The Princess of Wales won't be a Queen in her own right but she's learnt some valuable lessons from Queen Elizabeth that she's putting to good use. Of all the late Queen's skills and qualities, we often don't think about her aura of mystery.

The way she presented herself in public was all most people ever saw and she was an expert at keeping her true feelings to herself. Now royal biographer Catherine Mayer has suggested that the Princess of Wales has taken this smart approach too.

"She has done such a clever job of finding a way to adapt to the institution," she told Hello!'s A Right Royal Podcast. "That does not mean that I think she has it easy. [But she's done] very little speaking and almost no confessional spilling of anything about who she is. She's quite enigmatic.

Like Queen Elizabeth, Kate has cultivated an ability to connect with the public without sharing too much of her private self. She's appeared on two podcasts and in a few interviews, but that's pretty much the extent of her "confessional spilling" and she admired the Queen deeply.

Speaking on ITV's Our Queen at Ninety Kate said, "Everyone feels like they've had some quality time with Her Majesty and, also, a real personal connection and I think that's a real skill."

Earlier this year portrait artist Chris Levine told woman&home that he'd found Her Majesty hard to read at their first sitting. He declared, "She wasn't giving anything away and I realised that she'd developed a mechanism where you couldn't tell what she was thinking or feeling because she's meeting people all the time. I've never experienced it with anyone else in my life and it was really quite unnerving."

Given how many people Queen Elizabeth met every year and her diplomatic position this skill was probably very necessary and will be just as useful for Kate. With scrutiny on her at all times, there will be occasions where the Princess can't afford to let her innermost thoughts become known.

This approach also helps draw a line between her work and private life and means she doesn't risk sharing too much. Catherine Mayer's new book Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles focuses on several royals including Kate and the author praised her and Prince William for finding a way to live in relative privacy whilst being in the public eye.

In her view, this is "enormously difficult" to do and woman&home Royal Correspondent Emily Andrews claims on her Keeping Up With The Royals podcast that there is definitely a difference between her public and private personas.

"The public Catherine is quite reserved and quite formal and very warm with the kiddies…but she's not going to give you too much," Emily alleged. "The private Kate is quite different. Very warm, very friendly, and got a great sense of humour."

According to her, the Princess likes a good practical joke too, though it's unlikely members of the public will ever actually get to see this in practice.

There are many things we expect to see at Trooping the Colour - the King taking the Royal Salute, cute moments between the royal children and a magnificent flypast - but one of the senior family members checking their phone isn't one of them. Yet this royal 'first' has now happened and I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I saw pictures of the Duke of Kent breaking protocol like this.

Photographers managed to capture the moment the late Queen's cousin checked his phone whilst standing on the left side of the Buckingham Palace balcony. To his right, the King, Queen and Wales family were excitedly looking up to admire the aircraft flying overhead.

The 90-year-old Duke of Kent is one of only eleven working royals and was born Prince Edward, the grandson of King George VI. He's grown up in the Royal Family so will definitely be aware that checking your phone during this huge ceremonial occasion is a rather unusual move…

If his cousin Queen Elizabeth had been there I can only imagine how she'd have reprimanded him. Her Majesty was a stickler for good behaviour on the balcony and although she seemed to be less strict with the children (she often looked amused by Louis's cheekiness), she famously told Prince William off at Trooping the Colour in 2016.

He had been bending down to chat to Prince George and according to reports, the Queen said to her 33-year-old grandson, "Stand up William. Don't Crouch."

She also wasn't afraid to scold him in private either. William once recalled an "almighty" telling-off he got from her as a child after he and Peter Phillips had been messing around on go-carts at Balmoral and Zara Tindall almost got "squashed" by a falling lamppost.

She surely wouldn't have been very impressed to see the Duke of Kent on his phone with thousands of people watching and I wonder how King Charles might react after seeing all the pictures. Trooping the Colour is the monarch's birthday parade after all and we hardly ever see the royals with their phones out at all.

There's one time that comes to mind when the Princess of Wales held her phone when she was at Wimbledon but in general when they're on official business, mobiles are kept out of sight at all times.

At the same time, for those of us who aren't royals the Duke of Kent's protocol-breaking move is a bit more understandable and I can't help but sympathise with him. Trooping the Colour is a long day for anyone and he was standing on a section of balcony by himself for a lot of the flypast.

It's also possible that he was perhaps checking or responding to a more urgent message from his daughter Lady Helen Taylor. She attended the funeral of Prince Philip's cousin and Queen Elizabeth's Lady-in-Waiting, Lady Pamela Hicks, that afternoon representing the Duke of Kent.

Whatever the reason, the amount of attention the Duke's phone checking has received already means I somehow doubt he'll do that again in future.

When Prince Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping back as working royals in 2020 the world reacted with dismay and there was speculation over how the Royal Family truly felt about it. Days later Queen Elizabeth declared in a personal message that Harry, Meghan and their son Archie "will always be much loved members of [her] family".

Nevertheless, it's now been suggested that she was slightly "worried" about what the Sussexes would do after their high-profile royal exit. Writing in the latest issue of Woman, royal correspondent Duncan Larcombe alleges that there was a condition set out by the monarch.

"Her Majesty made it clear to Harry that he and Meghan would leave with her blessing as long as they understood leaving royal life meant exactly that," he writes.

Duncan understands that "she was worried the Sussexes would continue with public engagements" but without coordinating their work to "prevent them overshadowing the actual work of the family". This half-in, half-out approach to royal life was something that Prince Harry and Meghan had reportedly hoped for.

However, Queen Elizabeth didn't share this vision for the Sussexes' future and left them in no doubt about her feelings. Writing in The Windsor Legacy, royal author Robert Jobson described a summit held at Sandringham House in January 2020.

"The answer from the top was clear: no halfway role was possible. They were either in or out," he claimed, adding, "Her Majesty's ruling deepened the existing tensions in the family, particularly between Harry and William."

Although the Duke and Duchess of Sussex followed the rules set out for them at first, in recent years the thing Queen Elizabeth was "worried" about is seemingly coming true. The couple's Australia trip in April garnered both praise and criticism, particularly when it came to the elements that were similar to a traditional royal tour.

The visit came just before King Charles and Queen Camilla's US State Visit. Then in May, Meghan visited Switzerland for the inauguration of The Lost Screen Memorial which is dedicated to children who lost their lives as a result of the harm they suffered on social media.

A few days before, the Princess of Wales undertook her first overseas visit since her cancer diagnosis in neighbouring Italy. The working royals coordinate their engagements carefully but since Harry and Meghan stepped back who knows if there's any sort of communication like this between them all.

There's inevitably a lot of direct comparison when Sussex visits and royal engagements occur around the same time. So it's understandable that Queen Elizabeth might have been concerned about the institution's work being "overshadowed" by headlines concerning Harry and Meghan.

Her dedication to the monarchy and the Commonwealth was one of her strongest character traits and her grandson praised it in a statement following her death in 2022.

"In celebrating the life of my grandmother, Her Majesty the Queen - and in mourning her loss - we are all reminded of the guiding compass she was to so many in her commitment to service and duty," he declared.

Read Duncan Larcombe's feature in Woman magazine. Subscribe now and get your first 6 issues for £1.

Trooping the Colour is always an exciting event for royal fans but the 2024 parade was particularly moving. Held to celebrate King Charles's official birthday, it also marked the first appearance of the Princess of Wales so far that year after making her cancer diagnosis public.

I wouldn't be surprised if she put even more thought than usual into her outfit knowing how much attention she would inevitably get and Kate wore head-to-toe monochrome focused around a Jenny Packham dress. This is a go-to British clothing brand for her and the design had black detailing accentuating the neckline and waist and a bow bringing a feminine flourish.

The colour palette was a little different for her and it showcased how seriously the Princess of Wales still takes one of Queen Elizabeth's unofficial mottos.

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When we think of Queen Elizabeth's style two things immediately spring to mind - bright colours and floral hats. Both are very eye-catching and according to her daughter-in-law Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, this is partly why she wore them.

"She needs to stand out for people to be able to say 'I saw the Queen'," Sophie explained on the ITV documentary, Our Queen at Ninety. "Don't forget that when she turns up somewhere, the crowds are two, three, four, 10, 15 deep, and someone wants to be able to say they saw a bit of the Queen's hat as she went past."

Looking at the Princess of Wales's black and white outfit in 2024 you might think it's very minimal but against the backdrops of the parade and Buckingham Palace balcony it also really stood out. According to royal author Christopher Andersen this was probably not a coincidence.

In Kate! The Courage, Grace, and Power of the Woman Who Will Be Queen, he reflects, "Realizing the importance of this moment, Kate wore a white Jenny Packham dress with a large black-and-white bow and a wide-brimmed hat."

"She chose the outfit for two reasons: white is the universal colour of hope, and - Kate always follows the late Queen's famous dictum: 'I must be seen to be believed' - white is visible from a distance," he adds.

In pictures of the Royal Family standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the flypast in 2024, the Princess of Wales stands out clearly between her red uniform-wearing husband and father-in-law.

Before she made her cancer diagnosis public there was an onslaught of speculation and conspiracy theories circulating as to why we hadn't seen her. At Trooping the Colour the future Queen was clearly visible to everyone who lined the streets to watch the parade and in the photographs that were published around the world.

Last year Kate wore turquoise and her dress had white detailing which again incorporated this colour associated with hope. I wouldn't be surprised if there was white somewhere in her outfit this year for the same reason and she will likely choose a dress in another equally striking shade.

Having served as monarch of the United Kingdom for a history-making 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II met many, many notable figures throughout her life. Part of her popularity and success has long been credited with her ability to seemingly never let her personal opinions show.

However former US First Lady Dr Jill Biden has now claimed in her new book, View from the East Wing, that Queen Elizabeth did share her opinions about prominent world leaders behind closed doors. Not only that, but the late monarch wasn't against sharing her views about those she "disapproved of".

Dr Biden, who is married to Joe Biden, who served as 46th President of the United States, has documented her time and various meetings with diplomats, dignitaries and other notable names. This includes a trip to Windsor Castle in June 2021, where she met with Queen Elizabeth II who reportedly trusted her enough to be candid.

According to PEOPLE, Jill writes, "I think she and Joe could have gone on talking forever. She had such a wonderful sense of curiosity about people and world events. She was rather honest about some leaders she disapproved of, and I felt grateful to be taken into her confidence."

While the world leaders in question are not named, this is a surprising claim to make and is at odds with the reputation Her Majesty had built up publicly for decades.

Their visit to Windsor Castle came just a couple of months after Prince Philip’s death in April. Conscious not to upset Her Majesty, Dr Biden recalls not wanting to bring up the late Duke of Edinburgh in conversation, but the Queen did so herself.

"I studiously did not ask the queen about her husband or anything related to the royal family," Jill claims. "As soon as we began speaking, though, she filled us in on her eleven great-grandchildren and the new one on the way [Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, who was born that September]."

It was during this same trip, which happened to be Dr Biden’s first overseas visit as First Lady, that Her Majesty reportedly shared her practical way she was thinking about beloved husband’s passing.

Dr Biden alleges that Her Majesty revealed Philip, who died aged 99, wouldn’t have wanted to reach the milestone age of 100, as he declared it "too old". According to Philip's own biographer, Gyles Brandreth, he also once said, "I can't imagine anything worse. I'm already falling to pieces as it is. Bits keep dropping off. I have absolutely no desire to cling on to life unnecessarily. Ghastly prospect."

Jill returned to the United Kingdom in 2022 for the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth, and again to represent Joe and the United States in a defining moment of British history - the Coronation of King Charles III in May 2023. She brought her granddaughter with her on what she described as "the once-in-a-lifetime trip" where "[she] felt that [she] was watching history being made."

Queen Elizabeth's death in September 2022 was met with outpourings of grief and tributes from public figures, fans and, of course, those who knew her best. Just a day after losing his mother and ascending the throne King Charles addressed the nation and honoured his "darling mama".

Now he's put pen to paper and reflected on her "final days" in Scotland in the foreword for the soon-to-be-released Balmoral by Mary Miers. As reported by The Telegraph, the King explains that Queen Elizabeth "particularly treasured her time at Balmoral".

"It was here, in these most beloved of surroundings, that she chose to spend her final days," he added poignantly.

Balmoral Castle was widely seen as Queen Elizabeth's favourite residence and it's where she spent her summer holidays with her family. Because of this, it also means a lot to them and Charles confirms this, adding, "Since my earliest childhood, it has held, and continues to hold, a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself."

Her choice to head to Scotland for what turned out to be the final months of her life shows how important Balmoral and the tradition of going there was to her. She seemingly knew this could be where she passed away, as Princess Anne has described the Queen's concern over whether it would be "difficult" if she died there.

However, Elizabeth's daughter encouraged her to see that the practicalities of arranging her funeral didn't matter compared to her comfort and happiness.

"I think there was a moment when she felt that it would be more difficult if she died at Balmoral", Anne said on the BBC documentary Charles III The Coronation Year. "We did try to persuade her that [location] shouldn't be part of the decision-making process. So I hope she felt that was right in the end, because I think we did."

Princess Anne was with Queen Elizabeth for the last 24 hours of her life - something she thinks she was very "fortunate" to have experienced. She also accompanied her mother's coffin from Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and then from there to London.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting," the Princess Royal declared in a statement at the time.

The Queen spent so much of her life being scrutinised and in the public eye, but at Balmoral she could enjoy just being Elizabeth. It's no wonder she specifically chose to spend her "final days" there - a place that Princess Eugenie once said gave them all "room to breathe".

"I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands," she explained, adding that it used to be a "lovely base" for the Queen and Prince Philip. Although Balmoral and its grounds are open from spring to August, it's one of the few privately-owned royal residences and is still where King Charles heads for his annual summer break.

Thousands met Queen Elizabeth throughout her reign but only a small circle got to see what she was like behind the scenes. Her granddaughter Zara's husband Mike Tindall was one of those few people who spent time with the Queen outside of the public eye but he still hugely regrets how long he "held back" with her.

