Insta-Monarch: Queen Elizabeth makes first Instagram post

LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II has posted her first Instagram image.

The media-savvy queen posted from the Science Museum Thursday to help promote the museum’s summer exhibition.

Using an iPad, she shared an image on the official royal family Instagram account of a letter from 19th century inventor and mathematician Charles Babbage to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Today, as I visit the Science Museum I was interested to discover a letter from the Royal Archives, written in 1843 to my great-great-grandfather Prince Albert.  Charles Babbage, credited as the world’s first computer pioneer, designed the “Difference Engine”, of which Prince Albert had the opportunity to see a prototype in July 1843.  In the letter, Babbage told Queen Victoria and Prince Albert about his invention the “Analytical Engine” upon which the first computer programmes were created by Ada Lovelace, a daughter of Lord Byron.  Today, I had the pleasure of learning about children’s computer coding initiatives and it seems fitting to me that I publish this Instagram post, at the Science Museum which has long championed technology, innovation and inspired the next generation of inventors. Elizabeth R. PHOTOS: Supplied by the Royal Archives © Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019

A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily) on Mar 7, 2019 at 3:31am PST

The queen’s post said: “In the letter, Babbage told Queen Victoria and Prince Albert about his invention, the Analytical Engine, upon which the first computer programs were created by Ada Lovelace, a daughter of Lord Byron. ”

The royal Instagram account was launched in 2013 and has 4.6 million followers.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.