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Queens Knickers
A charming, hilariously funny and genuinely affectionate picture book from the acclaimed author/illustrator of JESUS' CHRISTMAS PARTY in which a little girl looks forward to the Queen's visit to her school - and wonders what knickers Her Majesty will choose to wear! Will they be her 'at home' knickers - adorned with corgis - or her garden party knickers, or perhaps her wooly Balmoral ones? Whichever choices from the Official HM Knicker Guide the Queen decides upon, the girl is determioned that the royal visitor will feel at home at her school! Both children and adults will love this very special and endearing insight into a child's imagination.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
4 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Allan
80 books7 followersNicholas Allan is the author/illustrator of over thirty children’s books.
When he was 12 he made a model of a galleon out of a walnut shell which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London.
He wrote his first novel when he was 14, a story about a murder in a school. He sent it to Macmillan who, although they did not accept it, asked to see his next. Nicholas studied painting at the Slade School of Art. During this time he had his first radio play broadcasted by BBC Radio 4. He then completed an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.
Nicholas worked as a waiter, three weeks in a publisher’s office, and as a part-time teacher of a life class before he published his first book, The Hefty Fairy (1989). Since then he has been a full-time writer and illustrator. Many of his books are bestsellers, including The Queen's Knickers, Father Christmas Needs a Wee, Jesus’ Christmas Party, Cinderella’s Bum, Heaven, and Where Willy Went. His books have won awards and been translated into twenty languages. He is also the author of Hilltop Hospital, a book that has been adapted into a BAFTA-winning television series for CITV. The series has been shown in over forty countries.
Nicholas has been the Chairman of the Society of Authors' Children’s Group and has made many appearances on television and radio. He is also the author of The Complete Guide To Gatecrashing and one novel, The First Time.
When he was 12 he made a model of a galleon out of a walnut shell which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London.
He wrote his first novel when he was 14, a story about a murder in a school. He sent it to Macmillan who, although they did not accept it, asked to see his next. Nicholas studied painting at the Slade School of Art. During this time he had his first radio play broadcasted by BBC Radio 4. He then completed an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.
Nicholas worked as a waiter, three weeks in a publisher’s office, and as a part-time teacher of a life class before he published his first book, The Hefty Fairy (1989). Since then he has been a full-time writer and illustrator. Many of his books are bestsellers, including The Queen's Knickers, Father Christmas Needs a Wee, Jesus’ Christmas Party, Cinderella’s Bum, Heaven, and Where Willy Went. His books have won awards and been translated into twenty languages. He is also the author of Hilltop Hospital, a book that has been adapted into a BAFTA-winning television series for CITV. The series has been shown in over forty countries.
Nicholas has been the Chairman of the Society of Authors' Children’s Group and has made many appearances on television and radio. He is also the author of The Complete Guide To Gatecrashing and one novel, The First Time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 17, 2019
I loved loved loved this book as a child so was thrilled when I came across it while book browsing with my own toddler. It’s tongue in cheek but ever so funny and with great illustrations, and my son enjoyed reading it with me.
September 15, 2018
I gave this to a small friend of mine when she was about 6/7, and I think it allowed her to see just how much fun books can be. Really nice drawings of the Queen's knickers.
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March 17, 2016This was one of my all time favourites as a kid. Hilarious story that I still have very fond memories of.
October 13, 2023
We had something in social and no phones were allowed even after you finished so I read the books that were in the classroom. But very interesting.
October 1, 2025
Less good than I remember. S too young for it.
June 18, 2012
I read this to my groups in Nursery just in time for the Queens Jubilee! This story is colourful, cheerful and cheeky! Perfect for helping young children develop an interest in the Royal Family in an amusing context. Young children show enjoyment when looking at the illustrations and various knicker designs. I used this story with a follow on activity which was to design our own knickers themed to an occasion using fabric paints on a sunny day outside, we then made a washing line and put them up! The unique and interesting story of the Queen and her knickers definitely amuses young children and adults alike.
June 19, 2022
A wonderful picture book that we read in Nursery in the build up to the Jubilee. Bright and colourful illustrations with lots for the children to depict and talk about, for example, the corgis!
It provided some great talking points to gage children's knowledge and comprehension, for example, why is the holly christmas knickers the most uncomfortable?
A great book all round which is sure cause many laughs.
It provided some great talking points to gage children's knowledge and comprehension, for example, why is the holly christmas knickers the most uncomfortable?
A great book all round which is sure cause many laughs.
March 23, 2023
It got my knickers in a knot…from laughing!
