Introduction
Queen Elizabeth II is probably one of the most famous rulers of the modern world, and she was renowned for extraordinary leadership in often difficult circumstances. Although controversy does surround the concept of royalty in many countries, a lot of people still viewed her fondly, and were interested in learning more about her – so let’s do just that!
Queen Elizabeth II was approximately 5 foot 4 inches (1.63 meters) throughout most of her life, although it’s likely that she was closer to 5 foot 2 inches (1.57 meters) or 5 foot 1 inch (1.55) at the time of her death, as many people lose height as they age. She was not significantly below the average height for a British woman, but is often considered a short individual.
In this article, we’re going to find out more about Queen Elizabeth II’s height, age, weight, and some of the things she did in her life.
How Tall Was Queen Elizabeth II?
Queen Elizabeth II was 5 foot 4 inches throughout most of her adult life. The average British woman is about 5 foot 4.7 inches, making her less than an inch below this average. That means she was a slightly short individual, but it would barely have been noticeable most of the time.
However, a lot of people think that Queen Elizabeth II was short, and you might be wondering why that is. There are a few possible explanations.
The first and most obvious is that many women lose about 2 inches of height as they age, which means she was likely closer to 5 foot 2 inches for many of her later years, which of course is what is fresh in people’s minds when they think of her. She would have been almost 3 inches under the average height by this point.
Secondly, Queen Elizabeth II was often surrounded by tall people; bodyguards, heads of state, and many of her own family members would have been notably taller than her, and this inevitably would make her look smaller, especially when she began to take on a more frail appearance as she aged. Appearing slightly hunched over would have added to this impression.
With that in mind, let’s look at her compared with some of her close family members, so we can make sense of her height in context.
Firstly, there’s Prince William, who is 6 foot 3 inches (1.91 meters), which means he would have been considerably taller than Queen Elizabeth – possibly even a foot taller as she aged. He’s one of the tallest members of the royal family, which may not surprise you.
There’s also his brother, Prince Harry, who stands only an inch shorter at 6 foot 2 inches (1.88 meters). That would also make him taller than Queen Elizabeth by almost (but not quite) a foot.
Next, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s late husband. He was an impressive 6 feet tall (1.83 meters), which means he was almost 6 inches taller than Queen Elizabeth II when they were both in their prime. This may be one of the reasons that many people think of Queen Elizabeth II as short; she was significantly smaller than her husband.
She also stood shorter than Princess Diana, who was 5 foot 10 inches (1.78 meters), an impressive height for a woman. Princess Diana was an exceptionally elegant lady, and her death caused immense sadness. Her ex-husband, King Charles, is also 5 foot 10 inches, and stood noticeably taller than the Queen.
There are other tall women in the family too; Kate Middleton stands at around 5 foot 9 inches (1.75 meters), and Camilla Parker Bowles stands at about 5 foot 8 inches (1.73 meters). They both would have been noticeably taller than the Queen when standing next to her, which may have led to the impression that she was short.
Indeed, of all her immediate family, the Queen was among the shortest, although she was taller than her own mother.
How Old Was Queen Elizabeth II?
Queen Elizabeth II was 96 years old when she died in 2022, after an exceptionally long and interesting life. She had the longest (verified) reign of any female head of state throughout history, and she was also the longest ruling British monarch.
She took the throne when she was just 25 years old, and during her lifetime, she saw more than 170 different prime ministers across all the realms she ruled. Despite some controversy, she enjoyed significant popularity among the British public, and her work ethic and dedication to her role were frequently praised in the highest of terms.
She celebrated multiple jubilees, including the Silver, Gold, and Diamond Jubilees, and in 2007, she surpassed Queen Victoria as the longest-lived British monarch. Her husband Philip died in 2021, after 73 years of marriage, and she made moving tributes to him.
In 2022, she celebrated the Platinum Jubilee, marking her 70 years of rule. In September 2022, at the age of 96, she died in Scotland – the first British monarch to die there since the 1500s. More than a million Britons came out in central London in recognition of her death.
How Much Did Queen Elizabeth II Weigh?
Weight estimates for the monarch vary, but she was said to weigh approximately 127 lb (58 kg). There aren’t any official reports to support this, however, and it’s difficult to say what her true weight would have been. It is likely that it varied throughout her life.
It should be noted that a royal photographer who was familiar with her said that she had lost weight and become frail in the last few months of her life, although this is not unexpected given that she was 96 years old at this time.
Conclusion
Queen Elizabeth II was around 5 foot 4 inches in the prime of her life, and although she was far from the tallest British monarch, she had the distinction of being the longest-reigning to date. She achieved many things in her lifetime, and ruled for a full 70 years, guiding Britain through many different periods and challenges.
