This Queen Don't Run! (Or Does She?)

Queen Elizabeth II, a great American


Associated Press
Wed Jul 11, 5:15 PM ET

LONDON - Annie Leibovitz received an icy stare and a stern response when she asked Queen Elizabeth II to remove her crown for an official portrait.

Footage of the exchange is included in a British Broadcasting Corp. documentary that was filmed as Queen Elizabeth II prepared for her 80th birthday and during her recent visit to the United States.

Snippets of "A Year With the Queen," which captures the working life of the royal family, were released Wednesday.

Queen Elizabeth II is shown walking into a room in Buckingham Palace — which is cluttered with camera equipment — wearing her crown and her Order of the Garter robes.

Leibovitz tells her: "I think it will look better without the crown because the Garter robe is so ..."

Before she can finish saying "extraordinary," the queen gives her an icy stare and replies: "Less dressy. What do you think this is?" and points to what she is wearing.

Cameras follow the queen as she storms off, an official lifting the large train of her blue velvet cape off the floor, as she tells her lady-in-waiting: "I'm not changing anything. I've had enough dressing like this, thank you very much."

Then, the Queen came back into the room, crown in hand; jowls a-trembling, and red as a beet. "I oughta just take this crown and put it in your @#4%!&*!....

Next thing the royal staff knew, the Queen was all over Annie Leibovitz, who was like, 'o mygod, somebody please help me! She's killin' me! Then, the Queen climbed up to the top rope, whirling both arms like some crazy saw, and then came crashing down with a forearm smash to Leibovitz' forehead, crushing the camera as well in the process. "Take a picture of that!" she was heard to say, as she fled the scene. She was last spotted scaling the perimeter wall of Buckingham Palace.

Leibovitz claimed from a London hospital that she may not work with the Queen on any more future shoots. Police are on the lookout for a white woman of circa 1955 appearance, possibly carrying a clutch purse.