"I was lucky enough to have the best seat in the house on 14 or 15 occasions when I sat next to the Queen. She was this icon and I knew she had so many stories, but I never asked," he told Emily Andrews in the July issue of woman&home. "For a long time I held back, and I always say that was my biggest regret."

After spending so long admiring her but not wanting to ask questions, Mike's relationship with the monarch became more "normal" after a lunch in Scotland.

He explained that he was sat beside Queen Elizabeth and because of the way things were laid out the retired rugby star ended up with two table legs in front of him. As Mike put it, "I sort of had to do a little man spread" either side of them - unbeknownst to his royal host.

"[T]hen the Queen stood up and started moving the tables closer together! And I said, 'Excuse me, Ma'am, but if you move those any closer, I'm going to be talking an octave higher,' and she burst out laughing," he continued.

Mike believes this was a "turning point" and made him realise he "didn't need to worry about what I said to her and the more normal, the better". Queen Elizabeth's sense of humour shone through in this potentially awkward situation and from then on, he felt comfortable enough to ask her questions like who her favourite Prime Minister was.

Having the Queen as your grandmother-in-law would naturally take some getting used to anyway and Mike has previously admitted he found protocols tricky initially.

"You do get used to it over time, but the trickiest part is the beginning when everything is new. All the protocols, they're a little daunting," he said, as per The Telegraph. "I stayed quiet for a long time, it is hard to pick what to talk about. The first time you sit next to the Queen at a dinner table, it is a nerve-racking experience."

He and Zara Tindall married in Scotland in July 2011 and even after becoming a married-in member of the Royal Family he still addressed the Queen as Ma'am or Your Majesty, whilst Zara apparently just called her Granny.

The pair were very close and shared a passion for equestrianism. Zara's silver medal in the London 2012 Olympics was celebrated in such a sweet way by her grandmother, who was reportedly too anxious to watch her compete in the eventing live.

Former royal protection officer Richard Griffin told Sky News in 2022 that Queen Elizabeth suggested they go out for a picnic at Balmoral because she was "just so nervous". Later he radioed in and found out Zara was an Olympic silver medal winner - much to her granny's delight.

"I remember the Queen just grabbed me and we were dancing around in circles on this hill in Scotland,' Griffin said. "That's a memory that will stay with me for evermore."

It seems that eight-year-old Prince Louis has taken after his great-grandmother when it comes to his preferred snack. The late Queen had a serious sweet tooth and loved chocolate, but her teatime essential was slightly healthier and Louis apparently eats the same thing in the car.

Prince William revealed this in a recent appearance on Heart Breakfast, where he was asked if the morning school run is chaotic. He admitted it can be, depending on what's going on, and said, "There's a lot of jam sandwiches taken in the car usually."

Giving his youngest son a specific shout-out, the dad-of-three added, "Louis will leave jam fingerprints throughout the car, which is really helpful."

I suspect Queen Elizabeth never indulged in a messy jam sandwich while she was in a car, but she reportedly enjoyed them with her afternoon tea. On the Channel 5 documentary, Secrets of the Royal Kitchen, former royal chef Graham Newbould claimed she was served "jam penny sandwiches", round and crustless, instead of ones with "points". This is an old custom with a rather surprising reason behind it.

"The royals never have square sandwiches because tradition has it that anyone presenting them with pointed-edged food is trying to overthrow the throne of England," Graham explained.

Meanwhile, on his YouTube Channel fellow former royal chef Darren McGrady has previously shared that the Queen was served penny sandwiches as a little girl and "had them for afternoon tea ever since".

These were "usually" filled with strawberry jam which would be made with berries from the gardens at Balmoral. We don't know what kind Prince Louis has in his sandwiches (and gets all over the Waleses' car) but perhaps he tucks into Balmoral strawberry jam too. His mum Kate also makes her own plum jam.

Earlier this year the Princess visited Wales and heard how young volunteers at a community garden were growing plums and making jam. She apparently told them, "I'll send you my recipe so you can try it."

Jarred goods seem to be a speciality of Kate's, as she famously made her granny's chutney as her first Christmas present to Queen Elizabeth. Homemade recipes could also be a bit healthier as a snack for Louis, though his love for jam sandwiches clearly keeps her and William busy cleaning their car.

When you have three young children like the Waleses do, a messy car is to be expected and Louis had a new habit last autumn that brought a little bit of chaos indoors too. The young royal developed an interest in collecting conkers and the Princess confessed, "We keep finding conkers in cupboards, in his bed - conkers everywhere!"

She added that her son had also been putting the conkers in his toy trucks and playing with them. Thankfully the conker season in the UK is relatively short, but it seems that Prince Louis's excitement meant tidiness took a backseat for a little while just as it does when he’s enjoying his jam sandwiches on the way to school.

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.

A few weeks after the late Queen Elizabeth’s centenary renowned conservationist Sir David Attenborough is celebrating his 100th birthday. The two British icons met multiple times throughout the Queen's reign, but one occasion sounds particularly memorable.

She and David teamed up for a special documentary in 2018, The Queen’s Green Planet, and an unexpected situation unfolded. Speaking to ITV after Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022, Sir David light-heartedly described how "awful" it was when the monarch asked him to check the plaques on trees at Buckingham Palace.

"That was awful for me because she planted certain trees when her children [were born] and she had asked me just to check on the notice which said what the tree was and I couldn’t find my glasses," he revealed.

David had seemingly not anticipated this and continued, "Not only could I not find my glasses, but the placard itself was overgrown with moss, so I had to make a kind of guess. Which was wrong!"

We actually get to see David Attenborough in the documentary making this mistake - even after finding his glasses. He’s heard identifying Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s tree before going to the next and saying that was Andrew’s as well. As soon as Her Majesty heard that she said, "They can’t both be", and it turned out one was actually Prince Edward’s…

In the documentary narration Sir David explains that the Queen was continuing Queen Victoria’s tradition by having a tree planted to honour her family members. The documentary explored the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project which aimed to create a global network of protected forests in each Commonwealth country.

Whilst they strolled through the Buckingham Palace gardens Queen Elizabeth also made one of her famous quips. In response to the conservationist predicting there would be all different types of trees growing in 50 years, she said, "Might easily be, yes. I won’t be here though."

At the time she and David filmed the documentary they were both 91 and a frank joke about her own mortality perhaps showcased how comfortable she was around him. The pair met years earlier and he produced her Christmas broadcasts for years.

That history together meant he had plenty more Queen Elizabeth anecdotes to share and he also spoke to ITV about his "favourite" personal memory of her.

"I suppose the most precious things were hearing her laugh. Easy to make a polite laugh isn’t it? But when she laughed in a genuine way, if there was something funny she laughed in a genuine way, she wasn’t putting it on," he said. "And that made it very easy because she was an expert at getting people to relax."

David Attenborough thinks that Queen Elizabeth was someone who you knew was "extremely important in our society" and yet "she made it seem like you were meeting another human being with exactly the same sort of conditions that all human beings have". He makes an excellent point that it was a real skill to meet as many people as she did and still have everyone feel like they’d made a connection with her.

Prince Philip sacrificed a lot for his 73-year marriage to Queen Elizabeth, including his titles and citizenship of Greece and Denmark. He renounced them and became a British citizen the year they married, as well as converting from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism.

He was the Queen’s most loyal supporter and close confidante, and he adapted to life as consort of one of the most famous women in the world. Even so, Philip made his feelings plain in the 1950s after his wife was persuaded to keep Windsor as the Royal Family’s name in an outburst that prompted her to make a surprising "concession".

"I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children!" Prince Philip is famously quoted as saying. "I'm nothing but a b***** amoeba!"

The late Duke of Edinburgh adopted the surname Mountbatten in 1947 when he became a naturalised British subject. It’s an Anglicised form of his mother’s family name, the Battenbergs, but the Government were reportedly keen that the Queen shouldn’t change the Royal House name from Windsor to Mountbatten.

Although surnames aren’t generally needed if you’re royal, the Royal House name can act as one - hence Prince Philip’s outburst. The Queen confirmed in 1952 that the Royal Family name of Windsor would be used.

This changed in 1960 and royal expert and woman&home correspondent said on a recent episode of her and Reverend Richard Coles’ Catching Up With The Royals podcast that this was Queen Elizabeth’s "concession" to her husband.

"Because any children of hers were going to be Windsor, but by taking his more Anglicised surname, Mountbatten-Windsor and making it double-barrelled [she included Philip]," Emily said.

As the Royal Family’s own website puts it, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip “decided that they would like their own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family”. The Royal House remains Windsor, but it was declared in the Privy Council that the Queen’s descendants would carry the new double-barrelled name if they weren’t Prince/Princess of a married female descendent.

Essentially this meant that the couple’s children, when they needed a surname, would use Mountbatten-Windsor. This is why the former Prince Andrew is now Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and before they became Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the Sussexes' children had this surname too.

For the Queen to have changed her mind like this, it clearly meant a lot to Prince Philip to have his own surname included and his quip indicates this too. Her love and respect for him led her to create the new royal surname, but it was 43 years before someone would officially have it.

In 2003, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s daughter was born and although she’s known as Lady Louise Windsor now, she appears in the royal line of succession with the full surname.

Her younger brother James, Earl of Wessex was also Mountbatten-Windsor at birth. They’re understood to have been incredibly close to Philip and he was probably very touched to see his grandchildren using this royal name.

Anyone expecting to see Queen Camilla in one of the Royal Family's magnificent tiaras at the US State Banquet was in for a surprise. Instead of donning a jewel-encrusted headpiece she went for a necklace that was - if anything - even more eyecatching.

Studded with amethysts and diamonds, this was the first thing you noticed about Her Majesty's outfit that night and it certainly won't be to everyone's taste. Even so, you can't help but admire the story-telling that was going on here as Queen Camilla's demi-parure (a partial matching jewellery set) directly links back to Queen Elizabeth's State Visit to America in 1991.

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This was the last visit of a British monarch prior to Their Majesties' trip and the late Queen wore the brooch from the same set. As with every royal banquet look, this won't be a coincidence. Even before they flew stateside, there's been so much talk about how this visit is the first since Elizabeth's and King Charles acknowledged this in his address to Congress too.

Queen Camilla will have thought a lot about what she would wear to the White House State Banquet and given she's not been seen in the amethyst set before, it's no doubt to make that connection to her mother-in-law.

The purple gems also coordinated with her fuchsia pink Fiona Clare gown and this could also have been her own twist on Queen Elizabeth's 1991 style. Back then the Queen wore the brooch pinned on a purple jacket with a matching skirt and although Camilla's dress doesn't exactly match, it's in the wider colour palette.

She is putting her own twist on things while still paying tribute to the past and if this doesn't sum up the Royal Family's approach to style I don't know what does! With a necklace that bold a tiara would've taken her look from regal to eye-wateringly opulent, so it makes sense that Queen Camilla didn't choose a headpiece.

It's tradition for the royal women to wear tiaras when they're *hosting* State Banquets on UK soil. However, we've often seen them go without when they're the ones being hosted abroad, particularly if the nation doesn't have a monarch or consort who'll be wearing their own. Queen Elizabeth did wear a sapphire tiara in 1991, though.

The previous day when they first arrived in the US, Her Majesty also nodded to Queen Elizabeth with some luxurious jewellery. This time she sent a message in the form of a brooch which combined the British and American flags.

It was given to Queen Elizabeth by the Mayor of New York when she visited in 1957 and some reports have estimated the value to be several million dollars. The State Visit is four days long and the banquet was the only occasion where we'd expect something like the amethyst set to be worn, but there are more opportunities to see some other, subtler pieces like the flag brooch.

If we're looking back at the jewellery Queen Elizabeth wore during her 1991 trip, she favoured a three strand pearl necklace. Queen Camilla has several pearl necklaces she loves, including a four strand one with a circular diamond clasp. Who knows if she could have packed this in her jewellery box for the US State Visit?

Queen Elizabeth had a number historic properties she could live at and she’s known to have had a particular soft spot for Windsor Castle, Sandringham House and Balmoral. However there’s a humbler home that was also very "special" to her and Prince Philip, according to royal expert and woman&home correspondent Emily Andrews.

Whilst it is a royal residence, it’s "secluded" and this allowed the couple to enjoy living in a down-to-earth way. On a recent episode of her and Reverend Richard Coles’ Catching Up With The Royals podcast, Emily answered a question about Wood Farm, which was where Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh lived after he retired in 2017.

"He wanted nothing more to do, really, with royal life after that. He went to live and retire at Wood Farm and he actually didn’t see the Queen very much," she claimed. "[It] was where he painted, it was his home. And it always has held a special place for him and the Queen."

Although she lived apart from her husband a lot whilst she carried out her duties, Queen Elizabeth reportedly enjoyed spending time with him at Wood Farm when she could. Sandringham House and Gardens are open to the public from March/April until October and if this coincided with her visiting Norfolk, she went to the farm instead.

"Often he and the Queen when Sandringham was open to the general public or whatever, he and the Queen would live at Wood Farm, doing their own washing up, maybe even stacking the dishwasher," Emily declared.

The royal expert confirmed to co-host Richard that the home was "not very grand" even though it’s "quite a big place". It’s still hard to imagine the Queen and Philip doing the dishes, yet the monarch’s former press secretary Dickie Arbiter previously referenced her willingness to wash up at Balmoral in a piece for woman&home.

"No sooner had I started than I heard footsteps and, thinking it was the Lady-in-Waiting coming to give me a hand, I casually said over my shoulder, ‘Okay, I’ll wash you dry,’ but it was not the Lady-in-Waiting. The Queen washed up and I dried, and no, she did not wear rubber gloves to protect her hands," he wrote.

Perhaps it made a refreshing change for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip to do these kinds of household chores themselves and to spend time together in such a private place. Emily Andrews described Wood Farm as "secluded" and expressed her belief that this is why Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor moved there first whilst Marsh Farm is being renovated.

