Why Queen Elizabeth Once Called a Photographer "One Horrible Little Man"
"At that very moment, I wished there was a big hole I could disappear into."
Queen Elizabeth II was a beloved monarch, who had a ton of iconic fashion moments throughout her reign. But she also reportedly had a mischievous side, and wasn't afraid to speak her mind when something annoyed her.
For instance, she reportedly thought Donald Trump was "very rude" and that he had some sort of "arrangement" with wife Melania. And after drinking a few martinis, she allegedly called Queen Camilla, then-Camilla Parker Bowles, a "wicked woman" for having an affair with King Charles. So, it should perhaps come as no surprise that the Queen once took issue with a photographer for taking a picture of Princess Diana riding a horse.
According to The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, royal photographer Jim Bennett caught the wrath of Queen Elizabeth. Recalling the unforgettable experience, Bennett told the outlet, "Many years ago, back in the 80s, the Queen was trying to teach Diana how to ride."
Bennett continued, "They were at Sandringham, and the Queen had taken her out, and for some unknown reason, she decided to take her on the main road across towards Anmer Hall, which is where William and Kate now live."
It wasn't long before the situation escalated rather quickly. "They saw us, and I expected them to sort of veer off, but obviously, Diana was very unstable on the horse," Bennett explained. The photographer also revealed that Diana seemed to want the riding to lesson to end as soon as possible. "I mean, she was gripping like, 'please, you know, let me get on with it. And let me get off,'" he recalled.
Unable to move out of the Royal Family's way in time, Bennett found himself in the direct path of the Queen and Diana on their horses. "But they kept on coming, and we did the pictures," he explained. "And literally, as they got level with us, she looked down at me, and she said, 'You are one horrible little man.'"
Understandably, Bennett was horrified at being called a "horrible little man" by the Queen herself. "At that very moment, I felt, I wish there was a big hole I could disappear into, because just by her saying it and looking at you... there was something about her," he told the outlet.
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It seems as though the monarch was probably defending her daughter-in-law, Princess Diana, who was much less experienced on a horse. Still, it's undeniable that the Queen wasn't afraid to speak out on occasion, which sounds low-key terrifying.
Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.
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