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National
Sounak Mukhopadhyay

Queen’s handbag: How she used it to give secret signals

The Queen of England was the only person in the United Kingdom who could legally drive without a license as she didn’t need a license number or a number plate.

Also Read: Prince Harry banned from wearing military uniform at Queen’s funeral - here's why

The Queen spent a lot of time interacting with prominent figures, so the thought that she would use deft means to leave when she was ready to do so seems entirely appropriate for her. Additionally, her staff must have wanted to undertake a lot of security precautions, making concealed handbag signals not only polite but also quite practical.

The Queen would signal to her ladies-in-waiting that she wanted someone to come and interrupt the conversation by switching her purse from one arm to the other, according to Royal critic Kristen Meinzer, who spoke on Newsweek's The Royal Report podcast.

Also Read: Queen’s death: New Zealand may eventually become a republic

The Queen would lay her bag completely flat on the ground if she absolutely intended to leave the situation right away. It appears that the Queen did the same thing by spinning a ring on her finger.

As per media reports, the Queen would set her bag down on the table if she needed to end a supper in the following five minutes. The Queen also had a handy concealed buzzer she could use to tell her guests to depart if she happened to be accepting calls at Buckingham Palace.

Also Read: World leaders asked to 'fly commercial' to Queen Elizabeth II's funeral

She liked her bags to be custom-made, with longer handles, so they wouldn’t snag on her clothes while she was out meeting and shaking hands with scores of people.

The Queen was seen taking out her spectacles and picking her lipstick colour for the day. According to reports, she would also bring a mirror and a banknote worth £5 or £10 for Sunday church donations.

When seeing the Queen, people were advised against hugging her because it was improper to make physical contact until she extended her hand for a handshake.

Fascinatingly, when former first lady Michelle Obama made her first trip to Buckingham Palace in 2011, she was spotted placing her arm around the Queen, which prompted headlines throughout the western world accusing her of violating royal tradition. However, the Queen reciprocated to the display of affection and put her arm around Michelle.

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