The Queen never let anyone else carry her umbrella and we understand why

The Queen would insist on always carrying her own umbrella!

Queen carry her umbrella - Queen Elizabeth II shelters under a purple-rimmed umbrella as attends the opening of the newly developed Jubilee Gardens on October 25, 2012 in London, England.
(Image credit: Getty Images/Max Mumby/Indigo)

The late Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly known to refuse offers from gentlemen and staff to carry her umbrella for her and we can understand why!


Former MP and Gogglebox star Gyles Brandreth has revealed the reason why the Queen would never let anyone carry her umbrella for her, even during the rainiest of engagements.

Her late Majesty was known for her ‘independence’, with it even being suggested in her royal signature and would often opt for a no-fuss approach, from carrying her iconic handbag and even her own umbrella. But according to Gyles, she had a very good reason for doing so.

The author revealed the Queen would often refuse offers from men and staff to hold her umbrella over her, for fear of rain trickling down her neck!

The Queen wearing a green dress and holding a green-rimmed umbrella to shelter from the rain

(Image credit: Getty Images/Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/)

Writing in The Oldie Magazine, Gyles recalled the day he first met the monarch as a student at Oxford University, during her visit in 1968, he said, “When she had gone I reprimanded William Waldegrave (the Oxford Union President, now Baron Waldegrave) for not carrying the monarch's umbrella for her as he escorted her across the courtyard in the rain.

"He told me 'The Queen insists on holding her own umbrella - always. If someone else holds it, the rain trickles down her neck'."

The Queen wearing a blue dress and holding a blue and clear umbrella as she visits the new National Tennis Centre, Roehampton on March 29, 2007 in London, England. The Queen is Patron of the Lawn Tennis Association and officially opened the new centre after being given a tour of the facilities.

(Image credit: Getty Images/ Max Mumby/Indigo)

This isn’t the first surprising fact, Gyles has shared about his ‘role model,’ the Queen. In fact, during an interview on This Morning, he revealed that she also had a particular dinner table rule, that applied to her grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

He said, “One of the things she won’t allow at the table with her grandchildren and indeed her great-grandchildren is mobile phones at mealtimes.”

This also comes after King Charles' former butler, Grant Harold revealed her clever trick for getting her dinner party guests quickly seated, recalling how she would actually run down the corridor to hurry her guest along. 

Naomi Jamieson
Lifestyle News Writer

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Lifestyle team and has recently earned her Gold Standard Diploma in Journalism from the NCTJ. She has a background in design, having studied Illustration at Plymouth University but has taken a leap into the world of journalism after always having a passion for writing. She currently writes pieces on beauty, fashion, and entertainment for Goodto.com and My Imperfect Life.