LONDON, Jan. 5 (UPI) — Queen Elizabeth II was once nearly shot by one of her own guardsmen, according to reports that surfaced this week.
The Times reported Wednesday that the British monarch, now 90, was mistaken for an intruder during a late night walk in Buckingham Palace some years ago.
The ex-guardsman in question told the publication he was patrolling the palace walls at 3 a.m. when he spotted someone in the darkness. He called out, only to realize the shadowy figure was the queen.
“Bloody hell, your majesty, I nearly shot you,” the guardsman is reported to have said.
“That’s quite all right,” the queen responded, according to the article. “Next time I’ll ring through beforehand so you don’t have to shoot me.”
The story follows news that Queen Elizabeth missed church services on Christmas and New Year’s Day due to a “lingering heavy cold.” A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said Wednesday that the queen “continues to recover,” according to IBTimes.
