Queen Elizabeth was raised in a much different world than the current members of the Royal Family, but her more traditional British upbringing is still reflected in her only daughter, Princess Anne. Ahead of the Princess Royal’s 76th birthday on August 15, body language expert Darren Stanton says that Anne inspires respect from everyone she meets, making her “unmistakably her mother’s daughter.”

Stanton shares that Princess Anne, who was taught by a private governess at Buckingham Palace until the age of 13, was “raised under traditional royal protocols” like Queen Elizabeth, carrying “forward both the discipline and the demeanor expected of her role.”

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, the body language expert notes that the Princess Royal “is unmistakably her mother’s daughter, not just in background, but in the way her nonverbal cues mirror Queen Elizabeth’s.” He points to the way Anne “often walks with her hands clasped behind her back” like the late Queen, calling it “a gesture that communicates composure, control, and quiet authority.”

Princess Anne racked up an impressive 478 royal engagements in 2025, and her hard-working personality has consistently made her one of the most popular members of the Royal Family. “In public engagements, she mirrors the late monarch’s grounded presence,” Stanton says, adding that Anne “radiates a quiet confidence that draws people in.”

“She is never arrogant, but her stance signals someone entirely confident in her position,” he continues. “She commands respect naturally, and when necessary, she can also demand it.”

Although she’s known for having a “no-nonsense side,” Stanton points out that Anne inherited the same “sharp, dry sense of humor” as her mother and an ability to make the people she meets feel like the only one in the room.

The Princess Royal shares a close bond with her older brother, King Charles, often taking on overseas tour and attending major events on behalf of the monarch. Speaking of their warm relationship, Stanton says that The King “appears to look up to her, and their exchanges often reveal a shared wit.”

Having been a working royal since age 18, Princess Anne has more than five decades of experience under her belt, making her a role model for the younger generation. Stanton notes that because of her wisdom, the Princess Royal is “one of the more dominant figures within the Royal Family, not in an overbearing way, but through the respect she inspires.”

Prince Philip once told royal author Gyles Brandreth that Queen Elizabeth had “the patience of a saint.” She rarely lost her temper—certainly never in public—and as Brandreth wrote in his bestselling biography, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, the late Queen never did “anything that could for a moment be described as undignified.” Perhaps that’s why it was so upsetting to Queen Elizabeth when she was accused of storming out of a photo shoot with legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz.

In 2007, the late Queen posed for Leibovitz at Buckingham Palace, and as Brandreth noted, Elizabeth “occasionally, but very rarely” got annoyed “with photographers and film crews if she felt they were being intrusive or making an unnecessary fuss.”

Vogue, who spoke with Leibovitz after Queen Elizabeth’s death, reported that Her Majesty “arrived late, not in a terribly good mood, and was wearing a tiara, which wasn't in Leibovitz's plan.” However, according to Brandreth, wearing a crown and her Order of the Garter robes had been “agreed in advance.”

The session was filmed for the documentary A Year With The Queen, and in a clip, the photographer suggests that Queen Elizabeth remove her crown to make the look “less dressy.”

“Less dressy? What do you think this is?” the monarch exclaimed. In a scene from a trailer for the documentary that was showed to journalists, Queen Elizabeth was then seen briskly walking down a palace hallway saying, “I’m not changing anything. I’ve had enough dressing like this, thank you very much.”

The implication was that the late Queen had left the session in anger, but actually, the footage was taken as she was walking to the photo shoot. “She did not storm out at all,” Brandreth wrote.

The BBC issued an apology to Queen Elizabeth and as a result, the controller “who had told journalists the trailer showed the Queen ‘walking out in a huff’ resigned,” the author continued.

As for Leibovitz’s account of the day, she told Vogue that one comment from Queen Elizabeth took her by surprise.

“At one point when things had calmed down—after the misunderstanding about her wearing the tiara or not wearing the tiara—she settled into the shoot and became quiet,” the photographer recalled.

“She then said, ‘I think Princess Margaret would have been a much better subject.’ That moment of vulnerability—it makes me cry right now to think of it…that there was this moment in the middle of the session when she thought that maybe she was not a good enough subject, that she kind of questions herself. We got to see all sides of her that day.”

Receiving an invitation to stay at Balmoral or Sandringham might be thrilling, but it also comes with a fair amount of stress. Sticking to the strict dress code (and the idea of making small talk with the Royal Family) has overwhelmed even the most seasoned of world leaders, but for a 14-year-old Tanya Rose, the experience felt absolutely “terrifying.”

PR guru Rose, who went to boarding school with Prince Edward at Gordonstoun, recently appeared on Amanda Wakeley’s “Style DNA” podcast, and she shared memories of her 1979 visit to Sandringham House.

“I was 14, and Edward invited me to Sandringham just after Christmas, so it was just me who was not family,” Rose said. After she was sent a detailed dress code ahead of the stay, Rose’s father exclaimed, “Oh my God, why did I send you to this school?”

The PR pro explained that the list included “four outfits for breakfast, four outfits for tea, shooting things, Barbours, Wellington boots” and evening wear. “I did not have that wardrobe, so we had to go out and buy everything,” Rose admitted.

“That first night, it was terrifying,” Rose recalled, explaining that the “ladies go into another room” after dinner. With the group including Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne and the Queen Mother, Rose said she was “absolutely terrified,” but the late Queen stepped in to make her feel at ease.

“The Queen was so divine because she knew I was nervous,” Rose said. “So she started doing impressions of her groom and just being so sweet to me. She was lovely.”

Although Rose said she wasn’t used to dressing for such an occasion, one of her affordable accessories seemed to dupe the Queen Mother. Rose shared that her mother let her borrow a faux pearl necklace she’d bought at London department store Fenwick, describing it as her mom’s “pride and joy.”

“The first night I remember the Queen Mother saying to me, ‘Is that a family heirloom?’ And I said, ‘Well, my Mummy did give it to me,' but I didn’t say it’s from Fenwicks,” Rose shared with a laugh.

Prince Philip was never one to keep his opinions to himself, and when it came to his in-laws, the late Duke of Edinburgh was one of the few people who had “reservations” about one of the most-beloved members of the Royal Family.

The Queen Mother was wildly popular with friends, family and the general public, with royal biographer Gyles Brandreth writing in his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait that the Queen Mother’s niece, Margaret Rhodes, told him, “Everybody adored her. Everybody.”

Various people described the Queen Mother as “captivating” and “the most charming person in the world” to Brandreth. While the biographer added that he’s “met few who didn’t” adore Queen Elizabeth's beloved mother, there was one person who was less positive about the late royal.

When Brandreth, who formed a friendship with Prince Philip after working on charity projects together, asked the royal about his mother-in-law, he was less ebullient. “She certainly keeps going,” Prince Philip told Brandreth at the time of her 100th birthday in August 2000.

Brandreth noted that Philip wasn’t as enthusiastic about the Queen Mum for a few reasons, one of them being the treatment that he initially received from her brother when he was first pursuing Queen Elizabeth. But the other had to do with her close relationship with King Charles (then Prince Charles).

“Prince Philip had reservations about his mother-in-law, in part because he knew that members of her family had reservations about him in the 1940s,” Brandreth wrote. He added that “largely” the issue was that Philip “felt she had an emotional hold over Prince Charles ‘that’s not always been to his benefit, in my opinion.’”

It’s no wonder Charles was so close to his grandmother, as he spent a large amount of time with her as a child when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip traveled. "In some ways, the Queen Mother was a mother figure to Charles just because the Queen became Queen when Charles was so young,” author Gareth Russell, author of Do Let's Have Another Drink!: The Dry Wit and Fizzy Life of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, told People.

“There were a lot of tours of the Commonwealth and every time the Queen had to go away, Prince Charles stayed with the Queen Mother," Russell continued. “They had a great sense of humor, and she always encouraged him.”

With the Queen Mother, Prince Charles was also able to form a different kind of bond than he did with his father, who didn't always get along with his sensitive, artistic son.

At the end of the day, it also came down to a difference in personalities between Philip and his mother-in-law . Brandreth, who called Prince Philip “a cool customer,” said that the late duke thought the Queen Mother’s exuberant personality was “overdone.” And Philip’s cousin, Patricia Mountbatten, told Brandreth that the prince thought his mother-in-law was “occasionally irritatingly gushing”—a quality that one wouldn’t dream of assigning to Philip.

It might be pushing 90 degrees right now, but my mind is firmly on fall fashion, and for the royals, they’ve already started digging into their autumn wardrobes at Balmoral. The weather in Scotland is notoriously rainy and chilly, even in August, and it wouldn’t be unusual for temperatures to be in the fifties. But even if it's still steamy here on the East Coast, it’s never too early to start dreaming about cozy sweaters, riding boots and tweed blazers.

The royals have been escaping to the Scottish highlands for some R&R ever since Prince Albert purchased Balmoral Castle for Queen Victoria in 1852, and there’s something about Scotland that makes you want to fill your entire closet with tartan (or is that just me?). But achieving the perfect Balmoral outfit doesn't just mean covering yourself in plaid, according to Tom Birbeck, director at Scottish heritage brand House of Bruar.

“Mastering the Balmoral look is all about combining classic country elegance with subtle hints of Scottish heritage,” Birbeck tells Marie Claire.

Birbeck continues that Balmoral style “relies heavily on traditional fabrics like tweed and tartan, durable outdoor layers, and a rustic aesthetic made famous by the British Royal Family's Highland retreats."

For the royals, that means not just leaning into countryside style, but thinking carefully about functionality. “The quintessential Balmoral outfit includes a reliable waxed or quilted jacket, which is vital for the unpredictable weather,” Birbeck advises, adding that “cable-knit or cashmere sweaters in neutral tones” are ideal for layering underneath.

“You can also incorporate high-quality tweed jackets or capes, and try adding subtle touches of tartan through scarves or skirts,” he shares.

While our glimpses of Princess Kate at Balmoral have been limited to photos of her driving to church, Queen Elizabeth’s Scottish style has been highly documented over the years. Think quilted jackets, her famous silk headscarves, tweed skirts and plenty of tartan.

While Princess Kate, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne have already packed up their jackets and boots for Balmoral, we (unfortunately) still have plenty of time here on the East Coast to get our autumn pieces ready.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t dream up your own Balmoral-inspired outfits with some my favorite pieces below, including Kate's exact Seeland jacket, Le Chameau wellies and With Underneath cardigan.

Get the Balmoral Look

Since marrying Prince William in 2011, Princess Kate has become one of the most popular members of the British Royal Family. And according to one royal author, the Princess of Wales is seemingly following in the footsteps of an iconic royal relative.

Royal biographer Catherine Mayer has just released her latest book, Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles. Speaking exclusively to Marie Claire, Mayer opens up about Princess Kate's growing role within the Royal Family.

"There is some truth to the idea that Kate follows a model quite close to [Queen] Elizabeth's in terms of letting images do the talking rather than expressing herself more verbally and freely," Mayer says.

The author continues, "That melds more easily with an institution that is meant to stay out of party politics and unite the populations it represents—across 15 Realms—rather than being divisive. But it doesn't mean that other models are automatically wrong."

Mayer also notes that Queen Elizabeth's reputation, having reigned for seven decades, is a "a tough act to follow."

