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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sofie Jackson & Ryan Merrifield

Queen's quick-witted remark after being asked to remove crown in resurfaced clip

The Queen displayed some sassy quick-wit after being asked to remove her crown during a photoshoot.

A resurfaced clip from over a decade ago sees the long-serving monarch decked out in full regal attire for the shoot with photographer Annie Leibovitz.

The edited footage, shared to TikTok on Sunday by user @brittoker, has been watched more than 400,000 times, reports the Daily Star.

The renowned American portrait snapper says in the video: "I think it will look better without the crown.

"It will look better, less dressy," Leibovitz adds.

The Queen, who is posing in a fur cape and holding a scepter, laughs and says: "Less dressy! What do you think this is?"

The Queen was asked to take off her crown so the snaps weren't so "dressy" (TikTok/@brittoker)

Unfortunately, the clip was edited to make it look like The Queen had stormed out of the room with two servants – but this didn't happen at all.

As later explained by Leibovitz herself, The Queen had been "storming into" the room and was "nervous" about the photoshoot.

Viewers on TikTok were shocked by the frosty exchange and many believed The Queen should not have been asked to take off her crown.

One said: "Yeah… you don’t ask the queen to take off her crown."

The Queen fired the sassy remark at photographer Annie Leibovitz (TikTok/@brittoker)

A second joked: "Who asks the queen to remove the crown. Off the tower methinks."

"Where is your protocol when talking to the queen?" said a third outraged viewer.

Someone else said: "That was either brave or ignorant. I’m not sure which!"

Defending the photographer, another commented: "I mean, Annie Leibovitz is well known for her stripped-back approach, weird choice for a royal portrait.

"I think she was brave to ask!"

Talking at her photography exhibition at the National Portrait gallery in 2008, Leibovitz defended The Queen.

She recalled: "We were all very nervous.

"The Queen came down the hall and she looked a little perturbed. I knew something was up.

"All her dressers were about 20ft away. No one was near her.

"She was coming down the hall very purposefully. As she came in she said, 'I don't have much time.'"

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