This is full of wit and imagination and truly answered a lot of questions I had about Her Majesty….it got me wondering with my imagination what that top secret pair in the safe looked like! Armour plated? Pin striped like a suit? Extra starchy for stiff upper lip days? Definitely becoming a favourite on my bookshelf.
This is full of wit and imagination and truly answered a lot of questions I had about Her Majesty….it got me wondering with my imagination what that top secret pair in the safe looked like! Armour plated? Pin striped like a suit? Extra starchy for stiff upper lip days? Definitely becoming a favourite on my bookshelf.
October 8, 2017
A great book for Early Years with colourful illustrations and lots of laughter as the Queen looses her trunk of knickers - A pair for every occasion.
April 16, 2019
Very silly
July 20, 2019
The children in my class thought this was hilarious
December 27, 2019
Silly and hilarious!
March 14, 2021
This is such a funny story! I loved it. The descriptions of the Queen's underpants are so entertaining and the accompanying illustrations are also fabulous.
February 20, 2022
A fun book about knickers (underpants) for almost every occasion... fit for a queen! I applaud her girl power to have the functional knickers to live more comfortably.
May 28, 2022
Read in nursery, children thought it was hilarious
January 21, 2024
Looking forward to reading this to my kid one day!
May 22, 2025
I love all the different knickers the Queen has for different occasions, especially the garden parties pair.🎉🥳👑👸🏽👸❤️🌸🌼🏵🪷🌹🌺💐🏵🌾🌿☘️🍀🪴🌱💐 from Olive
October 4, 2018
I have always had a penchant for a royalty book so when I saw one with a slightly irreverent title I thought it would be worth a read, even if it is aimed at children.
I did initially think that it would be an imaginary queen but the image of the lady in this story looks suspiciously like our own monarch! And we know that she always dresses smartly and we are told that she has an enormous wardrobe for her clothes and we learn that she also has, at least in this fantasy, a slightly smaller chest of drawers for her ... knickers.
She also has a lady called Dilys who looks after the Queen's ... knickers; perhaps her title is the Lady of the Bedchamber and Knickers Keeper. And when the Queens goes abroad Dilys packs a special trunk labelled 'H.M.'s Knickers'. Unfortunately on one trip the trunk went missing; it had got mixed up with a picnic hamper but was fortunately discovered before HM was too embarrassed!
Nicholas Allen, as well as telling us the story, illustrates the 'Official H.M. Knicker Guide', which includes knickers for all occasions. For instance there are the Garden Parties knickers (floral), the at home knickers (doggie pattern), the foreign visits knickers (Union flag), the horseriding knickers (riding hat and horse shoes), the Balmoral knickers (woollen tartan - for warmth when in Scotland) and the state funeral knickers (black).
There is also a VIP (Very Important Pair) pair of knickers that are used for the opening of Parliament but there is no picture of these for the are securely locked in a safe with other state secrets! In addition there are two special pairs for travelling, one with an internal parachute for when the Queen is flying and one with an inflatable dinghy for when she is on the ocean waves. And there is a pair of Christmas knickers that were a gift from Scandinavia and are traditionally decorated with real holly - ouch!
There are some Royal Knickers, which are made of pure silk with gold thread and encrusted with diamonds, emeralds and rubies and, it is alleged, these were first worn by Queen Victoria.
The story ends with a child wondering what knickers the Queen would wear if she visited her school and some designs are offered but are deemed too fancy, too frilly, too plain or too silly so, when the Queen is introduced to the children, nobody knows what lies underneath. And to put the Queen at her ease the child whispers to her, 'Don't worry about your knickers, Your Majesty. You see, no one can see them anyway.' Embarrassment saved all round.
The Queen ends the story by later sending a special note to the child stating, 'Her Majesty wishes to inform you that her visit was most enjoyable ... and very comfortable.' She obviously didn't visit the school at Christmas!
This is a bit of Royal frippery or indeed, frilliness, sorry silliness!
1 October 2018:
I must confess, I do not tend to look at books that seem to have perhaps politically incorrect titles (I'm not sure this title is not PC but you know what I mean) but when I saw this at an event I was attending I sat and read it, not realising that I had read it previously.
It is nicely illustrated and overall I would call it a bit of frippery (as I said in my initial review) or even perhaps 'knickery'! It offers the reader a variety of underwear options for the Queen whether she is travelling, when there is a pair of knickers with an inbuilt parachute for air travel and a pair with an inflatable dinghy for when she is at sea, or giving her Christmas broadcast, when th she wears her most special knickers, which are a gift from Scandinavia and are traditionally decorated with real holly - ouch! No wonder she keeps her Christmas message short!
