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The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II
A celebration of Queen Elizabeth's reign through some of her wittiest, most sarcastic, and humorous observations, revealing a fascinating side of her personality that often remains hidden from the public
Never one for false sentiment, the Queen complained, ‘I’m getting fed up waiting for it to arrive’, shortly before the birth of her granddaughter Princess Beatrice.
Prince Philip was even more blunt speaking about his daughter Princess ‘If it doesn't fart or eat hay then she isn't interested.’
Speaking of her sister Margaret’s children, David and Sarah, the Queen quipped, ‘They are not royal. They just happen to have me as their aunt.’
Of her own role following the birth of Prince Charles, Princess Margaret is quoted as saying, ‘I suppose I’ll now be known as Charley’s Aunt.’
When thinking of the Queen, our perception is often one of dignity and authority. She is seen as a serious the British monarch, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and the head of the Commonwealth. But as anyone who has ever met her will tell you, in person she has wicked sense of humor. Occasionally unintentional, like asking guitar legend Eric Clapton, "Have you been playing a long time?," sometimes sarcastic, and at other times downright silly, royal humor touches on every aspect of life, while always retaining a strong sense of dignity.
Never one for false sentiment, the Queen complained, ‘I’m getting fed up waiting for it to arrive’, shortly before the birth of her granddaughter Princess Beatrice.
Prince Philip was even more blunt speaking about his daughter Princess ‘If it doesn't fart or eat hay then she isn't interested.’
Speaking of her sister Margaret’s children, David and Sarah, the Queen quipped, ‘They are not royal. They just happen to have me as their aunt.’
Of her own role following the birth of Prince Charles, Princess Margaret is quoted as saying, ‘I suppose I’ll now be known as Charley’s Aunt.’
When thinking of the Queen, our perception is often one of dignity and authority. She is seen as a serious the British monarch, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and the head of the Commonwealth. But as anyone who has ever met her will tell you, in person she has wicked sense of humor. Occasionally unintentional, like asking guitar legend Eric Clapton, "Have you been playing a long time?," sometimes sarcastic, and at other times downright silly, royal humor touches on every aspect of life, while always retaining a strong sense of dignity.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2015
241 people are currently reading
628 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
July 10, 2017
I am not really sure what possessed me to snap this book up when I saw it was on a 99p deal, but obviously it was a poor purchase as opposed to a deal ! This "book" is little more than a seemingly random collection of quotes, stories and sentences attributed to various members of the Royal Family. Prince Phillip features quite a bit in it, but then he has been so often in the press being so famous for his gaffes ! There is nothing new to be found in this muddled collection and the person who put it together has done so very poorly. I would certainly not recommend it.
June 13, 2015
Nothing much new.
Very disappointed in how little depth this book contained regarding its misleading title. Most of the contents have already been published previously, and didn't just concentrate on the Queen. Many of Prince Phillips' gaffes also have quoted previously, as well as Princess Anne, and Prince Charles. Not worth the price.
Very disappointed in how little depth this book contained regarding its misleading title. Most of the contents have already been published previously, and didn't just concentrate on the Queen. Many of Prince Phillips' gaffes also have quoted previously, as well as Princess Anne, and Prince Charles. Not worth the price.
September 19, 2022
Choppy, quick, interesting little read.
March 1, 2023
Cute little book.
February 4, 2024
I read this for two reasons: one, for research. I have a book planned with a royal main character. Two, I want to learn more about my country's history, and I guess kings and queens are a good place to start. My mum is an avid reader of history and loves books on old kings and queens.
Side note: Prince Philip was an absolute fucking arsehole. What a horrible man.
Side note: Prince Philip was an absolute fucking arsehole. What a horrible man.
September 5, 2019
I am a big fan of our Queen and really enjoyed this book.
It highlights her witty side that the public may not see and you’ll see her in a light hearted way.
Bits and pieces of Prince Philip also with his many gaffs.
This is a little book that you can either graze on or read in one hit. It’s a very quick read as it’s more quotes and interesting peeks into Royal life.
It highlights her witty side that the public may not see and you’ll see her in a light hearted way.
Bits and pieces of Prince Philip also with his many gaffs.
This is a little book that you can either graze on or read in one hit. It’s a very quick read as it’s more quotes and interesting peeks into Royal life.
