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Queen Elizabeth has connections around the world. She has lived quite an impressive life, ruling the country of England for many decades, raising four children, and giving practical advice to her grandchildren. The queen still goes on engagements around the country of England and can be seen doing charitable work for the people of the United Kingdom.

While she has visited a countless number of countries in her life, you won’t see her going overseas anymore. So, why is it that Queen Elizabeth refuses to fly, and how does she conduct her royal business without flying?

How long has Queen Elizabeth been ruling monarch?

As the longest-reigning British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II has been on the throne for an astonishing 65 years! She was 25 years old at the time of her coronation and has been the Queen of England ever since. This is a longer time than any other ruling monarch, just one of the ways the queen has made history. An interesting fact is that Queen Elizabeth was not actually born as a direct heir to the British throne. When King Edward VIII abdicated the throne, it changed the British line of succession.

What countries have Queen Elizabeth visited?

Queen Elizabeth is actually the most traveled member of the royal family, having visited over 100 countries on over 250 official visits! That is certainly a lot of time spent on airplanes for the queen, so she is no stranger to flying. Having been overseas hundreds of times, Queen Elizabeth is definitely not scared of flying. So, why is it that she refuses to step foot on an airplane?

Why does the queen refuse to fly?

The reason that the queen will not fly anymore is quite simple. It all has to do with her age. She is 92 years old and just doesn’t feel comfortable on a plane anymore. There is a rumor that the queen is not allowed to fly anymore, however, this is simply not true. It all has to do with personal preference, and as we know, there are plenty of people to accommodate the queen!

How do royal duties get carried out if she won’t fly?

That is where the other senior members of the royal family come in! We often see Prince William and Kate Middleton as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, traveling overseas to carry out royal duties on behalf of the queen. It is lucky for Queen Elizabeth that she has so many people in her life to help her along.

How does Queen Elizabeth travel?

Opting not to fly certainly does not keep Queen Elizabeth stuck at home! She still drives to this day and often can be seen behind the wheel of one of her many cars out and about in England. In addition, the queen has been known to take the train when her travel takes her a little farther than normal. And, of course, there are plenty of royal assistants to drive Queen Elizabeth wherever she wants to go.

When was the Queen’s last overseas trip?

Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II | Samir Hussein/WireImage

The last time Queen Elizabeth traveled overseas was about four years ago when she and her husband, Prince Philip, went on a trip to Malta for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Although she loves the destination, and many others, after returning home, she decided that she just wouldn’t be traveling by airplane anymore.

Has the queen ever been to the United States?

Of course, she has! The Queen has made many visits to the United States, meeting several presidents and also visiting Ground Zero in New York City. Although all countries surely miss visits from the queen, she has stopped flying for good reason!