The little girl in the book ends it by telling the Queen, when she has visited her school, not to worry about her knickers as 'You see, no one can see them anyway.' And apparently during the Queen's visit to rural towns and communities on her Diamond Jubilee crowds gathered to see her in Norfolk and she found it quite amusing when decorations inspired by this children's book were on display at a school she visited ... Ahem! I suppose that was better than her not being amused as her grandmother famously had been on more than one occasion!
I did initially think that it would be an imaginary queen but the image of the lady in this story looks suspiciously like our own monarch! And we know that she always dresses smartly and we are told that she has an enormous wardrobe for her clothes and we learn that she also has, at least in this fantasy, a slightly smaller chest of drawers for her ... knickers.
She also has a lady called Dilys who looks after the Queen's ... knickers; perhaps her title is the Lady of the Bedchamber and Knickers Keeper. And when the Queens goes abroad Dilys packs a special trunk labelled 'H.M.'s Knickers'. Unfortunately on one trip the trunk went missing; it had got mixed up with a picnic hamper but was fortunately discovered before HM was too embarrassed!
Nicholas Allen, as well as telling us the story, illustrates the 'Official H.M. Knicker Guide', which includes knickers for all occasions. For instance there are the Garden Parties knickers (floral), the at home knickers (doggie pattern), the foreign visits knickers (Union flag), the horseriding knickers (riding hat and horse shoes), the Balmoral knickers (woollen tartan - for warmth when in Scotland) and the state funeral knickers (black).
There is also a VIP (Very Important Pair) pair of knickers that are used for the opening of Parliament but there is no picture of these for the are securely locked in a safe with other state secrets! In addition there are two special pairs for travelling, one with an internal parachute for when the Queen is flying and one with an inflatable dinghy for when she is on the ocean waves. And there is a pair of Christmas knickers that were a gift from Scandinavia and are traditionally decorated with real holly - ouch!
There are some Royal Knickers, which are made of pure silk with gold thread and encrusted with diamonds, emeralds and rubies and, it is alleged, these were first worn by Queen Victoria.
The story ends with a child wondering what knickers the Queen would wear if she visited her school and some designs are offered but are deemed too fancy, too frilly, too plain or too silly so, when the Queen is introduced to the children, nobody knows what lies underneath. And to put the Queen at her ease the child whispers to her, 'Don't worry about your knickers, Your Majesty. You see, no one can see them anyway.' Embarrassment saved all round.
The Queen ends the story by later sending a special note to the child stating, 'Her Majesty wishes to inform you that her visit was most enjoyable ... and very comfortable.' She obviously didn't visit the school at Christmas!
This is a bit of Royal frippery or indeed, frilliness, sorry silliness!
1 October 2018:
I must confess, I do not tend to look at books that seem to have perhaps politically incorrect titles (I'm not sure this title is not PC but you know what I mean) but when I saw this at an event I was attending I sat and read it, not realising that I had read it previously.
It is nicely illustrated and overall I would call it a bit of frippery (as I said in my initial review) or even perhaps 'knickery'! It offers the reader a variety of underwear options for the Queen whether she is travelling, when there is a pair of knickers with an inbuilt parachute for air travel and a pair with an inflatable dinghy for when she is at sea, or giving her Christmas broadcast, when th she wears her most special knickers, which are a gift from Scandinavia and are traditionally decorated with real holly - ouch! No wonder she keeps her Christmas message short!
The little girl in the book ends it by telling the Queen, when she has visited her school, not to worry about her knickers as 'You see, no one can see them anyway.' And apparently during the Queen's visit to rural towns and communities on her Diamond Jubilee crowds gathered to see her in Norfolk and she found it quite amusing when decorations inspired by this children's book were on display at a school she visited ... Ahem! I suppose that was better than her not being amused as her grandmother famously had been on more than one occasion!
August 30, 2013
I think the title most likely says it all with regards to the theme and seriousness of the book! I am most likely stating the obvious here but this book is about the Queen and her expansive collection of knickers which Dilys looks after. One day, dare I say it, but the Queens knickers went 'missing', to which there is a colossal emergency of 'The Queen's Knickers!' being searched for by the nation. 'The Queen has knickers for all occasions' and there is a guide of which occasions the Queen wears her specific knickers such as for state funerals, her V.I.P ones, and the ones 'when she travels she has special knickers with a small parachute inside them...'
