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By Nick Thomas
The closest I’ve ever come to royalty was holding four kings in a game of poker. As a child, however, growing up in a Commonwealth country in the early 60s, we were dutifully required to sing the British National Anthem during formal school assemblies.
Queen Elizabeth’s final journey to her burial site at Windsor Castle in September was an astonishing event, with over a million people turning out to collectively honor their beloved monarch. Many of us watching the broadcast from afar shared their grief, knowing that none of us would ever again formally hear the regal refrains of “God Save the Queen.”
Since then, many commentators have reminisced about the queen, including tales of her delightful sense of humor which was suitably subtle given her stature. When once asked if she kept a diary and writes it in her own hand, she wryly responded, “Oh yes, I can’t write any other way.”
About the royals and their humor
Throughout the centuries, however, British monarchs haven’t always displayed an overt sense of humor, which is a shame because there were many opportunities to lean toward the lighter side.
For instance, when Queen Elizabeth I was informed in 1588 that the Spanish armada was advancing across the channel, how delightful if she had summoned Sir Francis Drake and playfully suggested, “Drakey, board the invading fleet and hand out haggis and black puddings to the sailors, informing them they are our national dishes. They’ll turn tail and never return.”
Or what about when counselors to Henry VIII raised the issue of marital difficulties? Why didn’t the king declare, “Another divorce? There must be a quicker way.”
Then there was Charles II who didn’t have much to laugh about. Not only was the poor fellow confronted with a Dutch war, but he reigned during the Great Plague of London in 1665 and then, the following year, the Great Fire of London. “It’s not all bad news,” the king could have proclaimed. “Maybe one day they’ll name a spaniel after me.”
Queen Elizabeth II wasn’t the only member of the contemporary royal family to display a grand sense of humor. Her husband, the late Prince Phillip, was a royal wit even in his declining years. After the 2017 announcement of his pending retirement from official duties, he was approached at a function by a man who stated “I’m sorry to hear you’re standing down.” To which the prince responded, “Well, I can’t stand up much longer.”
Fortunately, King Charles III appears to have inherited his royal parents’ sense of humor. During a trip to Rwanda in June, then Prince Charles found himself surrounded by bamboo trees and apparently couldn’t resist: “I feel slightly bamboozled.” In his younger days, the prince even attempted to break dance, jokingly wrestled with bagpipes, briefly assumed the role of a TV weatherman, and donned all manner of silly hats in public.
Queen Elizabeth II will be a hard act to follow. In 1986, when a rowdy protester tossed a few eggs at the queen during a trip to New Zealand, she apparently later remarked “I myself prefer my New Zealand eggs for breakfast.”
Her Majesty, of course, was frequently called upon in distressing times to deliver profound contemplative messages to help her nation, and indeed the world, heal.
If turnabout is fair play, then the queen’s own sober words after the passing of Princess Diana should resonate with all who loved Elizabeth: “No one who knew Diana will ever forget her. Millions of others who never met her, but felt they knew her, will remember her.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, in Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See www.getnickt.org.
