Queen Elizabeth II: She’s one of the most notable and powerful women in the world. In her 91 years as princess and queen, her every move has been captured for all the world to see. But just because her image is known worldwide doesn’t mean that this stoic monarch wears her heart on her sleeve.
Even though our obsession with the Royal Family has been going strong for pretty much as long as we can remember, we can conclusively confirm that the Queen is anything but open about her feelings.
As a matter of fact, in the 65 years of her reign, she has NEVER granted a formal on-air interview to a media outlet. It’s a shocking truth considering her children and grandchildren are consummate professionals when it comes to dealing with the press. (Just watch Prince Harry give dating advice alongside his fiancée Meghan Markle and you’ll quickly see what we mean!)
That said, the Queen has been an ever-present monarch throughout her reign, someone who shows her face at official events and does good work with countless charities. And she is known to speak up from time to time— when it’s on her own terms, of course.
For example, Queen Elizabeth recently filmed a documentary detailing her 1953 coronation for the BBC in partnership with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It’s being billed as a truly “intimate” look at the Queen’s memory of that important day, and judging by the previews we’ve seen, this interview is the real deal!
The documentary, which is called The Coronation, is set to air here in the U.S. on January 14th on the Smithsonian Channel. In it, the Queen discusses her thoughts on the royal tradition of coronations, as well as her knowledge of the crown jewels. She even sprinkles in some of her favorite childhood memories for good measure. Sounds pretty amazing to us!
Although we’re being made to wait for the premiere of the documentary just like the rest of you, there is one super satisfying clip that we can share, involving the Queen’s thoughts on the golden carriage used in her coronation—and it’s pretty hilarious.
“[The carriage was] horrible,” Queen Elizabeth recalls. “It nearly sprung a lever. Not very comfortable.”
Yeesh. Well, the Queen is known to be feisty, so we’re not completely surprised that she was able to find something wrong with a carriage made out of gold. Personally, we would be happy with a bumpy ride in a carriage that’s worth more than an NYC penthouse, but that’s just us…
To see this newly-released clip of the Queen recounting her role in one of England’s most important days, be sure to watch the video below. We can’t WAIT to see what else she has to say!
What are your thoughts on Queen Elizabeth II’s upcoming documentary? Are you planning to watch? Are you surprised to hear the royal complain about her golden carriage ride? Do you think she should start granting official interviews?