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Her mother did it, and now Queen Elizabeth is doing it too.
To help solve her mobility issues, Her Majesty is now relying on a hi-tech golf buggy to get around.
The 95-year-old monarch, who had been struggling to walk recently, reportedly had the four-seater vehicle delivered two weeks ago. The buggy, which costs £62 000 (about R1,18 million) and is considered the Rolls-Royce of golf carts, can reach a speed of around 72 km/hour,
The monarch was seen going on a quick tour around the Windsor Castle grounds in the cart, already dubbed the queen-mobile, with her beloved corgis seated next to her.
“She’s battled stiffness in her legs recently so the cart is perfect,” a palace source said. “She and her aides have already used it. Last week Her Majesty took the dogs out in it for a tour around her private grounds.”
The cart, made by Danish manufacturer Garia, has a range of luxury features including brown leather seats, a mini fridge, a tablet-style screen next to the steering wheel offering maps and weather updates, as well as weather-proof doors.
It also features Bluetooth speakers, a heated windscreen and cup holders.
“It's hoped the cart will help Her Majesty keep up with her engagements for as long as possible,” a source told the Sun, adding the monarch has no intention of abdicating and her mind is still “razor sharp”.
Over the past six months Her Majesty’s increasing frailty has seen her resorting to using a walking stick.
And she recently told two senior military officers during a Windsor reception, “Well, as you can see, I can't move,” when asked how she was.
She is reportedly not keen on using a wheelchair having been “haunted” by her younger sister Princess Margaret having to use one in her last few public appearances before her death in 2002.
The Queen Mother however opted to be driven to public events in a golf buggy before her death.
Her Majesty has faced multiple health issues in recent months with the first scare in October where she was forced to spend a night in hospital with doctors ordering her to rest.
Following that she cancelled a two-day visit to Northern Ireland and the COP26 Climate Change Summit.
After a fortnight of rest she was forced to pull out of the Remembrance Sunday service with "great regret" due to a sprained back. Remembrance Sunday is when the queen, who has devoted her life to service, pays her tribute to those who served her country in the armed forces, so it was huge blow for that she wasn't able to be there.
This month she did not attend one of her favourite events, the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey as a pre-caution after testing positive for Covid-19 in February.
She last missed the service nine years ago, in 2013, while recovering from gastroenteritis. Before that Her Majesty had not been absent from a Commonwealth Day observance service for 20 years.
Sources: dailymail.co.uk, news.sky.com, mirror.co.uk
