Queen Elizabeth II recently celebrated her 94th birthday (in quarantine!) Now with 94 years under your belt, you better believe that you have dropped some knowledge on people. Sadly, the internet does not have a very vast library of the Queen’s quotes. Although shows like The Crown make the Royal family appear more attainable, the truth is that they are incredibly private and it is hard to know what the Queen is really like behind closed doors. Here are 10 quotes that might give you a little insight into Queen Elizabeth II’s courageous heart. 

1. “We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock.”

2. “If I wore beige, nobody would know who I am.”

3. “Grief is the price we pay for love.”

4. “For Christians, as for all people of faith, reflection, meditation and prayer help us to renew ourselves in God’s love, as we strive daily to become better people. The Christmas message shows us that this love is for everyone. There is no one beyond its reach.”

5. “I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together.”

6. “When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat: instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.”

7. “Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom.”

8. “It has been women who have breathed gentleness and care into the hard progress of humankind.”

9. “Cowards falter, but danger is often overcome by those who nobly dare.” 

10. “It is, perhaps, always been the case that the waging of peace is the hardest form of leadership of all.” 

Kinsey Schofield is the Editor-in-Chief of To Di For Daily and you can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.