Queen Elizabeth 2nd.

[esoxlucius]

I heard a great story on the radio today told to us by a guy who used to be the queens bodyguard many years ago. I thought it was very poignant and quite funny.

Many years ago the queen was walking through moorland in Scotland, something she used to love doing, she was very outdoorsy.

They were walking along a track and in the distance saw two walkers coming towards them. As they got closer the two walkers struck up a conversation with the queen and her bodyguard.

It became immediately apparent, from their accent, that the two walkers were American, none of which recognised the queen!! Lol.

The queen asked them where they were from, where they were staying etc etc. The walkers told her and then asked her where she lived and how often she came to Scotland.

She replied that she lived in London, though visited her "holiday home" in Scotland whenever she could (her holiday home being Balmoral Castle, though obviously she didn't let on this info to the two travellers, lol).

One of the travellers said, "oh London, I bet you've met the queen then?" The queen replied impishly that she had not, but her "friend" had. One of the travellers thrust his camera at the queen and asked him to take a photograph of himself with the "friend".

The other traveller, as not to leave the "lady" out said that he'd like a photo with her. So the photo was taken, they exchanged further pleasantries and then both couples carried on their separate ways.

The queen and the bodyguard looked at one another and burst out laughing. And the queen said to the bodyguard, "I'd absolutely love to be a fly on the wall when those two show their holiday snaps to their friends and family back home."

I thought that was a brilliant story.

 

[deeda]

I love that story esoxlucius and sure hope it was true!

 

[esoxlucius]

I love that story esoxlucius and sure hope it was true!

Since the queens passing there has obviously been a lot of programmes paying tribute, both on TV and radio.

Some of these programmes concentrate on the publics recollections of her. Whether she opened a school and chatted to kids, or visited hospitals and conversed with patients and staff. Just everyday people who met her, maybe chatted, and she left a long lasting impact on them.

There were many many stories but when her ex bodyguard reminisced about his time in her company, and told that particular story, it just stood out. What a great tale, and yes, I hope it's true too. It's too good not to be true isn't it, lol.

I had to share it with you guys.

 

[jjohnwm]

What an outstanding anecdote!

The Queen of the British Commonwealth goes for a walk, and is escorted by one lone bodyguard. I will assume that this individual was armed (although apparently not obviously), and was likely la creme de la creme of the British SAS, and that it was a singular honour for him to be chosen for this duty...but he's still just one guy equipped with relatively modest weaponry. I'm sure there were more pros involved in this little jaunt, but apparently behind the scenes.

Contrast that to the President of the United States, who can't go anywhere without mobilizing the entire Secret Service, and being surrounded by an entire team of these heavily armed and highly trained professionals...who are also likely being honoured by getting this gig.

If the prez were hiking along a nature trail, regardless of how many armed bodyguards he was with, I very much doubt those two unknowns would ever have been allowed to come within a mile of him; just too risky.

I'm not sure if this is an indicator of the vast philosophical gulf between then and now, or between the U.S. and Britain...or what else. But the contrast is striking.

 

[esoxlucius]

What an outstanding anecdote!

The Queen of the British Commonwealth goes for a walk, and is escorted by one lone bodyguard. I will assume that this individual was armed (although apparently not obviously), and was likely la creme de la creme of the British SAS, and that it was a singular honour for him to be chosen for this duty...but he's still just one guy equipped with relatively modest weaponry. I'm sure there were more pros involved in this little jaunt, but apparently behind the scenes.

Contrast that to the President of the United States, who can't go anywhere without mobilizing the entire Secret Service, and being surrounded by an entire team of these heavily armed and highly trained professionals...who are also likely being honoured by getting this gig.

If the prez were hiking along a nature trail, regardless of how many armed bodyguards he was with, I very much doubt those two unknowns would ever have been allowed to come within a mile of him; just too risky.

I'm not sure if this is an indicator of the vast philosophical gulf between then and now, or between the U.S. and Britain...or what else. But the contrast is striking.

Did you ever see the Bear Grylls episode where he took Barack Obama out into the wilderness so they could do the survival thing which he specialises in?

Whilst the show was on it looked like it was just those two, in the middle of nowhere. In reality, after watching a further documentary on it aired much later, it showed how many people were actually near by, just in case.

The logistics and planning that went into the making of that one episode was mind blowing. There was virtually an army on standby close by, lol.

I do know that the queen had been known to go "walkabout" on her Scottish estate when visiting up there. She'd put her wellies, big coat and head scarf on (no wonder the Americans didn't recognise her!). She'd pop into local cafes for a cup of tea with the locals, lol.

Prince Charles, now our king, used to take himself off into the middle of nowhere and do some salmon fishing too.

It was their way of getting away from it all, being themselves I suppose. Obviously they must have felt safe to do such things.

But you're right when you mention the two Americans walking casually on what was supposedly, royal estate!! I'm not sure how they were allowed.

But at the end of the day, it was just a beautiful story by this guy, he didn't go into the security side of it, I think it would have ruined the story somewhat if he'd have told a tale of the royal snipers killing two American ramblers, lol.

 

[krichardson]

Drunk Justin lol

 

[Ogertron3000]

The funeral was pretty Intense, it was live on every TV channel here.
Part of me thought it was an overblown waste of time and money and a pointless scene from another era but another part of my brain thought it was really cool. All the tradition and ceremony , whoever planned it and coordinated everything did their job well. It went on until 2am our time, my wife watched it all.
During the procession I kept looking at the coffin and thinking how all of this is for1 old lady in that box and how crazy it is.

 

[Friller2009]

It went on until 2am our time, my wife watched it all.

Did the same myself!

 

[esoxlucius]

There was an extra bank holiday for us but I ignored it and chose to work.

I saw a few highlights in the news later that evening and that was enough for me. Totally depressing.

It should have been a celebration of her life. It would have been better if they'd have passed the party hats round and sang such classics as "knees up mother brown" and "my old man's a dustman."

 

[jjohnwm]

All that pomp and ceremony wasn't for one old lady in a box; it was for the institution of royalty.

Again, I am not a royalist by any stretch of the imagination, but I have an appreciation for tradition. The degree of spectacle that the British are able to create in a circumstance like this boggles the mind, and the fact that it is rooted in centuries of history just blows my mind. As was stated numerous times by various reporters and journalists covering the event, nobody else can do this as well as the Brits.

More power to 'em.