

- Even though she's clearly one of the most famous people on earth, even the Queen sometimes goes unnoticed in public, it seems.
- Her former protection officer Richard Griffin recently shared a story about a time when the Queen ran into a group of American tourists in Balmoral who had no idea who they'd just met.
- When the tourists asked if she had ever met the Queen, the monarch didn't miss a beat, replying that she hadn't "but this policeman has," and pointing to Griffin.
The Queen is one of the most recognizable human beings on earth, but even she can go under the radar sometimes.
Every year, the Queen spends part of her summer holiday at Balmoral, her Scottish estate. When she's there, the monarch swaps out her usual bright colored ensembles and eye-catching brooches for low-key looks in more muted colors and enjoys simple activities like spending time with family and walking her dogs.
During one of her walks around the estate, the Queen ran into a group of American tourists who clearly had no idea they were speaking to the Queen of England, according to her former protection officer, Richard Griffin, who worked with the royal family for more than 30 years.
Griffin shared the story with the Times (per The Sun), explaining that the tourists asked if she lived in the area, to which the Queen replied that she had a house nearby (which is technically true, in so much as Balmoral Castle is a "house"). When the tourists asked if she had ever met the Queen, however, her answer was a perfect example of playfully witty trolling in action.
"No, but this policeman has," she answered, pointing to Griffin.
Tragically, Griffin did not share how he reacted to that brilliant response in the moment or if the tourists followed up with him asking about his encounter with royalty. He did reveal that the group parted ways with the Queen having no idea who they had actually just met.
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Kayleigh Roberts is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, covering celebrity and entertainment news, from actual royals like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle to Hollywood royalty, like Katie Holmes and Chrissy Teigen. She’s a Ravenclaw who would do great things in Slytherin. To learn more about her, google “Leslie Knope eating salad GIF.
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