A stone's throw away from St James's Palace, a group of HELLO!'s most ardent royal fans gathered for an exclusive event celebrating the life and legacy of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
As more than 60 readers sat down inside Browns Covent Garden's private dining area, The Judge's Court, our hosts of A Right Royal Podcast – Andrea Caamano, Emily Nash, and Emmy Griffiths – took their seats alongside our guest, royal author Robert Hardman, for a special live recording of an episode that is exclusively available for our VIP members.
© Alex IngramThe subject of the episode was Her Late Majesty, whose centenary falls on 21 April marking 100 years since her birth. The timing was also particularly apt as Robert was celebrating the publication day of his new book, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, which is the fifth he has written about the late Queen in two decades.
"I've had a wonderful morning here at Browns Covent Garden with lots of HELLO! readers and staff," Robert said after the event. "And it's publication day for me, so what a great way to start. I'm a very happy author."
Anecdotes about the late Queen
Robert, who is the only biographer to have interviewed all senior members of the royal family, was able to answer the question on everyone's lips, "What was the late Queen really like?" And more. He captivated the audience with unheard stories, such as the time the late monarch suffered from "nervous exhaustion" in 1969 and took to her bed. The palace claimed she had "summer flu" when in fact she was at breaking point.
However, her overarching sense of duty and renowned stoicism were brought up from the start of our conversation, when Robert pointed out the time that the late Queen discovered an intruder in her room at Buckingham Palace – and how she went on to carry out an investiture at 11o'clock that morning.
© Alex IngramRobert also clarified other well-known reports, such as the notorious "Tiaragate" episode, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex fell out with the late Queen's dresser, Angela Kelly. Our podcast host and Entertainment Editor, Emmy Griffiths, said: "It was so interesting to have an insight into what the Queen actually thought and felt about the Sussexes' exit from the royal family. At the time, there was so much speculation, and every single news outlet was covering it and reporting different things.
"So, the fact that she still had that sense of humour during what was obviously a really challenging time in the monarchy, and her quip about how she knew they weren't coming back because they'd 'taken the dogs', I think it just shows how she always maintained that sense of humour through every situation. And it was really interesting to see a little behind the curtain of what it was like for her during that time."
Meanwhile, our Royal Editor and podcast host Emily Nash particularly enjoyed hearing about the late Queen's earlier years on the throne: "I really loved hearing Robert talk about how the late Queen managed herself as a young woman in a man's world. I thought that was absolutely fascinating."
© Alex IngramThe thorny issue of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was also unpicked by Robert and our podcast hosts, including Robert's extraordinary revelation that the ex-Prince came to blows with the Master of the Royal Household after he was unable to secure a room for a business meeting.
Q&A and book signing
After the wide-ranging conversation, which can be played back in full by becoming a VIP member, we opened the floor to our audience members, many of whom had come from far to attend the special event. "I really enjoyed hearing the questions from the readers and what it was that they wanted to know," HELLO!'s Chief Content Officer, Sophie Vokes-Dudgeon, said. "And one of the questions about the Queen and the corgis was particularly brilliant and resulted in a story about how the Queen used to keep a little silver tray of corgi biscuits on her dining table. I thought that was very cute."
© Alex Ingram
Our readers also had the chance to speak to Robert as he signed books, making friends with each other as they stood in line. "My highlight was meeting some of our loyal listeners, who have been with us since the beginning of the podcast, but also hearing them laugh and just enjoy themselves," our podcast host and Digital Content Director, Andrea Caamano, said. "I also loved meeting one of the listeners who said that she'd met wonderful people today and that she'd made lots of new friends, which I think is 100 per cent the point of all of these events."
Luxury goodie bag
Audience members also went home with a luxury goodie bag including Clarins hand and nail treatment cream, Elizabeth Arden eight hour cream, Floris Bergamotto Di Positano fragrance, Simple repair + serum, Yardley English lavender soap, and Bronnley lemon soap, as well as our special keepsake issue, Queen Elizabeth II: A Centenary Tribute.
© Alex Ingram
© Alex Ingram
© Alex IngramNext event
If you missed out on this event, fear not as we will be hosting another live podcast recording about the late Diana, Princess of Wales. We'll be able to share more details soon, but the event will take place at the end of June in central London. VIP members will get priority access and discounted priced tickets to the event.
How to watch the podcast episode
Want to watch the full conversation and experience the event as if you were there? Become a HELLO! VIP member for exclusive access to this recording and all future events.