August 27, 2018
A collection of short anecdotes about Queen Elizabeth II and other royal family members. Though it contains some direct quotes, many of the stories are pure speculation.
Read
November 22, 2022Such a fun and funny book! I loved it!
November 23, 2022
The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II is a humorous collection of anecdotes about Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family. This short book has several entertaining bits that I recommend to readers who enjoy humor and the British Royal Family.
I was not a fan of the book's structure; I listened on audio, and the chapters always came to very abrupt ends, and I enjoyed this less.
⭐⭐⭐
I was not a fan of the book's structure; I listened on audio, and the chapters always came to very abrupt ends, and I enjoyed this less.
⭐⭐⭐
April 22, 2018
I downloaded this book from the public library to my phone as a snack book: something to consume when the books I really want to read aren’t available for whatever reason. This isn’t some sort of healthy snack either; this is complete and total junk food. And not particularly the best kind of junk food either. Still, it served its purpose and whetted my appetite at various times. There is nothing much new here; if you want something meatier, there are heavy biographies galore out there waiting to be read; there is also The Crown. Here was the most interesting passage in the entire book, which sort of sums up the Windsors: “The royal family are all very keen on ice in their drinks but apparently detest the sound of ice cubes chinking. As a result, they have a special machine to produce round ice balls, which make a softer, less irritating noise in the glass.”
February 20, 2018
Fun little read about the Queen. It might be a short read but it's filled with tales of the Quen's sharp wit and sense of humour, with a few tales of the other Royals thrown in for good measure, Royal fans would like this book in my opinion.
February 9, 2018
Intriguing and amusing
February 14, 2018
Am a big fan of the Royal Family and I really enjoyed this book. It’s a quick read with fun facts and stories about the Queen. It highlights her more humorous, witty side that the public may not always see and you’ll see her in a much more down to earth, relatable light. If you’re a fan of the royals you’ll appreciate the behind the scenes antics and funny stories that are shared. Worth a read.
December 16, 2019
3 stars - It was good.
Charming, and included a lot of snippets from other family members as well.
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Favorite Quote: And on the loss of the United States of America: ‘We lost the American colonies because we lacked the statesmanship to know the right time and the manner of yielding what is impossible to keep.’
First Sentence: Even before she was crowned, the Queen always understood that hers was a long-term role, a job for life.
Charming, and included a lot of snippets from other family members as well.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: And on the loss of the United States of America: ‘We lost the American colonies because we lacked the statesmanship to know the right time and the manner of yielding what is impossible to keep.’
First Sentence: Even before she was crowned, the Queen always understood that hers was a long-term role, a job for life.
February 9, 2019
cute one sitting book.
it gives you a glimpse of The Queen that you haven't seen before.
you get some giggles out of it and it has little facts.
it even had a little bit of Prince Phillips one-liners. you know the ones!
it gives you a glimpse of The Queen that you haven't seen before.
you get some giggles out of it and it has little facts.
it even had a little bit of Prince Phillips one-liners. you know the ones!
January 22, 2021
Oh I really love the Queen, and this made me love her even more! Although I did feel as though there could have been a bit less about Prince Philip in there, even though I do love him too. But of course the Queen has a sense of humour, she is only human after all!
April 13, 2017
Brilliant, such a different side to her majesty.
August 9, 2023
odd amount of racism and uncomfortable comments in this book, considering it’s supposed to be *checks notes* funny
March 31, 2024
Fun but more of a history lesson that just wit
October 8, 2021
A cute and eye opening stocking filler for that favourite Republican in your life. Which means something different in the UK.
I bought it for my gran.
It doesn't just cover Liz but all of the Royal family. Especially the gaffe-prone Prince Phillip and his greatest hits. Not much to say about this, other than that.
I bought it for my gran.
It doesn't just cover Liz but all of the Royal family. Especially the gaffe-prone Prince Phillip and his greatest hits. Not much to say about this, other than that.
September 15, 2017
Nice wee read
I enjoyed this. It gave me a wee giggle on the bus to work the last two days. Would recommend
I enjoyed this. It gave me a wee giggle on the bus to work the last two days. Would recommend
February 11, 2022
Nonostante le promesse del titolo al lettore, il testo è solo una vagamente organizzata raccolta di stringatissimi aneddoti (nemmeno tutti interamente umoristici o arguti) a tema reale tra i quali solo una piccola parte riguarda in prima persona Elisabetta II, dato che il resto comprende alcune delle numerose gaffe del fu principe Filippo, episodi relativi ad altri membri della Royal Family, e digressioni che poco c'entrano con quello che dovrebbe essere l'argomentoprincipale .