"With Elizabeth Windsor, it is even more tempting to believe that we know her," the royal author tells Marie Claire. "Most of us grew up with her as a familiar, if distant, figure, and there are any number of films and TV series that appear to bring her to life."

Mayer continues, "By the end of her reign, she was hailed as the perfect monarch and...a tough act to follow. That is to forget the long periods when she was criticized for missteps or mocked for being a little too safe, a little dowdy."

However, there is one topic that might negatively impact Elizabeth's legacy. "[I]t is quite possible that her decision to protect her second son, Andrew [Mountbatten-Windsor], will also dent her reputation in the short to medium term," Mayer shares.

Mayer further shares, "A future society might admire [Queen Elizabeth] for reasons we can't yet imagine or repurpose her story to serve their own narratives."

And when it comes to Princess Kate, it seems as though she's already building a solid legacy with firm foundations.

Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles by Catherine Mayer is available now.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were married for nearly 74 years when he died at the age of 99 in 2021, and despite the difficult times that were thrown at them, their marriage stood the test of time. Speaking to author Gyles Brandreth in his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, one of the late Queen’s childhood friends revealed the secret to their successful relationship.

Lady Myra Butter, who died in 2022, knew both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip since they were children, and even made the late Queen godmother to her daughter, Sarah. Speaking to Brandreth in 2021, she said that when Philip died, Queen Elizabeth lost “the world, I think,” calling the loss “incalculable.”

“She was madly in love with Philip from the word go—and she loved him as he was,” Lady Butter said. She pointed out that the reason their relationship worked was because the late Queen “didn’t try to change him,” adding, “You couldn’t. She didn’t.”

Lady Butter continued that Queen Elizabeth knew Philip was set in his ways. “She accepted him as he was—and he accepted her as she was. That’s why it worked so well. They respected one another as equals.”

Prince Philip might not have been into horse racing like his wife, and found her dogs to be “infuriating,” but he carried out his own hobbies that Queen Elizabeth didn't feel the need to get involved in, too.

Lady Butter, who Brandreth said “shared with the Queen a lifelong passion for horses, as well as a gift for doing impressions,” reflected on her friend’s change in status from princess to Queen and how that impacted her marriage.

“He walked a step behind her because of that, but he was never a step behind her as a person,” she shared.

Although he spent two decades as a senior gardener at Highgrove House, Jack Stooks traveled to other royal residences with King Charles, and he shares that there’s one destination “that gives you an overwhelming feeling of coming home.” Tucked away in the Scottish Highlands, the Balmoral estate has been a special retreat for the Royal Family since Queen Victoria’s day, and it has allowed Queen Elizabeth’s children and the generations after to experience true peace and privacy.

Speaking on behalf of Smooth Spins Casino, Stooks shares that for King Charles, Balmoral allows him to “switch off, even if only for a little while.” The former gardener—who even accompanied The King and Queen on their 2005 honeymoon to Birkhall, Charles’s house on the Balmoral estate—adds that The King spent his childhood fishing alongside the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth in Scotland, and the sport “has always been a much-loved tradition for the family.”

Balmoral as a whole has been an “incredibly special” place to the royals, and Stooks says that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip felt “it was where the whole family could simply be themselves.”

Growing up at Buckingham Palace, King Charles, Princess Anne, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince Edward had few opportunities to roam freely, except when they were at Balmoral. “When the children were young, they spent their days running around the hills, splashing in streams, chasing cows, having picnics, walking the ponies and taking out the dogs,” Stooks says.

“It was one place where they could enjoy a normal childhood away from public view,” he adds.

For Prince William, Prince Harry, and their cousins, the same rings true, and the young royals spent many happy summers with their parents and grandparents exploring the Scottish estate.

Although the infamous “Balmoral Test” often gives newcomers a sense of anxiety, Stooks says the atmosphere is “very relaxed” at Birkhall.

“From my experience working there, I mainly knew what happened when The King stayed at Birkhall, the former home of the Queen Mother on the Balmoral estate,” Stooks shares. “Prince William and Prince Harry always loved being there, and so did Catherine.”

When guests came to stay, they’d “spend their time walking along the river and through the estate, popping into the village of Ballater, and simply enjoying being together,” Stooks says, adding, “It was never about grand entertainment.”

Queen Elizabeth was a true-blue equestrian her entire life, and nothing got her talking faster than a good chat about horses. The late Queen struck up an unexpected friendship with California cowboy Monty Roberts in 1989 when she invited him to the U.K. to teach his gentle horse training methods. Roberts, who died at the age of 91 last week, kept in touch with Queen Elizabeth throughout the rest of her life, sharing hundreds of phone calls with the monarch. They became so close that he was one of the few people she’d take a call from at any time, including during a political meeting.

In a 2023 interview with the New York Post, Roberts revealed one hilarious interaction he had with the late Queen and a member of her staff when he gave her a ring.

He recalled calling and saying, “‘It’s Monty Roberts. I’d like to speak to the Queen,’ before a staff member said, “‘One moment please – the Queen is stuck in a meeting with the political people of Northern Ireland.’”

Roberts said he’d call the following day, but then a familiar voice came on the line— and it seems his phone call was just the excuse Queen Elizabeth was looking for to escape.

“I said I’ll call back tomorrow afternoon and about that time I heard, ‘Monty how are you?’ I said, ‘Your Majesty, they told me you’re in a meeting—and she said, ‘I am in a meeting in Northern Ireland and was hoping for a way to get out of that meeting so now I’m in another room talking to you.’”

“That was as close as I ever came to missing a call from her in 33 years,” he shared.

“I helped her [Queen Elizabeth] learn how to read that personality that horses have and do the things that cause them to be friendly with you and not a flight animal,” Roberts told the Post. “You cannot fool a horse. She believed me and my God, I would take a bullet before I would deceive her in any way.”

Queen Elizabeth was the one who encouraged him to write a book and go on tour around the U.K. training horses, with Roberts sharing, “She said, ‘I want you to go to every country possible. I want the world to know what you’re doing.”

Another member of the Royal Family who was touched by the horse trainer's non-violent training methods was the Queen Mother.

“Queen Elizabeth’s mother came up to me with tears in her eyes,” Roberts said, recalling the first time he met the Royal Family at Windsor Castle and saddled some of their young horses. “She said that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Paul Burrell is best known as Princess Diana’s former butler, but he joined the royal household as a young man in the ‘70s as a footman and later, a personal attendant for Queen Elizabeth. Having worked at Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for more than 20 years, Burrell has seen it all, and he tells Marie Claire that “strange things happen with members of the public” whenever they encounter the royals.

Speaking on behalf of Champions Speakers Agency, Burrell says that everyone from average citizens to global leaders seemed to “go to pieces” when they came in contact with the late Queen. “Whenever they meet a member of the Royal Family, they just lose it,” he shares.

“I’ve seen that happen on so many occasions, even with foreign dignitaries and royals,” Burrell says. “Having looked after presidents and prime ministers, kings and queens coming into the royal presence, it’s unusual to see someone behave so inappropriately.”

Some of the most memorable incidents Burrell recalls include men forgetting their royal protocol, corgi problems and even Queen Elizabeth “telling off” her kids.

“I’ve seen men curtsy, not thinking as they approach the Queen, ‘I’ve got to bow.’ They drop a curtsy instead.” Burrell says. “I’ve seen corgis throw up in the hallway in front of prime ministers and kings. I’ve seen inappropriate behavior in the dining room when royal children have been told off by their mother, The Queen. I’ve seen silliness at all levels.”

At the end of the day, Burrell points out that what he remembers the most is how the royals were most often seen “behaving like families, because the Royal Family are like us in many ways—they are a family.”

He describes Prince William, Princess Anne and the rest of the family as “satellites” whose job is “revolving around the monarch.”

“And occasionally they bump into each other and cause problems and troubles,” he admits. “It’s a very unusual world to observe from the inside.”

Even though they're performing their duties on a global stage, Burrell says it's important to recognize that the royals “live in two different worlds,” and there’s a big difference between public and private personas.

“They live in their world behind closed doors, a private one, and a public one on the world stage,” he says, adding that Queen Elizabeth would come home and remove her “costume” after performing duties, put “on a skirt and a blouse, and she’s Elizabeth.”

The late Queen was known for her love of bright colors, wearing bold hats and coats so she was sure to stand out in a crowd. Through the years, she’s been quoted as saying that she needed to be “seen to be believed,” but according to royal biographer Gyles Brandreth (and Queen Elizabeth herself), she might not have ever said it.

In his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Brandreth—a longtime friend of the Royal Family—wrote that Queen Elizabeth “knew she had to be visible” during public events. However, when it came to the monarch’s famous quote, she wasn’t so sure it actually came from her.

“She was often quoted as having said, ‘I have to be seen to be believed,’ though she told me, ‘I don’t believe I ever said it. It sounds more like Queen Victoria to me.’”

Whether or not Queen Elizabeth ever uttered those exact words, she certainly lived out the philosophy when it came to her busy schedule and her bright wardrobe.

“Elizabeth recognized, from first to last, that being seen by her subjects was fundamental to her role as sovereign,” Brandreth wrote. Along with traveling around the globe and supporting hundreds of organizations, the late Queen knew that her public image was vital to the popularity of the monarchy.

According to Brandreth, that meant never “doing anything that could for a moment be described as undignified.” But the late Queen also was careful to stay true to herself.

“She was aware that her appearance mattered, she was conscious that she had to look her best, she knew she had to keep smiling, but she did not ever attempt to ‘play the crowed’ or play up to the camera,” Brandreth said. The “unshowy” Queen would even apply her lipstick in public “regardless of where she was or who was looking,” with the author noting how that simple move was indicative of her “unselfconscious” personality.

Despite living in a literal palace, Queen Elizabeth was famously frugal. Former royal staff members have frequently commented on her humble tastes and dislike of anything that could be viewed as excess, especially when it came to wasting food. And although King Charles is known for being an environmentalist, the late Queen also had one eco-friendly pet peeve at Buckingham Palace.

In his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Gyles Brandreth shared that Queen Elizabeth was very much a product of the World War II generation when it came to being thrifty. Decades after rationing and energy usage restrictions had ended, she still didn’t like to use the heat at Buckingham Palace.

“Elizabeth II could not abide empty rooms being heated unnecessarily and preferred her rooms heated with electric fires where she could turn on just one or two bars of the fire as required,” Brandreth wrote.

The late Queen thought that younger people who hadn’t been through the war “were very profligate with their use of fuel,” former Prime Minister Edward Heath told the author. That being said, Queen Elizabeth took matters into her own hands when her family didn't cooperate.

During a conversation with Brandreth in the ‘80s, the late Queen told him that she spent “an awful lot of time going from room to room turning off the lights” when her children Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward were young.

“It really annoys me when people leave the lights on,” she told Brandreth. “It’s just so wasteful.”

It seems her habits trickled down to King Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry. In the BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, Harry and William admitted that they take after their father when it comes to turning off the lights.

“He's a stickler for turning lights off and that’s now something that I’m obsessed with,” Prince Harry said, with Prince William chiming in, “I know, I’ve got serious OCD with light switches now, which is terrible.” The Duke of Sussex said that his wife, Meghan Markle, was puzzled by his lights obsession, with Harry stating she'd say, “Well, why turn the lights off? You know, it’s dark.”

