How Much Do You Know About Queen Elizabeth II?

By: Mark Laufgraben
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
How Much Do You Know About Queen Elizabeth II?
Image: Youtbe

About This Quiz

Queen Elizabeth II is a living legend. Rising to public attention during the Second World War, she has stood as a heroic symbol of the people of Great Britain - and all members of the Commonwealth. She has been a voice of measured wisdom, a rock of stability and the very model of British royalty from the moment she glided elegantly onto the global stage. She has weathered storms of Republicanism questioning the worth of royalty, seen the fall of Evil Empires and visited places a world apart from the humble island from which she sprang. 

There are few Britons alive that can remember a world without her, and she has never for an instant shirked her duty in providing a role model to rally around, a picture of what it is to be British in a tumultuous, ever-changing world. And even as so much does change, she remains, a living link between the old world and the new, a living and breathing portrait of an Empire that is so, so different now from what it was in her youth, and yet is still so very familiar.

How much do you know about the queen? Do you know the duties she has undertaken for the crown she wears, the details of her day to day life, her relationships with the tumultuous royal family? Now is the time: Prove your knowledge with our own royal quiz!

When was the queen's coronation?
May 11th, 1979
July 1st, 1861
May 22nd, 1940
June 2nd, 1953
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 2ueen was crowned on June 2, 1953, upon the sad death of her father. She chose to retain the surname Windsor and selected her own name as her royal name with a curt "...of course." Of course indeed, your Majesty.

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Who are the queen's parents?
King George VI and Mary II
King George VI and Mary Mountbotten
King Edward VI and Joan Navarre
King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

King George and his wife Elizabeth were the proud of parents of the woman who would be Elizabeth II. She was originally third in line to the throne, and no one thought that she would inherit the crown. Fate would have other plans!

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When was the queen born?
February 26, 1922
April 21, 1926
March 19, 1924
January 17, 1925
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

On April 21, 1926, the future monarch of Great Britain came into the world. Like all British monarchs, however, she has two official birthdays! The other one changes every year, but is generally held on a Saturday in June.

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Who are the queen's siblings?
Princess Margaret
Princesses Margaret and Anne
Princess Margaret and Prince Philip
She had no siblings
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Queen had a single sibling, Princess Margaret. Although Margaret loved her sister, she bemoaned the way the press portrayed them, feeling that she was treated as the "wicked sister" due to, among other things, her decision to divorce. She passed in 2002.

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What are the names of the queen's children?
Edward, Charles, Charlotte and Andrew
Charles, Kevin, Andrew and Anne
Charles, Anne, Edward and Andrew
Edwin, Charles, Andrew and Anne
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen has had four children, Charles, Edward, Andrew and Anne. Charles is, of course, the most well known and the heir to the throne, something he has been waiting for for a long time. His mother her majesty shows no signs of slowing down!

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Where was the queen born?
Norbiton, Kingston upon Thames
Mayfair, London
Maze Hill, London
Peckham, Southwark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Queen was born in Mayfair, at the home of her grandparents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore. Although she was firstborn, she nonetheless was not believed likely to inherit the throne, due to Edward VIII being before her and her father in succession.

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What did the Queen do during WW II?
Mechanic and Ambulance Driver
Infantrywoman
Transport Pilot
Bomber Lead
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen was trained as a mechanic and ambulance driver and, rather than simply sit at a desk or engage in public appearances, she did all of the work herself. She loved the work and regarded the time as some of the most fulfilling of her life.

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What is the name of the queen's husband?
Timothy Laurence
Peter Philips
Philip Austere
Phillip Mountbatten
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Phillip Mountbatten, the royal consort, first started communicating with the young Elizabeth when he was 18 and she 13. He was actually of mixed Greek and Danish royalty, but had to abandon those titles on his marriage to Elizabeth.

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What is the queen's favorite sport?
American football
Horse racing
Golf
Tennis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Queen owns many horses, and horses in her possession have won over 1,600 races! She has always enjoyed riding, even as a child, and supposedly reads the "Racing Post" every morning!

