# Queen Elizabeth's drivers license **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 25, 2006, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722 "2006-11-25T04:58:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/101 "2006-11-27T19:55:04Z")
Just to throw another spanner in the works. I believe that Princes Harry and William have the name ‘Wales’ stitched onto their uniforms in the place where a surname usually goes. So apparently they have rejected whichever surname they ended up with. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/102 "2006-11-27T22:08:40Z")
[QUOTE=Keeve] Somewhere in England there exists an office (DVLA?) whose purpose, assigned to them by the Queen Herself, is to certify people as drivers, and to issue them licenses for same. I see no logical reason why that would not apply to her. [/QUOTE] Nearly right, the DVLA is in Swansea which is in Wales. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/103 "2006-11-27T22:53:05Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara] I just called the number. [/QUOTE] Jolly good show, old chap. Pip, pip! Tally ho! ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/104 "2006-11-27T22:55:53Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] Jolly good show, old chap. Pip, pip! Tally ho! [/QUOTE] Of course we all talk like that over here. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/105 "2006-11-28T00:00:32Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] Of course we all talk like that over here. [/QUOTE] Aw, shucks, pardner, belly up to the bar ‘n’ I’ll buy y’all a red-eye. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/106 "2006-11-28T07:48:48Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] Of course we all talk like that over here. [/QUOTE] By 'eck laddie, not all of us do. Disna know thissen? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/107 "2006-11-28T08:01:29Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] By 'eck laddie, not all of us do. Disna know thissen? [/QUOTE] Thank you Camilla. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/108 "2006-11-28T10:06:20Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] Jolly good show, old chap. Pip, pip! Tally ho! [/QUOTE] Excellent. I added that line as a postscript. The letter has now gone. Thing is, I can’t recall whether I put a stamp on the envelope. I’m not too worried though. The Queen must be sick of receiving envelopes with her picture on the top right hand corner. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/109 "2006-11-28T16:57:34Z")
The Queen does not need a licence. From the official Royal Family website [Does the Queen have a licence?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=8004228#) > [@](#): > > The Queen does not own a passport, despite making numerous official visits overseas. As you point out, because the British passport is issued in the name of the Sovereign, it is not necessary for The Queen herself to have one. > > Although The Queen does not require a driving licence by law, she learned to drive in 1945, while still Princess Elizabeth, as a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She would have required a licence at this time, since she was not the Sovereign and would therefore have been required to hold a driving licence under the existing acts of that time. > > In a similar fashion, The Prince of Wales currently requires both a driving license and a passport. On ascending the throne, he would have no legal need for such documents, but he would still nevertheless possess them. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722/110 "2006-11-28T17:09:18Z")
OK, thanks. That’s the same link supplied by **APB** earlier, which I should have acknowledged. I don’t know how I, or anyone else, failed to find this via google. I’d still like the answers to a couple of other questions though so I sent the letter with a couple of changes. Also I get a reply from the Palace which I can sell on ebay to fund my Christmas expenses. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeths-drivers-license/381722.md?page=5)