Despite growing up in an era where the handwritten letter was the main form of written communication, Queen Elizabeth is well and truly embracing modern technology.
The Queen today shared her first Instagram post with the world, publishing a photo and long caption on the royal family’s official Instagram account, which has 4.7 million followers.
During a visit to London’s Science Museum, the 92-year-old used an iPad to hit send on her pre-prepared post – a photo of a letter written to her great-great-grandfather Prince Albert in 1843.
Watch: The Queen makes her historic first Instagram post. Story continues below.
“Today, as I visit the Science Museum I was interested to discover a letter from the Royal Archives, written in 1843 to my great-great-grandfather Prince Albert,” she wrote in the caption.
“Charles Babbage, credited as the world’s first computer pioneer, designed the ‘Difference Engine’, of which Prince Albert had the opportunity to see a prototype in July 1843.
“In the letter, Babbage told Queen Victoria and Prince Albert about his invention the “Analytical Engine” upon which the first computer programmes were created by Ada Lovelace, a daughter of Lord Byron.”
The post continued: “Today, I had the pleasure of learning about children’s computer coding initiatives and it seems fitting to me that I publish this Instagram post, at the Science Museum which has long championed technology, innovation and inspired the next generation of inventors.”
It was signed “Elizabeth R” at the end.
The Queen wore a gorgeous bright orange coat with a matching hat for her outing.
In a statement, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Queen has long been a supporter of digital communications tools, and she sent her first tweet during her last visit to the Science Museum in 2014.
“In a similar act, The Queen launched the first British Monarchy website in 1997. Her Majesty sent her first email in 1976, during an engagement at a military base.
“There is a long association between The Queen and the Royal Family and Technology.”
This isn’t the first time The Queen has embraced modern technology.
She allowed television cameras inside Westminster Abbey to film her Coronation in 1953, which led to more than half a million extra TV sets being sold in the weeks leading up to the event.