It really is a book of giggles, humour, a variety of stimulating voices can be used whilst reading the story due to the drama of 'The Queen's Knickers' and the engaging, bright and colourful illustrations. I would recommend this book for 3 - 6 year olds.
This is a cross curricular book and can be used in literacy for the children to use a variety of describing words for the knicker, a story could be written from the perspective of Dilys. Scientifically you could discuss how the parachute knickers could work or ask the children to design one themselves. Using a painting software the class could design their own knickers, DT different materials of what would be used for knickers and why they are used could be discussed. Regarding geography a map could be used to work out where abouts the Queens residents are, what countries she reigns over and where they are and using numeracy you could calculate how far away the castles are from one another. Researching how times have changed from when the Queen first came to the throne to how their clothing, traditions and way of life have changed for the Royal Famillly and public is something
that can be looked in to for history.
This is a fabulous book with a risqué title about a risqué topic which will keep the children squealing with joy throughout the story helping to keep reading fun and enjoyable, as it should be.
It really is a book of giggles, humour, a variety of stimulating voices can be used whilst reading the story due to the drama of 'The Queen's Knickers' and the engaging, bright and colourful illustrations. I would recommend this book for 3 - 6 year olds.
This is a cross curricular book and can be used in literacy for the children to use a variety of describing words for the knicker, a story could be written from the perspective of Dilys. Scientifically you could discuss how the parachute knickers could work or ask the children to design one themselves. Using a painting software the class could design their own knickers, DT different materials of what would be used for knickers and why they are used could be discussed. Regarding geography a map could be used to work out where abouts the Queens residents are, what countries she reigns over and where they are and using numeracy you could calculate how far away the castles are from one another. Researching how times have changed from when the Queen first came to the throne to how their clothing, traditions and way of life have changed for the Royal Famillly and public is something
that can be looked in to for history.
This is a fabulous book with a risqué title about a risqué topic which will keep the children squealing with joy throughout the story helping to keep reading fun and enjoyable, as it should be.
February 12, 2016
A very colourful and alternative type of book that I would imagine would generate conversation and giggles from young children. To talk about knickers within a school environment I would imagine would be very amusing to young children in the early years. This could however enable a teacher to discuss the Queen and the Royal Family and perhaps turn this into a class topic.
The Queen is the main character within the book, but does not appear on every page, but when she does appear she is almost in the centre of the book every time. Positioned high towards the top of the book suggests she is a lady of power and of great importance, which when connected to real life some will agree this is true. The Queen is positioned within eye line of the reader allowing the reader to follow the story along with the character.
Most of the illustrations look like water colours have a backdrop of white which take up the whole of the page without a frame. The illustrations match the words within the story so the reader can both picture, and listen to the story. Many straight lines are used which suggests a sense of calm within the book, however when the trunk of knickers are missing the illustrations are jagged warning the reader that something has gone wrong. The humour in the book is illustrated well, even when the Queen is falling from a plane with no visible horizon. The knickers provide a parachute for a safe landing, with the curved lines of the parachute and the smile of the Queens face suggests all is well.
Although colour is used, its like pastel colours, however they are realistic and represent objects as they are in real life throughout the book. Most of the illustrations are icons, except the knickers and photo frames that have many jagged edges are symbols.
This is a fun and topical book that both children and adults will enjoy. Although there are not many words within this book, a child would need to be comfortable in order to read this themselves as some of the words could be complex and challenging to some.
The Queen is the main character within the book, but does not appear on every page, but when she does appear she is almost in the centre of the book every time. Positioned high towards the top of the book suggests she is a lady of power and of great importance, which when connected to real life some will agree this is true. The Queen is positioned within eye line of the reader allowing the reader to follow the story along with the character.
Most of the illustrations look like water colours have a backdrop of white which take up the whole of the page without a frame. The illustrations match the words within the story so the reader can both picture, and listen to the story. Many straight lines are used which suggests a sense of calm within the book, however when the trunk of knickers are missing the illustrations are jagged warning the reader that something has gone wrong. The humour in the book is illustrated well, even when the Queen is falling from a plane with no visible horizon. The knickers provide a parachute for a safe landing, with the curved lines of the parachute and the smile of the Queens face suggests all is well.
Although colour is used, its like pastel colours, however they are realistic and represent objects as they are in real life throughout the book. Most of the illustrations are icons, except the knickers and photo frames that have many jagged edges are symbols.
This is a fun and topical book that both children and adults will enjoy. Although there are not many words within this book, a child would need to be comfortable in order to read this themselves as some of the words could be complex and challenging to some.
May 26, 2015
Another great Early Years book. The children loved hearing about what knickers the queen wears on different occasions.
