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Why did the Queen sign her first tweet 'Elizabeth R'?

Most members of the royal family do not tweet personally — they are represented by official accounts managed by spokespeople.

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Chris Jackson/AP
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II sends the first royal tweet under her own name to declare the opening of the new Information Age Galleries at the Science Museum, South Kensington, London, Oct. 24. Normally a plaque is unveiled to herald the launch of a new project, but after touring the attraction dedicated to the history of communication and information the Queen touched a tablet screen to send her message to the world.
  • By Associated Press

| LONDON

Queen Elizabeth II has sent her first tweet — and she's signed it "Elizabeth R."

The 88-year-old monarch tried her hand at Twitter as she opened a new gallery in central London's Science Museum Friday.

The queen removed a glove to type on a touchscreen tablet, writing "I hope people will enjoy visiting" the exhibition. She sent it through the official British monarchy account on the social media website, as some 600 guests looked on.

"Elizabeth R" is how the queen signs official documents. The "R'' stands for "regina", the Latin for queen.

Most members of the royal family do not tweet personally — they are represented by official accounts managed by spokespeople.

The gallery, called "Information Age," explores the technological breakthroughs that have changed communication.

The queen was the first monarch to send an email, in 1976 when the technology was in its infancy.

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