Elton John Once Watched the Queen Slap Her Nephew in the Face While Telling Him, 'I Am the Queen'

Sir Elton John’s upcoming memoir Me is full of some delightfully batshit gossip about the royals. There is, for instance, his rendering of the Richard Gere/Sylvester Stallone/Princess Diana love triangle of sorts. Lest that be enough drama for you, he also dishes on the time he saw the Queen slap her nephew in the face. Can’t wait for Olivia Colman to take that one on!

According to the Sunday Times of London, John recounted attending a royal party some years ago in which he watched the Queen ask Princess Margaret’s son, Viscount Linley, to check in on Linley’s sister, who had taken ill. Apparently, Linley didn’t want to do that, so the Queen showed him who was boss.

Per Sir Elton’s recollection:

“When he [Linley] repeatedly tried to fob her off, the Queen lightly slapped him across the face, saying ‘Don’t’ – slap – ‘argue’ – slap – ‘with’ – slap – ‘me’ – slap – ‘I’ – slap – ‘am’ – slap – ‘THE QUEEN!’”

Then, John said, the Queen winked at him when Linley walked away. “I know the Queen’s public image isn’t exactly one of wild frivolity, but . . . in private she could be hilarious,” he wrote, according to the Sunday Times.

On the one hand, I am against violence and corporal punishment. On the other hand, it sounds like Linley was an adult when this went down, so the slapping likely only cost him his dignity, and not his emotional development. Anyway, listen to the Queen, I guess—unless she’s suspending Parliament, and then DON’T.