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The Queen’s secret signals

Posted in Buckingham Palace, Fashion, Monarchy, The Queen on November 8th, 2007
By John - leave a comment!

There’s an interesting little piece on Smaggle Style about the signals the Queen uses to her staff and friends. I’ve not seen them published before.

You can read it here.

31 Responses to “The Queen’s secret signals”

Maybe I’ll try the hook thing for my purse.

By Trudie on November 8th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Where I come from you can get into trouble for carrying a meat hook.

By John on November 8th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I think the hook is a great idea both for the security aspect of keeping your bag close at hand and for keeping your bag clean, sometimes the floor in public places can be less than ship shape. I think it could catch on. (really there was no pun intended!)

By Eliza on November 8th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
In my family we use body language as signals. It is convenient because it does not involve the necessity for accessories, like hooks or handbags. For instance, when my husband pulls on his left ear, it means he wants to leave (the ballet, the symphony, a private party, a wedding) and go home. It works quite well, actually, and since there are only about ten different signals, there have been very few “mixed signals” over the years. Perhaps Royalty are not allowed to touch their ears in public, but if they are, I highly recommend our signal system!

By Gigi on November 8th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Well, Gigi, it’s certainly more civilized than, “This is bloody awful. Let’s get out of here!”

By John on November 8th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
How can I excuse to buy more bags since the Queen has ONLY 20?

By Mikado-watcher on November 8th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
LOL True, John, although I could only imagine Prince Philip saying that, never the Queen. According to well-informed sources, the worst thing Queen Mary was reported to have said was “Well this is a fine kettle of fish!” to indicate her acute disapproval of her son’s abdication of the throne to marry Mrs. Simpson. I have a feeling that Queen Elizabeth II is similarly circumspect in her language.

By the way, John, Hello Magazine has a piece about Kate Middleton being descended from King Edward III and Queen Philippa and to my aghast surprise, they have misspelled the Queen’s name not once, but twice. Is medieval history no longer taught in London? A British publication misspelling the name of a Plantagenet Queen is beyond belief!

By Gigi on November 8th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
… the worst thing Queen Mary was reported to have said was “Well this is a fine kettle of fish!”

You ladies are so civilized, you put us chaps to shame.

I’ll look up the Hello article, Gigi, it sounds interesting.

By John on November 8th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Yes, believe it or not but we all have a royal root somewhere. Many generations of families came from Europe and there’s connections there, only if you look back far enough. Even if your family are here in America. I’m sure my family roots can be traced back to a African royal tribe. It doesn’t surprise me that Kate have royal roots.

I have always found The Queen’s signals interesting. I actually use royal manners as much as I can. It just makes me feel like a great gent.

By Claudius on November 8th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Gigi, I’m amazed that genealogists can trace Kate Middleton’s ancestry back to the 14th century. What kind of records are available that go back that far? I tried tracing my roots and hit a roadblock after three generations back!

By Arthur on November 8th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Hi there!
Thanks for linking me you made my day!
I read about the Queen’s secret signals in a really old Australian magazine I found my Grandma’s house years ago. I think it was Women’s Day or New idea if that helps you at all.
And thanks for the use of your fabulous picture!
Have a great day!
Lady
xxx

By Lady Smaggle on November 8th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
You’d be surprised, Arthur. Especially in England, records of descent from Royal Houses are in fact well-recorded thanks to chroniclers like Froissart, and monastic recorders like the Venerable Bede. One of the reasons that Kate Middleton’s Royal lineage was so traceable is that she is descended from the Percy branch of the Royal Tree. King Edward III and Queen Philippa had fifteen children, I believe, and most of them married into European Royal Houses, as did their offspring. Royal births were well-documented even in the earliest times, as were Royal marriages. Marriages into Ducal houses, like the Percy clan, were well documented because they were large landholders and part of the monarch’s significant power base, monetarily and militarily.

By Gigi on November 8th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Apparently, Gigi, I don’t descend from Royalty. My family records disappear after three generations.

By Arthur on November 8th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
That may be because the church where your family records were recorded burned, relocated, or perhaps the city records were destroyed. It could also be a misfiling, a mistake in spelling or any number of things. Keep trying, Arthur. Families don’t just disappear. We all go back at least to Noah and his children, after all.

By Gigi on November 8th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
I wonder if Kate and Pippa’s friend George, Earl Percy was helpful in unconvering this! He could certainly open up the information about the family tree. This certainly seems better that the coal miner story. Also, I have to admit I did get a laugh about the hook. I think that it is something from her era. I have a great aunt about her age, VERY formal, and refuses to set her purse down when eating. I’ve always thought it was just her!

By Cate on November 9th, 2007 at 12:53 am
I know how bad it can be when you are trying to trace your family roots. Things can get lost but they are there somewhere. We may not be indirect line to a throne but there is a royal root there. I have always considered myself royalty because I am a child of God, who is a King so that gives me and everybody a royal status.

