Why a Royal Expert Was "Accused of Spoiling" a Special Moment for Queen Elizabeth, Which Caused an "Uproar at Buckingham Palace"

"She got very few unexpected treats and I had ruined one."

Queen Elizabeth wears a mint green suit and matching hat with a brooch and pearl necklace
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth lived her entire live in the public eye, meaning that the general public witnessed her expressing just about every emotion. While the usually jovial monarch was known for playing pranks on tourist and mocking relatives, she was less than impressed when a royal expert "ruined" a surprise that was planned in her honor.

Royal expert Richard Eden reflected on the awkward incident, during which he seemingly angered the Royal Family, while writing in the Daily Mail's "Palace Confidential" newsletter. In 1996, in honor of Elizabeth's 70th birthday, members of the Royal Family planned to "travel via the River Thames to the famous Waterside Inn at Bray in Berkshire." However, Eden reported on the supposedly secret plan before the late Queen was made aware of it.

"There was uproar at Buckingham Palace," Eden explained. "I was accused of spoiling a surprise party, and told that The Queen, because of the very nature of her role, got very few unexpected treats and I had ruined one."

rewear - queen elizabeth

"There was uproar at Buckingham Palace."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

At a subsequent garden party, Eden was allegedly instructed to avoid Queen Elizabeth, which he attempted to do. However, Prince Philip reportedly saw the royal reporter talking to some of The Queen's ladies-in-waiting, whom he scolded, calling Eden "that bloody man."

wimbledon - queen

The Queen was less than impressed when a royal reporter "ruined" her party.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

While the late Queen was rarely angry in public, several stories have suggested she occasionally had outbursts. For instance, Elizabeth was reportedly "very annoyed" when Donald Trump criticized her sister, Princess Margaret, calling his comments "ignorant and hurtful," via the Daily Mail.

Meanwhile, a senior royal aide told Robert Hardman, for the book Queen of Our Times: The Life of Queen Elizabeth II, (via People), "There's a withering look [The Queen gives], and it looks you up and down, and it was terrifying when it first happened to me."

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend 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.