Skip to main content

Driving fit for a queen

The British queen is known as an enthusiastic driver, particularly for off-roading, but despite never having held a licence or sat a driving test. A legal anomaly means she has been able to drive without a licence although she did undergo training by the British Army when she served as a driver during WWII. Her off road driving skills are well known, particularly when at the wheel of her favoured Land Rovers. On one occasion during a formal visit by a previous Saudi king, he was surprised when she sat behin
December 14, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The British queen is known as an enthusiastic driver, particularly for off-roading, but despite never having held a licence or sat a driving test. A legal anomaly means she has been able to drive without a licence although she did undergo training by the British Army when she served as a driver during WWII. Her off road driving skills are well known, particularly when at the wheel of her favoured Land Rovers. On one occasion during a formal visit by a previous Saudi king, he was surprised when she sat behind the wheel of her Land Rover. Unused to being driven by a woman as females are forbidden to do so in his country, let alone a queen, he was perturbed at the pace she chose to drive at along the roads of the private estate. He repeatedly told his translator to ask her to slow down. They arrived at their destination unharmed but it is not known if he ever repeated the experience.

Related Content

  • Under the wheels
    February 21, 2012
    A woman in New Zealand managed to run over her husband not once but twice in a short space of time. The woman was backing the couple's car from down their driveway when she ran over the unfortunate man. She then drove forward, running him over for the second time. An emergency response crew treated the man at the scene before taking him to hospital where he is recovering from his injuries. He suffered moderate injuries to his head, chest and back but was still conscious and able to talk to the ambulance cre
  • Do you take this car?
    May 23, 2012
    A German car salesman recently decided to propose to his girlfriend in a somewhat unusual manner. The man arranged the vehicles in the car lot where he worked so that they would spell out the important question and he then flew over the site on a romantic aerial trip with her. Despite her surprise, the woman accepted the offer. The cars have since been parked in a more conventional manner.
  • King is queen of cone laying
    December 9, 2021
    A second automated cone-laying vehicle, this time from King Highway, is completing off-road trials with England’s National Highways agency.
  • A good start
    July 16, 2012
    A German woman now has serious regrets following her recent marriage. The woman, clad in her wedding dress, was found by police lying unconscious in the rear seat of a BMW car with only a crate of vodka for companionship. Police were called to help when the woman was spotted in the vehicle as temperatures began to climb during the day and there were concerns over her well-being. Despite verbal attempts to rouse her, the woman remained unconscious so the police broke a window and had to shake her awake. She