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What was the way one officially addressed the queen, aka her "official style," until 1953?
...of Great Britain, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Queen, Defender of the Faith
.....by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Queen, Defender of the Faith
....of Great Britain, Ireland and Canada, Queen, Defender of the Faith
of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas and all ports, domestic and foreign, Queen, Defender of the Faith
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Queen's style on her ascension was ".....by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Queen, Defender of the Faith." The Faith mentioned is of course the Church of England, what we in the colonies refer to as the Anglican faith.

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What song does the queen always dance to?
Dancing Queen
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
One More Time
I Wanna Dance with Somebody
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When ABBA's "Dancing Queen" comes on, her majesty always endeavors to get up and get her groove on! When asked why she does this, she answered quite accurately that she was the queen, of course, so it makes sense.

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What is the queen's favorite cake?
Seven Layer Cake
Devil's Food Cake
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
German Chocolate Cake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Chocolate Biscuit Cake has always been the Queen's favorite. The secret to its taste is the crunchy filling of Rich Tea Biscuits that lurks within, counterbalancing the smoothness and sweetness of the cake itself. It also has lots of dark chocolate frosting!

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Of which team is the queen a big fan?
Liverpool FC
Chelsea FC
Arsenal FC
Manchester City FC
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen loves football and is by all accounts an Arsenal fan. She needs to be careful, however - for the same reason the Royals stay out of politics, she needs to take care with supporting teams. The royals must be seen as above all of that!

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What is the name of the queen's number-one album?
The Queen Croons!
Singin' with the Queen
Rock the Casbah
Party at the Palace
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although she of course did none of the performing, the album "Party at the Palace" was released with the live performance of the bands that performed at Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee.

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For how many years has the Queen reigned, as of 2018?
66 years!
60 years!
58 years!
54 years!
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As of 2018, the queen has reigned an astonishing 66 years since her ascension to the throne in 1952. In 2017, she celebrated a Sapphire Jubilee, and was the first British monarch ever to do so. Long may she reign!

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What nail polish does the queen use?
OPI's Silent Mauvie
OPI's Chilly Chile
Essie's Ballet Slippers
Essie's Sand of a Beach
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Essie's Ballet Slippers - a gentle pink hue - is the queen's nail polish of choice, and she has inspired other royals to wear it as well. The secret to its success is the color's way of looking elegant and classy while simultaneously not calling attention to itself, which is how her majesty likes it!

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What is the queen's preferred breed of dog?
The Bull Mastiff!
The St. Bernard!
The Bulldog!
The Corgi!
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen has always loved corgis, and she has had a succession of over 30 of them over the course of her long reign. She sadly does not have any more of them at present, as she does not want to leave any of them behind in the event of her death.

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What country was the queen the first English monarch to visit?
The USSR
China
Taiwan
Japan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen was the first ruling British monarch to visit China, which she did in 1986. She met with Deng Xiaoping and personally examined the recently excavated Terracotta Warriors.

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Who was the queen's governess as a child?
Sophie Rhys-Jones
Diana Spencer
Zara Tindall
Marion Crawford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Marion Crawford was the young princess's governess, and was supposedly betrayed by the queen mother! She became famous through writing about her experiences in a book called "The Little Princesses."

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What was the queen's military rank during WW II?
Honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Honorary second lieutenant in the Royal Navy
Honorary captain in the Home Guard
Honorary secretary of War
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The rank of "Honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service" was distressingly low, of course, but ultimately she was not meant to exercise command capacity in her role in the war, but rather act as a symbol of English determination.

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Where was the queen's first overseas tour as a young lady?
The Middle East
The United States
South Africa
South America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The young Queen visited South Africa, having been taken there in style by a royal Battle Cruiser. She also got to observe the performance of a traditional Zulu impi procession.

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How is the queen related to her husband?
Fourth cousins
First cousins, once removed
Second cousins, once removed.
She is his grandniece
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Not only are they second cousins once removed, but they are also third cousins through Queen Victoria. This is no surprise, as much of the European nobility is connected through marriage in one way or another.

