Former British Prime Minister Theresa May made a picnic blunder when she ate with Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral.
Theresa May meeting Queen Elizabeth
The former 65-year-old politician recalled how she dropped some cheese while dining at the late monarch's Scottish estate and was spotted by the Queen's watchful eyes after making an embarrassing "split-second decision" as to whether she should rescue the fallen fromage or not.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Friday (09.09.22) as British politicians paid tribute to the Queen following her death at the age of 96 this week, May recalled: "I picked up some cheese, put it on a plate and was transferring it to a table. The cheese then fell on the floor.
"I had a split-second decision to make. I picked up the cheese, put it on a plate and put it on the table, and I turned round to see my every move had been watched very carefully by Her Majesty The Queen.
"I looked at her, she looked at me and she just smiled."
May concluded: "And the cheese, remained on the table."
The politician, who served as Prime Minister from 2016 to 2019, also recalled how her husband Philip's dream of being driven by the Queen came true when she became PM.
May, 65, said: "He dreamt that he was sitting in the back of a Range Rover being driven around Balmoral estate.
"And his driver was Her Majesty The Queen and the passenger seat was occupied by his wife, the Prime Minister.
"And then he woke up and realised it was reality."
May remembered the Queen as a "great judge of people" and recalled how she was comfortable remaining in the background at times.
She said: "She was a wise and a great judge of people.
"She didn't always expect to be the centre of attention. She was quite happy, sometimes, to sit playing her form of patience were mingling around her chatting to each other."
Tagged in Queen Elizabeth