It seems she has Queen Elizabeth to thank.

Queen Elizabeth II knew that she would leave a lasting legacy when her 70-year reign came to an end, but she saw a bright future for the monarchy. Her grandson, Prince William, had someone very special helping him for his future reign. Queen Elizabeth recognized early on that Princess Kate “would be a huge support to William when he assumed the throne,” and never doubted how well-suited she was to the role. Royal biographer Christopher Andersen, author of Kate! The Courage, Grace, And Power Of The Woman Who Will Be Queen, wrote about their unique bond for Women’s Day Australia.

“Queen Elizabeth must also have seen in Kate a deep understanding of how important the monarchy is as a pillar of British society,” Anderson explained, saying that the Princess of Wales shared the late Queen’s “deeply ingrained sense of duty.” Although Princess Kate is “very patriotic in that sense,” Queen Elizabeth II recognized that “she comes from a very different place.”

“Her mother grew up in public housing and worked as a flight attendant,” Anderson explained, referring to Carole Middleton’s early life and career. “Kate will not simply be England’s first genuine commoner queen, she will be the first [middle-class] queen.” This unique perspective of her role, coming from a humble beginning, is what makes the Princess of Wales so special. “She feels deeply honoured to have been given this chance to make a difference,” Anderson wrote. “Kate takes none of this lightly.”

“The bottom line is that Kate will be the first queen to have enjoyed a normal, stable, nurturing middle-class upbringing, and she is determined that her own children share that experience,” said Anderson. While she is preparing for her own role as future Queen, Princess Kate is also shaping the next generation of royals to follow in her footsteps. “No one appreciates how important this is more than William, who still bears the emotional scars from his own turbulent childhood,” Anderson explained.

Every summer, the Royal Family takes an annual family vacation to Balmoral—the sovereign’s private residence in Scotland. Amongst the rolling hills, trees, and rivers, the royals are afforded privacy and freedom to truly unwind. The late Queen Elizabeth loved Balmoral so much, it was said that she would "hang up her tiara on the front gates and put on a headscarf," shifting from sovereign to “Granny and Mum,” according to former royal chef Darren McGrady.

Darren McGrady, who worked for the royal household in various chef roles for over 15 years, told Aberdeen Live that the relaxed family meals and barbecues are a sort of potluck. "You’d often get Princess Anne come down to the kitchen and say, 'I’m in charge of the first course tonight, what can I take?'"

"Prince Philip was the most passionate of cooks in the kitchen,” McGrady revealed. “They would go off and take barbecues at Balmoral. He loved to cook and cared about foods and recipes." Balmoral has many cottages, or bothys, where the family might set up a picnic or barbecue dinner. "He’d go on to ask what we could marinate them with and what vegetables were in the garden," the former royal chef reported.

Just like his son, King Charles—a passionate gardener and advocate of organic produce—Prince Philip was particular about locally-grown vegetables for their family meals. "He’d often walk the gardens and see what’s in there. He loved local produce. Then he would be in charge of cooking the main course."

"Then Prince Edward would come down and be in charge of pudding [dessert], so would want to do something like pancakes,” McGrady said. “We’d make the batter and he’d want to fill them with things like raspberries or strawberries from the garden with ice cream." Each meal was simple, and often seasonal, without pomp and ceremony. "They worked as a family on creating this meal, which they loved. They weren’t afraid to let their hair down and get stuck in."

King Charles has had a busy week. As well as launching the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, the monarch celebrated the inaugural RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Sandringham Flower Show. Royal fans were understandably excited to meet King Charles in Sandringham, and one of them made him laugh with a family member comparison.

Royal fans gathered to meet King Charles at the Sandringham Flower Show, which marks the first time RHS has hosted the event at the royal residence. One fan caught The King off guard by telling him, "You look so much like your mom," per GB News.

According to the outlet, Charles "offered a muffled one-word reply, before laughter erupted within the crowd." Overall, The King reportedly reacted "warmly" to being compared to his late mother, in what the publication called a "touching exchange."

Meanwhile, another Sandringham Flower Show attendee actually shook The King's hand. Describing King Charles's hands in detail, the royal fan told the BBC, "[S]oft, probably softer than mine. I'm not sure how much gardening he does."

One young fan eagerly took photos of Charles and Camilla's arrival at the event, telling the BBC that the pair's outfits "looked posh."

Their style appraisal mirrors comments recently made by certified etiquette trainer Courtney Opalko, who told Marie Claire, "While dressing formally may seem antiquated in today's casual society, dressing with intention still stands as a sign of respect for yourself and others."

Opalko continued, "It's a quiet signal that says, 'I care about you enough to show up as my best self.'"

As usual, King Charles didn't disappoint any of his royal fans and reacted jovially to all of their compliments and unexpected comparisons.

Shop Books About the Royals

The 29th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death is approaching on August 31, and Queen Elizabeth's reaction was one of the most criticized aspects of the days following the royal's tragic car crash. The late Queen was staying at Balmoral with Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Prince Harry and Prince William, and her absence in London was not well received by the public or the press. But another decision she made also raised eyebrows, as author Gyles Brandreth wrote in his biography of Queen Elizabeth.

Brandreth, who is a longtime friend of the Royal Family, details the late Queen’s response to Diana’s death in his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait. The Royal Standard at Balmoral had not been lowered to half-mast after Princess Diana was killed in a Paris car accident, causing “an outcry in the press.”

Queen Elizabeth, however, didn’t understand why people were so upset, because it came down to a simple matter of royal protocol. The Royal Standard, it turns out, is never flown at half-mast.

“The Queen was hurt and angered by the criticism—and she was not often given to anger,” Brandreth wrote. “She felt it showed a lack of understanding of history and tradition.”

The media and the public also focused on the fact that there wasn’t a half-mast flag at Buckingham Palace in honor of Diana, but again, that was explained by royal tradition. “The flagpole at Buckingham Palace was bare because flags are only flown over a royal residence when the sovereign is in residence,” Brandreth explained.

Although Queen Elizabeth “could see no reason to break with precedent,” the immense public pressure caused her to make a rare pivot.

“After several days, against her better judgement, she was persuaded to change her mind and allow a compromise: the Union flag—not the Royal Standard—was flown at half-mast over Buckingham Palace,” Brandreth wrote.

Interestingly, the late Queen's choice started a trend. Ever since, the Union Jack has flown above Buckingham Palace whenever the sovereign isn't in residence.

Whether it’s Princess Kate’s slim diamond tiara or Princess Eugenie’s colorful emerald-trimmed style, every royal watcher has a favorite royal wedding tiara. But when it comes to cost, the most expensive pieces in the Royal Family’s collection aren’t necessarily the ones you might expect.

Princess Kate’s Cartier Halo tiara is worth more than a million dollars less than the headpieces worn by Meghan Markle or Zara Tindall on their wedding days, and the Spencer Tiara—worn by Princess Diana for her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles—doesn’t even rank in the top five of the most expensive diadems.

Justin Daughters, managing director and antique jewelry expert at Berganza, tells Marie Claire that the process of evaluating tiaras is a complicated one, but at the end of the day, “the primary factors determining the gem's value are not limited to the diamonds and precious stones composing the tiara.”

“Beyond these factors, several others must be considered during evaluation, including the gem itself, rarity, workmanship, and its connection to the royal occasion for which it was used,” the jewelry expert explains.

And while there are certain tiaras that will forever hold a fascination for the public, like Diana’s, the headpieces that are worth the most might surprise some fans. Below, Daughters ranks the five most valuable wedding tiaras in the Royal Family’s collection.

The Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara

You might not expect Princess Eugenie to take the crown for the priciest wedding tiara, but the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik “is widely regarded as one of the most valuable modern royal wedding tiaras,” Daughters says.

Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank on October 12, 2018 at St George's Chapel in Windsor, and while her tiara bore some similarities to Meghan Markle's with its headband-like style, its stunning emeralds take the diadem's valuation through the roof.

“Created by Boucheron in 1919 for society hostess Dame Margaret Greville, it is an extraordinary example of early 20th-century jewelry design,” Daughters says. Greville passed her extraordinary jewelry collection down to the Queen Mother, with the pieces becoming part of royal history.

“While the tiara features exceptional diamonds, its true rarity lies in its remarkable emeralds, including the spectacular 93.7-carat cabochon-cut Colombian emerald at its center,” Daughters says. He explains that its valuation is due to these remarkable stones, noting, “Natural emeralds of this size, color and quality are exceptionally rare, particularly when untreated or minimally treated.”

“The combination of exceptional gemstones, an iconic Art Deco silhouette and an extraordinary royal connection makes this a truly museum-quality jewel that would be almost impossible to recreate today.”

Estimated value: £10 million to £13 million ($13.4 million to $17.4 million)

Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara

The second most valuable tiara, unsurprisingly, is Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara, the design worn by Queen Elizabeth for her November 20, 1947 wedding to Prince Philip.

“Created by Garrard in 1919, it was made using diamonds from a necklace gifted to Queen Mary by Queen Victoria in 1893,” Daughters says.

Featuring 47 graduated diamond bars laid out in a "fringe" design, the delicate tiara actually snapped ahead of the then-Princess Elizabeth's wedding and had to be repaired just hours before the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

Queen Elizabeth went on to lend the tiara to Princess Beatrice for her secret July 17, 2020 wedding, held at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Prince Andrew's former home, Royal Lodge.

“Although it is entirely diamond-set, its importance comes from the exceptional quality of its antique diamonds, its craftsmanship and, above all, its remarkable provenance,” Daughters adds of the tiara.

Estimated value: £5 million to £9 million ($6.7 million to $12 million)

Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau Tiara

“Recollections may vary” when it comes to the royal arguments over Meghan Markle’s wedding tiara, but everyone can agree that the diamond bandeau she wore for her May 21, 2018 wedding to Prince Harry was a stunning choice.

Per Daughters, Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau Tiara dates back to 1932, and the platinum design “features a series of geometric sections set with diamonds and incorporates a detachable central brooch originally given to Queen Mary as a wedding gift in 1893.”

“What makes this piece particularly fascinating is its versatility,” he adds, explaining that since the center stone can be removed and worn as a brooch, “it allows the jewel to function both as a ceremonial tiara and as an independent piece of jewelry, showcasing the practical ingenuity often found in royal jewels.”

"Its significance comes from the combination of historic diamonds, Art Deco craftsmanship and its royal provenance,” Daughters says of Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau, adding that Meghan created “a new chapter in its long history.”

Estimated value: £2 million–£5 million ($2.6 to $6.7 million)

The Meander Tiara

Coming in at number four is the tiara Zara Tindall wore for her July 30, 2011 wedding to Mike Tindall, and Daughters says not to underestimate the simplicity of this style.

“The Meander Tiara is a beautiful example of understated elegance,” the jewelry expert says. “Featuring a classical Greek key, or ‘meander’ design alongside laurel wreath and honeysuckle motifs,” Daughters says that Zara’s tiara “has a refined architectural quality that feels both timeless and distinctive.”

The diadem has a touching royal history, as Zara's mother, Princess Anne, was given the tiara by Queen Elizabeth—who had received it from Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Greece and Denmark. Anne has continued to wear the Meander Tiara to this day, making it an extra-special design for her daughter to wear on her wedding day.

