Royal warning: The one 'worrying' sign to look out for when Queen is out - 'Really bad'
ROYAL fans have been told to beware of a "worrying" signal should they ever meet the Queen as experts exposed the "secret code" Her Majesty uses to ask for help.
Queen uses handbag signals to 'alert' staff says expert in 2018
The Queen has long been known for her composure in the face of a variety of social engagements over the course of her 66 years on the throne. But because of her usually calm demeanour, royal experts have claimed Her Majesty and her aides have come up with a "secret code" to keep the Queen from being stuck too long talking with certain people. And some of the signals included in the code are particularly "worrying", according to royal historian Hugo Vickers.
Speaking to People, Mr Vickers said: "It would be very worrying if you were talking to the Queen and saw the handbag move from one hand to the other.
"It would be done very nicely, someone would come along and say, ‘Sir, the Archbishop of Canterbury would very much like to meet you.'”
Political reporter Annabell Crabb also picked up on the significance of the Queen's handbag following the appointment of George Brandis as the new Australian High Commissioner to the UK in 2018.
Commenting on the meeting between the Queen and Mr Brandis after he took on his new role, Ms Crabb said: "The handbag is really the only kind of code that the Queen can use in public to alert her attendants and friends as to what’s going on.
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"If she’s tired of somebody, and needs to be rescued in a social situation, she’ll do something discreet with her handbag.
"If she’s standing up, and has got her handbag over one arm, she’ll switch it to the other arm and that’s the cue for some lady-in-waiting to bustle up and say, ‘excuse me, you are urgently needed to speak to the Archbishop of Canterbury'."
She continued: "When George Brandis met the Queen in the audience room, the bag was placed and remained on the seat, which is a good sign.
"It means, ‘I don’t need rescuing'."
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Ms Crabb added: "If it had been on the floor, that would be really, really bad. It means, ‘get me out of here stat.’
"And if it’s on the table, it means, ‘I’ll give this person another five minutes and then get me out of here'."
The Queen is hardly ever seen without one of her signature bags and royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith in 2012 revealed Her Majesty always makes sure to have £5 and £10 notes to donate when she heads to church on Sunday.
Former ladies-in-waiting have also revealed in the past Her Majesty always carries her favourite lipstick as well as kleenex and a comb.
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Royal author Phil Dampier, the writer of 'What's In The Queen's Handbag And Other Royal Secrets', also suggested the Queen always has a collection of keepsakes gifted to her by her family.
Mr Dampier wrote: "A collection of good luck charms given to her by her children, including miniature dogs, horses and saddles, clutter up the bag."
And one of the Queen's cousins from her mother's side, Jean Willis, was quoted in The Lady magazine saying a portable hook is also included in the numerous knickknacks hidden in the Queen's handbag.
Ms Willis said: "I watched the Queen open her handbag and remove a white suction cup and discretely spit into it.
“The Queen then attached the cup to the underside of the table. The cup had a hook on it, and she attached her handbag to it.”