The Queen reveals her wish to go unnoticed as she recounts the 'most memorable' night of her life

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published 3 September 2022

While being a royal sounds like a dream job, there is one major thing The Queen wishes was different.

While The Queen's astounding 70 years on the throne have been filled with fabulous balls, memorable events, and star-studded evenings, there is one night that sticks with the Queen more so than any other
A former equerry detailed to a royal expert how the Queen recounted her 'most memorable' evening as monarch to him - and it was one where no one knew who she was
In other royal news, Meghan Markle has revealed a big change for Archie

The Queen is famous around the world for many reasons. People may know her by one of her many titles; the Queen of England, head of the commonwealth or head of the Church of England, or they recognise her by her incredibly vibrant wardrobe or the fact she is the longest reigning monarch in British history.

She is also well-known and adored for her quick-witted sense of humour and love of cheeky sayings that often catch people off guard.

Of course she is also universally beloved for her dedication to royal service. She has always carried out her duties effortlessly and without complaint, but there is one part of her job that the Queen reportedly wishes she could change. Unfortunately, it is a wish that will never come true thanks to her position.

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Royal expert Adam Heliker revealed to The Mirror that he had spoken with a former equerry who told him about a time the Queen spoke candidly with him about her struggles with and wishes for her position.

He said, "The equerry revealed 'One summer day she asked me to join her on a walk at Balmoral. She talked about how irritating it was to go into a party and as she put it, watch people peel away, like the water parting as the bow of a ship ploughed through it.

"'She said she always felt it would be lovely to just slip into a party, wandering around incognito, talking to anyone she felt like. But the thing that most irritated her was the 'inevitable hush' that always greeted her when they saw her walking in'."

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So the Queen wishes that she could go unnoticed from time to time, a relatable and completely understandable quip from one of the most recognisable faces on the planet.

But despite her position, the Queen has managed to be just another face in the crowd once before - on VE Night in 1945. Details of the incognito adventure were revealed by the Queen herself in a 1985 interview for the BBC that aired to mark the 40th anniversary of VE Day.

In the interview, The Queen re-told the evening's events. She reminisced, "I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life.

"We were terrified of being recognised, so I pulled my uniform cap well down over my eyes. A Grenadier officer among our party of about 16 people said he refused to be seen in the company of another officer improperly dressed, so I had to put my cap on normally.

"I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief. I also remember when someone exchanged hats with a Dutch sailor; the poor man coming along with us in order to get his hat back."

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The Queen's cousin Margaret Rhodes was also part of the royal group that famous evening and remembered that at 11.30pm the group "decided to go in the front door of the Ritz and do the conga. The Ritz was so stuffy and formal – we rather electrified the stuffy individuals inside.

"I don't think people realised who was among the party – I think they thought it was just a group of drunk young people. I remember old ladies looking faintly shocked. As one congaed through, eyebrows were raised."

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Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a news writer for Goodtoknow, specialising in family content. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.