To get out of tricky situations, the Queen has a secret code. When she wants to interrupt a conversation, she puts her bag on the ground. Her entourage then understands that she wants to slip away.
She can be seen walking around with her little handbag in her colourful outfits that ensure she is seen, greeting the British people with her legendary stoicism, or sometimes just smiling. But don't let her smile fool you: when Queen Elizabeth II is bored and wants to leave a social gathering, she has her own secret codes to ensure that her entourage does whatever is necessary. With Elizabeth II's continuous string of engagements, it seems logical that she would tire of them. Elizabeth II has a real “secret weapon”: her bag, which usually matches her colourful outfits. Passing it from one arm to the other indicates to those around her that she needs to slip away.
And if the Queen puts her bag down, the situation is more serious: Elizabeth II, who refuses to give interviews, is expressing her desire to leave the event within one minute. This signal will result in a quick response from her assistants. “It would be very worrying if you were speaking to the Queen and saw her passing her handbag from one hand to another”, royal historian Hugo Vickers told People Magazine. Her staff would hasten to get her out of trouble by using an excuse to allow her to leave the premises. “It would be very well done. Someone would come along and say, 'Sir, the Archbishop of Canterbury would love to meet you,'” he explained.
She also uses her wedding ring
And when she doesn't have her legendary little black leather bag, the queen uses her wedding ring. So, if she wants to end a conversation, she just touches her ring, and if she wants to leave, she spins it. According to the royal expert interviewed by the magazine, her entourage will interrupt the conversation... as if nothing was wrong. When she is out of sorts, Queen Elizabeth II observes certain behavioural habits that have meaning!
