23 January 2024 , 09:28
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The Queen extended a very kind offer to Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson following the former prime minister's Covid diagnosis.
Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital for tests in April 2020, 10 days after testing positive for coronavirus.
In a statement, a Downing Street spokeswoman said it was a precautionary move and had been taken "on the advice of his doctor".
"This is a precautionary step, as the prime minister continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus 10 days after testing positive for the virus," the spokesperson said.
At the time, his wife Carrie was pregnant with their first child together, and their son, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, was born on 29 April 2020.
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Following his birth, and knowing that the PM would take some time to properly recover, the Queen reached out to the couple with a thoughtful suggestion.
The incident was recounted in Robert Hardman's new book, Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story. He writes: "When the Covid pandemic locked down the country the following year, the Queen was characteristically thoughtful after Johnson himself had ended up in intensive care.
"She told him he was welcome to use the gardens of Buckingham Palace for walks with his wife, Carrie, and baby son, Wilfred (the monarch herself was shielding at Windsor).
Elsewhere in his book, Hardman relays a funny conversation between the late Queen and her then-PM.
Those closest to the monarch often spoke of her quick wit and brilliant one-liners behind closed doors. And Boris got to experience that first-hand during a one-on-one meeting.
According to Hardman, he once confided to the Queen that he had been troubled by a dream in which he was late for an audience with her. Quick as a flash, she replied, "Were you naked?!"
It's just one of a number of examples demonstrating the Queen's fabulous sense of humour. A group of American tourists famously once approached the Queen as she was out walking near her Balmoral estate. Not recognising the unassuming woman in a headscarf, they asked if she lived nearby.
"She answered quite non-committally that yes, she had a house quite close by," says writer Karen Dolby, recounting a talk given by Richard Griffin, the Queen's former protection officer. "They asked if she'd ever met the Queen, and without missing a beat she replied 'no' but pointed at Richard Griffin, and said, 'but he has'. And then they walked on, none the wiser. I think her sense of irony and lightness of touch reflected her humour very obviously."
also shared a funny exchange he witnessed between the Queen and Viscount Linley, in his memoir.
The musician said that during an event, she asked her nephew to go and check on his mother – her sister, . "When he repeatedly tried to fob her off," wrote Elton, "the Queen lightly slapped him across the face, saying, 'Don't' – SLAP – 'argue' – SLAP – 'with' – SLAP – 'me' – SLAP – 'I' – SLAP –'‘am' – SLAP – 'THE QUEEN!' As he left, she saw me staring at her, gave me a wink and walked off."
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