Queen proves she isn't 'all stiff upper lip' as she cracks quick-witted joke during 'embarrassing' moment

The Queen proved she isn’t “all stiff upper lip” as she reportedly cracked a quick-witted joke during an “embarrassing" moment at a recent royal outing.  

• Her Majesty was accompanied by the Princess Royal as she opened Thames Hospice’s new facility on July 15th. 
• She apparently made a brilliantly good-natured joke after an unexpected phone call interrupted an introduction.  
• This royal news comes as Prince Harry revealed the romantic spot he ‘found a soulmate’ in Meghan Markle. 

In recent weeks, the Queen’s new job description detailed how she’s to be “greatly assisted” by working members of the extended Royal Family going forwards. Though this hasn’t stopped the Queen from continuing to make some memorable recent appearances. From the Queen beaming in Scotland as she arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for Holyrood Week, to her officially opening the new Elizabeth Line at Paddington, she wowed the crowds and stunned in some wonderfully vibrant looks. Just last week the glam Queen opted for a delicate blue frock as she teamed up with Princess Anne.

And it’s not just her iconic style that has consistently caught people’s attention! Her Majesty has long been known for her sense of humor and it seems that she’s showcased her witty turn-of-phrase once again for this very special engagement…

Traveling from Windsor Castle, the Queen joined Princess Anne in Maidenhead to open Thames Hospice’s new state-of-the-art facility. The new facility will help this vital charity to care for twice as many patients and to support both themselves and their family in a wonderfully welcoming environment. 

Her Majesty first opened Thames Hospice back in 1997 and this recent engagement was her fourth visit to the charity. During the visit, the monarch is understood to have met and chatted to patients and it was then that she reportedly diffused an “embarrassing moment” with a good-natured joke. 

According to The Mirror, the Queen was introduced to Graham White and his wife Pat, who has Stage 4 cancer and is receiving respite care at the hospice in Maidenhead. It was then that Graham’s phone is said to have begun ringing, to which the Queen apparently declared, “Typical, a phone goes off immediately".

Turning off the phone, Graham supposedly explained it was their son ringing and the publication has reported that Pat later joked about the unexpected interruption herself.

“I could have killed him!” she said. “People think the Queen is all stiff upper lip but she has a sense of humor." 

Whilst Graham added, "I turned my wife's phone off and I could have sworn mine was off - that was a bit embarrassing."

"The Queen said the building is beautiful and she showed a keen interest in the different treatments for cancer, and hoped the new building would help support all the cancer patients here,” Pat also explained. 

The Queen’s delightful response as well as her “keen interest” certainly seems to have been appreciated by Graham and Pat White. This sweet moment highlights the quick-wittedness she’s been known for over her 70 year reign. 

And it’s something her grandson Prince Harry remarked upon earlier this year. Opening up to Hoda Kotb for Today, he was asked about the best thing about his grandmother and had a very adorable answer. 

"Her sense of humor. Her ability to see the humor in so many different things,” he powerfully declared.