The Queen’s Former Bodyguard Recalls Her Sweet Reaction When A Tourist Didn’t Recognise Her
11 September 2022, 23:02 | Updated: 11 September 2022, 23:20
A video of the Queen’s former bodyguard recalling what happened when two tourists didn’t recognise Her Majesty is going viral.
Following the sad news of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, people are paying tribute to our longest-reining Monarch across social media.
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral on Thursday 8 September, news which brought the world to a standstill.
Amongst the millions of heartfelt homages, one old video has resurfaced, of the Queen’s former bodyguard recalling how she reacted when two hikers didn’t recognise her.
Former royal protection officer Richard ‘Dick’ Griffin was out walking with Her Majesty near to her Balmoral home when they passed two American tourists who struck up a conversation with her.
The hiker asked the Queen where she lived, to which she replied: London.
The royal said she had a holiday home nearby and that she’d been visiting the area for more than 80 years since she was a child.
The tourists were oblivious to whose presence they were in and asked whether she’d “met the Queen”.
Dick recalled to anecdote to Sky News during Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year Jubilee.
“Quick as a flash she said, ‘I haven’t, but Dick here meets her regularly’”.
The hiker asked Dick what Her Majesty was like in person.
He said: “Because I was with her a long time and I knew I could pull her leg, I said ‘oh, she can be very cantankerous at times, but she’s got a lovely sense of humour.”
The tourist then cheekily asked the Queen to get a photo of him with Dick.
“Before I could see what was happening, he gets his camera and gives it to the queen and says ‘can you take a picture of us?’”
The Queen agreed and then Dick took a photo of her with the hikers too.
Later that day The Queen told him: “I’d love to be a fly on the wall when he shows those photographs to friends in America and hopefully someone tells him who I am.”
Queen Elizabeth II died “peacefully” at her home in Balmoral on Thursday, Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement, after having spent 70 years as head of state.
