This story originally appeared at Do You Remember by Jane Kenney.

Queen Elizabeth II might be 93 years old, but she’s still got that wit about her! She actually once played a hilarious prank on American tourists who crossed paths with her on the grounds of one of her castles. However, the tourists didn’t recognize her at all. She, of course, went along with it.

The Queen was dressed in tweeds and wearing a headscarf at the time that the prank happened, so it’s obvious why the tourists didn’t immediately recognize her. They were all outside Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was walking with one of her protection officers.

How Queen Elizabeth II pranked the American tourists

Queen Elizabeth II / Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

One of the American tourists started up a conversation with the Queen (not knowing it was her). They asked Queen Elizabeth II if she lived nearby and if she ever actually met the Queen (again, not knowing it was her). She replied that yes, she did live nearby. She said she had never met the Queen, but her protection officer had.

Her protection officer at the time was longtime royal staffer Richard Griffin. He shared this funny little story with the Times of London. Richard said that the group of tourists eventually moved on and never knew her true identity. Well, maybe they know now that it’s in the news!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=d7WoBrr6zFY

What a great prank! She must have had to keep a straight face for a while going along with a joke like that.
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