By Rana Meyer
7:26pm PST, Feb 9, 2026
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Queen Elizabeth always had a quiet demeanor and rarely showed when something truly bothered her. On occasion, it did happen — and sometimes it was related to her beloved husband, Prince Philip.
One of the times when her composure slipped was when a photographer stepped in front of her, which is considered a royal rule. The Queen grew visibly irritated as she watched her hubby participate in carriage driving.
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The moment was captured for the 2002 documentary,
The Queen: A Remarkable Life.
Royal expert
Jasmine Carey reported that "the footage showed the late Queen [Elizabeth] walking along and gesturing to crowds of photographers to move out her way. She could be heard asking them: 'Do you mind?'"
While it is not a set-in-stone rule not to walk in front of a monarch, it is believed to be courteous not to do so, Carey said.
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Another time when royal protocol was breached was when President
Donald Trump and First Lady
Melania Trump visited Queen Elizabeth during an official visit to the U.K.
Donald made headlines multiple times after walking in
front of both Queen Elizabeth and
King Charles III on separate occasions.
This led to some backlash, even though Donald did not break any official rules.
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Jasmine Carey said, "It is believed to be more appropriate to walk slightly behind or alongside a monarch, as they are the person with the highest rank."
As reported by Hello!, it is also considered rude to have your back facing a monarch.
Though the royals can sometimes be serious, they also like to have fun. Prince Philip was even known for his
sense of humor, as he would often play pranks on his staff.
The outlet reported that Prince Philip once hid peas in an ornate dragon clock in the Chinese Dining Room. It was the royal's way of making sure the staff were paying attention.
