Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Style at Large
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Cummerbund Belts
    • October Books
    • Janine Nabers
    • 2026 Beauty Awards
    • COS New Arrivals
    • VSFW
    1. Celebrity

    The Queen Hilariously Trolled a Group of Tourists Who Didn't Recognize Her in Balmoral

    The Queen ran into a group of American tourists in Balmoral who didn't recognize her and had some fun answering their questions about the Queen.

    By Kayleigh Roberts
    Published 2 August 2021 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    windsor, united kingdom may 15 embargoed for publication in uk newspapers until 48 hours after create date and time queen elizabeth ii watches her horse balmoral fashion compete in the fell class on day 3 of the royal windsor horse show in home park on may 15, 2015 in windsor, england photo by max mumbyindigogetty images
    (Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter
    • 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.

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    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.

    You may like
    • Queen Elizabeth smiling in a blue hat and coat Queen Elizabeth Didn’t Recall Saying One of Her Most Famous Quotes
    • Queen Elizabeth sitting on a sofa with a corgi Paul Burrell Saw "Silliness at All Levels" Working for Queen Elizabeth
    • Queen Elizabeth wearing a crown at the state opening of Parliament Queen Elizabeth Was Once Accused of “Walking Out in a Huff" by the BBC

    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.

    RELATED STORIES

    london march 2 no uk sales for 28 days microsoft founder bill gates and his wife melinda pose for photographs after gates is awarded an honorary knighthood at buckingham palace on march 2, 2005 in london, england mr gates received a knighthood from queen elizabeth ii in recognition of his outstanding contribution to enterprise, employment, education and the voluntary sector in the uk, and his contributions to poverty reduction photo by tim graham picture librarygetty images

    (Image credit: Pool/Tim Graham Picture Library)

    This Old Video of the Queen Saying "Nah" Is LOL 

    l to r prince william, duke of cambridge, prince george of cambridge, and catherine, duchess of cambridge, during the uefa euro 2020 round of 16 football match between england and germany at wembley stadium in london on june 29, 2021 photo by justin tallis pool afp photo by justin tallispoolafp via getty images

    (Image credit: JUSTIN TALLIS)

    Will & Kate Are Nervous About George's Future

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Kayleigh Roberts
    Social Links Navigation
    Contributing Editor at Marie Claire

    Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

    Read more
    Queen Elizabeth Prince George Christening
    Royals Queen Elizabeth “Couldn’t Understand” One Sign of How “The World Had Changed”
    By Christine Ross
    Queen Elizabeth wears a turquoise suit and matching hat while visiting Cumberland Pencil Company on June 5, 2008 in Cumbria, England
    Royals Queen Elizabeth Had a "Deep Mistrust" of One Thing
    By Amy Mackelden
     
     
    Queen Elizabeth laughing driving a car
    Royals Queen Elizabeth's Personalized License Plate Was a "Private Joke"
    By Kristin Contino
    Queen Elizabeth shaking hands with two chefs
    Royals Former Chef Reveals One Innocent Trick Staff Would Play on Queen Elizabeth
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity
    Prince Harry meeting fans with his arm around Meghan
    Royals Harry and Meghan's Latest Event Feels "At Odds" With Security Fears, Says Editor
    Hailey Bieber attended the WYouth launch party in a metallic Chanel jacket and jeans
    Celebrity Style Hailey Bieber's Chanel Jacket and Jeans Prove Chainmail Is the New Leather
     
     
    Zoë Kravitz styled the red-and-gray color combination trend on the set of 'Die Alive' in NYC
    Celebrity Style This French Girl Color Combination Is the Star of Zoë Kravitz's New Rom-Com
    Princess Kate wearing a fair isle sweater and smiling
    Royals Princess Kate Made a Secret Appearance in an Editor-Approved Me+Em Sweater
     
     
    Latest in News
    Prince Harry meeting fans with his arm around Meghan
    Royals Harry and Meghan's Latest Event Feels "At Odds" With Security Fears, Says Editor
    Hailey Bieber attended the WYouth launch party in a metallic Chanel jacket and jeans
    Celebrity Style Hailey Bieber's Chanel Jacket and Jeans Prove Chainmail Is the New Leather
     
     
    Zoë Kravitz styled the red-and-gray color combination trend on the set of 'Die Alive' in NYC
    Celebrity Style This French Girl Color Combination Is the Star of Zoë Kravitz's New Rom-Com
    Princess Kate wearing a fair isle sweater and smiling
    Royals Princess Kate Made a Secret Appearance in an Editor-Approved Me+Em Sweater
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.