Wood Farm has rarely been photographed and a courtier previously suggested to the Daily Mail that the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh had other reasons for loving the residence which tied into their interests.

"They adored the simplicity of what Wood Farm represented," they alleged. "For the Duke, it was the light which he thought was perfect to paint by, and the proximity to the sea only a couple of miles away. The Queen likes the unfussiness - the sense of getting away from it all and being able to slip out for a walk with the dogs whenever she likes."

Queen Elizabeth had a staggering amount of jewellery that either belonged to her personally or was part of the royal collection, including many magnificent tiaras, necklaces and earrings. Storing these priceless pieces sounds like a bit of a nightmare but the late monarch apparently found an unusual method that worked for her.

On a recent episode of her Catching Up With The Royals podcast, expert and woman&home royal correspondent Emily Andrews responded to a question about where all these items go. Admitting she'd wondered "exactly the same thing" before doing a deep dive into tiaras, she described the set-up that Queen Elizabeth relied on.

"Actually there are these very secure, well what was described to me, anyway, by courtiers at the palace, as wardrobes," she told co-host Reverend Richard Coles.

Emily added, "Often female members were lent pieces of jewellery and tiaras and these then became synonymous with those female members."

She gave the example of Princess Diana frequently wearing the Lover's Knot Tiara which is now closely associated with the Princess of Wales. Kate has stepped out in it around 14 times now and according to the royal expert, once a piece became linked to a particular person, they could be given the honour of a named shelf.

"For instance, the Duchess of Cambridge [now Princess of Wales] had a shelf with her name on it. The Duchess of Cornwall [now Queen Camilla] had a shelf with her name on it," Emily claimed.

The Princess of Wales was the first royal bride of that generation to borrow a tiara for her wedding. In his biography, William & Catherine, Russell Myers claims that it was a "startling gesture" of generosity by Queen Elizabeth and the thought had "not occurred to [Kate] at first".

When she was shown the Cartier Halo Tiara she was said to be "overcome with emotion". There's so much history behind the piece as it was a gift from King George VI to the Queen Mother and they then gave it to the Queen on her 18th birthday.

She'd loaned it to Princess Margaret and Princess Anne and had "given her blessing for Catherine to wear it". According to Myers, "Many believe it to have been a symbolic gesture of not only her fondness for her grandson's bridge but also a recognition of her future status within the family."

As the Princess has only worn it this one time it might not have made her shelf in the wardrobe, but if this is still the storage method for royal jewellery there are at least two more tiaras which probably will be on there. One is the Lover's Knot Tiara and the other is the Lotus Flower Tiara.

In the fifteen years since she married Prince William, Kate has only actually worn five separate tiaras. Queen Camilla also has her favourites, notably the Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara, though she's branched out in the jewellery department recently.

In 2024 and 2025 Her Majesty made her debut wearing the Burmese Ruby Tiara and the emerald-studded Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara respectively, both of which used to belong to Queen Elizabeth personally.

There were plenty of celebrations last week for what would’ve been the 100th birthday of our late Queen (April 21).

From Princess Anne opening a new green space in central London to King Charles's solemn speech, the Royal Family came out in force for the special centenary.

Elizabeth II was never much of a fashion fan but she understood the huge power and silent messages her clothes conveyed. She reportedly once said, "I have to be seen to be believed," and to celebrate her icon status, a new exhibition of her style has just opened.

More than 300 items from her wardrobe are on display – from her Norman Hartnell wedding dress, to her royal christening robe made almost 200 years ago, to an amazing collection of hats.

I was lucky enough to have a sneak preview and it’s a fascinating greatest hits of her reign, which includes her coronation gown with that tiny waist and many examples of her diplomatic dressing on royal tours.

Taking after her mother Elizabeth, and grandmother Queen Mary, the late Queen kept everything: all her hats, shoes, coats, dresses, handbags and even receipts for her Burberry dry cleaning.

The result is an archive of couture fashion, consisting of more than 4,500 pieces, now looked after by the Royal Collection Trust (the charity that cares for the royal art collection).

It is such a fun exhibition. I particularly enjoyed the two peach dresses, designed by the late Queen’s assistant Angela Kelly for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

One, famously, was worn by the Queen that evening in a skit with Daniel Craig’s James Bond, where she was seen being picked up at Buckingham Palace by Bond, and then a helicopter hovered over the arena where the ‘Queen’ jumped out before walking to her seat with the stadium cheering.

The larger of the two outfits, worn by the stuntman with a very cleverly concealed zip down the back where his parachute deployed, is seen here for the first time.

I quizzed the curator and archivists on how the Queen’s wardrobe is kept and most are stored wrapped in tissue in special plastic storage boxes, while items that need to be hung are kept on a hermetically sealed clothes rail.

The satin of her gorgeous wedding dress from 1947, despite meticulous care, is showing its age (at the time it was common to treat satin with tin salts to improve the drape, which has meant the material has become brittle).

So it was fascinating to hear how the arms have been replaced and restored, while if you look closely you can see the fabric has been treated with a net overlay to stop it breaking down further.

This is fashion as history - don’t miss it!

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style runs until 18 October 2026 at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace - tickets can be bought online.

On Tuesday, 21st April, Princess Anne was given the honour of opening the Queen Elizabeth II Garden in central London on what would've been her mother's 100th birthday. This brand new green space is dedicated to the late monarch and has turned a disused plant nursery into a two-acre garden.

It was no doubt an emotional day for the Princess Royal, but the designers included a secret detail that brought a smile to her face. Hidden in amongst the greenery was a corgi tribute and according to reports, Anne "chuckled loudly" when she spotted it.

The garden’s blacksmiths, Ian Thackray and Ian Kebby, included this in the viewing platform alongside the original plans of decorating it with cast iron wildflowers. After spotting it and letting out a chuckle, they handed Princess Anne her very own cast iron rose - thought to represent the species aptly named the Princess Anne Rose.

Her Majesty famously loved Pembroke Welsh Corgis and she received her first one as an 18th birthday present in 1944. Named Susan, this canine companion would usher in a lifelong affinity for the dogs. Queen Elizabeth bred 10 generations of dogs from Susan, personally owning more than 30 of them in her lifetime.

They were all either purebred Pembroke Welsh Corgis or Dorgis - a cross between a corgi and a dachshund. On the day of her funeral in 2022 we saw her final two corgis, Muick and Sandy, standing outside Windsor Castle waiting for the cortege to go by.

The corgi tribute that made Princess Anne laugh wasn't the only more subtle tribute to Queen Elizabeth that day. Perhaps in a nod to her mother’s famous tradition of wearing eye-catching, bright colours, the Princess Royal wore an orange knee-length coat with gold brooch and a red, floral scarf.

During a speech to unveil the commemorative plaque, Princess Anne said, "Gardens are important for a number of reasons, in terms of historical perspective. When [the Queen] was growing up, the gardens were one aspect of life that changed dramatically during the war to become places where everybody grew things, and then the spaces afterwards became used for other things."

The gardens, open to the public on 27th April, have been designed with biodiversity as a main focus. Amongst the flora and fauna, there will be wildflower meadows, native hedgerows and trees planted to symbolise the strength of the monarchy.

There is also a straight path that runs through it, designed to represent her unwavering loyalty and service with each end offering a moment of quiet reflection. Visitors will also get to walk through a meandering path that circles the garden and reflects key aspects of her life and reign.

The late Queen Elizabeth cemented her place in British history throughout her 70-year reign and her centenary has been poignantly marked by King Charles. He addressed the nation on what would've been his mother's 100th birthday on 21st April and this significant date has got us taking a trip down memory lane too.

From the moment she found out she was Queen, to her final balcony appearance in 2022, Queen Elizabeth made a real impression on people's lives. Her dedication and sense of duty was astonishing and if you take our quiz you can find out how much you really know about her.

Will you get 10/10?

Want more brain teasers? Catch up with all our previous quizzes here.

As a monarch and Head of State, Queen Elizabeth had the challenging task of treading a delicate diplomatic path throughout her reign. She hosted countless Presidents and Prime Ministers, undertook overseas visits representing the nation and made thousands of public appearances.

All the time the Queen looked serene and at ease, never letting us know what she was really feeling deep inside. This is surely essential for someone with such a high-profile and politically neutral role and former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has dubbed it a "great skill".

"I travelled extensively with the Queen and also met her many times at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Even so, she remained something of an enigma to me," she wrote on what would've been Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday. "Her great skill was not allowing any of us truly to know what she was thinking or feeling."

In her piece for The Mirror, Jennie went on to reveal that there were times where she caught a glimpse of the Queen "a little off-guard, off-duty for a moment". She treasures these, including an instance when she saw Queen Elizabeth "putting on her lipstick without a mirror just before entering one of the main reception rooms".

The royal expert also recalled when the Queen invited her and a few other journalists aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in South Africa. Jennie shared, "The Queen had a glint of real joy in her eyes as she told us that this was her first visit back to South Africa since she had visited with her parents and sister in 1947."

It makes sense that these "off-guard" moments were rare, at least in front of the media or members of the public. That’s not to say that Her Majesty kept her distance or didn’t give people a warm, memorable impression of her when they met - far from it.

Speaking on the 2016 documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, the Princess of Wales praised her grandmother-in-law’s ability to build a "connection".

"Everyone feels like they’ve had some quality time with Her Majesty and, also, a real personal connection and I think that’s a real skill," the Princess said. "I think she’s so, so engaging. She has got the most fantastic smile and I think if the Queen says nothing but she smiles, I think it gives everybody such a huge amount of joy and a huge amount of pleasure."

Queen Elizabeth also famously had a brilliant sense of humour and while we might not have been able to tell her true feelings about more serious things, she didn’t shy away from showing her amusement at appropriate moments.

"She had a dry but quite mischievous sense of humour. She rather liked it when things went a bit wrong on an official engagement - the car stalling or her plane being grounded in a thunderstorm - hardly surprising when you live a life so planned and regulated," wrote Jennie Bond.

The Royal Family also often mention the "twinkle" in her eye when they talk about her and King Charles did just that in his message to mark what would’ve been his mother’s 100th birthday.

"Millions will remember her for moments of national significance; many others for a fleeting personal encounter, a smile, a kind word that lifted spirits…. or for that marvellous twinkle of the eye when sharing a marmalade sandwich with Paddington Bear in the final months of her life," he declared.

The King's message on what would've been his "darling mama" Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday was every bit as emotional and reflective as you'd expect. Yet there was an underlying theme that really struck me and summed up the Queen as she was seen by the nation and across the world. It also showed how the example she set has been deeply taken to heart by King Charles and he's striving to uphold it.

"Queen Elizabeth's 'promise with destiny kept' shaped the world around her and touched the lives of countless people across our nation, the Commonwealth and beyond," he said early on in the pre-recorded message released on 21st April.

The King also used the phrase "promise with destiny" in his first address as monarch and uses it to describe his mother's dedication. It could also be seen as a nod to her life-changing literal promise on her 21st birthday in 1947.

At the time she was Princess Elizabeth with no idea that she would become Queen in just three years and she vowed to dedicate her "whole life whether it be long or short" to serving the Commonwealth. There were no stipulations, no references to "as best I can" - it was simply that.

Seeing King Charles mention this immediately reminded me of what broadcaster Kirsty Young said to close out the BBC's new documentary, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century. She was visibly emotional as she referenced the Queen's promise, declaring, "By God she was as good as her word wasn't she?"

Nothing ever swayed Queen Elizabeth from her promise and King Charles said in his message that "through each passing decade, through every transformation, she remained constant, steadfast and wholly devoted to the people she served".

Although he suspects that a lot about the times we're living in "may have troubled her deeply" he's taking heart from her belief that a "brighter dawn is never far from the horizon". He concluded his message by declaring, "I renew my own solemn pledge of duty and service to you all. God bless you, darling Mama; you remain forever in our hearts and prayers".

Having grown up with a mother who was steadfastly dedicated to her duty, King Charles is clearly focused on following her example. His renewal of his "own solemn pledge" echoes Queen Elizabeth's 21st birthday speech and reaffirms that he views the monarch's role as one of service.

Whilst some people across the world might look upon the royals as akin to celebrities in so many ways, the reality for King Charles and Queen Elizabeth before him couldn't have been more different. This really came across in King Charles's speech and perhaps more than it initially appeared on first listen.

Part of serving the nation is to do what he can to bring people together and he urged everyone "whatever our differences" to "seek to follow this example as we make today not the marking of a milestone felt by absence but the celebration of a life well-lived, and a legacy of hope, as we strive together towards a 'better, happier tomorrow'".

Although he suspects a lot about our current time "may have troubled her deeply", King Charles is taking comfort from his mother’s view. Queen Elizabeth thought that a "brighter dawn is never far from the horizon" and this optimistic belief likely also helped her through the challenging times she navigated in her decades of devoted service.

As a monarch who reigned for 70 years it’s no surprise that Queen Elizabeth faced plenty of difficult times, though she could never have imagined saying goodbye to the love of her life in the way she did in April 2021. Prince Philip had been her "strength and stay" throughout everything and passed away just a few months before his 100th birthday, during the pandemic.

Government guidelines in place at the time stipulated that funerals should have no more than 30 mourners attending. They also had to be spaced out from anyone not in their household, meaning Queen Elizabeth sat alone in her pew at St George’s Chapel.

Her grandson Peter Phillips explained in the new BBC documentary, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century, that "all you wanted to do was go and give her a hug, and you couldn’t do it".

Peter, the son of Princess Anne, was one of the 30 people at Prince Philip’s funeral and seemed to be speaking for himself and likely the rest of her loved ones too. He’d walked in the procession between Princes William and Harry and it must’ve been incredibly tough seeing his grandmother grieving and knowing he couldn’t get close to her.

The photographs of Queen Elizabeth wearing her face mask, sitting apart from everyone else was described by broadcaster Kirsty Young in the documentary as "one of the most moving and iconic images of her entire reign". Prince Philip’s death was a national moment but it was also a family one and Peter’s comment reminds us of this.

