Queen Elizabeth Had a Secret Code to Escape Awkward Conversations — And It Worked Like a Charm

The late Queen Elizabeth II was a woman of few words and impeccable etiquette. So it's no surprise that she relied on her iconic handbags to escape awkward conversations and sticky situations. When Her Majesty was ready to end a chat, she quietly moved her Launer London handbag from one arm to another—a signal for her aides to swoop in and offer an excuse to end the conversation.

As per People magazine, royal historian, Hugo Vickers, shared, “It would be very worrying if you were talking to the Queen and saw the handbag move from one hand to the other.” The Queen relied heavily on her trained staff to exit a conversation she did not feel comfortable being a part of. Of course, the whole 'secret handbag strategy' is executed politely to avoid offending the guest. Vickers added, “Someone would come along and say, ‘Sir, the archbishop of Canterbury would very much like to meet you.' They’d let you down easy.”

The Queen reportedly is the proud owner of more than 200 custom bags from designer Sam Launer— a collection she began in 1968. Her handbags weren’t the only accessories she used to escape a dicey social situation. According to reports, she would rotate her wedding ring on her finger as a subtle call for help. She also resorted to fiddling with her glass case, hand mirror, mints, or handkerchief to summon her staff to her aid. At times, she also placed her handbag on the ground while at dinner—an indication that she wished to end the event in the next five minutes. Additionally, when a meeting turned unpleasant or stretched too long at Buckingham Palace, she pressed a concealed buzzer to have her staff escort the guest out of the room.

Meanwhile, her husband, Prince Philip, used to make a special 'sweeping motion' to avoid a lengthy chat when he had folks waiting in a queue to meet him. As he held his guest's hand, he asked, "How's it going?" swinging his hand from left to right. By the time the question was answered, the Prince would already be onto the next person. King Charles III too has his fair share of escape maneuvers. Vickers revealed, “Charles has a quick ‘ha ha,’ enabling him to break the conversation.”

Etiquette expert Myka Meier told Good Housekeeping that Kate Middleton similarly carries her clutch in front of her to avoid awkward handshakes. Another polite way the royal family chooses to exit an uncomfortable situation is by giving a small smile. In a more formal setting, they might wait for a pause in the conversation to drift apart gracefully.