“Unlike some of the larger royal tiaras, its appeal is not based solely on gemstone size,” Daughters says. “Its value lies in its exceptional provenance, elegant proportions and the rarity of its design.”

Estimated value: £2 million–£4 million ($2.6 to $5.3 million)

The Cartier Halo Tiara

Last but certainly not least is the Cartier Halo Tiara, famously worn by Princess Kate on her April 29, 2011 wedding day to Prince William. Daughters notes that even though it “may be one of the more delicate royal wedding tiaras,” the Cartier Halo “has become one of the most recognizable” pieces of jewelry in the world.

The tiara was created by Cartier in 1936, featuring “739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette-cut diamonds arranged in elegant scrolling motifs,” per Daughters. It was originally purchased by King George VI for the Queen Mother back when they were still the Duke and Duchess of York, and it was part of the Queen Mother’s small collection of tiaras at the time.

The Cartier design was then passed down to Queen Elizabeth as an 18th birthday gift, but she was never seen wearing it in public. Princess Margaret, however, frequently wore the petite tiara, including to her sister’s coronation.

"Although it does not feature the colored gemstones that make the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik so exceptional, its value lies in Cartier’s craftsmanship, its historical importance and its extraordinary cultural significance,” Daughters says of the Cartier Halo. “Catherine’s wedding introduced the jewel to a global audience and transformed it into one of the defining royal jewels of the modern era.”

Estimated value: £1 million–£2.5 million ($1.3 million to $3.3 million)

Queen Camilla marked her 79th birthday with a new portrait on Friday, July 17, with the Royal Family sharing the image on social media along with a special announcement about her birthday gift to Britain’s children. The Queen will be giving every Year 6 and P6 child (10-11 years old) in the United Kingdom a copy of the book Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell this Christmas in conjunction with the National Literacy Trust, of which she serves as patron. But along with announcing her holiday gift, Camilla’s birthday post also solves a jewelry mystery.

The Queen has been wearing a diamond and sapphire butterfly brooch for the past two decades, but until now, its provenance was unknown. It was assumed by some royal watchers to have been a 2005 wedding gift from King Charles, and she’s worn it to everything from the Commonwealth Day service in 2006 to church at Sandringham on Christmas Day 2016.

More recently, Camilla wore the dazzling brooch during the Japanese state visit in 2024 and to a garden party at Hillsborough Castle this spring. But when the Royal Family released Friday’s birthday photo of The Queen, taken by Chris Jackson, Buckingham Palace confirmed the brooch she’s wearing in the picture was given to Queen Elizabeth at the Birmingham Spring Fair in February 1977.

Queen Elizabeth was never pictured wearing the brooch in public, which is understandable given the sheer volume of gifts she was given in her lifetime. But gifting the beautiful diamond design to Camilla so early on in their marriage indicates the late Queen’s feelings about her son’s wife. Butterflies are signs of renewal, transformation and hope, an especially fitting gift for a second wedding.

Body language expert Darren Stanton says that Queen Camilla’s “deep respect for royal protocol” helped cement her relationship with the late Queen.

“Her consistent deference and quiet loyalty ultimately earned the late Queen’s admiration—something that not only validated Camilla’s place, but also strengthened Charles’s’ own standing as future King,” Stanton says, speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino. “The warm, relaxed relationship between the two women helped solidify the stability Charles enjoys today.”

Wearing her late mother-in-law's butterfly brooch for her birthday portrait is a touching way for Camilla to keep Queen Elizabeth's spirit alive, and especially fitting when announcing a gift that will impact the lives of children across the United Kingdom.

Shop Similar

Darren McGrady served as a chef to Queen Elizabeth before moving over to work for Princess Diana, and the former palace employee has shared the stark differences between the two households. Speaking to Heart Bingo Online, McGrady used the example of Prince William’s favorite ice cream to show how “relaxed” it was at Kensington Palace versus Buckingham Palace.

When William had a craving for ice cream, it was available to him at the press of a button at Buckingham Palace, McGrady shared, but it entailed a rather long wait.

“When I worked for The Queen, Prince William loved dark chocolate and asked for chocolate ice cream,” McGrady said. “The Queen would press a button, the page would come, she’d ask for the ice cream, and it triggered a long chain: head chef, pastry chef, silver pantry, glass pantry, linen room. Finally, 20 minutes later, William got his homemade ice cream presented to him.”

However, Diana ran a more casual kitchen environment. “At Kensington, it was much more relaxed,” McGrady said. “William would walk into the kitchen and say, ‘Darren, can I have some chocolate ice cream, please?’ I’d say, ‘Help yourself.’”

McGrady continued that William would “grab Haagen-Dazs chocolate chip, that was his favorite, open it, and sit in the windowsill eating it.” Princess Diana was also known to have a kitchen catch-up with Darren and the rest of the staff, often hanging out for snacks and gossip.

As for Queen Elizabeth, the former chef said that the late royal “had a sweet tooth and loved dark chocolate, especially anything over 60 percent cocoa,” adding, “Any dessert with chocolate on the menu was sure to be chosen.”

King Charles, on the other hand, isn't so much a cocoa fan. “Charles doesn’t like chocolate, and goes more for the fruit options,” McGrady revealed. “He would much rather have an orange olive oil tea cake or banana bread.”

Queen Elizabeth II became known for many things throughout her tenure on the British throne. In particular, the late monarch apparently had a wicked sense of humor and many of her quips have been documented by royal biographers. For instance, when a former courtier turned down the chance to visit Balmoral with The Queen, she had a fairly brutal response.

In his book, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story, royal expert and biographer Robert Hardman shared, "A senior courtier was invited for a weekend at Balmoral but had to explain that he was already hosting a house party at home."

According to Hardman, Queen Elizabeth responded by saying, "Well, I won't be asking you again." Of course, most people would be horrified to be on the receiving end of such a comment from the literal monarch.

The biographer explained where Queen Elizabeth acquired her acerbic wit: "It was a dry, regal humor that she had inherited from her parents."

Hardman also noted that the late Queen "would not take herself too seriously."

Per the royal biographer, "A close aide fondly remembered how, late in life, she had a fit of giggles trying (and failing) to help a butterfly out of the window of her study at Balmoral."

He continued, "We need only look back to her Olympic appearance with James Bond in 2012 and her Paddington Bear Jubilee encounter in 2022 to realize how few, if any, world leaders would stoop to taking part in a comedy skit, let alone pull it off."

It seems that Queen Elizabeth truly was one of a kind and that included her penchant for delivering decidedly brutal comebacks.

People around the world have been invited to share their memories of Queen Elizabeth in a digital memorial, and now Prince William has added his own personal memories to the website. The Prince of Wales posted a video filmed at Windsor Castle to QueenElizabeth.com, sharing that his grandmother was “completely at ease” when she was staying in Windsor.

“Whilst I had the privilege to know the late Queen better than most, some of my fondest memories of my grandmother are from here in Windsor,” Prince William shared.

The Prince of Wales’s eldest son, Prince George, will be heading to Eton College in September, and when William attended the boarding school, he often visited his grandparents at nearby Windsor Castle. He said that those “quiet” moments together stood out to him when thinking about the late Queen.

“I remember many a quiet afternoon, having tea with her and my grandfather at the castle, chatting, sharing stories, and seeing how completely at ease she was here, surrounded by family and her much-loved dogs and horses,” Prince William said in the video.

The future King said he was so influenced by those one-on-one moments that they sparked an appreciation for one British tradition. “To this day, she's given me a love of teatime that I never knew I needed,” he said.

The Prince of Wales also reflected on how the late Queen was able to truly be herself in Windsor as opposed to Buckingham Palace. “Watching her ride her horses in the Great Park, even well into her later years, showed a side of Granny the world didn't often see—off-duty, relaxed and utterly at home.”

He added, “These moments with my grandmother are ones I'll always hold dear."

Princess Diana lived her life in an international spotlight after marrying King Charles on July 29, 1981. Unfortunately, the couple endured a somewhat tumultuous marriage, which led to divorce. And according to one of Diana's former royal butlers, the princess wasn't entirely happy with the way her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, handled the divorce.

In his book A Royal Duty, former royal butler Paul Burrell recalled Diana receiving a personal letter from Queen Elizabeth II regarding the princess's separation from King Charles.

"It began, as always, 'Dearest Diana' and ended, 'With love from Mama,'" Burrell explained. "This letter, though, was different from any other I had read and, as The Queen's former footman, I felt uncomfortable as I read it."

Burrell continued, "I was talking to the back of the princess's head as she remained on the [couch] but I needed to express my discomfort. 'I'm not sure I should be reading this, it says 'in the strictest of confidence.'"

In spite of his reservations, Burrell reportedly read the letter aloud to Princess Diana, who "jumped up, agitated, and began pacing."

According to the former butler, Diana exclaimed, "The Prime Minister and the Archbishop of Canterbury! My divorce has been discussed with John Major and George Carey before it has been discussed with me."

Burrell continued, "The princess was infuriated that The Queen had consulted the government and the church first...'This is my marriage and it is no one else's business!' she yelled."

Ultimately, Princess Diana reportedly "felt that her divorce, just like her marriage, was being handled as if it were a business matter," per Burrell.

Despite describing Queen Elizabeth's letter as "sympathetic, delicate, and devoid of anger," Burrell also suggested that the monarch was "a mother-in-law frustrated with the behavior of both parties, emphasizing that a divorce could not inflict further damage on the two sons who had suffered enough over the previous years."

Divorce is complicated, regardless of who you're married to, but it's clear that being a member of the Royal Family makes the entire process even more challenging for everyone involved.

Like any siblings, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret had their ups and downs, but in their situation, they also had the extra dynamic of Margaret being the “spare.” Much has been written about their relationship, but one particularly funny story was shared in the 2023 documentary The Real Crown: Inside The House Of Windsor.

In the show, Lady Glenconner, who was Princess Margaret's lifelong friend and lady-in-waiting, shared some insights into her life as a royal confidante, including one hilarious moment when Queen Elizabeth was “shushed” by Margaret.

The late Queen was visiting her sister after Princess Margaret had a stroke, and Lady Glenconner stayed downstairs to give them privacy. “I could hear The Queen going up the steps to her bedroom,” she said, adding that just “two minutes later” she heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

“I went out to see who it was and there was The Queen,” Lady Glenconner recalled. “I said, ‘Ma'am, is there anything wrong?’ And she said, ‘Yes, there is.’”

It turns out Queen Elizabeth had interrupted one of her sister's favorite pastimes, and Margaret was none too pleased. “Margaret's listening to The Archers and every time I say something she tells me to shush!’” the late Queen told Lady Glenconner.

The Archers is a radio soap opera that has been running on BBC Radio 4 for more than 70 years, and Margaret was such a massive fan of the agricultural drama that she even played herself in a 1984 episode.

The ever-practical Lady Glenconner solved the problem, bringing Queen Elizabeth back to the bedroom and turning the radio off. “Then I poured them a cup of tea and left them!” she shared.

When Buckingham Palace released its Sovereign Grant Report on June 25, the monarch’s tax bill was revealed for the first time in history, revealing that King Charles has paid $39 million in taxes since taking the throne in 2022. But along with the Royal Family’s finances, the report also revealed that The King and Queen never plan on moving into Buckingham Palace. The decision comes as no surprise based on The King and Prince William moving toward a more modern monarchy, but Queen Elizabeth was never entirely fond of living in London, either.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady once told Coffee Friend that Queen Elizabeth “never really liked the palace,” explaining that Buckingham Palace had “always been the office to the (late) Queen.”

