Her Majesty, 95, was approached by an American tourist group as she enjoyed a stroll on her Aberdeenshire estate. Richard Griffin, former royal protection officer, described the chance encounter.

       Mr Griffin told The Times about how the group asked the monarch, wearing a headscarf and tweed coat, if she lived locally.

       She conceded she had a house nearby.

       The tourists then asked: “Have you ever met the Queen?”

       Pointing at the policeman, the Queen replied: “No. But he has.”

       The tourists plodded on unaware they had met the Queen herself.

       Mr Griffin worked with the Royal Family for over 30 years.

       A favourite story of the late Prince Philip also shows the sharp mind of Elizabeth II.

       Her humour came to the rescue in an awkward encounter with the former First Lady of France Madame Yvonne de Gaulle.

       In an official visit to the United Kingdom between April 5 and April 8 in 1960, France's third longest-serving President and his wife met the Queen.

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