How Queen Elizabeth has welcomed technology throughout her reign

To celebrate the upcoming Jubilee, we’re looking back at the technologies the Queen has adopted throughout her reign.

When you think of the British monarchy, technology probably doesn’t come to mind. Although the Queen likes to keep things traditional, and very little is usually revealed about her private life, she has always shown a keen interest in emerging technologies throughout the decades. Afterall, at the age of 96 she really has lived through an exciting and fast paced age of rapid technology advancement.

We thought what better opportunity than her Platinum Jubilee to review some of the technologies Her Majesty is known to have used through her incredible 70 years reign:

TV Broadcasting – In 1953 the Queen’s Coronation was broadcast live for the first time in history thanks to her desire to use new television technology to reach out to her people. It was watched by 27 million people in the United Kingdom. Another milestone was created in 1957 when her annual Christmas message was broadcasted on TV.

Telephone – On December 05 1958, The Queen makes the first-ever trunk call on the Bristol Telephone Exchange.

Email – In 1976 the Queen became the first British monarch to send an email. An occasion photographed by British computer scientist Peter Kirstein. Her Majesty pressed a few buttons and sent a communication from her account ‘HME2’ (‘Her Majesty Elizabeth II’) across the ARPANET, the computer network that would evolve into the internet.

Website – In 1997 Queen Elizabeth unveiled her new website www.royal.gov.uk

Computer – On December 10, 2002 the Queen uses a computer to plant a “virtual tree” at Sussex Elementary School in Canada.

Video Games – According to Wired, our monarch has played a bowling game on a Wii console. Her interest apparently was ignited after watching her grandson, Prince William, playing on the console

Youtube – On October 16, 2008 YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley watches the Queen upload a video to the Royal Youtube channel.

3D Video – In 2012, The Queen recorded her Christmas message in 3D, and according to what a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told the BBC, she thought it was “absolutely lovely.”

 Twitter – During a visit to the Science Museum on October 24, 2014, the Queen sends her first tweet. She wrote: “It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting.  Elizabeth R,”

Self Check Out – On May 22, 2019 The Queen was introduced to a self-checkout till. “You can’t trick it? You can’t cheat?” she immediately asked.

These are just some of the documented cases of the Queen using technology. We’re sure she dabbles in many more during her day-to-day life!

Here at UK Electronics, we’re looking forward to celebrating the Jubilee weekend with our families. It will be a fantastic opportunity to come together as a country to celebrate this historic milestone of the Queen’s reign. We hope all our staff, suppliers and customers enjoy this special occasion.