“The Queen would always be whizzing off back to Windsor Castle,” he added, explaining she usually couldn’t “wait to get back there.”

In 2020, the late Queen relocated to Windsor Castle permanently and remained there until shortly before her 2022 death, when she traveled to Balmoral Castle for her annual summer stay.

“Nearly no member of the royal family has ever enjoyed living at Buckingham Palace,” royal commentator Giselle Bastin of Flinders University told ABC News Australia, adding the building isn't “conducive to cozy family living” and it “feels a little like ‘living above the shop.’”

Although Queen Elizabeth chose to follow tradition by living at Buckingham Palace, King Charles and Prince William are more willing to make their own rules as the monarchy moves toward the future.

Clarence House remains the London home of The King and Queen, and they also spend a fair amount of time in the countryside, with both of Their Majesties owning retreats outside of the city. The King loves spending time at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, while Queen Camilla relaxes at Ray Mill House in Wiltshire.

As for Prince William and his family, they moved into Forest Lodge, a Georgian mansion in Windsor Great Park, in autumn 2025, and reports indicate that the future King intends it to be his "forever home."

Instead of continuing as a home for the Royal Family, Buckingham Palace will remain the central headquarters for the monarchy. “It will remain a working home but we are seeking to widen public access precisely to maximise the national benefit of a publicly-funded building,” the palace reported.

Paul Burrell might be best known as the controversial former butler to Princess Diana, but before he worked for the late royal, Burrell served Queen Elizabeth as a footman at Buckingham Palace. In a recent conversation, Burrell, speaking on behalf of Champions Speakers Agency, recalls a particularly memorable moment with the late Queen—and the joke that she didn’t quite get.

Burrell, 68, shares that one of his duties was to bring the Imperial State Crown to Queen Elizabeth before the State Opening of Parliament each year. After it was brought over from the Tower of London, the former footman would bring the historic crown on a red cushion and “take it into the Queen’s bedroom and put it on a small table.”

Queen Elizabeth was known to practice wearing the Crown Jewels around the house due to their weight, even wearing St Edward’s Crown, used for her coronation, to give Prince Charles and Princess Anne a bath. While Burrell certainly didn’t intrude on the late monarch’s bath time, he describes one night when he witnessed Queen Elizabeth taking part in some crown-wearing practice.

“On one evening, I went into her room, and the room was in pitch black. And I stood there in the doorway. She’d rung her bell to say goodnight,” he recalls. “And I stood there, transfixed.”

Burrell shares that Queen Elizabeth was sitting at her desk wearing the Imperial State Crown, and her lamp meant the “facets of all the diamonds and emeralds and sapphires were shooting in my direction.”

When the late Queen asked him why he was smiling, Burrell says he replied, “Your Majesty, if only your people could see you now."

“She said, ‘What do you mean?’” the former palace staffer continues. “I said, ‘Well, wearing your crown around your house’. And as I looked down, she was wearing her pink, fluffy slippers.”

Burrell told the late monarch that her ensemble was “a sign of a monarch and a mother all rolled into one,“ adding “It would make a very good pub name. The Crown and Slippers.”

The footman, who was called “Small Paul” to set him apart from footman Paul Whybrew, a.k.a. “Tall Paul,” shares that Queen Elizabeth didn't quite get the joke. “I don’t think she found that very amusing,” he says. “She didn’t understand pub names.”

He also admits to “nearly” trying on the Imperial State Crown for himself...until the late Queen walked in on him.

“The Queen had a long dressing mirror in her bedroom,” he shares. “So, on one occasion, I went in there, I looked at the crown, I looked at the dressing mirror, and I thought, 'Dare I?' And just at that moment, The Queen came through the bedroom door.”

Like her late mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth, Queen Camilla has always been a horse girl. Royal Ascot is a highlight on Camilla's calendar every June, and she joins The King and other members of the Royal Family on each day of the races. This year, The Queen looked elegant in shades of cream and blue—along with a parade of designer bags—but on June 20, she was snapped in one moment that any racegoer can relate to.

Dressed in a bold royal blue dress by Fiona Clare and a matching Philip Treacy hat, Queen Camilla fumbles with her Lady Dior bag, a pair of gloves and a £20 bill in a photo captured on the balcony of the Royal Box. It felt refreshingly down-to-earth to know that even The Queen carries some betting money to the racecourse, and the folded bank note displayed a photo of Queen Elizabeth instead of the updated King Charles bills.

Former royal butler Grant Harrold previously told Marie Claire (via Spin Genie) that members of the Royal Family are indeed "allowed to bet on horses," and Queen Elizabeth "was famously known for betting" at the races.

Harrold shared "there's a clip of her winning a whole entire £20, which she was really excited about," adding that the royals "don't bet silly; they just bet what anyone else would put on...They like putting something on; it would be wrong not to."

But even if the late Queen did bet at Ascot, she wasn't known to carry cash in her purse—with one exception. Per the Telegraph, Queen Elizabeth always brought one "precisely folded" five-pound bill to put in the donation plate at church on Sundays.

As for Queen Camilla, Harrold says she's the one to go to for betting advice. "If you're going to be taking advice on which horses, I would look at Camilla for a good tip," he shared.

Despite suffering from mobility issues, Queen Elizabeth carried out her duties to the very end, meeting with the incoming Prime Minister, Liz Truss, just two days before her 2022 death at the age of 96. The late Queen turned to members of her family for support at times, but as Queen Camilla told author Gyles Brandreth, it wasn’t always “necessary.”

In the months following Prince Philip’s 2021 death, those around the late Queen worried about her mental state. Brandreth, a longtime friend of the Royal Family, noted in his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait that Queen Elizabeth had a “different” approach to mourning than her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.

“There is no magic formula that will transform sorrow into happiness,” she said, “but being busy helps.” Part of keeping busy meant attending to royal duties, when possible, since Philip's death happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant attending the October 2021 openings of Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd, and King Charles and Queen Camilla came along for both trips.

But Camilla, then known as the Duchess of Cornwall, told Brandreth that their presence really wasn’t “required” due to the formidable Queen.

“‘We weren’t required,’” the Duchess said to me soon afterwards, laughing,” Brandreth wrote. “‘We were there to help out if necessary. It wasn’t necessary. The Queen did it all. She wanted to.” Camilla added, “She’s unstoppable.”

Queen Elizabeth put so much energy into staying busy after her husband's death that Brandreth said she pushed it a bit too far. “In that period of six months, the late Queen “did so much, so purposefully and with such a determination to not give way to any form of self-pity (which, she said, ‘My husband would certainly have not approved of’), that she probably did too much.”

However, no could have accused of her of wallowing. “Life goes on,” she said. “It has to.”

Queen Elizabeth II was known for many things—her historical reign, her boldly-hued wardrobe, the corgis—but one of her deepest passions was horses. The late Queen attended horse races and horse shows throughout the year, rain or shine, sometimes even in sickness and health. She was a passionate horsewoman, and it felt that equestrian events like Royal Ascot couldn’t possibly exist without her.

Royal Ascot does carry on, with all the pomp and ceremony that Queen Elizabeth loved, alongside some horse-betting. A highlight of the five day racing events is actually not to do with horses at all, but rather the fashions. Queen Elizabeth II knew better than anyone that fashion plays center-stage at the annual horse races: bold dresses, big hats, and tails and top hats for men. I recently heard someone describe Ascot as stepping back in time, and Queen Elizabeth would fit in in any decade.

Queen Elizabeth’s go-to designer, Stewart Parvin, knew how to lean into the late Queen’s tastes. While no one ever knew what The Queen might wear to the races—bookies would often hold a bet on what color hat she might wear to the day’s events—Parvin always hoped it would be one of his designs. Speaking to The Telegraph, although he never knew what color the hat might be, he said, “there might have been two or three that she could have worn. You always had your fingers crossed that she might wear something, but it was a surprise.”

Alongside a horse racing event and a fashion show, Royal Ascot has always been a very social event, with friends and acquaintances meeting together at the Royal Enclosure. “When it was Royal Ascot, the Queen knew I always went on a Thursday with my family,” Parvin said. “If the weather was nice, she would wear something new of mine,” the designer said, sharing the late Queen’s thoughtful gesture. “If the weather wasn’t good, she wouldn’t ruin a new dress.” Beneath the hats and diamonds, she was a practical girl after all.

With June in full swing, the Royal Family is getting ready to plan a summer full of activities, and that includes an annual trip to Balmoral. Picnics have been a big part of life on the Scottish estate, and former royal butler Grant Harrold shared that these relaxed moments allowed Queen Elizabeth, King Charles and the rest of the family the chance to step away from the formality of palace life.

“Picnics were a massive thing for the late Queen,” Harrold, speaking on behalf of Smooth Spins Casino, said. “She loved her picnics, and you can imagine the picnics come in different variations.”

The late Queen enjoyed everything from a casual meal “with the hamper and travel rug” to “the posher picnics where they all go out somewhere and there's tables and there's chairs,” Harrold shared. But what was more important than the location was the private time with family and friends.

Harrold, who served King Charles at Highgrove House between 2004 and 2011, said that while he’d occasionally help set things up for the royals, they “would normally do it themselves.”

“The chefs prepared all the food, the butlers would load everything into the vehicles, and off they would go,” he recalled. However, if there was a larger lunch planned, Harrold said the butlers “would go and help lay out the tables, but we wouldn’t serve the food. It would all just get put out and they would help themselves.”

“There was no staff, so it was a great chance for them to have private time as a family,” he added.

That do-it-yourself attitude also extended to cleaning up. Multiple guests of the late Queen have noted that she washed the dishes herself after casual meals at Balmoral, including one former courtier.

“I was once at a shooting lunch,” the royal insider told Harry Mount (via the Daily Mail). “At the end of lunch, I heard someone say, 'I’ll do the washing-up.' I turned around and there was the Queen in her yellow washing-up gloves.”

As sovereign and Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II could never really clock out and put up her Out Of Office. Those iconic red boxes would arrive, day in and day out, and she always had various royal duties or engagements in her diary. To celebrate her 100th birthday, the Palace of Holyrood House is giving visitors “the chance to step inside her Private Apartments for the very first time,” to get a feel for Queen Elizabeth’s everyday life—and her relentless royal duties—during her special annual visit to Edinburgh, Scotland.

An expert at Holyrood House revealed on Instagram that Queen Elizabeth II’s workday would start surprisingly late, after a surely luxurious breakfast in the Royal Breakfast Room, “where the Queen and Prince Philip would dine privately while in residence”, and perhaps a walk with her beloved dogs. “During her stay here at the palace, The Queen would often be found working here at the desk, where, at 11 a.m., she would begin her day completing her duties as Head of State,” an expert guide shared on Instagram.

The iconic red boxes—those lead-lined, leather wrapped red briefcases that often appear in movies, belonging to the sovereign, the Prime Minister, or key British government figures—are on display in the late Queen’s private sitting room. The red dispatch boxes “would arrive for the Queen almost every day, given to her by her private secretary,” and Queen Elizabeth reportedly flipped the pile from bottom to top in case her ministers were trying to hide bad news from her.

