Queen Elizabeth’s role as monarch meant she had to refrain from sharing her opinions on many subjects in case she influenced the thinking of others.
But that didn’t mean she did not have strong views on certain matters, including politics, according to a new book about the palace’s secretive relationship with the government. And although her thoughts weren’t usually made public, she wasn’t shy about telling some people what she thought in private.
The book of secrets
Three years after Her Majesty’s death, some very personal conversations have been repeated in the book Power and the Palace: The Inside Story of the Monarchy and 10 Downing Street by Valentine Low. The revelations include the time she thought former US president Barack Obama outstayed his welcome at a state banquet.
Noticing the American still surrounded by a large crowd after the meal, the Queen told former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, “Will you tell President Obama to go to bed.”
Thankfully, her private secretary Sir Christopher Geidt then stepped in to handle the situation. Many of the details for the book come from George, who crossed paths with Her Majesty many times as a government minister.
George Osborne reveals the Queen’s most candid moments
He says, “I was constantly astonished how candid she was and that none of this came out. She’d be very forthright in telling you what she thought of individuals, including members of her own family, and what was going on in the country.”
George recalls a conversation about the Crown estate, during which the Queen talked about how other (unnamed) royals managed their incomes.
“I remember her sitting there and saying, ‘Well, he’s no good with money.’”
She also thought her son Prince Charles was too political and needed to stop writing letters to politicians about matters he cared about, such as genetically modified food.
The book also recalls how she’d wash the dishes after barbecues were held in the grounds of Balmoral Castle – and also how staff confided in one guest, “Don’t worry, when the plates get back to the castle, they are all put in the dishwasher.”
