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

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."

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."

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."