Even The Cash Carried By Queen Elizabeth Got The Royal Treatment
When you're the Queen of the United Kingdom and more than a dozen other Commonwealth realms, you don't really have to worry about carrying cash around. But before Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96, she would sometimes bring a little pocket change with her from time to time, according to the New York Post. Like everything else about the queen, it wasn't any old dirty and crumpled pound notes for such a royal personage. No indeed. Her cash was special.
According to ABC News, the royal family's estimated wealth is about $28 billion, with the bulk of that wealth coming from the Crown Estate. So considering the lifestyle of Queen Elizabeth, who had vast wealth and people to (literally) wait on her hand and foot, why would she bother with such plebeian things like carrying cash? Normally, she didn't deal with legal tender except on Sundays. Although she worshipped privately during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was able to attend church, she carried a special five-pound note in her purse, according to Elle and Hello!
Keeping it Queenly, Clean, and Tidy
Queen Elizabeth II, like all the previous British monarchs since Henry VIII, was considered the Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England with duties that included appointing bishops and archbishops, according to the official website of The Royal Family. The queen also championed religious diversity during her reign, especially regarding Catholicism and Judaism, according to The Conversation. As a devout Christian, Queen Elizabeth took her duties seriously, so when the collection plate came around, she'd drop in a banknote featuring her own face.
The five-pound notes she used were ironed — yes, ironed — by her butler so that only her portrait on the bill showed, according to Elle. This left room for the other items she always carried in her black leather Launer handbag: A compact, pen, lipstick, mints, reading glasses, and a portable hook she used to hang her bag when not in use, per Elle and the New York Post.