The Queen Mother's Royal Refrigerator Turns 62

Sixty-two years isn't a very long time in the grand scheme of the British Royal Family's history, but that doesn't make this achievement any less impressive. According to the Daily Mail, the refrigerator originally used by the Queen Mother at her Scottish retreat has been running since 1954.

The General Motors Frigidaire was purchased by Queen Mother Elizabeth, mother to the reigning Queen, two years after she bought the Castle of Mey on Scotland's north coast. While most modern fridges are expected to run maybe 19 years at the most, this one was "built to last," according to the Queen Mother's head chef of 32 years, Michael Sealey. He told the Daily Mail that he suspects the fridge may be one of the oldest functioning models in Britain.

The Queen Mother turned over the property to the Castle of Mey Trust in 1996, and it's served as a public tourist attraction since her death in 2002. The historic fridge is put to use every August when Prince Charles comes to visit, and it receives an annual electrical inspection to make sure it stays in working order.

[h/t Daily Mail]