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The F1 community, along with the entire world, including many Commonwealth nations, mourns the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. The sport joins them in this hour of sadness to remember the Queen and the Royal Family's graciousness towards the world, including also those who were and are part of F1.
While Great Britain picks itself up after the loss of its much-cherished monarch, we need to remember that the UK is the heart of the F1 community. Most of our teams have their bases at some spot in the UK, with the British GP being a significant event and race as part of the F1 calendar every year. Further, there is no doubt that the Royal families around the world, in general, have always extended their support to the motorsport world time and again.
Be it visiting the paddocks, supporting the nation's drivers, or cheering them on during GPs, they've done it all. So let's look at some of our favorite moments from around the world where royalty has interacted with F1 drivers.
#5 When Prince Harry supported McLaren F1 in 2012
That's right! Britain's Prince Harry visited the paddocks in 2012 during the F1 British GP and met up with then-McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. While it's worth noting that both of them were Formula 1 world champions by then, conditions did not favor them winning that day.
He visited the pitlane and went into other garages as well but made it clear that he supports the McLaren world champions to the point where he hoped the rain gods would do their job to favor the British team.
#4 When Prince Harry let Lewis Hamilton do donuts
The 2014 Abu Dhabi GP saw Prince Harry make his way to support homeboy Lewis Hamilton as he picked up his second world championship that year. Post-race, when Hamilton wanted to do a few donuts, however, he was told no by Mercedes.
A dissatisfied Prince Harry then asked the team to let him do a few donuts and Hamilton obliged happily. The presence of a British royal family member must've doubled Hamilton's pride in not only representing his nation but also winning.
#3 Charles Leclerc's Monaco GP adoration
The Principality of Monaco also has a pretty active royal family. Concurrently, Charles Leclerc is the first Monegasque to ever represent the place properly in F1. Beyond a doubt, his debut and a move to Ferrari just a year later were noted by many, which also includes Princess Charlene of Monaco.
In 2019, she was seen greeting the young driver ahead of that year's final race in Abu Dhabi. Thankfully, Leclerc made a tremendous drive to stand on the podium that day and make his countryfolk proud. Back in 2018, the 24-year-old was even made the Ambassador of the Princess's Foundation after she saw him as the perfect role model for children and adults alike.
#2 When James Hunt met Prince Philip
Queen Elizabeth II's consort Prince Philip sadly passed away last year. Although he wasn't necessarily a king himself, the Prince has most definitely left behind a legacy unlike no other. He was a motorhead amongst many other things and enjoyed driving stylish cars during his days.
He was also a frequent visitor to the old British GP and possibly the first royal to show a genuine interest in the sport. One day in 1975, he dropped by the Hesketh team garage to meet owner Thomas Alexander Fermor-Hesketh, who was also the 3rd Baron Hesketh. He also met the formidable James Hunt that day.
Hunt, widely known to not necessarily be a rule follower, however, was on his best behavior that day.
#1 Lewis Hamilton's memorable dinner with the Queen
By now, you must've learned that Lewis Hamilton is a royal family favorite. He received his MBE from the family as a one-time world champion and received his Knighthood (the highest honor in Britain) last year despite his loss to Max Verstappen in the championship.
Over the years, he has often been invited to dine alongside the Queen. And in his own words, he once revealed the fondness he had for the Monarch, as he said :
“I got invited to a lunch and was sitting next to the Queen. I was excited and started to talk to her, but she said – pointing to my left – 'No you speak that way first, and I'll speak this way and then I'll come back to you. She is a sweet woman, and we talked about how she spends her weekends, houses, and music. She is really cool.”
Clearly, the queen was a kind and generous lady, as many have told the world by now. This is the end of an era for the British fraternity and the royal family as their longest-reigning Monarch bids adieu marking the beginning of something new.
