In the 70 years Queen Elizabeth II reigned, she traveled at least 1,032,513 miles, earning her the title of the most-well-traveled monarch and the nickname the “million mile Queen,” according to Condé Nast Traveler.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
Step back in time and take a look at a few of her most historic trips.
In February 1952, the then-Princess Elizabeth arrived in Kenya to meet with the governor at the time, Sir Philip Mitchell, Condé Nast Traveler reported.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
A day after arriving at the Treetops Hotel in Aberdare National Park, she learned that her father, King George VI, had died. The next day, still in Kenya, she acceded to the throne, Condé Nast Traveler reported.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
Five months after being crowned in 1953, the Queen flew to Bermuda as part of a six-month tour of the Commonwealth, a political association of countries that were once British colonies, CNN reported.
Source: CNN
She visited more than 10 destinations on her first tour, including a Christmas stop in Auckland, New Zealand, according to CNN.
Source: CNN
“I set out on this journey in order to see as much as possible of the people and countries of the Commonwealth and Empire,” she said during a radio broadcast from New Zealand, per Condé Nast Traveler.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
And she accomplished just that. In her 70-year reign, the Queen visited 117 countries, according to The Independent.
Source: The Independent
For over four decades, she flew via the elite Royal Air Force unit, a now-disbanded fleet of planes created in 1936 by King Edward VIII and later renamed “The Queen’s Flight,” according to Condé Nast Traveler.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
For local trips, the Queen often rode the Royal Train, which carried the royal family and associated staff around the UK railway network, according to Condé Nast Traveler.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
But her favorite way to travel was on the Royal Yacht Britannia, Condé Nast Traveler reported. The yacht was five stories tall with more than 240 staff members and nicknamed the Queen’s “floating palace.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler; Insider
The yacht retired in 1997, one of the few times the Queen publicly shed a tear, per Condé Nast Traveler. Today, the ship is anchored in Leith, Scotland, and has reopened as a tourist attraction, according to Insider.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler; Insider
Whether via train, plane, or ship, Queen Elizabeth’s travels made milestones in British history. In 1961, she was the first British monarch to visit the Vatican, CNN reported.
Source: CNN
She also became the first reigning British monarch to visit South America when she traveled to Brazil in 1968, according to CNN.
Source: CNN
In 1979, she rode British Airways’ supersonic Concorde aircraft to Saudi Arabia. When she landed, she met King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, which marked the first visit from a female head of state, per CNN.
Source: CNN
She was also the first British monarch to visit China. In 1986, she traveled around the globe and toured the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City in Beijing, per CNN.
Source: CNN
2011 marked the first time a British monarch toured the Republic of Ireland in more than a century.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
Canada was the Queen’s most-visited country, according to The Independent. In her 70 years on the throne, the head of state traveled to Canada 24 times.
Source: The Independent
Behind Canada for most-visited countries was Australia, which the sovereign visited 19 times, The Independent reported.
Source: The Independent
In 2015, the Queen ended her overseas travels with the Duke of Edinburgh by her side. The two traveled to the Mediterranean country of Malta, Condé Nast Traveler reported.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
According to CNN, it was a symbolic final trip for the pair. From 1949 to 1951, Malta was where the Queen and Prince Philip lived before she became the Queen.
Source: CNN
But even after her final overseas trip, the Queen continued to travel around the United Kingdom.