The Queen Mother Once Escaped Police Protection and Was Eventually Discovered "In the Bar"

Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother wearing a blue hat and waving, and Queen Elizabeth wearing a pink suit standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Known for her wit, sense of humor and—let's be honest—impressive appreciation for a well-mixed drink, Queen Elizabeth's mum, the Queen Mother lived to be an impressive 101 years old . Of course, one doesn't live that long without quite a few stories to tell, and one resurfaced tale from a 1970s visit gives a real taste of the late royal's personality.

According to the Derby Telegraph (via the Mirror) the Queen Mum traveled to Derby, England to officially open its Assembly Rooms in 1977. During her royal visit, she was protected by Derby police offers, and the daughter of one former officer, Ian Parker, shared a hilarious story involving the escaping royal.

"They lost her!" Parker's daughter, Jane Hart, told the Derby Telegraph. "There was this operation to make sure she was okay and that everything went smoothly. It was a big occasion, and I remember him feeling very proud and privileged to be taking part and getting involved with it."

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But where was the Queen Mother? Living her best life at the bar, naturally. As Hart continued, the officers "were leading her around, and they were proud to have her come to the city. But they couldn't find her." She added, "I think quite a few officers were sent to find her, and my dad found her in the bar having a drink."

The Queen Mother, seen here in 1982 with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth, was known to enjoy a drink.

The Queen Mother wearing a blue dress and pearls with a blue hat standing in front of flowers and waving — The late royal is seen in a 1983 photo to mark her birthday.

Hart noted that it must've been an extremely stressful situation for her dad, despite the drink-filled ending. "He told the story to me, and you could tell he was still feeling nervous about telling it years on because of what they must have gone through," she said.

The Queen Mother was known for her love of a good tipple (she especially loved a Gin and Dubonnet), and once even poured her own pint at a London pub. Per the Mirror, the landlord of an East End London pub, The Queen's Head, welcomed the royal for a visit and was shocked by what happened next.

"You have to remember she was an old lady," the landlord shared after the Queen Mum's 2002 death. "I shook her hand and she felt like a sparrow and I was so scared I might crush her. I asked her what she wanted to drink and she asked for a pint of Special. She poured it herself and she knocked back at least three-quarters of it. I have to say I was impressed."

Prince William also shared a memorable story about his fun-loving great-grandmother after her death, recalling what happened when he left for college. "As she said goodbye, she said: 'Any good parties, invite me down,'" William shared (via the Guardian). "But there was no way. I knew full well that if I invited her down, she would dance me under the table."

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.