Lesser-Known Facts About Queen Elizabeth II: From WWII Service to Her Love for Corgis

During World War II, Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) as a mechanic and driver. At the age of 18, she became the first female member of the British royal family to serve in the armed forces.

Queen Elizabeth II has a surprising hobby: pigeon racing. She inherited a royal pigeon loft from her grandfather King George V and maintains a collection of racing pigeons at Sandringham Estate. Her birds have won numerous competitions over the years.

Queen Elizabeth II had a lifelong love for corgis. She received her first corgi, named Susan, as an 18th birthday present and owned more than 30 corgis since then. The Queen's corgis have become synonymous with her image, often accompanying her on trips and appearing in official portraits.

Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch in 2015, surpassing the previous record held by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. In 2016, she became the first British monarch to reach the age of 90.

When attending social events, Queen Elizabeth II uses her handbag to send secret signals to her staff. If she places her bag on the table, it indicates that she wants to leave within the next five minutes. If she moves her bag from one arm to the other, it means she wants to end a conversation.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were married for over 73 years, making them one of the longest-married royal couples in history. They were distant cousins, both sharing a great-great-grandmother in Queen Victoria, and first met when Elizabeth was just 13 years old.

Queen Elizabeth II has held numerous titles throughout her life, including Duchess of Edinburgh, Head of the Commonwealth, and Defender of the Faith. In addition to being the Queen of the United Kingdom, she is also the queen of 15 other independent countries.

Queen Elizabeth II was an accomplished horsewoman and has been an avid rider since childhood. She has a keen interest in thoroughbred horse racing and owns several racehorses that have won prestigious races, including the Epsom Derby.

Queen Elizabeth II has embraced technology throughout her reign. In 1976, she became the first monarch to send an email, and in 2014, she sent her first tweet from the official British Monarchy Twitter account. She also holds a personal iPad for her use.

Queen Elizabeth II inherited one of the world's most valuable and comprehensive stamp collections from her father, King George VI. The Royal Philatelic Collection includes stamps from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and is considered an important part of the nation's heritage.