Status Updates From Q: A Voyage Around the Queen

A few days before her father died, Princess Elizabeth was taken on a tour of a brand-new maternity hospital in Nairobi. The day before her arrival, the hospital had been empty, but when she arrived, it was full. The miracle had been stage-managed: over the space of a few hours, exactly the right number of mothers and babies had been rounded up, so that every bed would appear occupied.

In 2003, the Russian president Vladimir Putin undertook a state visit to Britain. At a Palace reception, he was introduced to David Blunkett, who was by now home secretary. Blunkett’s guide dog Sadie greeted the Russian president with a series of aggressive barks. The Queen patted the dog. […] ‘Dogs have interesting instincts, don’t they?’ replied the Queen, with a knowing look.