# How does the Queen Elizabeth answer her phone **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 23, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114 "2009-04-23T17:08:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skinnybones_lampshade/32/2872_2.png) [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skinnybones_Lampshade)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114/101 "2020-03-26T04:26:15Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > I seem to recall a Canadian DJ managed to prank call the Queen pretending to be the Canadian Prime Minister. Anyone know if there’s a transcript or recording or something along those lines? Yes, I remember that. She picked up the phone (presumably after having been informed that M. Jean Chrétien was on the line) and intoned, briskly but with lively and friendly interest, “Prime Minister!” and began to inquire incisively about the purpose of the call and to offer any help she could give. A separatist radio host, live on air, managed to get though Buckingham Palace security with a clever Chrétien impression, asking to speak to her. The host’s aim was to show us in Québec how indifferent she was to our wants or needs or problems. Instead, she could not have seemed more present or interested in what he (the supposed Prime Minister) had to say, so his whole scheme backfired, live on air for all his listeners to hear. I later sent her a short letter, (the only one I’ve ever sent a well-known person) expressing my admiration that she didn’t show disinterest or disdain for Canada, but couldn’t have sounded more interested in doing whatever she could to resolve the (supposed) Prime Minister’s problem. A few weeks later, I received a handwritten letter from a Lady in Waiting on Buckingham Palace notepaper, complete with official envelope with royal crest. It stated that Her Majesty the Queen commanded her to reply to me with her thanks for being so kind to write as I did. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114/102 "2020-03-26T07:04:19Z")
> [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](#): > > A few weeks later, I received a handwritten letter from a Lady in Waiting on Buckingham Palace notepaper, complete with official envelope with royal crest. It stated that Her Majesty the Queen commanded her to reply to me with her thanks for being so kind to write as I did. Was her penmanship immaculate? ---
**Author:** ![Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skinnybones_lampshade/32/2872_2.png) [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skinnybones_Lampshade)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114/103 "2020-03-26T14:51:44Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Was her penmanship immaculate? It was not calligraphic, flowery or intricate, but ordinary legible writing with no blotches or smears. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114/104 "2020-03-27T13:19:33Z")
The Queen’s phone use was just in the news. As the picture shows, she’s quite old school with her choice of phones. > **[Queen 'remains in good health' and last saw Boris Johnson 16 days ago](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8159971/Queen-remains-good-health-saw-Boris-Johnson-16-days-ago.html)** > > The 93-year-old monarch, whose son Prince Charles also has the infection, is said to be 'following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare' amid the coronavirus pandemic. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114/105 "2020-03-27T18:56:03Z")
> [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](#): > > Yes, I remember that. She picked up the phone (presumably after having been informed that M. Jean Chrétien was on the line) … The hoax is mentioned in the Staff Report. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114/106 "2020-03-28T01:50:38Z")
I helped **Elendil’s Heir** with the staff report, y translating the e-mails he received from the radio personality. He was tickled to know about the intérêt people still took in it. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114/107 "2020-03-28T04:48:34Z")
Yes, thanks again, **Northern Piper**! I am in your debt, my friend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-queen-elizabeth-answer-her-phone/494114.md?page=5)