When we stop and think about it, the idea of anyone hugging the Queen seems hard to picture and we’ve never really seen her grandchildren doing this.

They’ve been photographed greeting her with a kiss on the cheek but this is the closest they’ve come to it in public. So even though Peter couldn’t give her a hug at the funeral, it’s a lovely insight into their bond.

He is the eldest of the late Queen’s grandchildren and over the years he’s been widely reported to be her "favourite grandson". Ahead of celebrations for her 90th birthday in 2016, Peter shared that he’d always been "very close" with Queen Elizabeth and they spoke often, calling her an "inspirational person throughout [his life]".

In 2024 he told Sky News Australia how "lucky" he was to be in Scotland before she passed away in 2022 and described how the royals said their goodbyes privately.

"I was lucky to be in Scotland before she passed and actually having those few days with her, just in Scotland, just as a family, before she left Balmoral - that was really nice," he said. "Looking back on it, it's still quite emotional, that part was a proper family moment."

Peter Phillips added, "In many ways we'd had our quiet moment with her, we'd said our goodbyes, so whilst it still wasn't particularly easy, it was easier to be able to share the public's grief for her."

At her funeral Peter once again walked in the procession. As all restrictions had been lifted the year before, this time the Royal Family could come together in public and private as they mourned Queen Elizabeth in a way they hadn’t been able to for Prince Philip.

Queen Elizabeth was an extraordinary figure who commanded respect and devotion on the world stage across her 70 year reign. She's viewed with awe by the Royal Family too and Queen Camilla believes she remains unsurpassed in one particular way.

In the BBC’s new documentary, Queen Elizabeth, Her Story, Our Centenary, which airs at 9pm on 19th April, Queen Camilla reflects on her mother-in-law’s sense of duty. In her mind, no-one has rivalled it and she declares, "I think duty has overridden everything. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody have a sense of duty like she had."

Her Majesty makes this remarks early on in the film after discussing how "like everybody else" the royals "tried to do their bit" during the war. She notes that "the war generation was a very special generation" and that Queen Elizabeth played her part.

Two years after the Second World War ended, the Queen delivered an astonishing broadcast on her 21st birthday. Broadcasting from Cape Town where she was with her parents on a tour, Elizabeth publicly promised to dedicate her entire life to serving the Commonwealth.

"I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong," she said.

Despite speculation about a possible abdication at various points in her reign, there was no question in her mind of going back on this promise. Queen Elizabeth’s dedication was steadfast and it’s hardly surprising that Queen Camilla thinks her "sense of duty" is in a league of its own, seemingly even considering the rest of the Royal Family.

The late monarch’s legacy is a lot to live up to and in his first speech after her death, King Charles acknowledged his mother made "sacrifices" in her 70 years on the throne in order to keep her 21st birthday promise.

"That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life. She made sacrifices for duty," he said, before he made a vow of his own.

"As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation," the King continued.

Meanwhile, in her first speech as Queen Consort two months later, Camilla began by paying tribute to her "dear mother-in-law" who is "so greatly missed by us all". She also described Queen Elizabeth’s "enduring love of the Commonwealth".

The release of Queen Elizabeth, Her Story, Our Centenary is, as the name suggests, in honour of what would’ve been the Queen’s 100th birthday on 21st April. It’s a huge milestone and King Charles will address the nation and host a reception at Buckingham Palace with Queen Camilla.

The guest list will include representatives from a selection of Queen Elizabeth’s patronages, including Cancer Research UK and the Army Benevolent Fund. Other special events are planned for her 100th birthday too and it’s likely we’ll see posts on social media from the Royal Family.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century Sunday 19^th April at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

The death of Princess Diana on 31st August 1997 sent shockwaves around the world and amid the outpouring of grief many found it bewildering that Queen Elizabeth was nowhere to be seen. At the time she attracted considerable criticism for initially staying at Balmoral instead of immediately returning to London to mourn with the nation.

However, Dame Helen Mirren believes that the Queen did the "right thing" by putting her grandchildren first following this tragedy. Opening up on the BBC documentary, Queen Elizabeth: Her Story, Our Centenary, which airs at 9pm on 17th April, the actor praised her response.

"Difficult for anyone to really know quite how to handle it," Helen said. "I think she did exactly the right thing. I think she was right to stay in Balmoral with the children and I think when she came out and did the very, very difficult walk by all the flowers and everything, that was the right thing to do."

Queen Elizabeth arrived in London five days after Princess Diana died, the day before her former daughter-in-law’s funeral service. She met with mourners and viewed floral tributes, but she was also aware of how the public had reacted to her absence and addressed this choice in a message broadcast to the nation that evening.

"This week at Balmoral, we have all been trying to help William and Harry come to terms with the devastating loss that they and the rest of us have suffered," she declared. "No-one who knew Diana will ever forget her. Millions of others who never met her, but felt they knew her, will remember her. I for one believe there are lessons to be drawn from her life and from the extraordinary and moving reaction to her death."

She delivered these words from her heart as the "Queen and as a grandmother" and had begun her address by paying tribute to Diana personally.

"She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness," she said. "I admired and respected her - for her energy and commitment to others, and especially for her devotion to her two boys."

Queen Elizabeth had responded firstly as a grandmother and then led the nation in mourning as their monarch - and it makes sense why Helen Mirren believes these were the "right" choices. Prince William was 15 and Prince Harry 12 when their mother passed away and the older Prince has said how in the "dark days of grief that followed [he] found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors".

Prince Harry has also been open about what it was like grieving Princess Diana in the public eye when they were back in London and seeing thousands of strangers crying for his mother.

"I cried once, at the burial, and you know I go into detail [in Spare] about how strange it was and how actually there was some guilt that I felt, and I think William felt as well, by walking around the outside of Kensington Palace," he said in a 2023 interview. "There were 50,000 bouquets of flowers to our mother and there we were shaking people's hands".

"Everyone thought and felt like they knew our mum, and the two closest people to her, the two most loved people by her, were unable to show any emotion in that moment," Harry added.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century Sunday 19^th April at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

From the moment Prince Harry and Meghan confirmed their four-day Australia trip people couldn’t help but compare what they had planned with a traditional royal tour. Perhaps it didn’t help that the last time they were Down Under as a couple was when they were working royals on this kind of official overseas visit.

This time around the Sussexes aren’t representing the monarch and their itinerary is a mix of supporting charitable causes and private, paid events. This combination has raised eyebrows and in the latest issue of Woman, a senior source based at Buckingham Palace claimed, "Harry and Meghan are now acting outside the rules set down for them by Queen Elizabeth".

The late Queen apparently set these down "when they first chose to give up royal duties" in 2020. At the time, it was confirmed in a statement that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would not use their HRH titles as they weren’t working royals any longer.

Buckingham Palace also made it clear that with the Queen’s "blessing" the Sussexes would continue to "maintain their private patronages and associations", but could "no longer formally represent" her. Beyond this, it’s not clear which "rules" Queen Elizabeth set, however the statement makes a distinction between what they *used* to do and what they are going to do now.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia trip isn’t a royal tour but it does bear some resemblance to one and this hasn’t gone uncommented upon. It’s also been widely reported over the years that the couple initially hoped to have a half-in, half-out arrangement rather than stepping back as working royals entirely.

Their four-day trip is a mix of royal-esque visits and business which is perhaps similar to how they might’ve imagined this working. Queen Elizabeth is said to have been very much against the idea of anyone being half-in The Firm and made her feelings plain at a summit held at Sandringham House in January 2020.

"The answer from the top was clear: no halfway role was possible. They were either in or out," claims royal author Robert Jobson in The Windsor Legacy. "Her Majesty’s ruling deepened the existing tensions in the family, particularly between Harry and William."

No other working member of the Royal Family maintains separate careers alongside their duties. The Duchess of Edinburgh used to have her own PR company and Prince Edward had been head of his own production company at one point.

Neither have these businesses now and although Sophie says she did "miss it very badly for a while", she later put her experience to good use as a senior royal. She told Harper’s Bazaar that she tries to use her skills "without overburdening the organisations [she’s] involved with – because [her] opinion is only one opinion".

The Edinburghs play a key role in supporting King Charles and Queen Camilla and go on plenty of royal visits overseas as part of this. Prince Harry and Meghan’s time in Australia will culminate with the Duchess speaking at a women’s retreat.

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Queen Elizabeth would have turned 100 on 21st April 2026 and the date is not going to pass unmarked by the Royal Family. Her only daughter Princess Anne has now been confirmed as having a special role in the events and will be the one to open The Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent's Park.

She'll do this on her mother's actual birthday date and the garden will be open to the public from 27th April. It's been designed to reintroduce more green space back into central London, turning a disused plant nursery into a two-acre garden.

Sharing more details about what to expect from the garden, the official website explains that there will be a straight path that runs through it. This is designed to represent the late Queen’s "unwavering loyalty and service with each end offering a moment of quiet reflection".

Visitors to the garden at Regent’s Park will be greeted by a large pond, complete with seating and a pergola at the south entrance. There will also be a central promenade bisected by a meandering path leading visitors through a series of beautiful landscapes.

The plants in the garden will be wildlife-friendly and have been chosen intentionally to provide a vibrant, year-round horticultural display. Each plant species has been picked as they have some sort of connection to Queen Elizabeth’s life too.

One example of this is the planting of a magnolia tree. A video from the Royal Parks account claims Her Majesty loved the species. Other flora to be found in the garden will include specially bred plants, such as the Narcissus Diamond Jubilee or Tulipa Royal Celebration.

As well as standing as a living, year-round tribute to Queen Elizabeth, the garden has been designed to bring a huge boost to biodiversity in the form of hedgerows, trees, meadows, wildlife-attracting plants and a new pond. Princess Anne opening the garden is just one of the many celebrations planned for the centenary.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will be joined by members of the Royal Family to see the designs for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II. These are set to be built in St James's Park, not far from Buckingham Palace.

The memorial will be designed by Lord Norman Foster and will be created by a number of artists who'll all meet the royals as they discuss the plans. The Royal Family will also come together for a reception at Buckingham Palace and King Charles is set to deliver a personal address to the nation honouring his mother.

Behind closed doors Queen Elizabeth was seemingly not afraid to put her foot down if she felt her family needed to be told off. According to royal historian Hugo Vickers, who met the late monarch over 40 times, she once "got in her car" and went to talk to the Duchess of Sussex after receiving a report from the head gardener at Windsor.

He was asked about the alleged incident on the Daily T podcast and claimed, "She apparently was rude to one of the under-gardeners and the head gardener went up to the Queen and reported this and the Queen got in her car and went down and tore a strip off her because you cannot be rude to staff."

In Hugo’s view, Meghan Markle had "been rude to the gardener, so she needed to be ticked off, put in her place" by Queen Elizabeth.

As of now, the Duchess of Sussex hasn’t publicly commented on the historian’s remarks regarding this supposed telling-off. However, this isn’t the first time reports have circulated about Queen Elizabeth rebuking Meghan over her approach to certain aspects of royal life.

Writing in The Windsor Legacy, royal author Robert Jobson claimed that the Duchess’s choice to wear a Dior dress with an "estimated £60,000 price tag" during a visit to Morocco "drew the Queen’s ire" when she read about it. She apparently "later let Meghan know" that an outfit this expensive "was an ill-judged choice".

Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth is said to have made her feelings clear to Prince Harry about who had final say over the Duchess’s wedding tiara. His alleged "What Meghan wants, Meghan gets" comment is now well-known, but the monarch reportedly disagreed.

"Her Majesty did not approve. 'Meghan cannot have whatever she wants,' she was reported to have replied. 'She gets the tiara that she's given by me’," claimed royal author Robert Lacey.

In his memoir, Prince Harry denied he ever uttered such a remark at all and Meghan ultimately wore Queen Mary’s Bandeau Tiara for their wedding. Whilst these reports claim she might have had words with Meghan occasionally, the Duchess of Sussex has always talked glowingly about her late grandmother-in-law.

She called her the "most shining example" of female leadership a few months after Queen Elizabeth passed away and expressed "deep gratitude" for having got to spend time with her. The monarch was also known to step in and scold other family members, including Prince William, when she felt it was necessary.

He previously reminisced in the Our Queen at Ninety documentary about getting reprimanded when he was younger.

"We were chasing Zara around who was on a go-cart, and Peter and I managed to herd Zara into a lamppost. And the lamppost came down and nearly squashed her, and I remember my grandmother being the first person out at Balmoral running across the lawn in her kilt," he said, sharing that she came "charging over" and gave them an "almighty b*********".

Queen Elizabeth was also spotted telling the Prince of Wales to "stand up" when they were on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour in 2016. He’d been bending down to chat to George but immediately straightened up in response to his remarkable granny.

Queen Elizabeth's sense of style was iconic and instantly recognisable, from her love of bright colours to her floral hats. British fashion designer Stewart Parvin was responsible for some of her most memorable looks in the later decades of her reign.

As those who were in Her Majesty’s orbit celebrate what would’ve been her 100th year, Stewart has offered new insight into working with the Queen. Speaking to The Telegraph he recalled her love for "outrageous" fashion and her awareness of the power of clothes.

According to Stewart, it was Jackie Kennedy Onassis who was cited as an inspiration when searching for new designers to reinvent the Queen’s style in the 2000s.

He recalled being approached by Angela Kelly, the Queen’s personal dresser for nearly 30 years, and before she’d actually told Stewart who her mysterious client was, she revealed she was after a "Jackie O look".

"That was Angela’s terminology, which threw me off, because they were reported not to have got on, but whether that’s just The Crown, I’m not sure," the designer said.

He is, of course, referring to the Netflix series' fictionalised account of their famous first meeting back in 1961, which was shown in the second season. The pair did meet for the first time at a dinner hosted at Buckingham Palace in June that year, and while some sources suggest Jackie later referred to it as "heavy going", there's no official record it was as awkward as depicted.

