Queen Elizabeth Was a 'Gutsy' Driver Who Enjoyed Driving Her Cars 'Fast', Reveals Former Aide

Late Queen Elizabeth II was known for her short gait and firm personality. However not many know that she had a strong passion for racing her cars within the royal premises. A former aide of the late British monarch revealed the other adventurous facets of her personality. Samantha Cohen, who has been a close confidante of Elizabeth recently spilled the beans about the feisty moments with the late Queen. 

During an interview with The Sunday Times, Cohen revealed that the late Queen was "playful" and "shy" by her nature. The former aide who worked with the late monarch for 18 years in Buckingham Palace was thus very close to her. The assistant private secretary would spend her time nearly daily with the royal figure which made her closest to the Queen and more informed about her temperament. Giving a peek about her adventures within the royal boundaries Cohen revealed that, "She was gutsy. She would drive her cars fast around Balmoral."

In an incident as noted by British diplomat Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, the Queen once scared then-Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia when she drove him for lunch to the Balmoral. The late Queen was 72 years old when she fastened her seat belt in the driver's seat to drop the crown Prince. In his memoir, Cowper-Coles wrote, that the Queen "got into the driver's seat on the right, turned the ignition, and started driving them away." At one point she "began speeding the Land Rover through the narrow mountain roads of the Scottish highlands while talking all the time."

Adding further he wrote how the Prince and his interpreter reacted. "Through his interpreter...a very nervous Abdullah implored the Queen to slow down and concentrate on the road ahead," he wrote. A few months later another royal member of Arabia, Prince Saud, told the diplomat slyly, "I suspect, ambassador, that Her Majesty steers the ship of state more steadily than she drives a Land Rover," as he commented on Her Highness' passion for driving. Apart from that, according to Marie Claire, she was also an able horse rider.

Disclosing the instances of her outdoor activities, Cohen shared, "Some mornings I’d be getting the cereal for breakfast, and the kids would go, ‘Mum! The Queen just rode past on her horse.’ Other times they’d bump into her on their bicycles. The Queen loved families having a nice time and hearing what everyone was doing," as reported by People. That's not all, the late Queen was remarkably kind according to the assistant. This explained her playful hobbies that continued till her old age.

Sharing about her job profile, Cohen also revealed that the late Queen was an "incredible boss." "There were no favorites. I felt my job was to make her life as easy as possible," she added reminiscing the late British Queen's demeanor who didn't fear anything.