Queen always her own umbrella for very good reason

Queen Elizabeth may have had staff to take care of her every need, however, there was one particular thing that she always liked to do for herself. Author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth has revealed that Her Majesty insisted on carrying her own umbrella, despite many gentlemen offering to do it for her.Writing in The Oldie magazine, the former Tory MP spoke about meeting the Queen as a 20-year-old student at Oxford University in 1968.She was there visiting the prestigious debating society at the institution.He wrote: “When she had gone I reprimanded William Waldegrave (the Oxford Union President, now Baron Waldegrave) for not carrying the monarch’s umbrella for her as he escorted her across the courtyard in the rain.”He told me ‘The Queen insists on holding her own umbrella – always. If someone else holds it, the rain trickles down her neck’.” The Queen always held her own umbrella (Image: Getty) Her Majesty warned that others would let rain trickle down her neck (Image: Getty)The photographer Rankin, who has taken pictures of some of the most famous people in the world, also admitted recently that the late monarch disliked having her hands photographed.She reportedly refused his request to pose with a sword for a portrait, telling him: “I don’t like my hands.”Rankin was one of 10 photographers commissioned to take a picture of the Queen to mark her Golden Jubilee in 2002.READ MORE: Prince Harry ‘deeply offended’ as King Charles brings in extra help The Queen had a number of habits (Image: Getty) Acclaimed photographer Rankin took a picture of the Queen for her Golden Jubilee (Image: Getty)Speaking on the Tea with Twiggy podcast, recorded before Her Majesty’s death, he laid bare the experience with the host.He said: “I was like ‘I really want to photograph you holding the sword’, and she said ‘I don’t like my hands’ and [I thought] that’s the best get out of holding the sword.”I’m probably not supposed to say that.”DON’T MISS:Pensioner accuses council of wanting her to ‘downsize into a coffin’ [LATEST]Kate rejects freebies and crafts ‘very beautiful’ style [REVEAL]Flooding in New South Wales transform land into inland sea [WEATHER] Gyles Brandreth met the Queen at Oxford University in 1968 (Image: Getty)However, in spite of this concern the resulting picture turned out to be one of the Palace’s favourites as the Queen looked so happy.Rankin added: “The curator said that my photograph of her is one of their favourites, which I think means the palace’s favourites, because she’s really laughing in my picture.”She had a really great sort of sense of humour, so that is what I was really looking for when I went to take the photograph.”