A cousin of the Royal Family has revealed exactly what happened when Queen Elizabeth learned she had earned the royal title.
For many of us, we can't remember a time when Queen Elizabeth wasn't the head of the Royal Family, as she's the longest running ruler who was given the crown at the young age of 25. While the story of Elizabeth learning she had become the Queen has been dramatized on shows like The Crown, a relative of the family has revealed how it really went down.
Her father, King George VI, passed away in his sleep while Elizabeth was on a trip wildlife-watching in Kenya.
Lady Pamela Hicks, a cousin of Prince Phillip's, was present on that trip, and passed the story of what happened with Elizabeth learned she had become the ruling monarch to her daughter.
"My mother remembered very clearly that when she heard the news, she paced up and down, up and down with Philip and the ladies-in-waiting and the private secretary," India told People.
"Finally when the Queen had gathered herself, she said, 'I'm so sorry, but we are going to have to go back to England,'" she recounted.
"They all said, 'Don't be ridiculous,'" India continued. "My mother gave her a hug and suddenly remembered, 'This is my queen,' and dropped into a deep curtsy."
"When we landed in England and seeing Winston Churchill and others drawn up on the tarmac, there was this sudden realization that this was the end of her private life," Lady Pamela added.
What an incredible story!
h/t: People
