Yes, Queen Elizabeth II was very much an early adopter and user of the internet and digital technology, sending her first email in 1976, tweeting in 2014, posting on Instagram in 2019, and using video calls during the pandemic, demonstrating a keen interest in technological advancement throughout her reign. She embraced online platforms to connect with the public, launching the first royal website, YouTube channel, and even collaborating on a CGI Paddington Bear sketch for her Platinum Jubilee.
On the 26th March 1976, the Queen sent her first email using a military machine which would lead to the internet as we know it today. Over twenty years later in 1997, she launched the royal family's official website. Later that year, her Christmas broadcast was published on the internet, the first of its kind to do so.
By embracing YouTube in 2007, the royals ensured they would not be left out of the evolving online conversation, bridging tradition with the internet generation. Two years later in 2009, the royal family officially joined Twitter (@RoyalFamily) and relaunched the royal website (again).
Instead, Queen Elizabeth for her Instagram debut posted to the palace's @TheRoyalFamily account a letter she discovered in the Royal Archives at the Science Museum written to her great-great grandfather Prince Albert from Charles Babbage.
Unlike her son, Queen Elizabeth—who died at the age of 96 in 2022—owned a cell phone, and it was no ordinary model. Per commentator Jonathan Sacerdoti (via the Mirror), Her Majesty used "a Samsung model outfitted with anti-hacker encryption by MI6."
According to Sir William Heseltine, one of Queen's private secretaries, when staying with Her Majesty, members of the royal family should wait until the Queen retires to bed before they also hit the hay.
Kate Middleton is constantly misplacing her cell phone, so much so that it has become a "running joke" with the royal family. The Princess of Wales often gets Christmas gifts with gadgets meant to help her keep track of her device, according to a new report from 'The Times. '
The British royal family has relaxed their stance on selfies in recent years and will sometimes pose for the photos when members of the public ask.
Queen Elizabeth II lived a remarkable life – but not everyone knows she made time to watch TV too. The Royal Family announced that the Queen died peacefully at Balmoral on Thursday (8 September), aged 96. In the wake of her death, fans are remembering the Queen's rather eclectic taste in television.
The following day, the diagnosis that Elizabeth and her court had dreaded from the outset was announced: she was suffering from smallpox, one of the deadliest and most feared diseases of the age. Those who survived it were often left hideously disfigured. Behind the scenes, Elizabeth's health had declined rapidly.
Prince William and Kate Middleton sleep in separate beds primarily due to the constraints of the Royal Train (which has only single beds) and as part of a long-standing aristocratic tradition of separate sleeping arrangements for better rest or privacy, though they likely share a bed at home, with their dog sometimes joining them for extra comfort, aligning with modern trends for "sleep divorce".
The Prince of Wales has said not allowing his 12-year-old son Prince George to have a mobile phone has 'become a little bit of a tense issue'. Prince William was interviewed by broadcaster Luciano Huck in Brazil, who shared the conversation on his Instagram.
TIM BERNERS-LEE (1955–) Creator of the World Wide Web who developed many of the principles we still use today, such as HTML, HTTP, URLs and web browsers. There was no “Eureka!” moment.
Palace sources claim the Queen took a liking to video games when she saw Prince William playing bowling on the Wii console at her house in Sandringham. “She thought the Nintendo looked tremendous fun and begged to join in,” said the source. “She played a simple 10-pin bowling game and by all accounts was a natural.
First email: Elizabeth II sent her first e-mail on March 26 1976 from the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE) in Malvern as a part of a demonstration of networking technology.
"After she had spent a few minutes alone at the remains of the school, it was the only time I saw her cry in public," Brian Hoey, who worked for the BBC at the time, wrote in the Daily Mail to mark the anniversary of the disaster on Oct. 21. Queen Elizabeth finally visited Aberfan on Oct.
A source close to the royal family tells Et that the queen's eldest son, Prince Charles (now King Charles III), and his wife Camilla, who is now the Queen Consort, were able to see Her Highness before she died. Elizabeth's daughter, Princess Anne, was also able to see her.
The royal, who died last week aged 96, was known to be a fan of the daytime quiz show, in which contestants are tested on obscure knowledge. Appearing on Lorraine on Thursday (15 September), Osman recalled a time that host Alexander Armstrong was invited to the Sandringham Women's Institute for a game of Pointless.
This one is slightly more obvious. Instead of using “toilet,” royals use the word “loo” when they need to use the facilities. “'Toilet' is French by origin, so it is apparently avoided,” The Mirror writes.
Protocol usually frowns upon any public displays of affection between royals; this is because royals are public servants and may wish to remain 'professional' when out in front of royal subjects.
The Princess of Wales has a habit of losing her phone. She has misplaced it so often around the house that it has become a running joke and her Christmas presents often feature various gadgets to keep it to hand. Recently, though, her public efforts have focused more on everyone putting down their mobile phones.
Yes, Prince William and Kate Middleton sleep in the same bed, often with their dog Orla, a revelation Prince William shared, highlighting a more modern, relatable approach to royal life compared to past generations who sometimes used separate beds for status or privacy. While they have separate bedrooms for some downtime and might use separate beds when traveling on the royal train due to its layout, their usual arrangement at home is together, with their dog as a regular bedfellow.
Kate Middleton (Princess of Wales) often has plasters on her fingers due to minor cuts and scrapes from everyday activities, especially from playing with her children on the trampoline or gardening, with Kensington Palace confirming these are small, non-serious injuries. She's been seen with them at various events over the years, leading to speculation about gardening mishaps or kitchen accidents, but it's generally attributed to being an active mum.
The couple's three kids "don't have phones" and Prince George is over it. Prince William explained why he doesn't want his eldest son using a phone.