World War and the recovery of Europe after that conflict, the fall of the British Empire and the independence of half of its kingdoms, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the formation of the European Union, the passage of more than 15 American Presidents, the conflicts in Asia and the Middle East and the arrival of the Fourth Industrial Revolution thanks to the digital age, are events that she has been able to observe first hand.

Elizabeth (Isabel) is very loved in Australia, her spontaneous walks to mix affectionately with people and greet without protocol, gave her credit for this great appreciation. So on a Saturday in June, usually the second, the Queen’s birthday is celebrated through a military parade called the Banner Parade or “Trooping the Colour,” referring to the colours of the British flag.

In honour of her birthday, I will mention other curious facts that you surely did not know about the Queen:

1. Her love for animals: The Queen has shown a great passion for animals, she is fond of racehorses and dogs. Her horses, inherited from her father King George VI (Jorge VI), are thoroughbreds and have won more than 1,600 races throughout her reign. During her entire life, she has had more than 30 dogs, all the Corgi breed, and thanks to this hobby, there is a breed of royal dog called “Dorgi”, given by the cross between Corgis and Dachshunds. She has ponies, dwarf hippos, jaguars, lazy bears, kangaroos and even a crocodile. The Queen is by royal decree, the owner of all white swans (considered a delicacy for kings’ feasts), whales and dolphins in the United Kingdom.

2. She is a friend of technology: She worked as a mechanic during the Second World War, that is why she has always felt comfortable with the development of new technologies. She sent her first email in 1976, before the democratisation of the internet. Elizabeth (Isabel), launched the first website of the Royal Family in 1997. She has a presence on social networks, she published her first Twitt in 2014 and her first post on Instagram in 2019.

3. No documents required: Interestingly, the documentary regulations governing people in the UK are not applicable to the Queen. Thus, for example, Elizabeth II (Isabel II) is not obliged to have a driving license, license plate, ID or passport, since these documents are issued “In the name of Her Majesty, The Queen”.

4. Her great power: She is untouchable, the Queen is considered above the law, and therefore is not obliged to appear before her, neither as accused nor as a witness. She “owns” everyone in the UK, as they are not considered citizens but subjects, and therefore has rights to their persons and properties. She “owns” all the UK’s seabed. She is Commander in Chief of the British Army and can declare war without consulting parliament. She is the head of the Church of England, can appoint archbishops and resolve ecclesiastical matters. The Queen has almost never made use of her unusual prerogatives of power.

5. Admirer of the #emeralds: At the Diplomatic Corps Reception at Buckingham Palace last year (2019), the Queen dressed in her best finery and adorned them with beautiful jewellery. Her rigorous dress code “White Tie” was sophisticated contrasted with the deep green due to the emeralds that adorned her tiara, her earrings (link to the catalogue), her bracelet (link to the catalogue) and especially her necklace (link to the catalogue), which, although very similar to the “Greville” necklace inherited from her mother, had dazzling #emeralds and never before seen in public, a central one in #PrincessTypeCut and the others in #PearTypeCut, which puzzled those attending the event.

As you can see, the Queen is very peculiar, her stories are countless and in honour of her, many of us count them with total pleasure…

If you know more interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II, leave them in the comments, and wish her a happy birthday!