Queen Elizabeth's mischievous way of encouraging her guests to 'gossip' with her at the table
According to a former royal butler she had a funny way of breaking the ice and didn't let anyone's glass go empty
The late Queen Elizabeth's sense of humour became world-famous throughout her reign but she apparently also loved a good "gossip". So much so, that she actively encouraged this at royal lunches in a rather surprising way, according to former royal butler Julius Smith.
Smith has suggested that the Queen would ensure guests' wine glasses were regularly topped up - even if they tried to get out of it. Getting candid with the Daily Mail, he explained that despite long-standing claims about Elizabeth regularly enjoying gin and Dubonnet, she "certainly wouldn't be drinking" as part of her "routine".
At some royal lunches things were different though. Smith alleged that she "loved to gossip" and if guests attempted to put their hands over their glass to prevent wine re-fills "she would say to pour it in through their fingers!"
The former butler and founder of Regal Afternoon Tea served the late Queen on multiple occasions and it's so funny to think of her mischievously getting guests tipsy hoping they'd be up for chatting. It's a conversation-sparking approach for sure and her interest in political "gossip" in particular has been revealed before by former Scottish National Party leader, Nicola Sturgeon.
"She liked to hear what was happening in the political world," she said on the Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth podcast. "She would ask me about things she had read in the papers and what was the real story here."
As well as loving gossip, Queen Elizabeth also liked it when things went a little off-plan at engagements. Given she was surrounded by people trying to make every detail perfect for her, it actually makes sense that she enjoyed spontaneous moments.
Prince William said on the BBC documentary, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, that both of his grandparents "loved" it when something went awry.
"There's that imbalance of everyone doing their absolute best to make sure, 'The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are coming, let's make sure everything is absolutely right. Remember every single year has gone right,'" Prince Harry also explained. "While the two of them are going, 'Well I wonder if something's gonna go wrong this year? How exciting'."
It's when things went wrong that Queen Elizabeth would often spring into action and offer up a witty remark. She dryly quipped, "Oh dear, I hope that wasn't anyone important", after a former cabinet minister's phone started ringing and interrupted the start of a Privy Council meeting.
Another memorable remark came about after the Queen (who was around 5ft3) gave a speech to a crowd during a US visit and was pretty much totally obscured by the podium. You could just make out the top of her face and her purple hat but the next day when she addressed the House of Congress it got a special mention.
She began her speech by saying, "I do hope you can see me today from where you are…" which prompted standing applause and laughter.
These moments probably provided a lot for her to gossip about too and the Queen wasn't afraid to let her personality shine through at times like these, despite her royal position.
