Queen Elizabeth received a Junior Respiration Award from the Royal Life Saving Society when she was just 14.
The 95-year-old British monarch used to attend swimming lessons with her sister Princess Margaret at the Bath Club in Mayfair, London, and it was at that venue where she earned the accolade back in 1941.
During her virtual chat on May 6 with the Royal Life Saving Society, the queen also learned that she was the first teen to receive the award 80 years ago — and she had the badge sewn onto her swimsuit.
The queen was speaking to Sarah Downs, a 20-year-old student who saved a child’s life while working as a lifeguard at a swimming pool in Exeter in 2018, Sarah asked her about her experience of qualifying as a junior lifesaver.
Elizabeth II said: “I do remember it was of course all done in the Bath Club in the swimming pool. And I suppose I didn’t really actually realise quite what I was doing, you know. But it was a great achievement and I was very proud to wear the badge on the front of my swimming suit.
“I didn’t realise I was the first one. I just did it, and had to work very hard for it. It’s a very long time ago, I’m afraid, I think it’s changed a lot.”
Clive Holland, who is the deputy Commonwealth president of the RLSS, replied: “Your Majesty, when you say it was a long time ago, it was in fact 80 years ago.”
Holland’s comment made the queen laugh, and she added: “That’s terrible.”
Queen Elizabeth remains the patron of the Royal Life Saving Society, which was founded in London in 1891.