Royals

Queen Elizabeth II responded to discomfort with ‘perfect answer’

Queen Elizabeth II kept her tenderness aside when it came to assert her presence

Published April 16, 2026

Queen Elizabeth II had a distinctive method to show she is displeased, it is revealed.

Her Majesty, who passed away in 2022 had a signature stare that would tell her courtiers and family members that she is not happy.

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The former monarch’s famous glance is dubbed the Paddington look.

In his new book Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story, royal biographer Robert Hardman reveals how the former monarch expressed her discomfort.

“Outright fury was rare and only vented in-house,” he wrote. “No less dreaded was a silent signal of displeasure towards those who crossed an invisible line, one usually involving overfamiliarity, culpable incompetence or plain rudeness.”

“Staff would call it, with some trepidation, ‘the look,’” Hardman wrote.

Meanwhile, author Kenneth Rose shared: “If The Queen ever feels affronted about something, she has the perfect answer. She just stares at the person with open eyes, absolutely no expression.”

Former captain of the of the Royal Yacht Britannia, Sir Robert Woodard revealed:

“When I went over the top, her eyebrows would go up and I’d apologize,” he said, per Hardman. “She hoped you’d sort out the distance you needed to keep.”

Eleen Bukhari
Eleen Bukhari is a London-based journalist and MSc graduate from Brunel University with over five years of experience. Specialising in the British Royal Family and global entertainment, she provides expert analysis of monarchy traditions, celebrity culture, and the evolving media narratives surrounding the world’s most high-profile figures.
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