Personally, I always assumed Queen Elizabeth II just used her iPod to listen to the opening credits of Downton Abbey on repeat. Turns out, I was wrong…
There has been renewed interest in Lilibet’s music taste after her silver iPod was spotted, plugged into some speakers, as she greeted governer general of Australia Peter Cosgrove in her Balmoral living room.
Of course, this reasonably up-to-date piece of technology confirms Elizabeth to be a cool nan. However, this also raises some interesting questions about her inner life, beneath the immaculately matching pastel hat, overcoat and skirt combo.
The 91-year-old monarch has lived through the swinging sixties and the birth of punk. Her reign has encompassed heavy metal and cool Britannia, 90s boybands and 80s power ballads.
But what type of music can the palace dwelling corgi-collecter actually relate to? What does she rebel against and what karaoke hits can she belt out into a hairbrush?
Speaking with Vogue, writer of My Husband & I, an upcoming book about Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip’s marriage, Ingrid Seward, shone some light on what could be on that mysterious royal playlist:
The Queen is a big fan of musicals, traditional hymns, and Scottish ballads, and even the Beach Boys’s songs, especially ‘California Girls.’
She also likes Elton John and all kinds of military music. She plays the piano herself and has a pitch-perfect singing voice.
Ingrid also noted how there were plenty of tech savvy young footmen around to help the nonagenarian royal should she face any technical mishaps.
Will they also be giving advice on the latest club bangers? We are still waiting to know…
We also now know where the iPod classic came from. During a 2009 trip, Barack and Michelle Obama presented the personalised music device to her majesty, complete with songs and footage from her 2007 US trip. This iPod, with it’s shiny silver colouring, is believed to be the very same one in the picture.
When you visit the Queen, it’s expected you will bring a suitably regal gift with you. Naturally, this applies even if you are President of the United States.
The Queen has received some pretty wild and wacky gifts from politicians over the course of her long reign. President Pompidou of France once presented her with a wine cooler shaped like a gigantic grasshopper, and she was even given a pair of cowboy boots during her 1991 US trip.
(Side note: if anyone out there has any pictures of our maj wearing said cowboy boots, please don’t be shy in sharing!)
Although the Queen was probably quite pleased to receive a relatively hip and happening present for once, Obama’s gift choice was viewed to be something of a gaffe at the time; particularly as she already had an iPod, thank you very much.
Damn it Obama, you should drop some hints before you hit the Apple store…
However, years later and it seems Lizzie is still blasting out the tunes so clearly the gift was well received.
She certainly seems to like this prezzie way more than that blue horse painting President Joachim Gauck of Germany gave her…
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.