She went through world wars, economic crises and Megxit—but one surprising thing frightened her more than anything else
Here’s the Only Thing Queen Elizabeth Was Scared Of, According to a Royal Biographer
Published on May 26, 2025
Strong, fearless and always composed: Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, was the definition of grace. During her 70 years on the throne, she appointed 15 prime ministers, lived through wars, political and economic crises, a global pandemic, her grandson Prince Harry quitting “The Firm” and, of course, her beloved husband Prince Philip’s death. And yet, Her Majesty never lost her composure or her steadfast smile.
There was one thing, however, that did give Elizabeth a shiver down her spine, even if she hid it well in public. And we bet it’s not what you’d expect. A royal biographer spilled the beans in a recent podcast, and we’re about to reveal the details to you. Read on to learn what the queen’s biggest fear was—and how it affected her relationship with her family.
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What was the one thing Queen Elizabeth was scared of?
“She was only afraid of one thing, and that was helicopters,” revealed royal biographer Robert Hardman in the Daily Mail’s podcast Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things. “She could put up with everything else. She’d been through the war, she’d been through heaven knows what, but she always had a thing about helicopters.”
Who would have thought? Helicopters are, after all, one of the main and favorite modes of transports for many members of the British royal family, including the late monarch’s own grandsons.
What caused this fear?
According to Hardman, the queen’s fear dated back to 1967, when her flight captain JHL Blount died in a helicopter crash, along with three passengers. The helicopter, a Westland Whirlwind HCC.12, was en route from Oxfordshire, west of London, to Somerset on Dec. 7 when the main rotor hub and blade suddenly detached due to fatigue failure of the drive shaft and caused the helicopter to crash on a field. The accident left “a very deep impression on the queen,” who was noticeably “upset,” Hardman said. From then on, Elizabeth tried to avoid helicopter rides whenever possible.
Of course, being the queen and having lots of engagements, she couldn’t always say no. Her nerves were put to a test in 1977 when she celebrated her Silver Jubilee (25 years on the throne) and was determined to visit every corner of the country, including Northern Ireland, which was experiencing the Troubles at the time. “She had no choice,” recalled Hardman. “The queen was ferried to a Royal Navy frigate, where she got into a helicopter for the first time and flew around Northern Ireland for her Jubilee.”
Nonetheless, the experience didn’t cure her fear: “Even at the end of her life, she was very reluctant to use them in bad weather and during winter.”
Did she create a rule against royal family members flying in helicopters?
Queen Elizabeth never put a no-helicopter rule in place, but she reportedly never liked it when her family members rode in them. This seems slightly ironic considering all her of three sons—Charles, Edward and Andrew—were Army helicopter pilots, and Charles’s sons, William and Harry, followed in their footsteps. Prince Harry even flew helicopters in Afghanistan, while his older brother, who wasn’t allowed to go to a war zone as the heir to the throne, served as a RAF search-and-rescue pilot. As Queen Elizabeth always put duty and country first, it seems she just came to terms with it.
That said, she was a lot less calm about Prince William taking his kids in the air. “An experienced pilot, William had upset the late queen when he defied her request not to pilot his family the 115 miles from Kensington Palace to Anmer Hall, their home in Norfolk. The queen, haunted by the 1967 crash […] ‘did not hold back,’ one aide said,” according to royal biographer Robert Jobson in his book Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen. King Charles later echoed the queen’s worries and, when William refused to give up the family helicopter rides, made him sign a document acknowledging the risks involved and taking full responsibility in case anything went wrong.
What is the rule about royal family members traveling together?
To make sure the monarchy continues even when tragedy hits, two heirs to the throne are traditionally not allowed to fly on the same plane (or helicopter). The rule applies to royals aged 12 and over, which means that Prince George could be banned from flying together with his father from July this year. It’s not yet clear if Prince William and Kate will actually stick to the rule, but William himself did have to fly in a separate aircraft than his father starting the day he turned 12 in 1994. Graham Laurie, who flew the late queen back in the day, talked about the travel rule in the A Right Royal podcast, saying he’d expect the same to apply to George.
Technically, there is a way around this, though. If King Charles gives the family permission to continue traveling together, they can. It remains to be seen what happens this summer when William, Kate and the kids head on their first summer vacation with their newly minted 12-year-old son!
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of stories on the British royal family, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating facets of the monarchy. We regularly cover topics including the latest royal news, the history and meaning behind time-honored traditions, and the everyday quirks of everyone’s favorite family members, from Queen Elizabeth’s daily snack to Prince William’s confessions about his home life. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things: “Terror at the Palace”
- A Right Royal podcast
- U.K. Parliament: “Whirlwind aircraft accident (inquiry report)”
- Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen by Robert Jobson
- The Independent: “How William ‘clashed’ with King Charles and late Queen over flying family in helicopter”
- Daily Mail: “What was the one thing that SCARED Queen Elizabeth II? New Mail podcast series launches delving into the history of Royal security threats and assassination attempts”
- Marie Claire: “Why King George faces a strict travel ban next year”
- Harper’s Bazaar: “Prince George may have to follow travel protocol after his 12th birthday”