Regardless of the Jackie O of it all, Stewart jumped at the chance to design for the Queen, and got to witness first hand her appreciation for the power of clothing. He said, "It’s only my opinion, but I thought she was very interested in clothes on different levels, because one, it is how she’s perceived, two, they’re an intimate thing. If you go out in your favourite thing, you feel better and that’s very important."

"She was somebody who had clothes made for her all her life; she was brought up with that, and so she understood it in a way that people who haven’t done that don’t understand," Steward continued.

Stewart, along with Angela Kelly and input from Her Majesty, helped shape what has become known as the definitive "Queen Elizabeth II style" of bright, bold colours.

It’s been often stated that the Queen chose such colourful ensembles so that everyone would have a chance to spot her, even in huge crowds. And Stewart’s fascinating insight reveals that the Queen would actually revel in "outrageous" style choices.

Of his designs, he said, "There would be the 'queen' ones, and there’d be the more 'fashion' ones. Often she would choose the fashion ones, the choice would be much bolder than the choice you’d think. It might be tweaked for Her Majesty, but she was very definitely open. I mean, some of the embroideries we did were, quite frankly, outrageous."

Some of his designs include the neon green ensemble worn at the 2016 Trooping the Colour, the lime and purple look she wore for Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding and, poignantly, the emerald green dress she wore for her final Buckingham Palace balcony appearance in 2022.

Queen Elizabeth had plenty of iconic moments throughout her 70 year reign but there are some that stick with you more than others and her final balcony appearance is one of these. She last took to the Buckingham Palace balcony at the end of her Platinum Jubilee weekend in June 2022, a few months before she passed away.

The Queen was visibly moved looking out at the cheering crowds and we apparently might never have got this moment had it not been for King Charles. In his newly-released biography, Elizabeth II, author Robert Hardman suggests that Queen Elizabeth had been happy to watch the Platinum Pageant on TV but Charles thought plans should change.

"Once again, the Queen was watching on television at Windsor until the Prince of Wales felt that she really had to be part of it," he claims.

Hardman adds that the Queen’s private secretary Sir Edward Young "sped down to Windsor to press the point in person". Her Majesty was persuaded to make the trip to London and before long the "Royal Standard suddenly appeared on the flagpole" above Buckingham Palace.

The monarch is said to have "arrived through the back gate" and she went out onto the balcony where she’d stood so many times before, wearing green and "unaided but for her stick". She was accompanied by King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Wales family.

"Poor weather late in the day had ruled out the usual flypast by the Red Arrows. But no matter. On this occasion, the Queen herself had been the grand finale," Hardman writes.

There had been uncertainty over whether we could see Queen Elizabeth on the balcony more than once during the jubilee weekend. Though there’s no way the nation could’ve known how last minute the change of plans was - or how King Charles helped persuade her to make this balcony appearance which turned out to be her last.

"The Queen was totally overwhelmed by the number of people waiting to see her - she had tears in her eyes before she stepped out on the balcony," a source alleged at the time.

Throughout her reign Queen Elizabeth mostly took a "the more, the merrier" approach to balcony appearances, including not only her immediate family but her cousins and their children and grandchildren too. Nowadays this would be unthinkable and the Queen sent a powerful message with her pared-back selection of royals in June 2022.

Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales helped with this and though you might not have noticed, the pair stood back at a certain point with Charlotte and Louis. This left only the monarch and her three direct heirs in the royal line of succession together.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl discussed this on True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat, claiming, "If you’re going to take one image away from the weekend, it has to be (this one). A Jubilee isn't just a moment to reflect on the 70 years, but to look forward to the future."

All things considered, King Charles had a point when he felt his mother should be part of things. She clearly realised it too and her final balcony appearance of the hundreds she’d made during her lifetime remains a significant royal moment to this day.

As head of the Church of England, Queen Elizabeth didn’t attend King Charles and Queen Camilla’s civil wedding ceremony in 2005 but she still found a special way to signal her "approval" for their marriage. The couple tied the knot at Windsor Guildhall on 9th April and had a service of blessing at St George’s Chapel, which she was at.

The Queen hosted a reception afterwards at Windsor Castle and it’s here that she "could be the proud mother" and "showed it by breaking convention" according to royal biographer Robert Hardman. In his new book, Queen Elizabeth II, he reflects that "instead of the usual speech from the father of the bride, guests would hear from the mother of the groom".

"Many of the guests were not expecting it at all. Someone just tapped a glass and there was the Queen talking," he quotes one of the Household involved.

"It was her idea. She’d decided she could not go to the civil wedding but, having navigated all the official problems, this was her informal way of showing approval and marking the occasion."

The source adds that the late monarch "came out with every racing metaphor in the book", including the proclamation that King Charles and Queen Camilla had now "reached the winners’ enclosure". Their wedding date coincided with the Grand National that year and as a horse racing fan, Elizabeth’s turn of phrase gave her speech a personal feel.

This surprising way of giving her son’s second marriage her seal of "approval" sounds so touching and she arguably played a huge role in introducing the idea of ‘Queen’ Camilla to the world and having it accepted by the public.

Before then, she had been set to be known as "Princess Consort" when Charles became King. She also never went by "Princess of Wales", despite being entitled to do so. Both decisions were made out of respect to Diana, Princess of Wales and the public’s enduring devotion to her.

Then, out of the blue, Queen Elizabeth made a decisive move the day before the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne. In a message to the nation she gave her blessing for her daughter-in-law to be known as "Queen Consort" instead of "Princess".

"When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service," she declared.

Queen Elizabeth’s "sincere wish" helped pave the way for the public to accept the change and after being known formally as the Queen Consort for many months, Her Majesty is now simply known as Queen Camilla.

She and King Charles are celebrating their 21st wedding anniversary this year and although the date is now likely tinged with some sadness (it is also the anniversary of Prince Philip’s death), they have so many special memories to reminisce about, not least the wedding itself and that "informal" speech!

In the world of royalty, one doesn’t just wake up and put together an outfit. Royal dressers have been the norm for centuries, and continue to this day. It’s a privileged position and, as was the case with former royal dresser Angela Kelly and the late Queen Elizabeth II, it’s also one that fosters closeness and confidentiality.

Indeed, in a moving new interview, Angela has recalled the time she spent with the late Queen, calling her "my best friend." Ahead of what would’ve been Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday, her close confidant of nearly 30 years described how special their bond was and the regular ABBA song and dance parties they enjoyed.

"Every morning the Queen would listen to the Terry Wogan show on Radio 2. When the song Dancing Queen came on she loved it, and both of us would dance. The Queen would move from side to side and sing," she told Vanity Fair.

Angela added, "Her Majesty loved singing and had a good voice. I didn’t. I’d get carried away and be dancing all round her like I was at a disco, and the Queen would tell me to ‘move over’ because I can’t sing and we laughed. They were moments to cherish, to see the Queen so relaxed."

Angela's official title was Personal Assistant, Adviser and Curator to Her Majesty The Queen, and perhaps a telling sign of just how deeply the trust between the pair ran can be inferred in the Queen approving of Angela writing two books about her.

Famously not one for explaining or complaining, Angela authored two books while carrying on working with Her Majesty right up until her death in 2022. In fact, the former dresser was one of the rare few who assisted the Queen during the pandemic when her staff was slimmed down as they all isolated together.

Elsewhere in the interview, Angela recalls how "fun" work could be with Her Majesty, and what she was like when she was simply allowed to be a "cool granny".

She revealed, "Fittings were fun. The queen loved seeing the clothes being made from the beginning to the end, seeing the material. She liked the pastel and deep colours but she preferred people to focus on her speeches rather than her clothes. Though she was not fashion-led, she still knew she had to look the part."

Of summers spent in Balmoral, Angela remarks, "It was just a normal loving family to be quite honest. If the Duke [Prince Philip], or whoever was cooking, burned the burgers she’d just laugh. As long as they had extra to put back on, and as long as all the family were fed and watered that was all right. The queen was just full of energy and a really cool granny, to be honest."

Today, Angela lives with her family in Sheffield and ahead of would've been the Queen's 100th birthday on 21st April, Angela still thinks of her "every day".

"We both knew we had trust, loyalty, and understanding. The queen was my best friend and I miss her every day," she declared.

The BBC is set to celebrate what would have been the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II with the release of a new star-studded documentary, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century. Described by the broadcaster as a film that will reflect "not only on the woman behind the Crown but on a century of transformation in Britain and beyond", it'll touch on everything from the Blitz to the 2012 London Olympics.

Bringing even more majesty to the one-hour film will be the likes of former US President Barack Obama, Sir David Attenborough, Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Sheila Hancock and Queen Camilla, who will share personal memories and stories about the late monarch.

Catherine Catton, Head of Factual Entertainment and Events for the BBC, said, "Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century explores the life of her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II through the lens of a century of change and offers an important reflection on how modern Britain has been shaped."

The Queen Elizabeth documentary will feature new interviews with these notable figures, among others, alongside powerful archive footage from key, defining moments in what was a truly defining chapter of British history. Details of when the film will air are yet to be finalised, but the Queen 100th birthday falls on 21st April.

This was one of two birthdays Her Majesty used to celebrate every year, as her official birthday was marked in June with the traditional Trooping the Colour parade.

Her actual birthday was usually a private affair, although the Royal Family did release new pictures of her to commemorate the day. Given how historic Queen Elizabeth's reign was and how big a milestone 100 years is, it's no surprise that the BBC didn't want her centenary to go unmarked.

Queen Elizabeth is Britain's longest-reigning monarch and marked her Platinum Jubilee in 2022 with a weekend of celebrations that brought the nation together. The Jubilee Weekend was the last time we got to see Her Majesty on the balcony of Buckingham Palace and she made a special second appearance there alongside the direct heirs to the throne.

As Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth was a key figure of stability throughout seismic changes in Britain, and around the world. Her Majesty was served by 15 Prime Ministers (beginning with Winston Churchill and ending with Liz Truss) and 14 US Presidents (meeting 13 of them, only missing out on Lyndon B. Johnson).

She visited over 110 countries, met seven popes and became the first British monarch to ever visit China. The special film will explore her defining reign, touching on her role as one of the few constants, a symbol of continuity in a world that evolved rapidly.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were married for almost 74 years when he passed away in April 2021 and spent so much time together throughout that last year as they isolated at Windsor Castle during the pandemic. Despite living in the same residence, though, royal historian Hugo Vickers has suggested that the Queen "was not there" when her beloved husband died.

In an extract of his upcoming book, Queen Elizabeth II, published in the Mail on Sunday, Vickers alleges, "There had often been times in earlier days when she had asked the staff to let her know when Philip was leaving, only to be told 'His Royal Highness left 20 minutes ago'."

"She took the line, I was told, that she was ‘absolutely furious that, as so often in life, he left without saying goodbye’," he adds, claiming that Philip "quietly slipped away".

This is a heart-breaking remark and it’s completely understandable that Queen Elizabeth would have wanted to be there to say a final farewell to her "strength and stay". Vickers believes that if she’d "retreated into Queen Victoria-style mourning, it might have been hard for her, at nearly 95, to pick up the reins again".

Instead, she "pressed on" and she led by example at her husband’s funeral by ensuring there were only 30 attendees in accordance with government guidelines. One of the most iconic and deeply poignant photos ever taken of the Queen depicted her alone and masked in a pew of St George’s Chapel during the service, with her closest family members spaced out around her.

The wreath laid on his coffin had a hand-written note from her nestled within it. It might not have been delivered in person before he died, but this could be seen as Queen Elizabeth’s goodbye to Philip and her exact words aren’t known, though it’s widely reported she signed it with her family nickname, Lilibet.

Another deeply personal detail about their relationship that is still private is what Prince Philip had inscribed on the inside of his wife’s wedding band. Only three people knew the secret message according to royal expert Ingrid Seward.

In Prince Philip: Revealed, she writes, "[Queen Elizabeth] never takes it off and inside the ring is an inscription. No one knows what it says, other than the engraver, the Queen and her husband."

When Queen Elizabeth died in September 2022 she was laid to rest beside Prince Philip, her sister Princess Margaret and her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Windsor. She once famously said that grief is the price we pay for love, and she and Philip were devoted to each other throughout the ups and downs of royal life.

The Queen supposedly "taking the line" that she was "furious", might have been her way of coping with the sadness of not being able to say goodbye and could also be seen as a sweet nod to his nature and habit of leaving home unannounced.

On her 95th birthday two weeks after his death, her message was primarily focused on her husband and how "touched" she was by people’s well-wishes.

"My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and kindness shown to us in recent days. We have been deeply touched, and continue to be reminded that Philip had such an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life," she said.

Looking back at Queen Elizabeth’s 70 year reign there were so many times where her dry sense of humour transformed a small interaction into an iconic moment. One of my personal favourites came in 2021 when she visited The Eden Project and let’s just say I couldn’t help feeling a sense of déjà vu when King Charles and Queen Camilla were there on 24th March.

The couple marked the project’s 25th anniversary and, like with all parties, a celebration wouldn’t be a celebration without a commemorative cake. Cue some pretty dramatic cake-cutting from Their Majesties that was almost a direct parallel of Queen Elizabeth’s years earlier.

The Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall handed his sword to Charles and Camilla and the couple couldn’t contain their giggles as they struggled to slice the cake. Pictures show them working hard to get the blade through the sponge, which was decorated like a street party.

They eventually succeeded and afterwards whilst the crowd applauded, the King jokingly gestured like he was stabbing the cake with the sword. Swords are not conventional cake-cutting implements, though they’re often used ceremonially by the royals for occasions like this.

It’s likely there would’ve been a knife on hand just in case and King Charles and Queen Camilla might not have even been anticipating being handed the sword. Queen Elizabeth on the other hand insisted on using Colonel Edward Bolitho’s sword when she visited The Eden Project.

Watched by Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales, the late Queen excitedly plunged the Lord Lieutenant’s sword into the cake, as an aide said, "There is a knife."

"I know there is!" she responded quickly. "This is more unusual".

