When 16, the Queen registered for service, and when 18 she enlisted as a2nd Subaltern (#23087) in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she worked regular duty as a military truck driver. By the end of WWII, she had worked up to Jr. Commander. These days she’s Commander-in-Chief of quite a few countries’ militaries.
Her sweetheart Philip finished top of his class from RNC Dartmouth and served in active duty throughout WWII. Their eldest son Charles (first in line of succession) qualified as a jet pilot in the RAF, and qualified as a helicopter pilot in the RN. Their second eldest son Andrew (fourth in line of sucession) was a career naval officer who flew Lynx helicopters in the Falkland’s War. Their eldest grandchild William (second in line of succession) graduated from Sandhurst, earned commissions in the Army, the RN and the RAF, and is a career helicopter pilot who flew on an RN drug raid in the Caribbean before transferring to the RAF to fly Sea King SAR helicopters back home. Their second eldest grandchild Harry (third in line of succession) graduated from Sandhurst and was commissioned in the Army, trained as a tanker, and served on active duty in the Afghan War as a Forward Air Controller. These days he flies Apache helicopters in the Army Air Corps.
This family is the real deal. My guess is that somewhere in the back of the Queen’s mind is a little disappointment that she could not make the jump with her sons or grandsons piloting the helicopter.