By Claudius on November 9th, 2007 at 1:22 am
Cate, my Great Aunts would come to dinner and each of them would place their purses in their laps and drape their napkins over the purses. My Grandmothers would do the same thing. These women were born in the late 1870’s to mid-18880’s and were very Victorian as a result. My Father would say “Mother, if there is anything you need from your purse, I will go get it for you. Just leave it on the table in the living room.” My aghast Grandmother would say “Dear boy, under no circumstances would I ever open my purse during dinner!” But she kept her purse on her lap nevertheless. I must admit that I do the same.

By Gigi on November 9th, 2007 at 3:35 am
Like most people Kate has a complex lineage. The link with the Dukes of Northumberland confirms that northern strain — the connections with Leeds and middleclass lawyers and local dignitaries, and one strand that came from coalmining stock.

All of our records will be online by 2009. There are already two privately-owned websites that trawl this data now.

We also have a regular programme on the BBC called, Who Do You Think You Are? Each week it takes a well-known person back through their roots. The last one was Matthew Pinsent, our Olympic rower, who was astonished to find he was a direct descendant of King Edward 1, the Black Prince and had some very starry recent forebears too. It was wonderful watching this unfold together with his delight and amazement.

I think Kate Middleton should get on that show. It would draw a huge audience.

By John on November 9th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Lady Smaggle, it’s a pleasure, and thanks for the tip on where the information came from.

Incidentally, your comments should go through without moderation now.

By John on November 9th, 2007 at 10:14 am
wanted to comment on how beautiful the Queen looks in both pics. I’ve always thought she was very pretty. Still is.

By Mary on November 9th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
I was just reading up on that Kate has officially left her job at Jigsaw. She wouldn’t leave a job that was created for her by the friends of Prince Charles for nothing. She wants to be a phtotographer but for some reason, I feel something exciting is about to happen.

By Claudius on November 9th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I agree with you, Claudius. Maybe an announcement of Kate and Prince William’s engagement at Christmas? On the other hand, all the reports are that Prince William wants to wait to settle his future until his miliary commitments end in 2009. I still believe these matters mesh somehow. They could announce the engagement at Christmas and take a year to plan the wedding (not at all a long time tp prepare for a wedding of such size and importance) and then the fetes that accompany a Royal wedding, and the wedding itself, could be any time that was wished after the end of the Prince’s military commitment.

By Gigi on November 9th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Gigi, you and I are thinking the same thing. I have my fingers crossed.

By Claudius on November 9th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Gigi, until the day she died, my Grandmother never left the house unless she was wearing a dress, hat and gloves, even if she was just going to the market. You can imagine her horror at seeing us “youngins” wearing jeans to church on Sunday. I’d say “Grandma, God is just happy we are here.” She would give me this sly look and reply “God would be a lot happier if you were dressed properly.”

By Arthur on November 9th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
My Grandmothers did the same, and my Mother also never left the house without a veiled hat, dress and gloves. My sister and I wore white gloves, hats and dresses to town, to church, to concerts and to the ballet, or out for dinner, from the age of 4. Of course things are less formal now, but my daughter never wears even a nice pant suit to church, she wears dresses or suits, as do I. Some of these habits of a lifetime continue on.

By Gigi on November 9th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
I’m from Panama….. but my last name is Spanish…. its harder for me… lol….. although my great great grandfather was President of Panama… hahahaha

By Ziny on November 10th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
I completely agree with your posible ‘timetable’ of events Gigi but am still waiting for her first public appearance with the Queen. I have to admit though to being a little concerned about her adverse press following leaving Jigsaw, not being employed and possibly being a photograoher!
Prince William is to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph tomorrow, wouldn’t it be splendid if Kate were to join the royals watching the event but I am afraid this might be too high a profile event too soon.
Still you can but hope-fingers crossed again but I bet his mother will be watching him with pride.

By Royalist on November 10th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Yes Diana will be watching tomorrow, I just know it. It’s so moving to know that Diana is gone in the flesh but her spirit is always felt in London and around the world. She and Prince Charles prepared William & Harry for the future so well. I’m sure Kate will appear with The Queen soon. I was concerened when Kate left the job as well but I know she wouldn’t have left a job like that for nothing. That would have been a bad move. I think something private is going on and the media and public is left alittle confused but I’m sure William & Kate will let us all know something soon. I really do support her on opening a gallery. It’s a great idea. As I said before, my fingers are crossed about Kate attending one of these great events this year. But don’t forget, next year is full of promise.

By Claudius on November 10th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
John, I saw that programme about Matthew Pinsent, it was so exciting. In some ways he is a more direct descendent than the present monarchy but i am sure he is a very loyal subject and won’t be starting a civil war! Him being made a Sir and all!

By Eliza on November 10th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
I think Matthew is a gentleman, Eliza.

By John on November 10th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
He absolutely is! I was very impressed with him and his parents, they seemed like lovely people.

By Eliza on November 13th, 2007 at 9:28 pm