Sally Bedell Smith, the Queen’s biographer, claimed the monarch lets her guard down around close company at Sandringham Estate. She added the Queen is “much livelier” than expected in private, and can be quite self-deprecating.
While staying at Sandringham, the Queen is more relaxed around guests, according to Ms Bedell Smith.
Quoting a friend of the Queen, she said: “‘You can hear her laugh throughout that big house.”
She then remarked about how the Queen “has a big laugh!”.
The biographer also shared stories of the Queen’s jokes to friends in private, and added she “is much livelier in private than what the public sees”.
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While the Queen usually strikes a serious tone in public appearances, occasionally she fires a quick-witted retort.
Richard Griffin, the monarch’s former protection officer, recalled when a group of American’s approached the Queen in Balmoral not realising who she was.
When they asked “have you ever met the Queen”, she said “no, but he has”, pointing to Mr Griffin.