Unusual it is - and perhaps not super efficient - but it’s so funny to see King Charles and Queen Camilla essentially recreating Queen Elizabeth’s moment five years on. She was there for The Big Lunch initiative and so were Their Majesties in 2026.

The couple joined a celebratory Big Lunch where they met volunteers and supporters who’ll be sharing food, friendship and helping out ahead of the Big Lunch and Big Help Out weekend from 5th-8th June. They possibly thought back to Queen Elizabeth’s sword moment as they had their own during the visit and this wasn’t the only time a cake sparked a quip from her.

In February 2022 she attended a Platinum Jubilee tea party and was presented with an iced cake with the jubilee logo on it. The Queen was informed that it was "upside down" so that the letters were readable for the press.

"Oh, they can see it!" she exclaimed dryly. "I don’t matter!"

When it came to cutting the cake, the Queen used a large knife and after getting it into the centre and saying, "It fits in beautifully", she remarked, "Somebody else can finish it off, do the rest of it."

It seems there’s never a dull moment with the royals and cake-cutting, and even for them Queen Elizabeth’s Cornwall moment is pretty memorable. Queen Camilla mentioned it in July 2021, joking, “I won’t have your sword!” as she used a knife to cut a gateau for the 10 year anniversary of the Prince's Countryside fund.

The Royal Family's way of working has changed rather significantly in the past few years. King Charles respects his mother Queen Elizabeth’s legacy, but is determined to do things his own way - and this couldn’t have been clearer on his coronation day.

Getty Images photographer Chris Jackson has been capturing shots of the royals for over 20 years and he’s opened up to Vanity Fair about the iconic King Charles photo that showcased a big "change". The image is on the cover of his new book, Modern Monarchy: The British Royal Family Today and it shows King Charles and Queen Camilla in their regalia.

"Capturing that moment from behind the royal couple on the balcony of Buckingham Palace was something that would never have been allowed during Queen Elizabeth’s reign. It signalled a change," the veteran photographer said.

The picture was taken behind-the-scenes on Coronation Day and really showcased the magnitude of the situation. You can see the crowds of people gathered around the Victoria Memorial and off into the distance and Chris’ picture puts you in the King and Queen’s shoes, seeing things from their unique perspective.

It’s far less traditional than the kinds of pictures that were taken of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation back in 1953.

Commenting on how things are different now, the photographer explained, "We all remember Queen Elizabeth II, an iconic figure who was revered and respected around the world, and someone I always thoroughly enjoyed photographing. But since King Charles became King, I have noticed a significant change in the way things are done."

In his view, His Majesty has "approached aspects of the role differently" to his mother - "diversifying and modernising".

Chris Jackson wanted to represent this in the title of his photographic book, adding that it "encapsulates how the Royal Family is moving forward, honoring tradition while adopting a more open and modern approach."

The backstage picture of King Charles and Queen Camilla also shows this and the monarch also signalled his "change" in approach in the details of the coronation ceremony itself. He cut down the run-time from three hours when Queen Elizabeth was crowned, to just one hour.

Peers didn’t wear their traditional coronets indicating their rank and the dress-code was much less formal too. King Charles’s coronation also included representatives from other faiths besides the Church of England, who took part in the service.

"Charles III is a man who believes in evolution, not revolution, cares about the common good and will seek to heal, not divide," former British Prime Minister Sir John Major previously told Country Life. "During troubled and uncertain times, we are fortunate to have such a monarch."

This focus on change isn’t likely to slow down in the future either. Prince William said in Our Queen at Ninety that this is something Queen Elizabeth always encouraged.

"She is always on hand for advice and support, and it's as much about doing it [royal duties] our own way as it is about getting it right," he declared. "She likes that we have our own style. It's a new generation, and there's no point in everyone doing it the same way. It's the modernisation of the Royal Family that keeps it interesting and relevant."

The late Queen was famous for having a dry sense of humour and quick wit, but what many people might not know is quite how cheeky she could be when she was a child too. Nowadays her great-grandson Prince Louis arguably holds the title of 'cheekiest royal', yet a new biography has detailed the mischievous Queen Elizabeth creating a "disco" with the lights.

Writing in The Queen: 100 Years, 100 Stories, Michelle Morgan recalls that the then-Princess cheekiness was "perhaps the most entertaining" of her personality traits "for the press and public at least". She mentions a moment featured in Anne Ring's official book about Elizabeth, where she "took it upon herself" to mess around with the lights and told off her own mother!

"The Princess turned the light on and was told to switch it off again. Elizabeth then took it upon herself to create a disco vibe by switching the light on and off as fast as she could," she reflects.

She was then "forcibly removed from the switch" by the Queen Mother and apparently "squealed, 'Naughty Mummy!' and proceeded to attempt a return to the switch". It sounds like Queen Elizabeth was the "naughty" one in this situation and given how calm, respectful and polite she was in public throughout her life it's hard to imagine these childhood antics.

Her Majesty's signature quips also started in childhood, with Michelle describing a memorable visit paid by the Queen Mother and Elizabeth to see the doll's house, Titania's Palace. Although the Princess "took great delight" in looking at the nursery she was said to have been "appalled" by the toys all over the floor.

"'How frightfully untidy,' she exclaimed, before complaining that her nanny always made her pick up her own toys," the author writes.

All children go through phases of pushing boundaries and being a bit cheeky, and it seems Queen Elizabeth was no exception. At the time she wasn't expected to become Queen and although she was third in the royal line of succession, her parents gave her and her sister Margaret as ordinary an upbringing as possible.

"On advice from Queen Mary, the two girls had always had as much of a 'normal' childhood as they could manage, given that they were in the royal spotlight," Michelle claims.

Queen Mary, the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth, apparently declared "childhood is short enough without deliberately reducing it, or allowing it to be overshadowed by future greatness'.

Her "main concern" when Elizabeth and Margaret were young was "making sure that the two girls kept in good health, away from public duties".

It's interesting that this was their grandmother's priority, given how it also went on to be Queen Elizabeth's for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Prince William and Kate are believed to have had her and King Charles's permission to focus on raising their family above royal duties when George, Charlotte and Louis were young.

"I take duty very seriously. I take my responsibilities very seriously. But it's about finding your own way at the right time and if you're not careful duty can sort of weigh you down an awful lot at a very early age and I think you've got to develop into the duty role," Prince William declared in a 2016 interview with the BBC.

Queen Elizabeth was a pillar of wisdom about many things and as a woman who was married for almost 74 years, this includes marriage. In her "first" solo meeting with her in December 2010, the Princess of Wales was apparently given advice by the monarch, who apparently recognised the similarities between Prince Philip and Prince William.

In his new book, William & Catherine, royal expert Russell Myers describes how, according to one former courtier, Queen Elizabeth "offered words of encouragement to Catherine regarding her future role as a senior member of the family, as well as guidance in how to deal with ‘headstrong’ husbands".

"William had a reputation among his staff and family for being down to earth and thoughtful, preferring to be addressed by his first name instead of His Royal Highness or Sir, but he could also be direct and plain-spoken when he wanted things done a particular way," the writer claims.

Myers suggests that Prince Philip was "similarly forthright" and "so she was well placed to advise Catherine". After all, the royal expert notes, her marriage had lasted for decades "with a fair bit of compromise required as a foundation".

It’s interesting to think of the Queen sharing her experience in this way, just months before Kate and William tied the knot. The Princess of Wales is often perceived as a very calm, steadying person, and later on in William & Catherine, a source claims that she "would calm the situation down" when her husband got "riled up" over Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir, Spare.

It wasn’t only advice that Queen Elizabeth is said to have given back in their "informal catch-up" in 2010 about the upcoming wedding. The pair had tea and finger sandwiches at Buckingham Palace and the monarch "looked to comfort the young woman she hoped would successfully shape the institution for the next generation".

She insisted that there would be "plenty of room for her loved ones" to share in the Prince and Princess of Wales’s wedding and told her not to worry about all the people going she wouldn’t know. Myers also reveals that it was in this meeting that Kate was offered the opportunity to borrow an item from the Queen’s "personal, priceless jewellery collection".

This move was apparently a "startling gesture to the young bride" and "Catherine left the meeting with the Queen with a spring in her step". When Kate and William married in April 2011, she walked down the aisle wearing the Cartier Halo Tiara, which the Queen had been gifted on her 18th birthday by her parents.

The offer to borrow an item was such a special one and the Princess of Wales has always admired Queen Elizabeth’s thoughtfulness.

She continued to go out of her way to make Kate feel welcome in the family, including for her first Christmas at Sandringham. The Princess revealed in the Our Queen at Ninety documentary that she ended up giving the monarch homemade chutney.

She explained, "I noticed the next day that it was on the table. I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me and I’ve noticed since she’s done that on lots of occasions."

"She's been very generous in not being forceful at all and in any of her views, but I feel she's been there, a gentle guidance really for me," the Princess of Wales also declared.

Parenting is never easy, never mind parenting as part of one of the oldest and most scrutinised royal families. Reflecting on how Queen Elizabeth approached this with her four children, royal historian David Cannadine has claimed that "guilt" could have been a factor for her younger sons Andrew and Edward.

Writing in his book, Queen Elizabeth II: A Concise Biography of an Exceptional Sovereign, David claimed, "The Queen indulged her two younger sons [Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince Edward] too much". He also suggested that this could have been a result of King Charles’s "complaints that his parents had been too distant".

It's not unexpected that Charles might have experienced a different style of parenting. He and Princess Anne were only two years apart, born in 1948 and 1950 respectively. Their younger siblings have a much wider gap, though. The King is 12 years older than Andrew, who was born in 1960, and 16 years older than Prince Edward, born in 1964.

Some of King Charles's reported issues with his parents included sending him off to Gordonstoun, a private school in Scotland, and they were explored in an authorised book. In The Prince of Wales: A Biography, author Jonathan Dimbleby had the co-operation of the now King, and The Independent reports that the book made claims that Charles’s parents were "emotionally distant".

In Ingrid Seward’s book, My Mother and I, the royal author explored the relationship between the two monarchs, the late Queen Elizabeth and King Charles, and she revisited claims made in Dimbleby's authorised biography.

Speaking of how the Queen and Prince Philip reacted to their son’s claims at the time of the book’s release, Ingrid Seward appeared on A Right Royal Podcast and suggested the late Queen was "very upset" by them.

As reported by Good To Know, Ingrid said, "When that book came out, I think that the Queen and Prince were on a tour of Russia, which is really an important tour. And they were very upset. They were very upset about the way Charles described their parenting."

She added, "Even people that were onside with the Queen and Prince Philip said that they never hugged their children in public. And it was very distant, because the Queen was not brought up to be an emotional person."

"I mean, inside I'm sure she was very emotional, but she never showed it. And that's how she was brought up. I think it would have been almost impossible for her to change," she added.

However, David Cannadine suggests that Her Majesty did try and change, at least with her younger children.

Referring to the alleged indulgence of her younger sons Cannadine added in his book, "The result was that Andrew acquired an excessive sense of entitlement and an exaggerated opinion of his own abilities, which would lead to serious misjudgements that would eventually compel him to withdraw from public life".

After years of headlines and scandal connected to his ties with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on February 19. Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has always vehemently denied any allegations of wrong-doing.

Describing the arrest as a "wake up call" to the Royal Family, woman&home's royal correspondent Emily Andrews suggests the late Queen would have been "devastated", and later touched on comments further alluding to a different sort of dynamic than with her other children.

Perhaps supporting Cannadine's claims that the Queen might have "indulged" Andrew more, Emily recalled a courtier once telling her Andrew was her "Achilles’s heel".

Prince William is said to have played a key part in modernising the monarchy’s approach to the royal line of succession, with royal author Russell Myers claiming that he "did not wish to take chances". Before the birth of Prince George, all royal women would be supplanted in the succession by younger brothers.

This is why Princess Anne is 18th in line, despite being Queen Elizabeth’s second child. There had been attempts to change things before and Myers suggests in William & Catherine that William "raised the issue" himself before he got married.

"In the lead-up to his wedding with Catherine, he had raised the issue with his grandmother, saying that if they were to have a daughter, he believed that she should maintain the right to become Queen if he and Catherine then went on to have any sons," Myers alleges.

According to a former senior courtier, "William was the driving force behind the change" even though he knew Queen Elizabeth "ultimately had no power" to alter it.

"But from those initial conversations it was made clear to her advisors that it was her sincere wish and that of her family for the government to lead the way for the Commonwealth countries to agree to the change," they added.

Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana both gave birth to boys first, which had taken the "urgency out of the issue" before then.

Yet with his mind on his future children with Kate, William is described as being a "man with a modern, or perhaps more realistic, view of the world".

Myers notes that the Prince of Wales "did not wish to take chances" and those "initial conversations" with Queen Elizabeth paid off.

The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 was officially given Royal Assent in April that year and came into effect in March 2013. Writing in William & Catherine, Russell Myers remarks that the Prince and Princess didn’t "feel the need" to make a statement or reference the ruling.

Instead, a royal source claims they "quietly celebrated the next stage of their vision to create a truly modern monarchy". When the couple’s first child was born a few months later in July 2013, they welcomed a boy and so the new act didn’t directly affect him.

However, this change Prince William apparently pushed for has benefited their daughter Princess Charlotte. The ten-year-old remains ahead of her younger brother Prince Louis in the succession.

The Act retrospectively applies to any royal born after 28th October 2011, so unfortunately for Princess Anne, her place in the succession remains very low down.

Although Prince William is said to have been keen for the succession to reflect modern times ahead of the birth of his children, Myers writes that the "most important thing" for him and Kate has "always been [their] welfare" over any royal element.

Asked by Nicholas Witchell in a 2016 BBC interview about when he would prepare George and when he realised he was not from a normal family, William responded, "As far as we are concerned within our family unit, we are a normal family. I love my children in the same way as any father does, and I hope George loves me in the same way any son does to his father."

Cooking for the Royal Family might sound like quite an intense job for many people, but the royal chefs take everything in their stride. That doesn't mean that there aren't some dishes that they haven't looked forward to making in the past.

