In addition to waking up at the same time every day — to the sound of bagpipes no less — Queen Elizabeth II has many other things she does every single morning. Here’s what the rest of Queen Elizabeth’s morning routine looks like.
She eats breakfast and has a cup of Darjeeling tea
When it comes to food, Queen Elizabeth is a tad picky. Because of that, she typically eats the same (or similar) things every day — starting with breakfast. For her first meal of the day, the queen usually enjoys a bowl of oatmeal. She’s also a big fan of cornflakes and is known to ask for that often. Her Majesty washes it all down with a cup of her favorite tea (Darjeeling) and a few biscuits.
She takes a bath
Queen Elizabeth skips the shower and heads straight to the bath. Which is a rather relaxing way to start the day, don’t you think? Her Ladies-in-Waiting likely draw the bath for her and wait for her to wash up before getting ready for the day’s events.
She has her hair done
The queen rarely does her own hair. And, she has had the same hairdresser for nearly 20 years! After her morning bath, she sits in the chair and lets him work his magic.
She listens to the radio
Queen Elizabeth’s morning routine consists of many activities — starting with the radio. Apparently, Her Majesty always listens to BBC Radio 4’s Today show while getting ready for her busy day at the palace.
She exercises
At 92-years-old, the queen likes to keep as active as possible. On her days off she prefers to ride her horses (yes, she still rides them!), but in the mornings she takes a walk, sometimes with her dogs.
She reads the paper
As England’s monarch, the queen’s schedule is far too busy to be synched in at all times with what’s happening in the world. So, she likes to catch up on the news by reading the paper (perhaps over breakfast?) as part of her morning routine.
She journals
Journaling has become a very popular habit in the wellness world, but Her Majesty has been writing down her thoughts nearly all her life. Queen Elizabeth II likes to carve out some time in the morning to write in her journal.
According to another source, She is serenaded by a lone bagpiper for precisely 15 minutes:
very weekday since she ascended the throne in 1952, at approximately 9 a.m., the Queen walks to the terrace of Buckingham Palace to enjoy a truly royal start to her day: the sound of bagpipes from a single piper, the Pipe Major, stationed just below her terrace who plays for exactly 15 minutes. The time-honored tradition dates back to her great great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, and is an important constant in the Queen’s life.
The Piper to the Sovereign’s most important duty is to play under the Queen’s window when she is at Buckingham Palace, Windsor, Holyroodhouse, and Balmoral. The Pipe Major (a member of the British army) also oversees the 12 Army pipers who play at state banquets and escorts Her Majesty to her daily audiences. A Palace insider told The Daily Mail, “People can hear the pipes around the estate. It creates a really lovely, evocative atmosphere and sets you up for the day.”
But in 2018, the pipes were silenced for the first time in 175 years when Pipe Major Scott Methven of the 5 Scots Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders had to relinquish his duties unexpectedly for family reasons. Because Methven, who had been the Queen’s piper since 2015, had to bow out without notice, a replacement could not be found in time and the pipes sat silent for weeks before the lilting daily tunes could be heard once again.
Sources:
- https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/queen-elizabeth-morning-routine.html/
- https://bestlifeonline.com/queen-elizabeth-morning-routine/
- https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/inside-queen-elizabeth-iis-jam-packed-daily-schedule/