Queen Elizabeth II took the Saudi Crown Prince for a drive in her Land Rover and she used her military-grade driving skills to leave him with priceless reaction
Published on Jul 16, 2026 at 2:47 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jul 16, 2026 at 2:47 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
A while back, Queen Elizabeth II took the Saudi Crown Prince for a drive in her Land Rover in Scotland, and we’re sure it must’ve been quite the experience.
The Queen famously loved cars, and she loved driving.
And more importantly she loved Land Rovers.
But there are two other reasons why the Prince was shocked.
The Queen was a proper car lover
Unlike the US President, the Queen was indeed still allowed to drive despite her status as head of state.
And she did.
Queen Elizabeth II kept driving through her 70s, 80s, and even into her 90s, only giving up driving on public roads late in life.
She had an incredible collection of Land Rovers, including a Range Rover that rolled off the assembly line on the exact same day Jeremy Clarkson’s did.
One of her Land Rovers once witnessed one of the most interesting and unusual encounters between heads of state.
This is why the Saudi Crown Prince was shocked
In 1998, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah visited Balmoral, a large estate house in Scotland and a residence of the British royal family.
The estate is massive, and the Queen – who was 72 at the time – offered to show him the estate.
But he had no idea she would actually be driving.
We have to remember that, back then, women weren’t allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, so the Prince must’ve been shocked.
Below: Prince Abdullah, circa 1960s, in the Saudi National Guard
Not only that, but we also have to bear in mind that the Queen had served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, which was basically the women’s branch of the British Army during the Second World War, when she was young.
And yep, she served as a driver.
Below: Princess Elizabeth (center) with officers of the ATS Training Centre
This diplomatic exchange is well-documented but, at the same time, a lot of details were kept hidden because it happened behind closed doors.
The private exchange became public when the former British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, detailed it in his 2011 memoir.
He wrote: “His nervousness only increased as the Queen, an Army driver in wartime, accelerated the Land Rover along the narrow Scottish estate roads, talking all the time.
“Through his interpreter, the Crown Prince implored the Queen to slow down and concentrate on the road ahead.”
The tale serves as a classic reminder of how much the late monarch enjoyed being behind the wheel.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