One such dish was pancakes and they were faced with making an awful lot of them every Shrove Tuesday. Commonly known as Pancake Day in the UK, Shrove Tuesday's pancake-making is a fun tradition for some, but the Buckingham Palace staff certainly used to face the daunting task of cooking well over 600 pancakes.

The late Queen Elizabeth made sure everyone was included and former royal chef Darren McGrady has recalled how he would "dread" Pancake Day thanks to the sheer scale of the job the kitchens had.

In a piece shared on his website, Darren recalled, "I used to dread Pancake Day in the Buckingham Palace kitchens because staff had to have two pancakes each and with 300 staff to feed as well as the royal table that meant over 650 pancakes Because of so many, the chefs were taught to use 6 pans at a time".

If that behemoth task wasn’t already enough pressure, he was once paid a Pancake Day visit by Queen Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret.

He wrote, "I remember The Queen and Princess Margaret coming into the kitchens one day and watching me make them. I thought they were going to be impressed that I was using 6 pans at once until the Queen said 'Isn’t that cheating flipping them over with a spatula? Aren’t you meant to toss them?'"

"So, nervously I put the spatula down and tossed each one in turn, to a round of applause from both ladies," he explained.

As for how the Queen took her pancakes? She enjoyed a more sophisticated touch than loading it up on sugar or Nutella. The Royal Family's website reveals that their ideal pancake recipe followed the beurre noisette method - which translates to browned butter.

It’s a French technique involving melting down the unsalted butter until the water evaporates and the milk solids turn a golden brown, creating a nutty taste. The toppings are up to personal preference and the website offers some classic ideas including lemon and sugar, jam and cream, or ham, leek and cheese for a savoury twist.

While it's not known if Pancake Day is still such a big celebration for the royals, we know that the Princess of Wales loves to bake with her children. It’s easy to imagine she and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis might be making up their own pancakes this year.

However getting them perfectly tossed pancakes isn't as simple for Kate as it was for the palace chefs. The Princess has previously spoken about her less-than-successful pancake attempts. In 2023, during a visit to a nursing home on Shrove Tuesday, she got into the spirit and started flipping some pancakes with the chefs there.

It was then that, per HELLO! she was said to have confessed, "I always seem to get my pancakes stuck either in the pan or the ceiling or the floor".

Achieving a great work/life balance is something so many of us strive for, but this was probably easier said than done for the late Queen. From the moment she was born she was making front pages and when she ascended the throne, she had a dizzying amount of responsibilities.

According to artist Chris Levine, Queen Elizabeth found her own form of "meditation" that she came back to regularly as she negotiated life as monarch. Speaking to woman&home in our February issue, Chris revealed that he discussed meditation with Her Majesty during a sitting for his iconic 2004 portrait, Equanimity.

"She said she was going to Balmoral the next day and really looking forward to it, and that was her meditation, gardening there," he shared.

Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire is one of only two royal residences privately owned by the monarch and Princess Eugenie once said her granny was "most happy" there. Queen Elizabeth’s description of gardening at Balmoral being her "meditation" suggests she could enjoy the peace and privacy and escape the pressures of royal life.

Although some pictures were taken of Her Majesty at Balmoral over the years, they were usually for specific reasons and posed. The rest of the time she was free from cameras and could garden to her heart’s content when the demands of her job didn’t require her attention.

Queen Elizabeth would return to Balmoral each summer and invite her loved ones to join her, forging plenty of happy family memories of barbecues and walks.

This trip was also one of the only extended breaks from public appearances she had every year and Chris’ revelation suggests it was hugely important for her. The artist told woman&home how this made him realise there was a "real down-to-earth side of her".

The public was used to seeing her in vibrant coats and hats at engagements and events, but behind the scenes, the Queen was just as at home pottering in the garden. She dressed more casually in headscarves and practical jackets at Balmoral and although we never got a picture of her gardening, Chris had the honour of capturing another portrait of her in 2008, Lightness of Being, in which she has her eyes closed.

"I think there’s a spiritual dimension to that work and I think that’s what connects with people, regardless of what you think about the monarchy or whether you’re a royalist," he explained. "There’s a kind of human soulful connection that touches people."

Though it’s hard to imagine Queen Elizabeth gardening, perhaps we shouldn’t be all that surprised that she considered time outside her "meditation". This is a common thing for the royals, with the Princess of Wales describing nature as a "sanctuary" for her and her family during her cancer journey and her "happy place".

Earlier this year her 44th birthday post was focused on the healing power of nature and King Charles has spoken out in his new Amazon Prime Video documentary, Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, about how he thinks it’s "essential" to feel connected to it.

"I’ve always loved the countryside, I’ve always adored being outside all the time and as I got older I took more and more interest. I loved going out and exploring, so for me it’s an essential part of life to have that connection with the world outside," he declared.

On 6th February 1952, the late Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne at the age of just 25 following the death of her father King George VI. She went on to become Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and one of the most recognisable and respected figures across the world.

Whilst she was known for her diplomacy and dedication to her royal role, Queen Elizabeth’s quick wit and sense of humour lead to many hilarious moments that have gone down in history too. She’s left a lasting legacy and made a huge impression on her family and the public. But how much do you know about her life and reign?

Test yourself and find out! Will you get 10/10?

Want more brain teasers? Catch up with all our previous quizzes here.

Photographing any member of the Royal Family is a nerve-wracking and significant commission, but capturing the late Queen Elizabeth’s portrait sounds like a whole other level. Artist Chris Levine found it "surreal" at first, especially when faced with her "mechanism" for meeting people.

Opening up to woman&home in our February issue, Chris - who’s perhaps best known for his exquisite 2008 portrait of Her Majesty titled Lightness of Being - explained that he initially found the monarch hard to read.

"She wasn’t giving anything away and I realised that she’d developed a mechanism where you couldn’t tell what she was thinking or feeling because she’s meeting people all the time," he shared. "I’ve never experienced it with anyone else in my life and it was really quite unnerving."

The artist found himself thinking, "'Is this happening? Am I in a dream? Is this real?' I was telling the Queen what to do and it was like I was in some kind of simulation."

As Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth was accustomed to meeting thousands of new people every year. Diplomacy was everything for the Head of State, so finding a way to ensure her innermost thoughts and feelings remained unreadable to others makes a lot of sense.

Of course, the Queen was also handling a lot at the time too, notes Chris. The artist, whose pioneering work is subject of a new book, Inner Light: The Portraiture of Chris Levine, said the first sitting took place when then-US President George Bush was staying, when "security had never been tighter" and "the then-Prince Charles was getting it in the neck in the press".

"I just don’t think it was a good day to have her portrait done," Chris continued, adding that the second sitting was where "the magic happened". He felt they "did connect a lot more" too.

The result was his critically acclaimed 2004 portrait, Equanimity. Whilst Queen Elizabeth developed her "mechanism" for meeting new people, the connection between her and Chris really came through in this portrait and in his 2008 work, Lightness of Being.

Perhaps it helped that she had become more familiar with Chris, who revealed that he and the late Queen had discussed meditation. She described gardening at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire as a form of it for her.

"She said she was going to Balmoral the next day and really looking forward to it, and that was her meditation, gardening there. I realised that there was a real down-to-earth side of her," he declared.

Princess Eugenie has previously said that she thinks her granny was the "most happy" at Balmoral and "really, really lov[ed] the Highlands". The peaceful privacy of her Scottish home likely contributed to it being a meditative place for her, as Queen Elizabeth used it primarily as a holiday residence.

Although the depiction of her in Chris’s Lightness of Being is very far from the image we have of her wearing country attire and a headscarf at Balmoral, she looks at peace and meditative in it.

"Somehow, that resonates with a lot of people. I think there’s a spiritual dimension to that work and I think that’s what connects with people, regardless of what you think about the monarchy or whether you’re a royalist. There’s a kind of human soulful connection that touches people," the artist stated.

Our nearest and dearest often know us better than we know ourselves and Queen Elizabeth learnt the hard way that her family couldn't be trusted with her go-to sweet treat. The late monarch was a big chocolate lover - so much so that she apparently brought a box of them with her whenever she came to stay with her friend and cousin, Lady Pamela Hicks.

Recalling this habit on the ITV documentary, My Years With the Queen, Lady Pamela revealed how Her Majesty would keep her private box out of reach.

"She does have her own box of chocolates, which she has learnt to keep in her room otherwise, she says the family are so greedy they all eat them before she can," she remarked, before clarifying, "Not our family, *her* family".

From the sounds of it, the Royal Family weren't shy about snaffling Queen Elizabeth's chocolates and the thought of her keeping a box safely stored away in her bedroom is iconic. For someone who selflessly dedicated her life to service, she earned the right to be a little protective over one of her few indulgences.

Her favourite chocolates were Charbonnel & Walker, which fans have even spotted on a table at Windsor Castle in a photo before. The Queen was also partial to Bendicks Bittermints and both have held Royal Warrants in the past, though King Charles has renewed the warrant for Bendicks.

Perhaps this signals that he is a big fan of their bittermints too. Could they even be the very same type of chocolates that the royals would eat before Queen Elizabeth? We might never know, but it wasn't just her family members Her Majesty had to worry about.

Keeping her box of chocolates in her room (she also always brought one for her host) sounds safe, yet Lady Pamela's pet mongoose, Neola, managed to sample them once.

"One evening we were waiting for her to come down for dinner," explained Pamela, who was also the Queen's former Lady-in-Waiting. "And it was very unusual for the Queen that she was four or five minutes late. And she said to me, 'I don't mind Neola coming into my room. In fact, I quite enjoy it. I don't mind Neola opening my box of chocolates, but does he have, always, to take just a bite out of every one?'"

This seemingly only happened once given how Lady Hicks described it and her laughter suggests Queen Elizabeth wasn’t overly annoyed. It’s more surprising perhaps that a mongoose enjoyed them enough to keep coming back for more, especially as former royal chef Darren McGrady has shared that the monarch loved dark chocolate - "the darker, the better".

On his website, Darren also claimed that Chocolate Biscuit Cake was her "favourite afternoon tea cake by far" and was "probably the only one that [was] sent into the Royal dining room again and again until it [had] all gone". Made from melted chocolate, butter, sugar and crushed biscuits, this was also served at Prince William and Kate’s wedding.

She might have closely guarded her box of chocolates, but she was more than happy to share Chocolate Biscuit Cake with her family.

"This chocolate biscuit cake was Prince William’s groom’s cake at his wedding. The reason he chose it is that he used to go to tea with the Queen and he got a taste for it. That is when he started liking it."

Just because Prince William has grown up as a member of the Royal Family doesn't mean he hasn't made a royal faux pas on occasion and he's spoken publicly about one of these "awkward" mistakes before. It happened during his first time attending one of the annual Diplomatic Corps receptions and the late Queen Elizabeth's reaction was rather surprising.

These events bring together ambassadors, diplomats and high commissioners from all over the world. The prospect of meeting so many important people all at once would be daunting for anyone, so it's understandable that Prince William finds them a "diplomatic minefield".

"You have to be careful what you say and who you say it to," he said on the Our Queen at Ninety documentary in 2016. "My first diplomatic reception was a little bit awkward. I may have mentioned to two particular countries who don't get along, I got the wrong one…muddled up."

Admitting that the mistake was "quite embarrassing", the future King went on to share that his grandmother was "very cool about it". He added, "She laughed about it and thought it was quite funny. Luckily, there wasn't any [fallout] but it was ok."

Had there been fallout from the mix-up perhaps Queen Elizabeth might have felt differently, though learning the ropes of royal life takes some time and she would no doubt have been the first one to smooth things over if needed. This was a valuable diplomatic lesson for Prince William to learn and elsewhere in the documentary he said his granny was "always on hand for advice and support".

Although actual mistakes like his aren't ideal, in general he added that "it's as much about doing it [royal duties] our own way as it is about getting it right".

Her "cool" reaction at the Diplomatic Corps reception likely calmed her grandson and Queen Elizabeth is famous for using her dry sense of humour to make light of faux pas.

In May 2007 she was welcomed to the White House by then-President George W Bush and his speech significantly added to her age. The President accidentally remarked upon how she was there to celebrate the US bicentennial in 1776 rather than 1976.

A few days later at a dinner held at the British Ambassador's residence, the Queen gently teased him by saying, "I wondered whether I should start this toast by saying, 'When I was here in 1776...'" which sparked plenty of laughter. In his own speech, the President confessed, "Your Majesty, I can't top that one."

Another hilarious moment she reacted to with grace and humour came when she visited the US in 1991 and addressed a crowd with pretty much only her hat visible over the top of the podium. Queen Elizabeth was around 5ft3 and the podium clearly wasn't suited to this, but she carried on regardless and quipped about this the next day.

Whilst talking at the House of Congress, she began her speech by saying, "I do hope you can see me today from where you are…" which prompted roars of laughter and standing applause. If anyone knew a good one-liner it was Queen Elizabeth and mistakes are all part of royal life.

If you’re a senior member of the Royal Family there’s surely no better role model to look up to than the late Queen Elizabeth. As Britain’s longest-reigning monarch her decades of experience was invaluable and over the years we’ve seen the Princess of Wales take a leaf out of her book after previously admiring a "real skill" she had.

Speaking on the 2016 documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, a slightly nervous-sounding Kate said that her grandmother-in-law "remains calm and collected" and "always seems so dignified".

"Everyone feels like they’ve had some quality time with Her Majesty and, also, a real personal connection and I think that’s a real skill," the Princess added.

Queen Elizabeth used to speak with thousands of people every year and flourished at big events like garden parties and receptions. Given how little time the Queen typically spent with each individual person, her ability to connect with them is remarkable.

"I think she’s so, so engaging. She has got the most fantastic smile and I think if the Queen says nothing but she smiles, I think it gives everybody such a huge amount of joy and a huge amount of pleasure," Kate continued.

Following in the Queen’s footsteps, the Princess has forged a reputation for being equally warm and easy to connect with when she meets members of the public. She’s taken things in a slightly different direction than the late monarch and is regularly spotted bending or kneeling down to chat to children, or participating in selfies.

