FASCINATING unearthed footage shows the Queen speaking FRENCH as she mingles with Margaret Thatcher and Princess Diana.
The G7 clip shows the Queen and her elegant daughter-in-law smiling and looking relaxed while mixing with dignitaries.
Policy and data analyst Ben Brittain shared the amazing video on Twitter, saying: “Brilliant clip of a G7 drinks reception, featuring Thatcher, Lady Di and even HM speaking French [sic].”
The video shows Princess Diana bursting into laughter while speaking with her mum, Frances Shand Kydd.
One person replied that it was “quite amazing, but a bit of an eye-opener to see [Ted] Heath and the other man [George H.W. Bush] talking over the Queen.”
Martin McDonald added: “I think its just prior to Gulf War I, Thatcher was still PM bit would later be deposed.”
And Rich Sains said it “was the 17th G7 summit 15 – 17 July 1991 in Lancaster House”.
Having met people from all over the world, and extensively travelled during her long reign, Her Majesty speaks French fluently.
This is thanks to her private education, explains the Express, which adds that she has also spoken French while visiting Canada.
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Back in 1964 she spoke excellent French for 10 minutes – albeit with cue cards to prompt her.
She also addressed a State Banquet in both English and French for her fifth French State Visit at the Élysée Palace in Paris.
Woman and Home writes that “Royal fans were impressed to hear her fluency during her address to the French senate in 2004, in which she showed off her strong pronunciation and natural delivery.
“Native speakers vouched for the Queen’s strong command of their language, praising her rhythm and confidence.”
The clip doesn’t show the Queen speaking to Margaret Thatcher.
A few years ago the Sun Online shared how the then PM had upset the royal.
She was reduced to tears over her feud with Margaret Thatcher, a TV documentary claimed in 2018.
And Princess Margaret said it was the only time she had seen her sister cry.
Princess Josephine Loewenstein told TV show Elizabeth: Our Queen that Margaret, a close pal, revealed to her: “I’ve only seen my sister cry once.
“It was when the Press put all the articles about her not getting on with Mrs Thatcher.”
The show revealed that Mrs Thatcher was so nervous of the Queen that she would race off to gulp down a whisky in Buckingham Palace to recover from their weekly meetings.
QUEEN BAFFLES BONO
Once when the PM was staying at Balmoral, the irritated Queen is said to have hissed: “Can’t that woman just sit down?”
Lord Robin Butler, Mrs T’s Principal Private Secretary, said: “Mrs Thatcher was in awe of the Queen.
“Like a lot of assertive people, she was lacking in confidence.”
The Queen also speaks other languages – but she left U2’s Bono baffled during her 2011 visit to Ireland – the first by a British monarch in a hundred years – when she started speaking Irish Gaelic.
The Dublin-born singer made the revelation at a 2012 reception Her Majesty attended to mark her Diamond Jubilee at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
Of his shock the year before, Bono recalled: “The Queen spoke Gaelic.
“I can’t even speak Gaelic!”
The Queen uttered a few words of his country’s native language at the start of her speech during the state dinner in Dublin Castle.
She said “A Úachtárain agus a chairde” which means “president and friends”.
Mary McAleese, the Irish president who was sitting next to her, could be heard mouthing “wow”.
Irish Gaelic is a Celtic language, like Scottish Gaelic, Manx Gaelic, Welsh and Cornish.
The Queen isn’t the only royal who can speak other languages.
The Duke of Sussex gave a speech in six different languages while visiting New Zealand with Meghan Markle in 2018, including Maori and Tongan.
Prince William can also talk in French, and knows a few words of Welsh and Spanish.
