It has been revealed that The Queen has a secret handbag code for getting out of tricky situations.

When Queen Elizabeth is finished talking to a guest, all she has to do is move her handbag from one arm to another; this signals to her aides, who come in and end the conversation.

If the conversation is particularly awful, all she has to do is put the bag on the ground or spin her wedding ring. This signal would get a prompt intervention from her aides.

“It would be very worrying if you were talking to The Queen and saw the handbag move from one hand to the other,” royal historian Hugo Vickers told People Magazine. “Someone would come along and say, ‘Sir, the Archbishop of Canterbury would very much like to meet you.’ ”

Of course in traditional royal fashion, everything is done politely and fashionably.

Vickers added, “Luckily, they’d let you down easy.”

The Queen is also known to bring out her handbag when dinner parties get stale. If this was the case, she’d place it on the table to let her assistants know she wants things to finish.

More abruptly, if there is a meeting in Buckingham Palace she wants to get out of, she has a hidden buzzer which signals her staff to get the guests out of the room.

The founder of Beaumont Etiquette, Myka Meier, revealed that The Queen isn’t the only one who uses their handbag for a rather unique purpose.

Myka Meir told Good Housekeeping that the Duchess of Cambridge carries her bag with both hands in front of her to avoid any awkward handshakes.

Of course, The Queen’s handbag isn’t just a useful tool to get out of tricky situations. Just like everyone else she carries a mirror, a glasses case, mints and a handkerchief with her.