How Queen Elizabeth freaked out a Saudi king while driving him around in a Land Rover

Queen Elizabeth II of England, who served as the monarch for many years, passed away at the age of 96.

Prior to her ascension to the throne in 1952, she had an interesting stint as a mechanic in the military during World War II.

It is worth noting that the Queen had a passion for cars, and this enthusiasm once made another world leader quite scared.

One of the world leaders who experienced this nervousness was King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who passed away in 2015 at an age disputed but believed to be in his 80s.

Following his death, numerous stories emerged about his life, travels, and interactions with foreign heads of state.

Among these interactions was a memorable encounter with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

Back in 2003, when Abdullah was still a crown prince, he visited the Queen's castle in Scotland, known as Balmoral.

During his visit, the Queen kindly offered him a tour of the grand estate.

As the cars were prepared for the tour, Abdullah took his place in the front passenger seat, while to everyone's surprise, the Queen herself hopped into the driver's seat.

Little did they know, the Queen possessed considerable driving skills, having served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II.

In fact, as a princess, she had actively sought to join women working as drivers, bakers, postal workers, ammunition inspectors, and mechanics to support the war effort.

Notably, she remains the only female member of the royal family to have served in the military, making her the sole living head of state to have experienced World War II firsthand.

Without any hesitation, Queen Elizabeth started the car's engine and set off.

Her familiarity with Scotland's winding roads, gained through her time as an army driver, allowed her to navigate them with ease.

During the drive, the Queen engaged in conversation with Abdullah, paying little attention to his pleas for her to focus on the road.

Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, a British diplomat, shared an anecdote about this incident with The Sunday Times.

According to him, during an audience with the Queen, she mentioned that she had been talking to Abdullah throughout the drive, despite his constant reminders to slow down and concentrate on the road ahead.

As a man from Saudi Arabia, where women were not allowed to drive at the time, Abdullah found himself in an unfamiliar situation being driven by a woman, let alone a queen.

His nervousness only grew as the Queen accelerated the Land Rover along the narrow estate roads.

Interestingly, Queen Elizabeth II did not even possess a driver's license during her reign, as it was not a requirement for her.

This story of her driving adventure with King Abdullah was originally published in 2017, showcasing a unique and unexpected side of the Queen's personality.