Queen Elizabeth II Never Travels Without This Essential Item: Find Out What

Queen Elizabeth II never goes anywhere without one travel essential item, which many might consider outdated.

The monarch is a trained car mechanic and can drive herself around the UK. However, she does not depend on satellite navigations to make her way around the area. Instead, Queen Elizabeth II still depends on her trusted AA road map for directions, Express.

The publication noted that the queen has updated her map by purchasing the 2017 edition. Last year, she still had the 2015 version.

The monarch is reportedly an excellent driver and mechanic. When she was just 18, Queen Elizabeth II joined the Women's Auxilliary Territorial Service, where she learned how to change tires, rebuild engines and even drive large vehicles. She was promoted to honorary Junior Commander in 1945, just five months later.

The queen once terrified a former king during a royal dignitary state visit. In 2003, Queen Elizabeth met King Abdulla, former king of Saudi Arabia, at her Balmoral estate. She took him by surprise when she climbed into the driver's seat since women were not permitted to drive in Saudi Arabia at the time. The monarch scared him even more when she "accelerated the Land Rover along the narrow Scottish estate roads."

In related news, the queen's official salary was increased by £6 million ($8,404,260), so she is now receiving £82.2 million ($11,485,822). In 2016, she spent £4.5 million ($6,303,195) for her trips.

The members of the British royal family, including Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles, have a huge budget for their travel expenses. However, the most expensive trip was made by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall when they made a nine-day tour in Romania, Italy and Austria where they spent £154,000 ($215,709).

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning British monarch. In February 2017, she celebrated Sapphire Jubilee for being on the throne for 65 years. Just recently, she made some revelations about her crowns. The queen said she finds the headgears too heavy and believe they could break a neck.

"You can't lean down to read your speech. You have to bring [the speeches] up. Because if you did your neck would break and it would fall off," Queen Elizabeth II said. "Nothing like that is comfortable."