What Queen Elizabeth and Taylor Swift Have in Common

While Taylor Swift continues her reign as one of pop music’s greatest stars, at one point, Queen Elizabeth experience a similar type of adoration from fans that make the two more alike than it would seem on paper, according to the late monarch’s former press secretary, Ailsa Anderson.

The secretary shed light on what it was like when Elizabeth and husband Prince Philip went to Australia for a royal visit back in 2011, and according to the former staffer, pandemonium of epic proportions ensued while they were on the trip. “I remember the crowds, the big Aussie barbeque in Perth, which was the last big event,” Anderson told the Sun. “It felt like The Queen was Taylor Swift. Honestly, the crowds were enormous—cheering. It was electric.”

It’s not surprising that Elizabeth received such warm reception upon her 2011 visit down under—she visited Australia a total of 16 times during her 70-year reign. Though there has been fatigue amongst some Australian citizens and pushback against the monarchy amid King Charles and Queen Camilla’s October 2024 visit to the country, Anderson still believes that the influence of the monarchy will remain—even if it doesn’t reach Swiftie levels of fandom ever again.

“The media always like to say ‘how long are you going to have a monarchy?’ in Australia but coming back, there’s no way they’re going to become a republic,” she explained. “The crowds, the genuine people, just the adoration.”

Elizabeth and Philip’s 2011 tour was their final trip they made to Australia, and it left a lasting impression for public opinion on the monarchs, with Anderson noting that it “was a real boost for the Queen and Prince Philip.” She added, “you never know how many people are going to be interested but clearly they were.”