Today is Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday and while the news is filled with different stories about her life and her family – here in Automotive we’ve decided to celebrate The Queen’s Birthday in a more appropriate way for us – with a look back at some of her cars.

The Queen learned to drive as Princess Elizabeth during World War Two – she was serving in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service. She also fixed military vehicles during this time.

Princess Elizabeth driving an Ambulance in World War II – Getty Images

While she is often chauffeured around in the course of her Royal duties, The Queen is known to enjoy driving and has owned many vehicles over the years, including the expected Daimler, Rolls Royce and Bentley vehicles.

Apparently the Queen’s latest addition – the Bentley Bentayga

It’s believed that The Queen doesn’t hold a driving licence and she is the only person in the UK allowed to drive without a licence. That hasn’t stopped her from getting behind the wheel and her cars have included Jaguar X Type Estates (once cutting over the grass to get past a family walking in the road on the estate), Land Rovers and Range Rovers a plenty and the aforementioned ‘state vehicles’.

It’s not all Rolls Royce and Bentley though – below is The Queen in her Vauxhall Cresta Estate – and she’s been known to drive the later Omega and Insignia models too

The Queen in her Vauxhall Cresta Estate, circa 1980.

However, of far more interest to myself as a confirmed Rover fan are the two Rover P5Bs owned by The Queen and now at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon. A lovely example of the type.

The Queen in her Rover P5B

The Queen’s Rover P5B more recently.

So, Happy Birthday Ma’am and may you enjoy many more years of motoring.