Elton John Once Watched the Queen Slap Her Nephew in the Face While Telling Him, 'I Am the Queen'

According to the Sunday Times of London, John recounted attending a royal party some years ago in which he watched the Queen ask Princess Margaret’s son, Viscount Linley, to check in on Linley’s sister, who had taken ill. Apparently, Linley didn’t want to do that, so the Queen showed him who was boss.

Per Sir Elton’s recollection:

“When he [Linley] repeatedly tried to fob her off, the Queen lightly slapped him across the face, saying ‘Don’t’ – slap – ‘argue’ – slap – ‘with’ – slap – ‘me’ – slap – ‘I’ – slap – ‘am’ – slap – ‘THE QUEEN!’”

Then, John said, the Queen winked at him when Linley walked away. “I know the Queen’s public image isn’t exactly one of wild frivolity, but . . . in private she could be hilarious,” he wrote, according to the Sunday Times.

On the one hand, I am against violence and corporal punishment. On the other hand, it sounds like Linley was an adult when this went down, so the slapping likely only cost him his dignity, and not his emotional development. Anyway, listen to the Queen, I guess—unless she’s suspending Parliament, and then DON’T.