As any head of state or political leader knows only too well, buying a present for a woman who has everything can prove a little difficult. But now the Queen has revealed that she sympathises with dignitaries who have faced this tricky diplomatic conundrum.

In a television interview with Sir David Attenborough she explains how people often opt for the tried and trusted gift of the humble plant, albeit invariably rare and new varieties.

As the veteran naturalist and Queen Elizabeth II stroll through the gardens of Buckingham Palace talking about her plans to create a global network of forests, she says: "I've been quite difficult to give presents to, so they've said, 'Oh, let's give her a plant.'"

However, the pair, both 91, are filmed laughing after spotting a forlorn looking sapling that has keeled over, at odds with the otherwise impeccably kept gardens.

The Queen jokes: “That one we won’t look at. Someone sat on it, I think.”