Queen Elizabeth II and The Golden Girls star Bea Arthur had the same handy skill, and they both learned it in World War II.
Close in age, they lived on different continents but filled very similar roles when their countries called. And they gained impressive experience during the time they spent in their respective services.
Queen Elizabeth and Bea Arthur signed up for World War II
Then-future Queen Elizabeth decided to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service, even though her father, King George VI, had exempted her. He and his councilors agreed that her training as a princess was more important than the body count needed to help fight the war. But she wanted to go and eventually enlisted.
However, Elizabeth did not stay at the ATS camp with the others and returned to Windsor Castle at night. And she was in a group with three “hand-picked” team members but was still exposed to how non-royals live (per Life).
The then-future monarch was even part of cleaning up for an inspection carried out by her father. After that, she said she would remember how much rigorous and dedicated preparation went into a royal visit.
Similarly, Arthur, born Bernice Frankel, also had to get consent from her parents to enlist because she wasn’t yet 21 when she joined the U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve around the same time (Snopes). The future actor was documented as being “frank and open” but also “over-aggressive” and “argumentative.”
One note read, “Officious, but probably a good worker if she has her own way!”
Queen Elizabeth and Bea Arthur were drivers and mechanics in World War II
After joining the ATS, Elizabeth proved herself a skilled driver and passed her test in two days less than the allotted time. As well as being a truck driver, she learned mechanic work and how to read maps. She eventually became known as “Princess Auto Mechanic.”
Similarly, Arthur was a dispatcher and a truck driver. She also completed a four-week course as a mechanic while stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. After two-and-a-half years, she received an honorable discharge for her service (Snopes).
Queen Elizabeth and her mother were fans of ‘The Golden Girls’
As it would much later turn out, Elizabeth’s mother loved The Golden Girls and invited Arthur and the other cast members to perform live for the Royal Variety Performance in 1988 (Express). Estelle Getty, Betty White, and Rue McClanahan joined their co-star and met some of the royal family after the show.
White revealed in a Reddit AMA that “lovely” Elizabeth sat in a spectator’s box, and the actors weren’t supposed to address her unless she addressed them. But the queen and Princess Anne came down with the Queen Mother to meet the cast afterward.
It doesn’t seem she connected with Arthur on how they spent their time in the war. However, the queen’s mother took the time to tease White about her American accent.
White shared, “I happened to be the last one in our foursome, and after she greeted Bea and Rue and Estelle, as she got to me, she indicated the scantily clad Rockettes behind us and said to me, ‘Aren’t they beautiful girls?’
“I curtsied and replied, ‘Yes, and such lovely bodies,’” she recalled. “She lit up with a radiant smile that belied her eighty-six years and replied, ‘Oh yes. Lovely bawdies.’”
