The Queen's travel miles add up to 42 times around the world in her 90 years

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh waving to well wishers from the top of the aircraft steps at Perth International Airport in Australia.
John Stillwell/PA Wire
Hatty Collier16 April 2016

The Queen has travelled around the world 42 times, visiting 120 countries during her 90 years, it has been revealed.

The monarch, who celebrates her 90th birthday on Thursday, has visited more than 60 per cent of the world's 196 countries – and all without a passport, according to royal historian Kate Williams.

Her most-visited long-haul destination is Canada, which she has travelled to more than 25 times.

While closer to home, France and Germany have proved popular for Her Majesty, according to the research commissioned by travel website lastminute.com.

Over 90 years, the monarch has been to countries including Thailand, Latvia, Pakistan and Sudan.

The Queen on a walkabout outside the British Council office in Bangkok, Thailand.
John Stillwell/PA Wire

As British passports are issued in her name she is the only member of the Royal Family not required to carry one during her visits.

The Queen's travel in numbers

42: the number of times the Queen has travelled around the world

120: the number of countries the Queen has visited

25: the number of times the Queen has visited Canada - her most frequented long-haul destination

40,000: the number of miles travelled by the Queen during her first year on the throne

During her first year on the throne, the Queen travelled more than 40,000 miles and visited 12 countries for her six-month Commonwealth tour, which took place between November 1953 and May 1954.

And in 1979, she visited six countries in two months as part of a tour of the Middle East.

The Queen has received many gifts on her travels, including a baby elephant during her visit to Cameroon in 1972, which was given to London Zoo.

Queen Elizabeth II being welcomed to the Toa Payoh housing complex in Singapore.
Ian Jones/Telegraph/PA Wire

Although usually accustomed to staying in the smartest hotels, the Queen took a bed and breakfast manager by surprise in 1981, after getting stuck in a blizzard near Bristol and asking to stay the night.

But the manager insisted on giving the monarch his own top floor flat above the B&B to stay in.

Ms Williams, who led the research for lastminute.com, said: "With the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge currently touring India, travel is most definitely in our monarchy's blue blood, and it will be exciting to see where their wanderlust takes them in the future."

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