Does the Queen have friends?

[joye]

QEII has friends who were USA Ambassador to UK While on State Visit to USA I cannot remember the year she went to Kentucky Derby race with them.

 

[Mirabel]

The Queen is nearly 90; I imagine many of the people she knew best are now deceased.

 

[Blog Real]

I think the actor who played Mr. Bean is a friend of the Queen.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I think the actor who played Mr. Bean is a friend of the Queen.

That would be Rowan Atkinson, and I don't think he would call himself a friend of The Queen.

 

[Skippyboo]

There are several friends of the Queen that I can think of off the top of my head. Their are cousins: Elizabeth Anson, Margaret Rhodes. The Ladys in Waiting: Duchess of Grafton, Mary Morrison and Susan Hussey. She is friends with Monty Roberts the Horse Whispers guy.

Then there were the friends who have passed such as Porchey, Patrick Pluckett, Bobo MacDonald.

It's said that Angela Kelly helps fill the roles that QEQM and Princess Margaret used to do with their daily chats.




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[joye]

QEII has friends who were USA Ambassador to UK While on State Visit to USA I cannot remember the year she went to Kentucky Derby race with them.

The queens Kentucky Derby friend William S Farish 111

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

The Queen has friends. It's probably not as many of them as it was before, because of advanced age. She refers to her friends at the end of this speech.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmjH8jwstF0

 

[Mbruno]

Of course the Queen has friends though most of her friends tend to be titled and from 'her circle.' As for royalty, I do know the Queen is friends with both the Queen of Denmark and Queen Beatrix. In fact, Queen Beatrix was spending the weekend at Balmoral the day Princess Diana died. I also believe she is close to the King and Queen of Norway. She's also very close to the Greek Royal Family.

I didn't know Queen Beatrix was at Balmoral the day Diana passed away. Is that a fact ?

 

[muriel]

I think the actor who played Mr. Bean is a friend of the Queen.

That would be Rowan Atkinson, and I don't think he would call himself a friend of The Queen.

I understand Rowan Atkinson is friends with Charles and Camilla, and has been for some time. He attended their wedding in 2005.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was not at Balmoral Castle on the day that Diana died. In the same month (August 1997) the Queen indeed did spend a vacation with the British royal family, and indeed at Balmoral Castle.

On the day that Diana died, the Queen had a sail event with her private yacht De Groene Draeck. During this strictly private sail event, the Queen was seen in subdued colours and a black pennant was waving in top of her yacht. It was the first "public" royal sign of mourning. By co-incidence Queen Beatrix was also the only Sovereign, at home and abroad, who granted Diana a royal Order (State Visit 1982). The contacts with Prince Charles (and I assume Diana) were close since the Prince of Orange followed his secondary education in Wales, at the Atlantic College in Llantwit Major (Co Vale of Glamorgan).

Pic: HRH The Princess of Wales with the decorations of a Dame Grand Cross in the Crown Order (House Order of Orange): http://theroyalpost.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/pressassocphoto.jpg

Pic: HRH The Prince of Wales welcomes HRH The Prince of Orange (student in Wales): http://www.anp-archief.nl/attachment/246021

 

[Curryong]

I think the Queen would regard her dresser, Angela Kelly, as a friend. Apparently staff at Windsor know when the Queen steps out for an hour or so in the evenings she is more often than not having a cup of tea at Angela's house.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

In The Queen & Her Court, Jerrold M. Packard mentioned that Lord Rupert Neville and his wife Anne were close friends of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
​

 

[Kent_spark]

It is a very good question, and I am sure, she has some close friends. What can they do if they meet? Drink tea? Play cards? Play chess? Speak about gossips... ? As other old women? )) ...

I believe you don't mean gambling. Other than that, I find the above activities quite noble. I imagine the tea is served with low-sugar pastries, some scones with homemade marmalade perhaps. And older women are not the only ones who gossip about other people. Her Majesty probably only talks about her children and grandchildren. These are polite, respectful ladies we are talking about

 

[cepe]

I think the Queen would talk about her horses, the racing, grandchildren in passing, the horses, funny things that happen and horses.

 

[Kent_spark]

Horses are noble animals. I dearly hope Her Majesty is doing well, whoever her close friends are! This is very important to me, as 2014 has been a most devastating year so far. The last days have been horrible again, a grand Dame passes away almost every day. Lebanese singer Sabah yesterday and author P.D. James today Such great ladies! Perhaps it is time for me to depart, too... but the Queen must live on! She is the one who holds this great nation together!

