Queen Elizabeth II Earned Life-Saving Qualification at 14, Unaware She Broke the Mould

Queen Elizabeth II has once again made history as it was discovered that she became the first young person in the Commonwealth to receive a Junior Respiration Award from the Royal Life-Saving Society.

This happened when she was just 14 years old and attending swimming lessons with her sister, Princess Margaret, at the Bath Club in Dover Street, Mayfair, back in 1941.

Until recently, she was unaware that she had broken the mould and made history.

During a video call with the Royal Life-Saving Society, which works across 30 Commonwealth nations to eliminate preventable drowning, the Queen looked in good spirits as she recalled those days.

Clive Holland, Deputy Commonwealth President of the Society, told her about Sarah Downs, a 20-year-old student who saved a little boy's life when she was on duty as a lifeguard at a swimming pool in Exeter in 2018.

She then asked the Queen for her memories of achieving her award.

The Queen replied, “Well, it's a very long time ago.

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 realize quite what I was doing, you know, because I was, I think I must have been 12 or something, or 14, something like that.

But it was a great achievement and I was very proud to wear the badge on the front of my swimming suit, which is very, very grand, I thought.”

The monarch also praised the bravery of another young lifesaver, Tanner Garelle, from Cape Town, South Africa, and congratulated Dr. Stephen Biermann from Canada for his outstanding contributions to the prevention of drownings.

Dr. Biermann was virtually presented with the King Edward VII Cup, awarded every two years in recognition of outstanding contributions to drowning prevention.

The Queen is patron of the Royal Life Saving Society, which was founded in London in 1891 in response to the hundreds of preventable drownings that were happening.

Drowning remains one of the biggest causes of preventable death in the world, with an estimated 235,000 fatalities every year.

About 90% of those deaths occur in poor or middle-income countries.

During the video call, the Queen expressed her delight in being able to present Dr. Biermann with the King Edward VII Cup, a very large cup, which one day he might see if he comes to London.

It was clear from the conversation that the Queen takes great interest in the work of the Royal Life-Saving Society.

She asked Tanner Garelle if he still works on beaches and tidal pools, to which he replied that he is still very involved in his voluntary club, Tipton Surf Life Saving, and that he is a keen competitor.

The Queen has been first to do numerous things in her long reign, and it is no surprise that she broke the mould 80 years ago when she earned her life-saving qualification.

The fact that she was unaware of her trailblazing achievement until recently is a testament to her humility and modesty.

The Royal Life-Saving Society continues to work tirelessly to eliminate preventable drowning across the Commonwealth nations.

The Queen's patronage of the society is a reflection of her commitment to this important cause.

The Queen's story serves as an inspiration to young people everywhere, showing that even at a young age, they can make a difference and achieve great things.

The Junior Respiration Award that the Queen received back in 1941 is a symbol of her dedication to saving lives, and it is a reminder that we can all play a part in making the world a safer place.

As we continue to face the challenges of preventable drowning, the work of organizations like the Royal Life-Saving Society is more important than ever.

The Queen's support and patronage of the society is a testament to her commitment to this vital cause and a reminder of the importance of taking action to save lives.