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What was the queen mother's nickname for Philip?
Teddy Bear!
Shifty!
The Hun!
Hot Stuff!
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Phillip's sisters in particular were married to German nobles with links to the Nazi party, something that the British royal family could not afford to encourage. Hence the derisive German nickname of "the Hun." The sisters weren't even invited to the wedding!

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When was the queen married?
June 13th, 1945
May 4th, 1949
September 18, 1947
November 20, 1947
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen was married on November 20, 1947. Their wedding cake was an astonishing nine feet tall, and the ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey.

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What president did the young Elizabeth visit in the early '50s?
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Richard M. Nixon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While her father was gravely ill, Elizabeth visited Harry S. Truman in 1951 in his stead. She gifted the president with an "over mantle," and the president was by all accounts quite charmed by her.

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What religious scandal involving her sister did Elizabeth have to deal with?
Her conversion to Catholicism
Marrying a divorced man.
Her marriage to a Jewish man
Her flirtations with women
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Margaret's desire to marry a divorced man was considered scandalous in its day, as the Church of England did not recognize the divorce. Elizabeth tactfully asked her sister to wait for a year, and the affair eventually petered out.

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Which Canadian minister did Elizabeth have trouble with in the late '70s?
Pierre Trudeau
Joe Clark
Lester B. Pearson
John N. Turner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Queen did not initially get on well with Pierre Trudeau, who seemed to fail to take the monarchy, or her role in it, very seriously. He even slid down a banister in Buckingham Palace!

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In 1991, what was Elizabeth the first English monarch to do?
Address a joint session of the U.S. Congress
Address the British Public on television
Address the Houses of Lords and Commons together
Meet the French President
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After the Coalition victory over Iraq in the first Gulf War, the queen took the opportunity to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress, the first time this had ever happened. Her speech was very well received!

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What newspaper did the queen feel compelled to sue in 1992?
The New York Times
The Guardian
The Telegraph
The Sun
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The "Sun" revealed the contents of the Queen's Christmas address to the nation two days before she was to give it. This sort of chicanery was unheard of for a British news organization, and she sued the Sun for copyright infringement, winning both legal fees and a compelled donation to charity.

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How did the queen refer to 1992?
Our Year
The Grandest Year of the Empire
My Annus Horriblus
The Forgotten Year
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

She referred to it as her Annus Horriblus, or "horrible year." Her son and daughter had separated and divorced, respectively, Charles's infidelity was revealed in print, and various other licentious scandals rocked the monarchy.

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What wedding anniversary did she celebrate in 2007, becoming the first British monarch to do so?
Ruby
Saphire
Diamond
Pearl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Queen and Philip's diamond wedding anniversary was celebrated in 2007, marking 60 years of an extraordinary marriage. After making a big affair out of their 60th, they chose to keep their 70th in 2017 comparatively low-key!

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What surgery did the queen have in 2003?
Arythmia surgery
Ear canal surgery
The removal of a tumor on her lung
Keyhole surgery on her knee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The surgeons removed some torn cartilage from her knee using what is termed keyhole surgery. While they were at it, they removed some benign lesions as well.

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What actor did the queen perform alongside in a short film preceding the Olympic Games?
Brad Pitt
Daniel Craig
Johnny Depp
Chris Pratt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen performed a small role across from the modern-day James Bond himself as part of the opening to the Olympics in 2012. It has been argued that this makes her an official Bond girl!

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What party does the queen favor, politically?
Tories
She has not expressed a political opinion.
Labour
Liberals
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen has not shown favor to any particular political party. This is deliberate on her part and is a sort of blanket rule for royalty: they are to seem above it all and not align themselves with the temporal politics of the day.

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What animals appear on the queen's coat of arms?
A lion and a unicorn
A lion and a bear
A stag and a kraken
A stag and an eagle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The queen's coat of arms actually varies depending on the British territory in question - such are the complexities of heraldry. However, in every case you will find a lion standing on one side of the shield and a unicorn in opposition.

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