Queen Elizabeth II has enjoyed a long and strong relationship with Europe during her reign as the UK’s longest-serving monarch. The Queen, 93, has visited more than 120 countries during her tenure, and is bound to clock up more in the coming years. Yet one particular nation has a significance close to her “heart”, according to royal biographer Robert Hardman. He told how Prince Philip’s wife’s fluency in French brought her closer to the European country.
In his book, Queen of the World, Robert told of her language skills and wrote: “The Princess’ other strong subject was French.
“Not only was it still the lingua franca of the royal houses and embassies of Europe, but it was essential for any future sovereign of Canada, with its substantial French-speaking population.
Marc Roche, royal biographer, added of the Queen Mother: “She just clicked with the French - and it’s the same with the Queen.
“She just clicked, too.”
Robert continued: “He points to the fact that France is just one of a tiny handful of places where the Queen has gone ‘on holiday’, albeit to inspect horses in Normandy.