“When she wasn’t travelling further afield, she would often be found here,” the expert shared, referring to the feminine, opulent sitting room with silk-covered furnishings. “The Queen would be in residence annually during Royal Week,” which was her annual pseudo-vacation in Edinburgh, where she would carry out royal engagements, travel throughout Scotland, and host garden parties.

Fans are looking forward to Prince William, Princess Kate and their children making their annual appearance at Trooping the Colour on Saturday, June 13, but when the Prince of Wales becomes King, this annual tradition could potentially get an update.

Trooping the Colour is the monarch’s official birthday parade, and has taken place annually since 1760, although it was first held during the reign of Charles II. The celebrations are now held in June, but neither King Charles nor Queen Elizabeth had a June birthday—a curiosity explained by former royal butler to The King, Grant Harrold.

“The tradition of a British monarch having two birthdays dates back to the 18th century,” he told Heart Bingo, adding King George II was born in November, “when Britain's weather was often cold, wet and unpredictable.”

Since holding an outdoor carriage procession and military parade in the autumn could be difficult and unpleasant for people to attend, King George II introduced the concept of an official birthday in the summer. “As a result, the monarch has both a real birthday and an official birthday, which are celebrated separately,” Harrold says.

However, Prince William’s birthday happens to be on June 21, unlike The King, who was born in November, and Queen Elizabeth, who had an April birthday. This makes the concept of having an official birthday somewhat unnecessary, as Harrold notes.

“There is no guarantee that Prince William will scrap the two-birthday tradition when he eventually becomes King, but some royal watchers have speculated that he could choose to review it,” he says.

Harrold adds that “there would be less practical need for a separate official birthday” because of William being born in the summer. While it would certainly make sense to hold Trooping the Colour on June 21, the event is traditionally held on a Saturday to allow members of the public to enjoy the festivities.

Only time will tell if the Prince of Wales decides to update Trooping the Colour once he takes the throne, but until then, birthdays are twice as nice for King Charles.

The Royal Yacht Britannia was part of Queen Elizabeth’s life for 44 years, taking the Royal Family on hundreds of trips around the globe. The vessel played host to royal vacations, honeymoons and official foreign visits until it was decommissioned in 1997, and photos from the ceremony show the late Queen wiping a tear from her eye. But Prince Philip told royal author Gyles Brandreth that Queen Elizabeth never actually cried at the event—or in general.

Brandreth, who once worked alongside the late Prince Philip, has been close with the Royal Family for decades. In the biographer’s recent book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, he shared the conversation he had with Philip about the late Queen’s alleged tearful moment.

“She doesn’t cry,” the late Duke of Edinburgh told Brandreth in 2006. The topic came up when Helen Mirren, who played Elizabeth in The Queen, burst into tears in a scene following Princess Diana’s death. Prince Philip hadn't seen the film, but said, “They just make it up,” adding, “All I'm saying is that it isn't accurate. The Queen doesn't cry.”

Philip told Brandreth that “you can have feelings without blubbing,” pointing to the decommissioning ceremony of Britannia as an example.

“They’re obsessed with people showing their emotions in public,” the late duke said of the media. “They’re determined to get a picture of The Queen with tears in her eyes—and if it’s a cold day they might succeed.”

When Britannia was taken out of service on December 11, the late Queen was bundled up in a red coat and matching hat for the chilly Scottish day. Referencing a photo of his wife wiping a tear away, Philip told Brandreth that she wasn’t actually crying.

“‘It was the middle of December,’ snorted Philip. ‘It was bloody cold. We all had tears in our eyes.’”

Princess Anne was also seen wiping her eyes during the event, but even if they didn't actually shed tears, the family was certainly emotional over the loss of their beloved yacht. Even former Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted that the decision to get rid of the vessel was probably not his best.

“I didn't want to get rid of it,” Blair told author Valentine Low in his book Power and the Palace. “After we'd agreed to get rid of it, I actually went on it, and I remember, as I stepped on, thinking, 'That was such a mistake to have done that.'”

As public figures, members of the Royal Family have regularly found themselves the subject of tabloid stories and rumors. However, there appears to be just one Royal Family member who escaped tabloid evisceration, and has managed to remain relatively unscathed.

Writing in his book, The Last Queen: Elizabeth II's 70 Year Battle to Save the House of Windsor, Clive Irving noted, "After all the family dramas the House of Windsor (and we) have endured, it is surely a point of wonder that The Queen was the one person in the family who had never really been burned by the tabloids."

Irving continued, "She remained the calm stoic at the center of many storms. And the greatest storm of her life since [World War II] came, as it did to all of us, stealthily, invisibly, and lethally. With her government and her country struggling to contain and defeat a ravaging modern plague, [COVID-19], The Queen was called upon to bring her own uniquely calming qualities to her people."

According to Irving, Elizabeth's 2020 speech regarding COVID-19 was a poignant moment, which combined all of her many strengths.

"[S]he embodied the full span of her years as the connecting tissue between one time of mortal terror and another, in a speech to the nation," the biographer shared.

While most modern royals have faced scandals and difficulties, many of which have been covered extensively by the press, Queen Elizabeth appears to have avoided any such pitfall. Instead, the late monarch is largely remembered very positively.

Princess Kate debuted a gorgeous Roland Mouret dress at Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s June 6 wedding, and royally-approved fashion designer Amanda Wakely has weighed in on the Princess of Wales’s “timeless look.”

Kate, who wore a dark cream design featuring a collar and twirly skirt, matched her Jane Taylor boater hat and high-heeled pumps to her neutral dress, and Wakely pointed out that it was an approach similar to Queen Elizabeth.

Speaking about the Princess of Wales’s monochromatic outfits on the Daily Mail's "Palace Confidential" show, Wakely noted, “so her hat matches the dress, matches her shoes. Often her bag too, which I think is a tip she took from the late Queen's book.”

Queen Elizabeth wore a rainbow of colorful coats during the later decades of her reign, pairing them with a matching hat in the same color. But while the late Queen typically chose to wear black shoes and a black handbag instead of going completely monochromatic, the Princess of Wales tends to prefer a full matching moment.

Wakely, who designed for Princess Diana, said that Princess Kate's monochrome moments give off "such a timeless look.” She added that since the Princess of Wales ”generally wears British fashion” she has become ”a global brand ambassador” for the British fashion industry.

A number of the late Queen's most iconic styles are now on display at The King's Gallery in Buckingham Palace, with everything from her rainbow-hued dresses to her christening gown and coronation gown included in the blockbuster exhibition.

As for the Princess of Wales, Wakely praised the "longer length clothes she's embracing now,” adding that her outfits always have "such a beautiful silhouette.”

When it was announced that King Charles and Queen Camilla were confirmed to attend the Epsom Derby on the same day as his nephew Peter Phillips’s wedding, some royal watchers wondered if he’d be skipping the nuptials. But true to form, the smiling King and Queen arrived at the church in Kemble, England on Saturday before dashing off to the derby. It’s an approach The King’s former butler, Grant Harrold, says is markedly different from the late Queen.

Speaking on behalf of CasinoHawks, Harrold says King Charles has always “adored his nephew,” describing them as “very close.” He adds that even though it was a tight timeline, The King made sure that being at Peter's wedding was a top priority, despite his scheduled royal duties.

“It would have been a logistical nightmare to make it work, but the King and his team would have gone to extreme lengths to ensure he could be there for the ceremony,” Harrold shares.

Queen Elizabeth was known for her incredible dedication to Crown and country, but at times, that came at the expense of her family, as Harrold points out. He calls The King attending Peter and Harriet’s wedding “interesting because it shows how different the King is to his mother.”

“The late Queen was always about duty first, family after,” he shares. “She missed many family occasions as she didn’t want to let people down at official engagements. However, The King is a bit more relaxed on this, and wants to make sure he’s there for the big moments in his family’s life.” Harrold describes his former boss as trying to keep “all the plates spinning.”

“Where The Queen was Crown first, family second, the King works really hard to keep them equal,” he adds.

Although the King and Queen weren’t able to be there for Peter and Harriet’s wedding reception at Princess Anne’s home, Gatcombe Park, the bride and groom certainly would have understood.

“Many people took this as rude or a snub, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” Harrold says of Their Majesties leaving early. “The King was due to present a trophy at the races, which is a huge engagement in the royal diary. And while for us, we wouldn’t feel bad about cancelling a work event for a close family member’s wedding, it’s of course very, very different from the royals.”

When Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, she left behind an incomparable legacy, having spent 70 years on the British throne. But at a number of points during her life, the late Queen was reportedly compared to other Royal Family members, often unfairly, per one royal expert.

In the book Queen Elizabeth II: Pocket Giants, royal expert Victoria Arbiter examined one instance in which the late monarch was pitted against a younger family member.

"In 1983, Charles and Diana were lauded for taking their 9-month-old son Prince William on their 6-week tour to Australia and New Zealand," Arbiter shared. "Pundits took to their columns, comparing the cold unfeeling Queen who left her children behind, to Diana, who defied convention and broke with tradition."

But as Arbiter noted, the comparison isn't necessarily equitable due to a number of factors.

"In order to do a fair comparison, however, one must consider the generational divide," the royal expert explained. "30 years had passed between The Queen's tour and that of the Waleses's, during which time advances in modern aviation made travel significantly speedier."

Discussing some of the reasons why Queen Elizabeth II shouldn't have been compared to her daughter-in-law, Arbiter wrote, "People's attitudes towards royalty had shifted and, adored as she was, Diana was merely a princess, not The Queen."

Importantly, when the monarch arrived in Bermuda in November 1953 following a 17-hour flight, she faced a huge welcome party and incredible pressures.

"News reports declared that nearly every one of the island nation's 38,000 residents had turned out for a glimpse of their new sovereign," the expert explained. "Conversely, when Charles and Diana landed in Alice Springs...a handful of local officials waited to greet them."

Arbiter continued, "After a brief photo call, William and his nanny left for Woomargama, a working sheep and cattle ranch in South West Australia. He remained there for the duration of the tour, and his parents visited him several times."

Charles and Diana spent a total of 6 weeks in Australia and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth was away for 6 months—from November 1953 until May 1954—visiting everywhere from Jamaica, Fiji and Tonga, Australia and New Zealand, with a return sailing stopping in Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Malta, and Gibraltar, per Cambridge University.

With very different remits and expectations placed upon them, Diana and Elizabeth arguably had very separate aims during their respective trips, leading to unfair comparisons.

One of Queen Elizabeth’s trusted companions has passed away at the age of 97. Lady Pamela Hicks, who was a first cousin of Prince Philip and served as a lady-in-waiting and bridesmaid to the late Queen, died on Friday, June 5.

Her daughter, India Hicks, announced the sad news in an Instagram post. “My mother died peacefully today,” she wrote. “Whilst there is no tragedy in the death of a 97-year-old who has lived a full life I know grief will be unavoidable, lurking around waiting for me, but today I am simply grateful that she was my Mother.”

Lady Pamela—otherwise known as Lady P—joined India to share memories of her fascinating life on her podcast, and was the author of Daughter of Empire: My Life as a Mountbatten. In turn, India released the book Lady Pamela: My Mother's Extraordinary Years as Daughter to the Viceroy of India, Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen, and Wife of David Hicks, in 2024.