Quel poco che c'è sarà pure interessante e simpatico, ma purtroppo non basta.
Che peccato.
Quel poco che c'è sarà pure interessante e simpatico, ma purtroppo non basta.
Che peccato.
June 22, 2020
Instead of dates and wars and boisterous leaders I love learning about our history through small vignettes of everyday life; what people ate, drank, drove, how they dressed, how they entertained themselves, etc. “The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II” gives us a glimpse into history through examples of the everyday experience of the British Royal Family. How they spent their holidays, what they ate, their relationship to journalists, all the details of their daily lives are presented through stories of brief moments in their lives that allow them to become a little more normal and a little more real to us. If you enjoy history or stories or royalty you will enjoy this book. I recommend it.
June 9, 2017
A fun and innocuous little book, reminding you that the royal family are still people beneath the pomp and circumstance. The necessity of this book (because QE2 is so private) also makes it wholly ineffectual (we don't really have that much of her wicked wit available to us). But there are amusing anecdotes that were fun to read through.
August 3, 2018
Short and light this book was a bit more about the husband of the queen then actually herself. The anecdotes and quotes are amusing enough but there is not really a story besides the loosely chosen themes and overall the book had little depth and didn’t really gave an other view of the British royal family than that they are very British in their humour and preferences.
January 4, 2019
I'd love to spend a day with Her Majesty when she's candid and 'off duty' as Queen. She seems incredibly funny and personable! The rest of the royal family as well..Oh to be a fly on the wall when they're just together and there's no pressure to be proper!
January 11, 2022
This book, sent to me by family from Great Britain, takes us through the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Not the side we know so well about her, for a change. But the unknown side of The Queen. It turns out that she has a nice dose of humor. I think you should also have that when you have been on the throne for almost 70 years, have endured many highs, but also many lows.
It is therefore a nice book about the queen. It may be a little short, but it’s full of stories about the Queen’s sharp wit and sense of humor. The book also contains a few humorous stories from other Royals, what about Prince Philip who was known anyway for his humor and often thoughtless answers. Royal fans will certainly appreciate this book which dates from 2015 and will read it all with a wink. It doesn’t always have to be a difficult read.
After reading it, of course, the question remains whether it all really happened. We know for sure about Prince Philip, but about the Queen it will mostly be speculation. No announcements are made about this and The Queen never falls out of her role.
The book has hardly been updated for the real Royal fan. We already know many items that pass by. For those who are not familiar with the protocol of The Royal Family, this booklet is useful. It explains exactly how and what to do when you meet The Queen. The same goes for the explanation about her ever-present handbag. The Queen speaks secret language to her staff there with it. Those are fun facts. While reading the book you get some giggles out of it and it has little facts.
The book is an easy read, it contains a few images of The Queen, and it also contains a bibliography for the sources used. A nice addition to the royal book collection.
It is therefore a nice book about the queen. It may be a little short, but it’s full of stories about the Queen’s sharp wit and sense of humor. The book also contains a few humorous stories from other Royals, what about Prince Philip who was known anyway for his humor and often thoughtless answers. Royal fans will certainly appreciate this book which dates from 2015 and will read it all with a wink. It doesn’t always have to be a difficult read.
After reading it, of course, the question remains whether it all really happened. We know for sure about Prince Philip, but about the Queen it will mostly be speculation. No announcements are made about this and The Queen never falls out of her role.
The book has hardly been updated for the real Royal fan. We already know many items that pass by. For those who are not familiar with the protocol of The Royal Family, this booklet is useful. It explains exactly how and what to do when you meet The Queen. The same goes for the explanation about her ever-present handbag. The Queen speaks secret language to her staff there with it. Those are fun facts. While reading the book you get some giggles out of it and it has little facts.
The book is an easy read, it contains a few images of The Queen, and it also contains a bibliography for the sources used. A nice addition to the royal book collection.