 

[Lee-Z]

I think the Queen would talk about her horses, the racing, grandchildren in passing, the horses, funny things that happen and horses.

...and corgies

 

[Denville]

I believe you don't mean gambling. Other than that, I find the above activities quite noble. I imagine the tea is served with low-sugar :

You don't think the queen gambles. She bets on horses, probably if she plays cards bets on the games...

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The Hon. Margaret Elphinstone and The Hon. Diana Bowes-Lyon were first cousins of Elizabeth II. Even though they were related to the Queen, were they not friends of Elizabeth?

 

[Osipi]

The Hon. Margaret Elphinstone and The Hon. Diana Bowes-Lyon were first cousins of Elizabeth II. Even though they were related to the Queen, were they not friends of Elizabeth?

I think out of all the relatives of HM that I know of, Margaret Rhodes (nee Elphinstone) is perhaps the closest to HM. She was recently seen in documentaries surrounding the Queen's 90th birthday and also has written a book called The Final Curtsey: A Royal Memoir which if you get the chance to read it, is excellent and shows the deep, abiding relationship they've shared over the years.

 

[eya]

Meet the Queen’s best friend, Margaret Rhodes – Royal Central

 

[An Ard Ri]

Meet the Queen’s best friend, Margaret Rhodes – Royal Central

Not only long time friends but also family and all the memories the have!

 

[LionGirl54]

I'm realy sure, she has much friends. We in Norway loves the Queen!

 

[Osipi]

As far as being friends go, I think there's a pretty good relationship going on between Queen Elizabeth and Queen "Daisy" Margrethe. I'd love to be a fly on the wall if and when these two ladies sit down with a cup of tea and discuss their husbands.

 

[duchessrachel]

I would even go as far to wager that Margaret Rhodes is not only the Queen's cousin but a very dear lifelong friend. Margaret recently published a book called "The Final Curtsey - A Royal Memoir" which gives insightful gimpses into Margaret's life with the Queen and the Queen Mother.

The Final Curtsey: A Royal Memoir: Margaret Rhodes: 9781780270852: Amazon.com: Books

This is another book I will add to my list. I imagine it would be 100% trustworthy.

 

[Osipi]

It really is trustworthy in my opinion. Who better to know the Queen and the family than someone that has grown up with and interacted with them for their entire lifetime.

We know that the Queen does not, as a rule, attend funerals but she was right there in the front row for Mrs. Rhodes' funeral not too long back ago. There was only 18 months differences in their age (if I remember right) and they were always pretty close not only as family but as friends.

 

[Curryong]

I'm sure the Queen and Prince Philip have had good friends all through their married life and I'm sure she keeps in touch with extended family on the Bowes Lyon side of the family and those of her bridesmaids still alive and also people who were her longstanding ladies in waiting, now retired. I believe the Queen's Mistress of the Robes for decades is still alive but of a great age.

That's one of the troubles with getting old. Longstanding friends die off and not everyone is as energetic and healthy as the Queen is at 91. Sometimes friends in their 80's and 90's can no longer visit. That's why I think day to day contact with family and people like Angela Kelly, her longterm Dresser is probably very important.

 

[Dee Anna]

I'm sure the Queen and indeed Philip have a range of friends, some closer than others that they share time with. Given her very public role, I'm expect the Queen quite enjoys her own family and indeed her own time too. Don't we all?

 

[burbankstorylady]

One of my favorite parts of the Crown season 2 is the moment when the Queen's BFF, Porchey ("aka Jake Warren's grandpa") is completely unimpressed by Jackie Kennedy. Porchey and HM being the only ones not rushing to see Jackie and JFK enter the palace was the best thing in that episode, imho. They might have been more interested if "Jackie" had been a new thoroughbred!

 

[duchessrachel]

It was so funny to me when in the "Dear Mrs. Kennedy" episode, Prince Philip was so excited over meeting Jackie Kennedy and made the comment of her being "like royalty", or something to that effect.?

 

[Denville]

It was so funny to me when in the "Dear Mrs. Kennedy" episode, Prince Philip was so excited over meeting Jackie Kennedy and made the comment of her being "like royalty", or something to that effect.?

Sounds pretty ridiculous. I'm sure Philip would not have been impressed by Jacquieline Kennedy..