How could anybody out walking (in England) come upon this face and not recognize her? Well, according to a cute story I found said it happened in 2005 and I share it with you for your reading pleasure:

Richard Griffin, a former royal protection officer, shared this anecdote about a time when he and Queen Elizabeth met two American hikers who did not recognize her while walking near the Balmoral Estate in Scotland.  The Queen was dressed in typical off-duty attire and was not immediately recognized.

One of the hikers spoke with the Queen, sharing their travel plans. When asked where she lived, the Queen mentioned living in London but having a holiday home “just the other side of the hills.”

Upon learning that she had been visiting the area for over 80 years, the hiker asked if she had ever met the Queen. She responded that she hadn’t, but that “Dick here meets her regularly.” 

The tourist then asked Griffin what the Queen was like and Griffin jokingly described her.

The hiker asked the Queen to take a photo of him with Griffin. After she did, they switched and Griffin took a photo of the tourists with the Queen.

As they parted ways, the Queen reportedly expressed her amusement at the thought of the hikers discovering her identity later.

Can you imagine the hikers’ astonishment when they showed off their photos to friends??

Question of the day: Why do so many Americans have such great interest in British royalty?