Allan provides children with an insight into how the queen lives. He includes lots of vocabulary about the queen which is beneficial to be discussed and investigated(many children did not know much about the queen).
It is told from the view point of a young girl who expects the queen to visit her school one day and wonders which of her knickers she will wear when she visits.
This book grabs children's attention with the silliness of loosing the trunk of knickers and seeing the queen's knickers turn into a boat and parachute.
Great illustrations to prompt the story. We are basing a reading week around this book and have managed to generate two weeks worth of planning with lots of exciting ideas including making parachutes, designing and making knickers for the queen, and letter writing to the queen.
Allan provides children with an insight into how the queen lives. He includes lots of vocabulary about the queen which is beneficial to be discussed and investigated(many children did not know much about the queen).
It is told from the view point of a young girl who expects the queen to visit her school one day and wonders which of her knickers she will wear when she visits.
This book grabs children's attention with the silliness of loosing the trunk of knickers and seeing the queen's knickers turn into a boat and parachute.
Great illustrations to prompt the story. We are basing a reading week around this book and have managed to generate two weeks worth of planning with lots of exciting ideas including making parachutes, designing and making knickers for the queen, and letter writing to the queen.
July 30, 2007
Ok, this is just cheeky beyond words. The Queen has a trunk full of knickers, royal knickers encrusted with jewels, knickers that can parachute her out of trouble, knickers for the opening of parliament. Well, the trunk got lost, ends up in a picnic, and meanwhile, the Queen has to go visit a comprehensive school. How can she possibly show up without her knickers? My three-year-old is especially enthralled with all the different kinds of knickers, especially the one labelled too silly. Meanwhile, the parents are having a right-o-giggle!
November 24, 2012
The Queen's wardrobe is 'enormous'. Can you think of other words to describe what her wardrobe might be like?
Write a story about a day in the life of Dilys (who looks after the Queen's knickers).
Write the script for the news report about the Queen's missing knickers.
Role play an interview with the police about the missing knickers. What are they doing to find them? Do they have any clues?
Imagine that the Queen visited your school. What would you say to her?
Make an invitation to ask the Queen to attend an important event in your local area.
Write a story about a day in the life of Dilys (who looks after the Queen's knickers).
Write the script for the news report about the Queen's missing knickers.
Role play an interview with the police about the missing knickers. What are they doing to find them? Do they have any clues?
Imagine that the Queen visited your school. What would you say to her?
Make an invitation to ask the Queen to attend an important event in your local area.
October 29, 2013
I stumbled across this little gem in a charity shop where I volunteer and just had to have it! It's a little irreverent and very cheeky.
Along with Peppa Meets The Queen this is going to be brilliant entertainment for my little niece on the train to London. For a three year old she has quite the dirty laugh and I'm sure this one will get her going! It certainly got everyone in the shop laughing! Well worth buying just for the giggles!
Along with Peppa Meets The Queen this is going to be brilliant entertainment for my little niece on the train to London. For a three year old she has quite the dirty laugh and I'm sure this one will get her going! It certainly got everyone in the shop laughing! Well worth buying just for the giggles!
March 17, 2014
The Queens Knickers
It's a busy year for the Queen; she has lots of important events to attend. Meanwhile, a little girl is wondering what knickers Her Majesty will choose to wear on schools visit! Will they be her 'at home' knickers - adorned with corgis or perhaps her woolly Balmoral ones. Another book that encourages the use of imagination. I used this story with my year one class as part of their BIG write topic. It's bright, cheerful and cheeky, both children and adults alike found this story hilarious and imaginative.
Read
June 24, 2012A simple story with interesting illustrations this book will capture the imagination of young readers and help create an interest in the Royal family. A little girl is looking forward to the Queen’s visit to her school and wonders what knickers Her Majesty will decide to wear. Will they by her woolly Balmoral ones or her garden party knickers? A very cheeky book with a title that will ensure that all children are engaged from the first page.
March 23, 2015
This is a funny book to read. I used this to do a re-tell with year 1 and they loved the story. It gets the children talk about the Royal family in a fun light- hearted way. The story works well in KS1 as it is a simple story that is easy for them to remember and brings lots of laughter. I would recommend this book even as a end of the day story.
June 10, 2023
This was my absolute favourite book when I was a child. I loved the illustrations, mostly, and the fact that the subject was her majesty's undercrackers did not seem in the least bit odd to me at the time.
October 22, 2009
Odd?
From The Hutchinson book
From The Hutchinson book
February 4, 2015
So darn cute! We love this one!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews