Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Rosaleen Fenton

Queen's prank on American tourists who didn't recognise her leaves people in stitches

Despite her worldwide fame, it seems the Queen can get away without being recognised on occasion.

As many Brits enjoy four days off to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee and the Queen's 70-year-reign, one story of her Majesty's jokes has gone viral.

Former protection officer Richard Griffin went viral after sharing what happened when two American tourists failed to recognise the Queen after they met her walking on her Scottish estate.

Speaking to Sky News, he told how the 96-year-old monarch had been out for a stroll on the grounds of Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland when she came across two hikers.

The Queen was in a headscarf (Getty Images)

Follow live update's from the Queen's Jubilee on our blog - here.

At the time, she was dressed down in tweeds and wearing a headscarf - so the duo didn't recognise her.

He said: "There were two hikers coming towards us and the Queen would always stop and say hello. It was two Americans on a walking holiday and it was clear they hadn't recognised her, which was fine."

"The American man asked her if she lived in the area to which she replied that she did indeed have a house nearby.

"She said that she lived in London but had a house just over the hill, and he asked how often she had been coming up here.

"She said she'd been coming up for more than 80 years and you could see the cogs were ticking. He said: 'Well if you've been coming up here for 80 years, you must have met the Queen?'

"As quick as a flash, she said 'Well I haven't but Dick here meets her regularly.' So the guy asked me what she was like.

"And because I was with her a long time, I could pull her leg, so I said she could be very cantankerous at times, but she's got a lovely sense of humour.

"Anyway the next thing I knew, this guy comes round, puts his arm around my shoulder, and before I could see what is happening, he gives his camera to the Queen and asks her to take a photo of us.

"Anyway, we swapped places, I took a photo of them with the Queen, we never let on and we waved goodbye. Then Her Majesty said to me that she'd love to be a fly on the wall when he shows these photos to his American friends and hopefully someone tells him who I am."

The tweet went viral, with one fan writing: "On a weekend of Queen anecdotes, this won't be matched. Just lovely."

Another said: "Wouldn't it be great if they tracked these hikers down and had them meet the Queen again."

Pick up your collector's edition OK! Magazine Platinum Jubilee Special - in all good newsagents and online now for just £9.99.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.