UNITED KINGDOM

Queen Elizabeth II turns 95 with clues to her longevity an official secret

April 21, 2021

Queen Elizabeth II turns 95. There will be a midday gun salute, the release of a special £5 coin by the Royal Mint to mark the birthday, and nothing from the Palace that spills the secret to her longevity. The birthday will be celebrated officially in June, when the weather is less inclement.

The new £5 coin depicts the royal cypher, "EIIR," above the words "my heart and my devotion."

The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of the House of Windsor on the April date in 1926. After the death of her father, King George VI, on Feb 6, 1952, she succeeded to the throne and was known thereafter as Queen Elizabeth II.

At 95, she surpasses the average life expectancy for women in the United Kingdom, which is 81.6 years, by a significant margin. Former Palace employees make up for official reticence about the Queen’s secrets for good health. Former palace chef Darren McGrady has related that unlike Prince Phillip, who "lives to eat," Queen Elizabeth "eats to live." According to the chef, she sticks to small portion sizes, and prefers four light meals to three larger ones.

Citing Palace insiders, Prevention magazine attributes her longevity and apparent health to her food preferences, which include seasonal produce and dark chocolate. Royal Heritage magazine, also citing Palace insiders, ties her health to her daily glass of champagne.

#23841 Published: February 16, 2021