Announcement of the death of The Queen
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral on the afternoon of 8 September 2022.
Queen Elizabeth is one of history’s most known figures and ruled Britain longer than any other monarch. Queen Elizabeth II embraced technology during her 70-year reign, despite the monarchy’s reputation for adhering to tradition.
She oversaw the development of some of the most popular items of the modern era and is widely regarded as a long-time supporter of digital communications and technological advancement. So, from 1940 to 2022, here is a timeline of the Queen’s technological journey.
The First Radio Broadcast (1940)
On October 13, 1940, the Queen—then known as Princess Elizabeth—announced her first statement in public by giving a radio address to Commonwealth children, many of whom were away from home because of war. Princess Margaret, her younger sister, joined her later.
The First Televised Coronation (1953)
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which was televised live on June 2, 1953, did the most to make television a widely used medium. It was the first televised airing of a Coronation episode where millions more viewers globally, including 27 million viewers in the UK alone, watched it.
The First Televised Christmas Message (1957)
On Christmas Day 1957, the Queen delivered her first ever televised Christmas message, which was transmitted live from the Long Library at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. The Queen has broadcast the holiday speech on television every year since she was the first British monarch to do so.
The First to Send an Email (1976)
She was the first monarch to send an email back in 1976, when technology was in its infancy. She embraced social media a little later than most people, but email far earlier. When ARPANET, the predecessor to today’s internet, reached a communications research facility called Royal Signals and Radar Establishment in England, he reportedly revealed to the website that the username he created for her was HME2, which stands for “Her Majesty, Elizabeth II.” When ARPANET, the predecessor to today’s internet, reached
Speaks to Astronauts Via Video Chat (2007)
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited NASA in 2007 as part of a State Visit to the United States of America. While there, Her Majesty spoke from Mission Control to three astronauts who were aboard the International Space Station.
Visits to Google Headquarters (2008)
The Royal Family even posted a video of the queen’s visit to Google in 2008 to their official YouTube page. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were even shown a popular video of a laughing baby while they were there and couldn’t help but chuckle.
Creating a Facebook Account (2010)
She joined Facebook in 2010 and ushered in the social media era for the Royal Family. It includes verifiable engagement documents, films, images, and even the Court Circular (the official record of royal engagements). The Monarchy has become more in touch with the times as a result of digitalization and the sharing of content on social media.
Broadcasting in 3D (2012)
Every year, Queen Elizabeth tapes a Christmas message to reflect on the previous year. However, one year, she made a change. She recorded the message in 3D in 2012, and she felt it was “absolutely charming,” a representative for Buckingham Palace told the BBC.
Sends A Tweet (2014)
The Queen, who introduced herself as Elizabeth R., sent the inaugural tweet from the official Buckingham Palace Twitter account while unveiling the Information Age exhibit at London’s Science Museum.
Uploads to Instagram (2019)
The Queen was originally published on the Royal Family’s official Instagram account in March 2019, once more, while on a trip to the London Science Museum. She chose to post a picture of a letter that is hung in the museum and was written by Charles Babbage, the inventor of the first computer, to his great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert.
Video Conferencing during the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020)
At the age of 94, Queen Elizabeth made her first public video call on Zoom in June 2020. The Queen spoke with Princess Anne via video chat in honor of Carers Week to thank important caregivers and learn about their experiences during the pandemic.
Using an Oyster Card (2022)
Finally, she used an Oyster card during the launch of the Elizabeth Line, a new subterranean route to and from Central London, only this month in 2022. She was the first monarch to not only ride the tube (after traveling there with her sister in 1939), but also to top off and tap in with her oyster card!
Read more about Queen Elizabeth II: 13 Key Moments in Her Reign
Munia Jamal is a freelance content writer and translator with 5 years of experience, working with different clients and agencies. She believes that content is nothing but showing your creativity through words. She can be contacted at muniaj99@gmail.com.