Queen Elizabeth II’s pal has revealed a hilarious prank Her Majesty played on unsuspecting royal fans during a tour.
The monarch is celebrating her 95th birthday next month (April) and, in the run-up to the celebrations, the Queen’s childhood friend has shared some stories about her.
The Queen is a big joker, says pal ahead of Her Majesty’s birthday
In new ITV doc My Years with the Queen, airing on April 1, Lady Pamela Hicks recalls when the Queen played a joke on fans.
Referring to the royal by her affectionate nickname, Lilibet, she reads from an old journal entry that says: “I sat with Lilibet under a tree, listening to her holding forth about being marooned on a desert island.
“But she cheered up considerably when a boatload of trippers appeared shouting whether we had seen the Queen, where is she?
“Lillibet, in slacks, tore down to the beach. She pointed to the other side of the island and yelled, ‘She went that-a-way’. Then jumped up and down with joy as the boat disappeared around the corner.”
Lady Pamela also reveals a benefit to the Queen’s constant waving at fans.
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“Philip and Lillibet have to keep waving nearly all day long,” she says.
“She’s developed tremendous muscles in her arms. Sitting still in a car, being yelled at and having to wave is part of the tour that Philip loathes.”
She is an amazing person. There’s such inner strength there.
The Queen’s childhood pal goes on to share her admiration and respect for the royal.
“The Queen’s life has been entirely dictated by her sense of duty,” she says.
“It’s a word that’s barely used and certainly not understood but duty was good. It gave you a goal.
“She is an amazing person. There’s such inner strength there. And she has just remained like that throughout her life.”
New Bank Holiday for 2022
Then Queen’s birthday celebrations aren’t the only event set to be marked.
In 2022, the UK will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a four-day Bank Holiday.
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The extended holiday will mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Her Majesty next year.
Beforehand, the Queen will reportedly celebrate her day of accession – February 6 – privately at Sandringham.
The day also marks the anniversary of her late father’s death.
– My Years With The Queen airs on April 1 at 9pm on ITV
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