See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy ROBERT HARDMAN and ALICIA WATTS, DEPUTY SITE VIDEO EDITOR Published: 08:53 BST, 6 June 2026 | Updated: 08:53 BST, 6 June 2026
The late Queen Elizabeth II was sharp, alert and witty right until the end. The public Queen was serious and reserved. But in private, she was funny, direct, authentic.She didn't like anything that lacked insincerity. Once she was handed a speech saying, 'I am very glad to be back in Birmingham'. And she crossed out the word 'very'.Towards the end of her life, she was always smiling. I remember talking to her while she was feeding carrots to her horses in the Royal Mews at Windsor. In those moments, she was utterly enchanting.Daily Mail columnist Hardman has researched the late Queen's reign extensively for his new book, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story. to celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday. Watch the video above.