Elsewhere in the documentary, Kate revealed that there is a "real art to walkabouts", adding that "everyone teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting". Striking the perfect balance between giving people what feels like "quality time" and not spending ages with one individual is tricky and nowadays she seems to have taken on Queen Elizabeth’s skill.

Although there have been times when she and Prince William are running behind schedule and are being hurried by staff - including during their visit to Scotland on 20th January - this is a rare sight. She always makes time to chat to people and even those who met her only briefly talk about her in the most glowing terms.

This year Kate celebrated her 44th birthday by going out for lunch with her mum and sister in Berkshire. Posting on Facebook about their esteemed guest, the The Funghi Club wrote, "The entire team on duty reported the same thing: she was utterly charming, gracious and every bit as radiant in person as you might imagine."

Queen Elizabeth’s guiding approach to her granddaughter-in-law also helped her feel more at ease in high-profile social situations. Perhaps this helped her to just be herself and allow her natural charisma to shine through and form connections. Recalling a visit to Leicester without William, Kate said Her Majesty was "very supportive".

"The fact she took the time to make sure that I was happy and looked after for that particular occasion, which probably in everything that she's doing is a very small element, which just shows how caring she is, really," the Princess said on the documentary.

We probably all have at least one memory of being told off by our grandparents and the royals are no different. Prince William had a close bond with his "Granny" Queen Elizabeth, but as the family matriarch she stepped in when scolding was necessary.

One childhood incident "stuck in" the Prince of Wales’s mind so much that he ended up recalling it on Sky News’s Our Queen at Ninety documentary in 2016. He and his cousin Peter Phillips had been chasing Zara around at Balmoral and when things got a little out of hand, the late Queen Elizabeth was the "first" to reprimand her grandsons.

"We were chasing Zara around who was on a go-cart, and Peter and I managed to herd Zara into a lamppost. And the lamppost came down and nearly squashed her, and I remember my grandmother being the first person out at Balmoral running across the lawn in her kilt," he said.

William recalled that the Queen "came charging over" and gave him and Peter "the most almighty b*********, and that sort of stuck in [his] mind from that moment on". Her reaction is more than fair enough, given the circumstances!

Even as an adult, the Prince of Wales was kept in check by Her Majesty on occasion. Who else remembers the moment at Trooping the Colour in 2016 when William bent down to talk to Prince George on the balcony? Lightly scolding her grandson, Queen Elizabeth is understood to have said, "Stand up William. Don’t crouch."

The royals might live their lives in the public eye but moments like these remind us that they also experience the usual family ups and downs. Prince William told his anecdote in Our Queen at Ninety very light-heartedly and elsewhere in the chat he heaped glowing praise on his grandmother for how she was "always" there for him.

"She is always on hand for advice and support, and it's as much about doing it [royal duties] our own way as it is about getting it right," he declared. "She likes that we have our own style. It's a new generation, and there's no point in everyone doing it the same way. It's the modernisation of the Royal Family that keeps it interesting and relevant."

Prince William’s immense respect and love for Queen Elizabeth was so clear and although he and Peter once got an "almighty" reprimand because of the danger of the lamppost falling, in general, boisterous and playful antics are just part and parcel of being children. The royal kids weren’t the only ones to get up to mischief, either…

Speaking in the BBC's 2021 documentary, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, Prince William revealed a prank his grandfather used to play that got him into "trouble" with the Queen.

"He used to take the lid off [the tube of mustard] and put it in your hands... and then he'd squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling," he said. "He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother".

"He enjoyed those jokes, he enjoyed messing around with the children and being a grandfather," William added.

When it comes to the festive season, people like to stick to certain traditions - and the Royal Family are no different.

From surprisingly simple Boxing Day treats to the one Christmas food tradition they avoid, a royal Christmas often followed similar routines and habits - and that extended into the New Year, including the same New Year’s Eve party thrown at Sandringham Estate by the late Queen.

Queen Elizabeth II’s former private secretary, Sir William Heseltine, when interviewed for the book, The Royals in Australia, revealed everyone, including family, staff and even the Queen herself, would have to follow the same rule that meant everyone had to stay up until midnight.

In the book, when describing how Her Majesty was known to be something of a night owl, Sir William explained that “nobody felt it right to go to bed before the Queen did.”

While staying awake until midnight was likely no bother on New Year's Eve, Sir William did also reveal in the book that one particular royal had an issue keeping up with the Queen's night owl habits.

Princess Diana, he is quoted as saying per Business Insider, would find the late evenings 'agony'.

'There'd be an hour or so in the sitting room of everyone sitting around making conversation and Diana was driven to such extremes that she'd excuse herself and go to bed, which was thought to be rather bad form, going to bed before the Queen.'

After staying awake to count in the new year, New Year’s Day typically followed a similar routine each year for the royals.

They would usually go to church at St Mary Magdalene Church, and spend the rest of the day enjoying some quintessential countryside activities, like horseback riding or shooting.

After New Year’s Day, it was very likely many members of the family set off back to their own homes, but the late Queen would stay put at Sandringham.

It’s understood that the late Queen would stay at Sandringham Estate following Christmas well into the New Year. In fact, she’d reportedly stay and keep the decorations up until February 6, the anniversary of the passing of her father, King George VI.

While the NYE party sounds like fun for the royals and their staff to celebrate together, it was likely rather small in comparison to their most popular soiree - the Ghillies Ball.

Thought to have been a favourite tradition of the late Queen, and a custom that dated back to when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert would throw a summer party for their staff, the Ghillies Ball would take place in the summer during their long stay at Balmoral.

Designed as an event when staff could let loose with the Royal Family, the annual dance featured in an episode of Netflix's The Crown.

From first footing - where the first person over your threshold is meant to bring gifts and luck - to eating 12 grapes, around the world people see in the New Year with their own blend of cultural or personal traditions.

And the Royal Family had an unusual New Year’s game they loved to play each year, although it could, per one source, leave members of the family "huffy".

Royal author Brian Hoey explained in his book, At Home with the Queen, that the late Queen Elizabeth II would love playing a game called 'lucky dip' - which saw the family pull out predictions for their year ahead.

Per the royal author’s book, the game would allegedly see members of staff bring in a tub, filled with sawdust and hidden pieces of paper, with predictions for the new year written on them.

Claims in the book suggested, 'Each member of the Royal Family takes a lucky dip and if their particular forecast is not very favourable the poor footman gets the blame.'

Expanding on this tradition, a royal source, per the Express, previously added, "The predictions are written up by the household but approved by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh [the late Prince Philip].

"Each member of the family picks out an envelope and reads out their ­prediction to the rest of the room.

"They’re meant to be funny but like all the family’s humour there’s an element of score settling and getting even to them. They’re usually taken in good humour but some people can get quite huffy if they feel they’re being got at."

While superstitions and fortune tellings might seem a little unusual for the Royal Family to partake in, it’s because of Princess Margaret that the British public became so obsessed with reading their star signs.

When the late Queen’s younger sister was born in 1930, the Sunday Express commissioned astrologer R.H. Naylor to predict her future.

Rather than focus on individual birthdays, though, the astrologer created predictions around the 12 ancient sun star signs, attributing personality traits to people based on the month in which they were born, basically creating the template for modern astrology as we know it today.

After New Year’s spent with the family at the Sandringham Estate, the late Queen would typically stay behind until well after the holiday season had passed, for a very moving reason.

Her Majesty would typically keep the Christmas vibes going until February 6, the anniversary of the passing of her father - King George VI.

When it comes to the Royal Family - what with their glamorous state dinners replete with tiaras and lavish celebrations - one might expect that Christmas is always a ritzy affair.

However, we know that the royals like to keep things more lowkey when it comes to their gift-giving, and it’s part of a cheeky tradition that Princess Catherine continued when she joined the fold.

Opting for funny, gag gifts is one thing, but Paul Burrell, the former footman to the late Queen Elizabeth II, has revealed that Her Majesty took it even further, with Tupperware being the gift she loved the most at Christmas.

Paul - who also served as a butler to King Charles and Princess Diana in his time within the Royal Households - revealed that "the most popular gift of all” for the late Queen was "Tupperware. Yes, Tupperware."

He revealed that Her Majesty preferred receiving useful gifts, explaining the late royal would take her Tupperware “constantly for picnics."

It’s well-known that, during their summer holidays at Balmoral, the Scottish estate privately owned by the Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip would enjoy taking their children and grandchildren on picnics and BBQs.

The Tupperware she got for Christmas, therefore, was "perfect for packing a slab of butter, crackers, or cheese".

He added, "One year, Prince Edward, who was only a young lad at the time, gave her a bright yellow plastic Tupperware butter dish. Of all the gifts she received that year, that was the one she admired the most."

He continues, "It was practical, useful, and something she actually needed. And that always stayed with me: when buying for the Queen, think practical and useful."

As well as loving practical gifts, it’s been suggested that the Queen loved a comical gift.

In the book, Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand wrote that for her first Christmas with the Royal Family, Meghan Markle "bought a little hamster that sings with a little rope for Her Majesty. It was so funny, especially when the corgis tried to take hold of the toy."

The same book also makes claims that Prince Harry once gave his grandmother a hilarious gift too, "a shower cap emblazoned with the phrase, 'Ain’t life a b****’" - something which Her Majesty reportedly "loved".

Food containers and gag gifts - who knew it was so easy to buy for royalty?

Despite dating Prince William since around 2003, it wasn’t for eight more years that the Princess of Wales spent her first Christmas at Sandringham House with the Royal Family. It's been suggested that Queen Elizabeth had invited her for Christmas Day years earlier, but that Catherine turned down the offer, respecting tradition.

It's usual for partners to only experience a royal Christmas after they're married. With this milestone reached in 2011, Catherine had to think about what she would gift the late Queen Elizabeth - and she decided to make it personal.

The Princess spoke about that first Christmas on the ITV documentary, Our Queen at 90 and revealed she had worried her homemade gift could've gone "wrong".

"I can remember being at Sandringham, for the first time, at Christmas, and I was worried what to give the Queen as her Christmas gift," she explained. "I was thinking, 'Gosh, what should I give her?'"

To get into the mindset of what to give her, the Princess of Wales took the clever approach of imagining what her grandparents might like. After all, Queen Elizabeth might have been Britain's longest-reigning monarch, but she was also a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Catherine continued, "I thought back to what would I give my own grandparents, and I thought, 'I’ll make her something'. Which could have gone horribly wrong, but I decided to make my granny’s recipe of chutney."

After initially being anxious about what to gift Queen Elizabeth for Christmas in the first place, the Princess shared that she then found herself "slightly worried" about her choice of chutney too. Thankfully, it went down a storm with the monarch and she made her appreciation clear the next day.

"I was slightly worried about it, but I noticed the next day that it was on the table," she added. "I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me, and I’ve noticed since she’s done that on lots of occasions, and I think it just shows her thoughtfulness, really, and her care in looking after everybody."

The late Queen’s thoughtfulness also shone through in the way she made things extra special for the younger members of the Royal Family. The Princess of Wales shared that Prince George, Charlotte and Louis would have a small gift left in their rooms from their great-grandmother.

“She always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we go and stay, and that just shows her love for her family,” Catherine said.

Given the mum-of-three’s wording, it sounds as though Queen Elizabeth’s present-giving tradition wasn’t something restricted to Christmas. Instead, it seems like she arranged for the gifts just whenever they were coming to stay with her and she often hosted her family at Balmoral Castle in the summer as well as at Sandringham at Christmas.

For many families, sitting down together after their turkey roast and watching the King's speech is a traditional part of Christmas Day. It's hard to imagine the festive season without it, but the idea of a televised Christmas message took a bit of persuasion to catch on behind palace doors.

Queen Elizabeth's first festive TV broadcast took place at Sandringham House in 1957 after Prince Philip "urged" her to embrace the medium over radio. Since 1959 the monarchs have pre-recorded the speech but the Queen's Christmas TV debut was live.

She was understandably very nervous and Prince Philip stepped in with an extraordinary way of distracting her. Who'd have thought that just before addressing the nation, her husband had been running up and down "brandishing a pair of false teeth".

According to Robert Jobson, writing in The Windsor Legacy, "Philip play-acted to ease the Queen's understandable nerves before making her TV debut". Courtiers are said to have recounted how the "hallways echoed with her laughter as he ran up and down, brandishing a pair of false teeth to keep and their children entertained".

The late Prince's top-tier distraction tactics didn't stop there, either. He apparently also sent a "playful message" to the broadcast's director: "Tell her to remember the wailing and gnashing of teeth". To be honest, I'd have thought she'd be unlikely to forget!

Prince Philip was supposedly also in the room whilst Queen Elizabeth was giving her Christmas speech and he made sure to keep up his good work. Jobson's book includes a recollection from Christina Aldridge, daughter of Peter Dimmock who produced the BBC broadcast.

"The Queen was rather nervous, and Prince Philip, aware of this, stood behind the camera making encouraging, even ridiculous faces, helping her to relax and smile," she claimed.

Despite her anxiety, the Queen's Christmas Day speech was a resounding success. It helped to connect the public more with their monarch, as, for the first time, they could see a member of the Royal Family from the comfort of their homes and it just felt more personal than radio.

It became a new Christmas Day tradition, although a few years later, Queen Elizabeth started to record her messages ahead of time instead of speaking live. This might well have helped with her nerves, but who knows if she still thought of Prince Philip running with the false teeth to keep her calm and relaxed throughout.

Entertaining his family - particularly the children - was something the Prince loved to do and often did so in very un-royal ways like this. Speaking in the BBC's 2021 documentary, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, Prince William shared a story about the messy prank his grandfather used to play with mustard at the table that got him into "trouble" with the Queen.

"He used to take the lid off [the tube] and put it in your hands... and then he'd squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling," he said, adding, "He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother".

"He enjoyed those jokes, he enjoyed messing around with the children and being a grandfather," William declared.