The Queen has been on the throne for 70 years and has gained a reputation not only for her dedication to duty, but for her wicked sense of humour.
Whether it is choosing to cut a cake with a sword instead of a knife or her witty remark to a couple of American tourists when they asked her if she had met the Queen, she is renowned for her love of a joke.
The 96-year-old monarch is a woman with a simple and uncomplicated palette and likes her meals to be packed full of fruit and vegetables.
But it would seem that when she found a rather unexpected guest on her plate, she had a genius response for the palace chefs.
Former palace staff often share rare glimpses into what life is like behind working for one of the most famous families in the world.
From their favourite dishes to hilarious anecdotes, those who have seen the royals behind closed doors have shed some light on what they are really like away from the media glare.
One of the best stories was revealed by the Queen's former servant, Charles Oliver, in his book 'Dinner at Buckingham Palace'.
Oliver revealed that when the Queen and her late husband Prince Philip would eat together, they would keep a notepad next to their plates so they could make notes about the meal and give their feedback to the chef.
The former servant revealed, "Once, on a torn-off top sheet the footmen found the dead body of a slug,” Oliver added that on the note the Queen had written, “I found this in the salad—could you eat it?"
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This is not the only example of the Queen’s brilliant sense of humour that has come to light by a staff member. Angela Kelly has worked for the Royal Family for more than 25 years and is the Queen’s dresser.
She released her book, 'The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe' and it is full of heart-warming anecdotes about their close relationship. In the book, the dresser remembered one hilarious encounter with the Queen on April Fools' Day.
Kelly travelled to Australia in 2006 for the royal tour with the Queen and mentioned that they would see kookaburra birds.
On April Fools' Day, she bought a stuffed toy version of the bird, and convinced a “horrified” Queen that it was a dead one. Having purchased the toy at a nearby market, Kelly then placed it in a bird cage on the balcony outside the royal suite in Governor’s House.
She recalled: “The Queen looked outside and shouted 'It's a kookaburra!' I went to open the cage and she said loudly, ‘No! Don’t do that! It will fly away!
"Turning to her Majesty while trying to keep a straight face, I solemnly told her it was dead. She looked horrified as I walked towards her with outstretched arms and as she took the bird from my hands, she realised I had been winding her up."
The Queen is certainly no novice when it comes to jokes and is reputed to have a brilliant sense of humour. So much so that she had her own cunning trick up her sleeve. Kelly continued: "'April Fool!' I said with a mischievous grin, and she only had two words for me, 'You're sacked!'
"I was laughing uncontrollably as Her Majesty turned to His Royal Highness [Prince Philip] and said 'Do you know what she has just done to me? Angela has had me!'."