In her post, India said her mother “made incomparable company, carrying her memories lightly, and always with humour.”

“My mother maintained right up to the end, the impeccable style, sharp mind, and effortless charm that made her not only a cherished institution, but truly the last of her kind,” she added.

In 2024, India sat down with Marie Claire to talk about her book, sharing that Lady Pamela “has had an exceptional life in the fact that she’s obviously had a front-seat to historic events.”

“No one today was with The Queen [Elizabeth] the moment she became Queen,” India said, referring to the fact that Lady Pamela was with Elizabeth in Kenya on the day she found out her father had died.

When it comes to the idea of a slimmed-down monarchy, India said that her mother believed that King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate were the true heart of the family. “She thinks that it is modernizing in a way that it should, and she absolutely believes in the thinning down of the Royal Family and making it this core hardworking foursome,” she told Marie Claire.

Lady Pamela was married to David Hicks, who died in 1998, and in addition to India, is survived by her children Ashley Hicks and Edwina Brudenell.

As Queen Elizabeth II's husband, Prince Philip lived his life in the spotlight. The former Duke of Edinburgh died on April 9, 2021, at the age of 99, just two months shy of his 100th birthday. And according to one royal biographer, the very active Prince Philip reportedly needed one thing to help him deal with his "pent-up frustrations."

In the book The Last Queen: Elizabeth II's Seventy Year Battle to Save the House of Windsor, royal biographer Clive Irving discussed how Prince Philip handled living in his wife's shadow.

"Behind Philip's life of 'many activities and interests,' there were persisting frustrations," Irving shared.

As for how the prince mitigated those frustrations, the biographer explained, "[Artist and osteopath Stephen] Ward had mentioned seeing [Philip] play polo. People who watched him were struck by the merciless way he treated his ponies."

One polo player described Philip's behavior, saying, "He drives it, and he wants a machine out in front of him so when he steps on the throttle it goes, when he brakes, it stops, and it goes fast left or right."

Irving continued, "Another noted that he 'needed to play polo to get rid of all of his pent-up frustrations...but after a few games he would be a different man—the frustration gone.'"

According to Irving, Philip had a plethora of different frustrations, including the direction of his son, King Charles.

"The Queen had ceded to Philip all decisions on the education that her children should receive, believing this to be the natural order of family responsibilities," the biographer explained.

Irving continued, "In one respect Philip did not follow the customary choice of the upper-class and the most socially ambitious parents by sending his son to Eton. Philip believed that his own education, Cheam followed by Gordonstoun, would produce the best outcome—which was, apparently, a replica of himself, or what could be called the Mountbatten model of manliness."

Unfortunately, King Charles "did not fit happily into" his father's model of what his schooling and future should look like, allegedly causing Philip additional frustration.

It might be hard to picture Queen Elizabeth watching television, but just like any of us, the late Queen had her favorites when it came to game shows and even police dramas. Longtime friend of the Royal Family Gyles Brandreth revealed one of the monarch’s favorite programs in his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, and he said that watching TV helped her relate to the public.

After Prince Philip died in 2021, the late Queen took up watching a surprising show, according to Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, who was part of the royal’s bubble at Windsor Castle during the COVID-19 pandemic. “My principal duty with HM has been to keep her spirits up—so I’ve been watching Line of Duty with her,” he told Brandreth.

The crime drama follows a police anti-corruption unit, and Johnstone-Burt said his role was “the explainer,” adding it was “very funny” to sit down with the late Queen for an episode.

Brandreth wrote that Queen Elizabeth “laughed as she struggled to understand the convoluted plotting and sometimes incomprehensible dialogue” in the show, adding that the late Queen herself told him that there was one problem with watching TV.

“It keeps me in touch—when I can understand what’s being said,” she admitted to the author. “There’s an awful lot of mumbling on television now.” The late Queen added, “It’s not my hearing. They just don’t seem to speak as clearly as they used to.”

Along with watching Line of Duty, Queen Elizabeth reportedly hate-watched another police procedural series called The Bill. “I don’t like The Bill but I just can’t help watching it,” she once said, per the Guardian.

Her other favorites are said to have included Strictly Come Dancing, Dr. Who, quiz show Pointless and Downton Abbey—but she wasn't above a critique of the period drama. Brian Hoey, author of At Home With The Queen, said the late Queen loved to “point out things they have got wrong, partly because she is familiar with Highclere Castle, where it is filmed.”

Queen Margrethe was hospitalized for the second time in a month after suffering from a blood clot this week, but the former queen of Denmark has weathered many storms during her 86 years. The Danish royal opened up about her royal life and her late husband, Prince Henrik, to royal author Gyles Brandreth, who included his conversation with Margrethe in his recent biography of Queen Elizabeth II.

In Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Brandreth wrote that Queen Margrethe told him “how much she admired Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh,” while also noting that she “was related to both.” The former Danish queen—who abdicated her throne to her son, King Frederik, in 2024—was one of Queen Elizabeth’s third cousins, as they both were descendants of Queen Victoria as well as King Christian IX of Denmark.

“I love coming to their parties in London, especially when they are just family gatherings, for wedding anniversaries and that sort of thing,” Queen Margrethe told the author of Elizabeth and Philip. The best thing about the parties, she said, was that sense of being able to “be yourself” among other people who understand what it’s like to be a royal.

“If it’s just royalty in the room, once the door is closed you know you’re all there because you are related, however distantly. You feel safe,” she said. “You can say what you like, you can be yourself. Royals understand other royals.”

During their conversation, which took place a few years before Queen Elizabeth's 2022 death, the former Danish queen admitted that it was tough for outsiders like her late husband, Prince Henrik, to adjust to royal life.

“In the old days when royals married other royals, there were disadvantages, of course, but there were advantages, too,” she said. “Everyone had been brought up in the same sort of way. It can be difficult if you're an outsider. My husband has found it difficult, I know.”

Queen Margrethe told Brandreth that her marriage to the French-born diplomat had “many ups and downs” over their 50-plus-year relationship until he died in 2018. “Your Queen and Prince Philip are cousins,” she added “while lighting another cigarette,” Brandreth wrote. “I think that helps.”

Queen Elizabeth had a simple approach to food, and in her nineties, still enjoyed the same “jam penny” sandwiches she ate as a school girl. While she had a love for British classics, former royal chef Darren McGrady revealed that King Charles enjoys one particular cuisine more than his late mother.

In a video on his YouTube channel, the former Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace chef shared a recipe for a mushroom risotto that he served to The King—and revealed His Majesty’s fondness for Italian food.

“Now King Charles has a different palate to his mother,” McGrady said. “The Queen was very much into traditional French cuisine and British comfort food. But King Charles really, really likes Italian cuisine and especially this dish, risotto.”

The King and Queen Camilla are both avid mushroom hunters and are famously competitive over the hobby, and McGrady recalled a time when Charles invited him into the woods with a famous chef.

While preparing his risotto in the video, McGrady said that “King Charles preferred this classic dish with wild mushrooms” and would go out foraging for them himself, especially at Balmoral Castle.

“He would love to go foraging up there for the wild mushrooms on the estate,” the chef shared. “I remember one time he invited Antonio Carluccio, one of the most amazing Italian chefs who really knew his mushrooms, and I got to go out with them.”

As for the late Queen, she wasn't known to be a connoisseur of Italian food, and in a 2020 interview with Us Weekly, McGrady said that Queen Elizabeth “never had pizza.” “I didn't start cooking pizza until I moved across to Kensington Palace,” he added.

Former Great British Baking Show judge Prue Leith is dishing on her storied career in her new book Being Old…and Learning to Love It!, and in the memoir, she also opened up on some of her embarrassing encounters with the Royal Family.

“I actually think there's something about the Royal Family, they jinx things,” Leith told People. The TV personality and chef noted that emotions run high when it comes to royal events—and that tends to lead to catering catastrophes.

“Because I think what happens is people get quite overexcited at the thought of them and then everything seems to go wrong,” Leith added. “You talk to any caterer and they'll tell you drama stories about the royals.”

One of her most awkward encounters involved Queen Elizabeth and a botched cup of tea.

Leith previously shared the story in a 2024 Instagram Reel, detailing the time when she was tasked with serving tea to the late Queen at the 1986 opening of London’s Queen Elizabeth Centre.

Instead of delivering the strong black tea Queen Elizabeth preferred, the Great British Baking Show alumna gave her “weak lemony tea” after the palace refused to confirm how the monarch liked hers made.

“Personally, the thing that upset me most was not giving The Queen a decent cup of tea, because I much admired The Queen and I thought, 'Poor bloody woman. She's been walking around this extremely boring building for two hours…By the time she got to me, she must have been absolutely panting for a cup of tea, and I failed completely.’”

However, Leith called the time Princess Margaret visited her London restaurant, Leith's, in the 1960s “the worst.”

In the book, Leith reveals that she stood on Princess Margaret’s toe and her “snobbish head waiter” wouldn’t serve Margaret the venison casserole she asked for at the time.

Recalling the disaster, Leith told People she “had a quarrel with a head waiter, who didn't want to give the princess what she wanted. He said, 'I will not serve stew to a princess.' I said, 'Why did I ever hire this guy? He's terrible.’”

On top of the awkward incident, the waiter caught on fire while refilling a flame lamp in the kitchen, and Leith said “the restaurant was empty, I had to marshal waiters to try and look like customers, try and look like what looked like sophisticated, smart customers. The waiters were all clicking their fingers at their colleagues, who weren't actually being waiters.”

Princess Diana was just 19 years old when she got engaged to King Charles. When the pair married on July 29, 1981, Diana had just turned 20; at the time, Charles was 32. As a result, the couple learned to navigate their age gap, and according to Diana, she sometimes felt like a child within the Royal Family.

In a letter written to former classmate Katherine Hanbury in September 1981, Princess Diana discussed a myriad of topics, including her recent honeymoon with Charles.

"We had a blissful honeymoon with endless sun and luckily calm seas," Diana shared (via the Telegraph). "[W]e are now up in Scotland until the end of October, which is a big treat for us—I adore being outside all day and hate London!"

Diana also praised her husband in the letter, writing, "[It's] wonderful being married—I think [it's] safe to say that after two months!"

As for how she felt about joining the Royal Family, Diana told Hanbury, "[It's] a case of playing with grown-ups!"

The letter, along with a collection of other memorabilia, is set to be auctioned by Gorringe's Fine Art and Interiors in July 2026.

Of the sale, Gorringe's books and manuscripts specialist, Albert Radford, told the Telegraph, "This intimate archive offers a rare glimpse of Diana, Princess of Wales, before duty and fame had the final say."

Radford continued, "She appears here as a young woman suspended between love and history—hopeful, unguarded, and not yet entirely claimed by the institution that would come to define her. In these small, fragile traces, innocence lingers—along with a quiet stubborn belief in something as simple and elusive as love."

Queen Elizabeth remains loved by people around the globe. When she died on September 8, 2022, tributes poured in from royal fans worldwide. Even though the late monarch is remembered positively for a smorgasbord of reasons, she wasn't without her flaws, per one royal expert.

Writing for the Express, deputy royal editor Rebecca Russell referenced a memo from 2000 released earlier this week, which revealed that Queen Elizabeth lobbied for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's role as trade envoy. The former Duke of York would go on to become the U.K.'s special representative for international trade and investment between 2001 and 2011.

