

The Royal Family is constantly in the spotlight. They have meetings with world leaders all over the globe, they welcome dignitaries and guests into their palaces, and they greet fans on the streets. No matter how exhausted they are, or how boring a conversation may be, they always look put together and regal, with a smile plastered on their faces. After all, with all of those cameras on them, it would be embarrassing to do something impolite. However, sometimes Queen Elizabeth just wants to get out of a bad situation. Luckily, she has plenty of ladies in waiting and staff members on call, watching her every move, and making sure that she’s feeling good wherever she is. So, when she needs to get out of a tedious conversation, she has someone there to help her. All she needs to do is send that someone a signal to let them know that she’s just not feeling it. Here are some of the ways that the Queen lets her ladies in waiting and servants know when she’s ready to get out of a boring conversation fast. The need for signals We’ve all been stuck in a conversation or meeting that we wish would just end already. Sometimes, people take too much time telling long stories, sometimes the meetings are not particularly relevant, and sometimes we really just want to get back to our living room so we can catch up on the latest show on Netflix. While the Queen’s reasons for wanting out of a bad conversation might be different than ours, it’s definitely a sentiment that we can relate to.

The Queen’s handbag One of the ways in which Queen Elizabeth lets her staff know whether or not she wants out of a conversation or meeting is with her handbag. The Queen is known for her love of handbags, and she has quite an extensive collection. However, it’s well known that her favorite handbag designer is Launer, a British company. She is reported to have a collection of 200 black Launer bags, each of which costs around $2,000. She has had that black patent leather handbag on her left arm for 50 years. It has accompanied her to many important events and meetings throughout her long reign, and it was even painted into her official portrait.

Switching hands Since Queen Elizabeth is almost always with her handbag on her arm, it’s a pretty reliable tool to use to send signals to her staff. In fact, the Queen and her ladies in waiting have a number of signals that she can use to let them know that she’s ready to move on from a conversation. If you are in the Queen’s presence and you see her move her bag from her left arm to her right arm, then it’s a pretty safe bet that your meeting is about to come to an end. When the Queen shifts her handbag from one arm to another, it’s a signal to her staff that she’s ready to finish up a conversation.

Five minute warning Sometimes, the Queen knows that she’s getting ready to bow out of a conversation but she wants a few more minutes to wrap things up. In that case, she’ll place her handbag on a table, to signal that she wants only five more minutes in her meeting. It gives her staff time to make the necessary preparations. She might also do this at a dinner, when she’s done eating and is ready to move on to the next thing on her schedule. So if you happen to be dining with Queen Elizabeth and you see her put her bag on the table, you might want to quickly help yourself to some more dessert.

Bag on the floor Of course, there are times when five minutes is simply too much, and the Queen wants out of a conversation immediately. When that happens, she places her handbag on the floor. This is a more extreme signal that means that she wants her lady in waiting to escort her out of there immediately. We can certainly relate to that feeling – there are times when conversations are so uncomfortable that we do everything we can to escape as fast as possible. Of course, the Queen has a certain image to uphold, so she cannot simply walk out whenever she wants. That’s why her handbag signals are so very important. It maintains her noble appearance while allowing her to gracefully withdraw.

Twisting her ring Another way that the Queen might signal that she’s ready to finish up a conversation as quickly as possible is by twisting her wedding ring around her finger. When it might not be convenient to put her handbag on the ground, she can simply use her ring to achieve the same results. She just has to make sure not to accidentally play with her ring during a conversation she is enjoying! Queen Elizabeth is not known for fidgeting, though, so that is probably not a problem.

The buzzer When Queen Elizabeth has her meetings in Buckingham Palace, she doesn’t need to bother with all of these signals, because she has a discreet buzzer to let her staff know when she is ready to finish up. All the Queen needs to do is push the button, and someone will open the doors to the room and come in to escort her guest out of her presence. Wouldn’t you like to have a buzzer on hand for that purpose?

Always polite Even if a guest is quickly escorted out because the Queen is not enjoying the conversation, it will still be done politely. After all, these are the Royals we’re talking about. A member of the staff might come up to said person and tell them that someone else is waiting for their audience, or come up with another clever way to delicately end the conversation. This avoids leaving people with an unpleasant feeling after their meeting with the Queen.

Bag on a chair The Queen also has a signal for when she would like to have time alone with a guest to talk. When she’s comfortable with a dignitary and is ready to spend some time with them, she puts her handbag on a chair. That’s what happened in May, 2018 when Queen Elizabeth met with George Brandis, Australia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. In a photograph of the pair shaking hands, the handbag can be seen in the background resting on a side chair.

Secrets of the handbag Queen Elizabeth has been using the same bags for a half century, so they must be special. Unfortunately, if you want a handbag like the Queen’s, you’ll have to settle for a look-alike. Her handbags are custom made, with longer handles that won’t get in the way of handshakes. She always prefers bags with no zippers for easier access, and she never wears a bag that hangs on her shoulder. Each of her beloved Launer bags comes with a mirror, a glasses case, and a small matching purse.

What’s inside? A practical woman, Queen Elizabeth takes the essentials with her wherever she goes, including a fountain pen, mints, and a handkerchief. It is also widely believed that Queen Elizabeth always carries a portable hook inside her bag, so that she can easily hang it underneath tables. Other insiders report that the bag contains reading glasses, lipstick, and on Sundays, a £5 bill for church donations. Another expert even claims that she carries good luck charms from her children inside.

Prince Philip’s strategy Unlike his wife, Prince Philip does not carry a bag with which he can send signals to his staff. Instead, he has his own strategy to avoid getting stuck in uncomfortable conversations. Philip has been noticed doing a sweeping motion with his arm as he greets people. He moves his hand from left to right as he shakes hands, so his body moves right past each person he greets without allowing a conversation to go on for too long.

Prince Charles uses humor Employing a slightly different strategy than his parents, Prince Charles is known to use a bit of humor to end awkward conversations before they go on for too long. He tries to tell a joke, which allows him to laugh and delicately ease his way out of the situation. Prince Charles has also been noticed playing with his cufflinks, which could be some sort of signal, but there is no evidence that this is anything more than a simple nervous gesture.

Kate Middleton’s clutch While the Queen carries her handbag by the straps on her left arm, Kate Middleton prefers to carry a clutch without straps. This allows the Duchess of Cambridge to hold the purse with both hands in front of her body, keeping her hands busy when shaking hands might be awkward. It’s a good strategy that keeps her looking regal and polished as always while protecting her from uncomfortable situations. Maybe one day she’ll develop some sort of signals, but for now, she uses her own system to protect herself.

What’s inside Kate’s bag Just like Queen Elizabeth, Kate Middleton is never seen with a cell phone. In fact, she is reported to only carry four basic items in her clutch. The things that Kate takes with her wherever she goes are a handkerchief, lip balm, blotting paper, and a small mirror. She doesn’t need to carry money, credit cards, or keys like we do, and it certainly seems like she will never have to rummage around her bag looking for something!

Meghan Markle’s handbags Meghan Markle broke royal protocol when she wore cross-body bags instead of small handbags or clutches, as is more accepted. Since her wedding, however, the Duchess of Sussex seems to be taking her fashion cues from Queen Elizabeth and sticking more to the traditional small bags. Like the Queen, Meghan holds her bags in her left hand, leaving her right hand free to greet people with a handshake. In addition, it’s traditional to bring smaller bags to more formal events, and we’ve seen Meghan carrying more clutches, too.