The real reason Queen Elizabeth has been rocking sunglasses

20/20 vision never looked so good.

queen elizabeth cataract sugery
(Image credit: Rupert Hartley/REX/Shutterstock)

20/20 vision never looked so good.

We've always known Queen Elizabeth is one tough lady, whether she was greasing elbows as a mechanic and truck driver during World War 2 or taking up the mantle of Queen at a young age. Well, it turns out that she actually underwent a cataract operation recently - but you probably wouldn't have noticed, since she bounced straight back to work afterwards.

It's just been revealed that the Queen had a cataract treated at King Edward VII Hospital last month, amidst a busy schedule that included hosting the President of Turkey and his wife, throwing a garden party as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.

queen elizabeth cataract surgery

DAVID HARTLEY/REX/Shutterstock
(Image credit: DAVID HARTLEY/REX/Shutterstock)

A royal spokesperson said, 'I can confirm that the Queen successfully underwent a short planned procedure to treat a cataract last month.'

Cataracts are an eye condition where cloudy patches develop on your lens, impairing vision. The usual treatment is to have surgery and have your lens replaced with a fake one.

Instead of taking it easy post-surgery however, the Queen carried on with her demanding schedule and didn't cancel a single engagement. However if you look at recent photographs, you'll notice that she's been wearing sunglasses in quite a few of them.

queen elizabeth cataract surgery

REX/Shutterstock
(Image credit: REX/Shutterstock)

We thought initially it might be a bold fashion statement on the Queen's part (who can forget her Instagrammable loafers?), but now we think it's probably because she needed to protect her healing eyes.

The Queen isn't the first person to have cataracts in the family, as the condition tends to be passed down through generations. The Queen Mother also had cataracts and underwent surgery at the age of 95.

Megan C. Hills

Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband.