The mystery surrounding why Hillary Clinton was late getting back on the stage at the last Democratic debate seems to have been solved.

The former first lady apologized to the live television audience Saturday for returning to the Manchester, New Hampshire stage late with just a simple 'sorry'.

It's been revealed that Clinton returned late because she was using the restroom during the commercial break at St Anselm College. She reportedly had exactly one minute and 45 seconds to walk out of the gymnasium to the women's restroom, and exactly the same amount of time to return back to the stage.

However, instead of using the restroom right away to get back to the stage on-time, Clinton waited for it to be completely cleared out so that she wouldn't have to share the bathroom that had a few stalls available for usage, The Boston Globe reported.

Scroll down for video

Hillary raised her hands as she walked back on stage several moments after the debate had returned from commercial break

Long line? Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was late to get onstage after a commercial break during Saturday night's debate in Manchester, New Hampshire due to a trip to the restroom

Clinton, who seemingly displayed what her competition would call 'not your average American behavior,' had a staffer stationed strategically outside of the restroom to presumably avoid having to share, the Globe reported.

The unnamed staffer reportedly allowed Lis Smith, the deputy campaign manager for former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, to use the restroom moments before Clinton arrived.

Smith is the girlfriend of disgraced former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, who was forced to resign from his post in 2008 after spending more than $15,000 on prostitutes.

It's unclear why Clinton allegedly waited for the restroom to be completely cleared out since it included multiple stalls, and was a little further away than the men's restroom from the debate stage at the school.

Lis Smith (above), the deputy campaign manager for former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, beat Hillary Clinton to the restroom during the five minute long commercial break. Clinton reportedly refused to share the bathroom with Smith, causing her to be late to the debate stage

Lis Smith, the deputy campaign manager for former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, is also the girlfriend of former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer (pictured together in 2014)

Nick Merrill, a spokesman for Clinton, declined to comment for the story but told the Globe that there wasn't a security reason preventing her from sharing the restroom.

As the debate started again after the five-minute long commercial break, ABC News hosts proceeded with their questioning about the economy without the former secretary of state.

The audience applauded as the Democratic front-runner walked up to the empty podium as moderator David Muir asked another candidate a question.

This isn't the first time Clinton was late returning back to the debate stage from a commercial break.

During the first Democratic debate in Las Vegas in October, the former senator said 'You know, it does take me a little longer,' a comment referencing that it can take women longer to use the restroom than men sometimes.