Schnitte’s second link has photos of her driving (what looks like a Jaguar wagon) in May 2017.
I was reading Sir Michael Caine’s autobiography and he mentions that he has a tract of land that people are frequently cutting across, despite his wishes. One time that he is able to do anything about it, he notices that the driver of the landrover is her majesty, and all he can do is doff his cap as she passes, giving that little hand wave.
As did his uncle Prince Andrew, during the Falklands War.
This may also be of interest: How does the Queen answer the phone? - The Straight Dope
Glancing through a book on Elisabeth by Sally Bedell Smith, she says it was a three week stint but a source of great pride to Elizabeth. Two decades later she told Labour politician Barbara Castle that it was the only time she got to test herself against her contemporaries. She wore the same drab uniform as the other eleven women (who were older than her) and learned the same things: driving a three ton vehicle on London streets, change wheels and spark plugs, bleed brakes, stripping down engines and understanding how a car works.Her face and hands got greasy and she had to salute superior officers (she was a second subaltern). Bu it gave her confidence and expert driving skills, later telling a friend that she had never worked so hard in her life and everything was brand new to her.
The scene in the movie “The Queen” didn’t happen (accodring to Smith’s book)
As an American (USA) my impression of her is a strong figure-head for her country under siege.
The scene in the film was obv. a prop for her encounter with the stag.
Prince Maurice of Battenberg served in combat during WWI and was killed at the First Battle of Ypres.
George VI served in WWI (in active combat, under fire) since he was not at that time heir to the throne. Edward VIII did not see active combat - he wasn’t allowed to - but did see service of sorts in WWI. In WWII both their living brothers (Gloucester and Kent) served, Gloucester on active battlefronts though not intended as a combat soldier - neither of them were young enough that they could have been conscripted into active duty. It’s just what the royals do.
Getting into the territory of footnotes to footnotes here, but although not in combat, Kent was killed on active service, flying a plane to Iceland in circumstances in which some persist in seeing mysteries and conspiracies. His eldest son went into a military career.
Perhaps Gloucester’s greatest military service was indirect. After the fall of Singapore, there was a great deal of concern about Churchill’s direction of the military, and he faced a confidence motion in the Commons. It failed from the moment its proposer suggested that there needed to be a military Commander-in-Chief and mentioned the Duke of Gloucester. Since he was widely reputed not to be the sharpest knife in the box, the reaction of incredulous hilarity scuppered the whole motion and debate, and Churchill’s position was secured for the rest of the war.