"[E]very legendary leader has to have a tragic flaw," Russell wrote for the Express. "Achilles had his heel. Othello was plagued by jealousy. Caesar had Brutus. And Queen Elizabeth II? She had Andrew."

Importantly, Russell celebrated the late monarch's many successes and the fact she "weathered countless storms," "economic crises," and multiple Royal Family dramas.

"She truly was impeccable; there will never be another like her, and she'd be a daunting act to follow for anyone," the royal expert noted. "But in the same breath, it's not treacherous to admit that she had a blind spot."

Of course, no-one is perfect. But Queen Elizabeth's so-called "flaw" allegedly allowed her disgraced son to benefit from his royal status.

As Russell explained, "It's just unfortunate that her [flaw] came in the shape of a second son with an insufferable sense of self-entitlement and a stalwart refusal to show even the faintest whiff of sympathy for the suffering of others, namely [Jeffrey] Epstein's victims, despite being given every opportunity to do so."

Russell called the release of additional details about Queen Elizabeth's undying support for Andrew as "the ghost of that unconditional love." When it came to the former duke, Queen Elizabeth was reportedly committed to providing him with many opportunities, along with her unending assistance, to her own detriment.

Scotland was a place that remained close to Queen Elizabeth’s heart her entire life, and now her private rooms at the Palace of Holyroodhouse are open to the public for the first time. The Royal Collection Trust announced on May 21 that the late Queen’s personal apartments at the Edinburgh palace will be open for 100 days to celebrate what would’ve been her 100th birthday—and one detail gives a small insight into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s personality.

The former Duke of York has a fondness for stuffed animals, especially teddy bears, and former staff members have shared his very specific requests for how they’re arranged on his bed. It turns out the late Queen had her own teddy rules, as the Palace of Holyroodhouse’s curator, Emma Stead, told Hello!

Visitors to the palace will see a small bear wearing a tartan scarf and hat on the sofa in Queen Elizabeth’s private apartments, and the outlet shared that the late monarch named him Haddington after the town of the same name in Scotland.

“The Queen was given him as a gift and after that she asked that whenever she arrived here, he be placed in that particular position on the sofa awaiting her arrival,” Stead said. “She had a few personal objects that she liked to be placed quite precisely.”

Another curator, Richard Williams, said that staff members would reference photos of the rooms so they knew everything was put back where the late Queen wanted it.

“All we can say is the Queen was very particular and that [the bear] always would have gone there,” Williams said, adding, “I know from staff colleagues in Windsor that if they were going to redecorate her private rooms, they would take photos of everything so that they could put things back in the exact spot.”

The photo trick was something Andrew used for his own teddies, as former royal police officer Paul Page revealed in the ITV documentary Ghislaine, Prince Andrew And The Paedophile (via The Sun).

Page said that Andrew’s bed “had about 50 or 60 stuffed toys positioned and there was a card in a drawer. It was a picture of these bears all in situ. The reason for the laminated picture was that if those bears weren't put back in the right order by the maids, he would shout and scream.”

Former Buckingham Palace maid Charlotte Briggs also discussed Andrew’s teddy specifications during an interview with the Sun in 2022. “As soon as I got the job, I was told about the teddies and it was drilled into me how he wanted them,” she said. “I even had a day's training. Everything had to be just right. It was so peculiar.”

“The teddies had to be in a particular order on his four-poster bed, from the biggest at the back, down to the smallest at the front,” Briggs revealed. “All 72 of them.”

Fortunately, Queen Elizabeth only had one bear, and shouting and screaming wasn't quite her style.

Documents that reveal Queen Elizabeth’s stance on former Prince Andrew’s U.K. trade envoy role have been released, and the papers include some unusual demands made by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Copies of the documents were published in the Daily Mail on May 21, and a letter addressed to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and Secretary of State shows that it was “The Queen’s wish” for Andrew to replace the Duke of Kent as a U.K. trade envoy.

The 2000 letter, written by Sir David Wright, Chief Executive of British Trade International, details a conversation Wright had with Queen Elizabeth’s private secretary. “The Queen is very keen that the Duke of York should take on a prominent role in the promotion of national interests,” the letter reads, adding that “no other member of the Royal Family would be available” to take the position on.

Another letter, written by Kathryn Colvin, Head of Protocol Division, revealed the former Duke of York’s preferences when related to traveling on behalf of the U.K. She noted that his private secretary told her that Andrew “tended to prefer the more sophisticated countries, particularly those in the lead on technology”—but the rest of the sentence is redacted from the document.

As for the types of engagements he wanted to attend, Colvin said that Andrew “was particularly good on high-tech matters” along with events related to young people, but preferred “ballet rather than theatre.”

Although Andrew has been a passionate golfer for years, his private secretary made one very specific request related to his trade envoy work. “Captain Blair particularly asked that The Duke of York should not be offered golfing functions abroad,” the letter said. It continued that even if “he took his clubs with him,” Andrew “would not play in any public sense.”

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office after e-mails allegedly showed that he shared confidential documents with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

A spokesman for the government said that more documents will be released in due course, and although Andrew did not have business experience, there was “no evidence that a formal due diligence or vetting process was undertaken, and there's no evidence that this was considered.”

The Queen Mother was known for her love of a good drink—especially a gin and Dubonnet—and although her daughter, Queen Elizabeth, wasn’t quite as enthusiastic of a drinker, she did enjoy when dinner parties became a bit spirited. Former royal butler Julius Smith says that the late Queen enjoyed “gossip” and she had a sure-fire way of getting people to open up.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Smith said that Queen Elizabeth had a “mischevious way” to loosen lips. “She used to love to gossip,” he revealed, adding that the monarch would make sure that all of her guests’ wine glasses were full at all times. The outlet reported that the late Queen wouldn’t accept an un-topped glass, “even if they attempted to stop the pouring with their hands.”

“She would say to pour it in through their fingers!” Smith said.

However, the former butler added that Queen Elizabeth’s lifestyle wasn’t as “boozy” as the Queen Mum, who reportedly drank up to 70 alcoholic drinks per week. “She certainly wouldn’t be drinking and things like that as part of the routine,” Smith said of the late Queen, stating that was “more the Queen Mother.”

As for King Charles, Smith said that the monarch prefers “Earl Grey or chamomile tea with honey already stirred in before it even reaches him.” He added, “You don’t need to waste his time offering things and asking questions because you already know what he likes.”

Like his late mother, The King is “not a big eater at all” and goes for modest meals, Smith shared. “She was very keen on white bread with jam and butter,” he said of the late Queen, referring to her favorite “jam penny” sandwiches.

As former royal chef Darren McGrady previously revealed, the sandwiches are “cut into circles the size of an old English penny,” and the late Queen enjoyed eating them her entire life—reportedly with a side of gossip.

Lady Louise Windsor is currently working at The Royal Windsor Horse Show, where she is following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Louise has also stolen one particular item from mom Duchess Sophie's closet for the occasion.

After borrowing Princess Kate's Holland Cooper sweater earlier in the week, Lady Louise appeared to raid her mom's wardrobe to take part in the Pol Roger Meet of the British Driving Society on Sunday, May 17.

As well as wearing her own Laurence Coste Leonidas Two Coin Gold Earrings, Lady Louise donned a pink wide-brimmed hat for the occasion. The young royal accented the hat with a brat green ribbon-like scarf, swapping out her mom's previous choice.

Duchess Sophie has worn the smart hat on numerous occasions, including to attend the Coral Gold Cup Meeting at Newbury Racecourse in November 2025 with husband Prince Edward. However, instead of a green scarf, Duchess Sophie adorned the hat with a fuchsia pink ribbon.

As well as borrowing a hat from her mom, Lady Louise is following in grandmother Queen Elizabeth's footsteps with her foray into working with horses.

Queen Elizabeth was known for her love of horses and was seen carriage driving on many occasions.

As a result, Lady Louise's decision to take part in The Royal Windsor Horse Show once more, and embrace its many events, shows that she's taking after her grandmother in an important way. And when it comes to Lady Louise's style choices, Duchess Sophie better keep an eye on her closet.

As monarch, Queen Elizabeth knew what was expected of her, and very rarely stepped out of line. In his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, author Gyles Brandreth, a longtime friend of the Royal Family, explored the many facets of the late Queen’s personality. Even though the monarch was actually very reserved, the biographer revealed she did have a more cheeky side.

After showing a draft of his book to TV personality and historical advisor Alastair Bruce, who shared a warm relationship with the late Queen, Brandreth wrote that Bruce thought he’d missed out on one key trait of Queen Elizabeth’s. “Her shyness,” he said. “She really was very shy—and used talking about her dogs and her horses to deflect from her shyness.”

Fellow royal biographer Robert Hardman also noted that the late Queen also “found it easier to discuss emotions through animals” in his upcoming book, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story. But dogs aside, Bruce shared one hilarious story that showed Queen Elizabeth’s ability to toe the rules just a bit.

“I asked him if she was every naughty—if she ever broke the rules,” Brandreth said of his conversation with Bruce.

“‘Well,’ he said, ‘when she was ill, on doctors’ orders she was told to cut back on milk, so when tea was served, looking mischievous, she would take her teaspoon and dip it into the milk jug and then use the teaspoon to give her tea a quick swirl.”

It's certainly not the most defiant move a royal has made—not even close—but Brandreth noted that the late Queen "accepted her lot in life" and "did not kick against the pricks." However, every once in a while, even The Queen needed to push back against the expected...even if it was just a splash of milk.

Queen Elizabeth famously called Prince Philip “her strength and stay,” and despite being vastly different people, the couple’s 73-year marriage served as a strong example to her children and grandchildren. However, that doesn’t mean the late Queen shared the same interests as her husband—or that he was a huge fan of hers.

In his biography Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, author and friend of the Royal Family Gyles Brandreth wrote that “Philip regularly boosted the Queen’s morale by telling her how lovely she looked and how well she was doing.” But Brandreth added that the two “had separate hobbies and enthusiasms” over the course of their marriage.

Noting that Queen Camilla and King Charles “have more in common” than the late Queen and Prince Philip, he wrote that the late Duke of Edinburgh “found his wife’s corgis infuriating.”

Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, also worked for the late Queen in the early days of his career. In his second memoir, The Royal Insider, he weighed in on Prince Philip's opinion on the corgis.

“Like many animal lovers, The Queen liked having her dogs in the bedroom—even in bed with her. Prince Philip, who did share a bed with his wife, was not so keen and would mumble about 'those bloody dogs',” Burrell wrote.

As for the late Queen’s equestrian pursuits, Prince Philip might have been a competitive carriage driver, but “did not share her passion for horse racing,” Brandreth wrote. One of the biggest events on Queen Elizabeth’s calendar was Royal Ascot, and she would attend multiple days of the British horse racing spectacle. The late Duke of Edinburgh, however, wasn’t as enthusiastic.

“At Royal Ascot he would do his duty, accompanying the Queen along the course in her open carriage, but once they were there, he would either race back to Windsor Castle by car or disappear into a room at the back of the Royal Box to watch the cricket,” the author revealed.

However, as Prince Philip himself once told Brandreth, the late Queen took it all in stride. “She is infinitely tolerant,” the Duke of Edinburgh said, “and forgiving.”