As the Queen celebrates her 96th Birthday, we look back on the time she reportedly played a prank on some American tourists while on a walk around Balmoral.
Her Majesty is very fond of spending time on her Aberdeenshire state, sharing a passion that began with Queen Victoria and has seen multiple generations of the Royals spending their summers in Scotland.
According to one story recounted by her protection officer to the Times newspaper, the Queen was dressed down on one of her many walks on the estate.
Wearing a simple headscarf, her Majesty and her party encountered a group of American tourists.
Totally clueless, the second group asked the Queen if she stayed nearby after they struck up a conversation.
And, after confirming to them that she did indeed live nearby, the curious tourists asked her if she had ever met the Queen herself.
Her protection officer Richard Griffin, who has been responsible for the Queen’s safety for more than 30 years, stated that Queen Elizabeth, showing a keen sense of humour, simply pointed to him saying: "No... but this policeman has."
Mr. Griffin added that the Americans then carried on on their route, unaware of who they had just spoken to.
Balmoral is a special place for the Queen and is where she and Prince Philip spent part of their honeymoon in 1947.
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