this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2026
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Are you enjoying the drive? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by deathmetal27@lemmy.world to c/historymemes@piefed.social
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Context: In 1998, the Saudi crown prince Abdullah visited the UK, the Queen offered him a tour of their Scottish estate in a car. Expecting some attendant to do the driving, the prince was shocked when Queen Elizabeth herself got into the drivers seat and drove off.

This was shocking for the prince because at the time it was illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia and here the monarch of the UK herself was doing so just to taunt him.

Queen Elizabeth herself used to be a driver and mechanic during World War 2 and as such was quite qualified to drive by herself.

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[–] TheBat@lemmy.world 51 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Based

Didn't she also wear outfit with EU colours during the Brexit debacle?

[–] gazter@aussie.zone 29 points 1 week ago

She did.

And when Trump visited, on the first day she wore a brooch gifted to her by the Obamas, on the second one given to her by a Canadian, on the third the brooch that she hadn't worn since her father's funeral.

I'm not a fan of the monarchy, but in her own way she was badass.

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 22 points 1 week ago

as such was quite qualified to drive by herself.

Literally, the crown issues licences and she was the crown. She was the only person who didn't need a licence to drive, and had the authority to grant herself the authority.

[–] trollercoaster@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 week ago

She also was qualified to drive fast and did apparently employ that skill to great effect on that medieval bastard.

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

She wasn’t an ambulance driver, she was a qualified ambulance mechanic.

[–] deathmetal27@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

She drove the fixed vehicles. She was a delivery driver rather than an ambulance driver. Ambulances go where there are injured, which is where the danger is. No way she would be allowed near that.

[–] deathmetal27@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Ah makes sense. The article didn't say that she drove ambulances specifically. Edited the post.

[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone 13 points 1 week ago (2 children)

If only this story involved a car bomb

[–] deathmetal27@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago

Found the Irish

[–] egrets@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

My parents were walking near the Balmoral estate years ago and an old lady gave them a wave as they stood on the verge to let her pass in her Land Rover. They gave a cheery wave back.

They realised a little later that it was the Queen.

[–] Schmuppes@lemmy.today 8 points 1 week ago

Say what you will about Elizabeth II, but she definitely was the Queen.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 7 points 1 week ago

Queen Elizabeth herself used to drive an ambulance during World War 2 and as such was quite qualified to drive by herself.

The Prince though...