Royal insight: How the Queen set THIS precedent after inheriting the throne

QUEEN ELIZABETH II has reigned for nearly seven decades. But upon her accession to the throne the Queen set a new precedent, on a scale never seen before during the reigns of her predecessors.

When succeeded her father as monarch in 1952, she was only 25 years old. Now aged 93, the Queen has made countless visits to foreign countries during her time on the throne. So what has the Queen done differently from kings and queens of the past? 

became Queen on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25.

King George VI died at the age of 56, while the then-Princess Elizabeth was in Kenya on a royal tour. 

Her predecessors had made trips abroad to Commonwealth territories during their reigns, but it was under the reign of our current Queen that the frequency of these visits really stepped up.

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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

Royal insight: The Queen has travelled the world while sovereign (Image: GETTY)

Queen Elizabeth II

Royal insight: The Queen reportedly completed 283 royal engagements last year (Image: GETTY)

Philip Murphy, Professor of British and Commonwealth History at the University of London, spoke to about the Queen’s attitude to overseas engagements.

Professor Murphy said: “The Queen has been a genuinely international monarch. 

“Previous monarchs, George V visited India, George VI went to America and Canada, but they didn’t travel extensively.

“It was far more difficult in those days.

The Queen and Prince Philip on a royal tour of Canada in 1967

Royal insight: The Queen and Prince Philip on a royal tour of Canada in 1967 (Image: GETTY)

“Her father George VI, for a lot of his reign, it was either the war or he was in poor health. 

“So the Queen has taken advantage of international travel being easier, and particularly taken advantage of the royal yacht Britannia, to travel extensively.

“She’s been to almost every Commonwealth country at least once, and there are 54 of those."

Professor Murphy points out how this precedent began very early in the Queen’s reign.


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He added: “From the very beginning of her reign, she went on a major Commonwealth tour immediately after her coronation. 

“So she made herself available, she’s been seen around the world, and that’s important in the 16 Commonwealth realms where she is queen. 

“The majority of Commonwealth countries are republics, but I think there would probably have been stronger moves to become republics had she not, and other members of the Royal Family, made themselves available.”

Last year the Queen completed 283 royal engagements in the UK, and it is not known whether the Queen completed any abroad. 

Princess Elizabeth on a royal tour of South Africa in 1947

Royal insight: Then Princess Elizabeth on a royal tour of South Africa in 1947 (Image: GETTY)

However, at the age of 93, the Queen remains one of the most popular and most active members of the Royal Family.

Her desire to fulfill her commitments to royal engagements abroad has also passed to her children and grandchildren. 

The hardest working royal for 2018 was the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne, who completed 447 engagements in the UK and 71 overseas according to The Times.

reportedly made 109 royal engagements overseas last year, while his son Prince William attended 70 abroad.