“HOMESCHOOLED” The Queen’s childhood education at Buckingham Palace – she never took an exam

Her Majesty has a vast knowledge and is fluent in three languages

LAST MODIFIED ON NOV 12, 2021 11:20 GMTSOPHIE HAMILTONMention homeschooling to UK parents and they’ll likely shudder as they remember those tough lockdown days, but for the Queen, being educated at home was the norm.MORE: Why the Queen’s childbirth process with Charles, Anne and Andrew is controversial todayThe monarch and her sister Princess Margaret were educated by their mother and a governess, Marion Crawford, who they affectionately called ‘Crawfie’, as well as private tutors. The siblings were the last members of the royal family to be permanently educated at home and neither sister gained any formal qualifications.WATCH: Royal children on their first day at schoolHowever, their knowledge was vast. The pair were taught to read and write by their mother until they were age seven and the Queen later became fluent in both French and German.The monarch also took lessons in constitutional history from the Vice Provost of Eton, Henry Marten. According to royalcentral.co.uk, the then-princess also learnt about maths, history, dancing, art and singing. queen-school

The princesses in the school room at Buckingham Palac

An article in Marie Claire revealed that the girls’ governess tried to encourage outdoor activities too and even set up the ‘Buckingham Palace Girl Guides Company’ for the young princesses and their cousins, along with the children of palace staff.

MORE: 14 photos which prove George, Charlotte and Louis’ sweet sibling bond

LOOK: 25 stunning royal mum moments: Princess Diana, Princess Eugenie and more

marion-crawford

A young Elizabeth and Margaret with their governess Marion Crawford

Professor Kate Williams, author of Young Elizabeth, has previously told Good Housekeeping: “The Queen’s father had disliked school and her mother thought it was more important to have fun.”

She added: “Unlike her father, the Queen was and is very bright and had an appetite for learning as well as a razor-sharp memory.”

“The lack of a formal education didn’t harm her as she’s naturally analytical and something of an autodidact (self-taught), as well as being hard-working – which we know now is just as important as raw brainpower,” Kate added.

the-queen

The Queen also had a role in World War II, when she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service which helped to repair vehicles.

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.