18-year-old Queen Elizabeth served as an auto mechanic

In April 1944, young Queen Elizabeth – then Princess Elizabeth – turned 18. Her teenage years had been against the backdrop of the Second World War. Elizabeth was determined to ‘do her bit’ for the war effort, as so many of her peers were. Within a year of turning 18, Elizabeth would sign up for the Auxiliary Territorial Service. It was an unprecedented decision – this would make her the first woman in the Royal Family to become a full-time member of the armed services. View the full newly-digitised newsreel of Princess Elizabeth in the ATS on IWM’s Film website: Find out more about IWM’s Jubilee activities: View and licence the archive films used in this video: View more archive films here: CREDITS Music – Discovery – Scott Holmes Music