The Queen may be scaling back her royal duties but it appears the 91-year-old monarch gave her chauffeur the day off, as she was spotted driving her Jaguar back from a Sunday church service.
It’s her first weekend at Windsor after returning from her summer holidays in Scotland, where she spent three months at her Balmoral residence.
The bespectacled sovereign was behind the wheel of the forest green car, a bright blue hat visible atop her head, accompanied by her security guard in the passenger seat.
Queen Elizabeth II was photographed today driving back from a church service. It’s her first weekend at Windsor after returning from her summer holidays in Scotland
The Monarch is the only person in the UK who is not required to hold a driving licence and has often been photographed driving around her Sandringham estate
The Queen, who is a fan of driving and who doesn’t legally need a license, has been seen on many occasions driving herself down the Long Walk in Windsor Great Park.
While she is always chauffeured during royal occasions, the Queen is in fact a capable driver, having learnt to drive while serving as a mechanic in the Women’ s Auxillary Territorial Service during the Second World War.
Over the years she has been photographed on numerous occasions taking to the lanes of her Sandringham estate in a trusted Range Rover.
Earlier in the week The Queen made her first royal appearance, since her summer break, at a glittering that event marked the Centenary of the Women’s Royal Navy Service and the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corp.
It came in the same week that she announced she was scaling back her royal duties – the decision is part of a gradual process of delegating certain regal responsibilities to the younger generations, mindful of the monarch’s advancing age.
While she is always chauffeured during royal occasions, the Queen is in fact a capable driver
The Queen was in good spirits at the event on Thursday, marking her first royal engagement since returning from her summer break
The Queen was greeted by members of the armed forces at the glamorous event and spoke to women who had Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) during the Second World War, just as she did
During Britain’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations, Ma’am will be attending them for the first time in her 65-year reign as a spectator.
Buckingham Palace announced she will watch the traditional 11am service at the Cenotaph alongside the Duke of Edinburgh on a Foreign Office balcony while the Prince of Wales lays a wreath to the fallen on her behalf.
Charles has taken on a number of extra duties at the Queen’s request in recent years, particularly those involving long-distance travel and major Commonwealth events.