October 4, 2022
A solid 3.75
I really enjoyed this book. The Queen seems to have been a delightful, spunky and funny person and I loved seeing these little tidbits of her life (and her families).
The only reason I have marked it as a 3 star and a 3.75 is because the book has a lot of about her royals as well. Not really all about the Queen and her humour. Regardless, I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I picked it up.
“On a walkabout in Scotland, a helpful observer commented that she looked just like the Queen, to which she quickly replied, 'How reassuring.'”
“…[Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip] make a formidable duo and there is no doubt that his support has been vital. The pair are often seen sharing a joke, laughing and swapping comments. That is not to say that it's always plain sailing. During a heated argument with Prince Philip in Australia during their
Commonwealth tour in 1954, the Oueen was filmed 'hurling shoes, threats and sporting equipment, and venting the sort of regal fury that, in another age, would have cost someone their head,' Robert Hardman has written. She later said, 'I'm sorry for that little interlude, but, as you know, it happens in every marriage.'”
“Upon his return from a four-month solo tour of the Commonwealth in 1957-during which time he had grown an impressive array of facial hair - the Duke of Edinburgh was reportedly met by the Queen and a greeting party all sporting false ginger beards.
In his turn, and to mark the many weeks of their separation,
Prince Philip wore a tie decorated with hearts.”
I really enjoyed this book. The Queen seems to have been a delightful, spunky and funny person and I loved seeing these little tidbits of her life (and her families).
The only reason I have marked it as a 3 star and a 3.75 is because the book has a lot of about her royals as well. Not really all about the Queen and her humour. Regardless, I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I picked it up.
“On a walkabout in Scotland, a helpful observer commented that she looked just like the Queen, to which she quickly replied, 'How reassuring.'”
“…[Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip] make a formidable duo and there is no doubt that his support has been vital. The pair are often seen sharing a joke, laughing and swapping comments. That is not to say that it's always plain sailing. During a heated argument with Prince Philip in Australia during their
Commonwealth tour in 1954, the Oueen was filmed 'hurling shoes, threats and sporting equipment, and venting the sort of regal fury that, in another age, would have cost someone their head,' Robert Hardman has written. She later said, 'I'm sorry for that little interlude, but, as you know, it happens in every marriage.'”
“Upon his return from a four-month solo tour of the Commonwealth in 1957-during which time he had grown an impressive array of facial hair - the Duke of Edinburgh was reportedly met by the Queen and a greeting party all sporting false ginger beards.
In his turn, and to mark the many weeks of their separation,
Prince Philip wore a tie decorated with hearts.”
November 8, 2017
Couldn't sleep and found this on my kindle at 4am this morning - must have been a gift or a freebie...? Anyway had finished reading it by 8am so a very quick read! I already knew that the queen has a very quick and clever wit but I don't think it was displayed to best advantage here! I know from my own experience that she is well read and absolutely up-to-date with anyone she is about to meet. She asks some piercing questions to add to her arsenal of background information...
So nothing new here and a bit out of date too, but if you know nothing about the royal family and want an easy introduction with tidbits of gossip then possibly start here!
For insomniacs at 4am it's a fairly easy read but unfortunately it didn't put me to sleep, ma'am would be pleased with that, lol, and if you read the book you'll know that that's ma'am to rhyme with ham!!!
So nothing new here and a bit out of date too, but if you know nothing about the royal family and want an easy introduction with tidbits of gossip then possibly start here!
For insomniacs at 4am it's a fairly easy read but unfortunately it didn't put me to sleep, ma'am would be pleased with that, lol, and if you read the book you'll know that that's ma'am to rhyme with ham!!!
December 28, 2018
An easy little book categorizing quips and observances of the Queen that one would normally not expect. Though the Queen has been doing her job for so long, she surprisingly doesn't offer volumes of these little idiosyncrasies. To make up for her class and tact, Prince Phillip does. The man is a tool, and yes I just called the Duke of Edinburgh a tool, but he's like a cross between a tactless Commandant Lessard from Police Academy and a less-perverted pilot from Airplane. (And he probably DOES make offhand perverted remarks, but those didn't make the book.)
God save the Queen and I'm not even a Brit. Because next up is their son, who is rumored to travel with his own toilet seat.
God save the Queen and I'm not even a Brit. Because next up is their son, who is rumored to travel with his own toilet seat.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews