Queen gave F1 star Lewis Hamilton brutal grilling after breaking key Palace rule
Lewis Hamilton was the one being grilled by The Queen as he attended a posh lunch at Buckingham Palace.
As Formula 1 royalty himself, Hamilton is no stranger to the British royal family. He has been invited to meet with various members over the years, including late in 2021 when he was knighted by the then-Prince of Wales – now King Charles III, following the death of his mother last September.
It came more than a decade after he was made an MBE, back in 2009. Aged just 24 at the time, and with just the one world title to his name, Hamilton was invited to Buckingham Palace for the official ceremony where he was greeted by The Queen herself.
"I was so nervous to meet her," he said afterwards. "It was one of the most overwhelming experiences I've ever had. I'm kind of lost for words. I don't think you realise until you're standing in front of her how special it is."
As part of the celebrations, he was invited to attend a special lunch event with the monarch and a few other selected guests. Her Majesty had told Hamilton that she was a fan of his and that she had been cheering him on to his first F1 title the previous year.
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But her fondness for his racing did not save him from a telling off when he showed poor etiquette at the royal dinner table. The Queen would traditionally sit next to the male guest of the most importance so, naturally, Hamilton would have been pleased and excited when she took her seat next to him.
Hamilton spoke about his lunch with The Queen on the Graham Norton Show in 2015 (PA)So excited, in fact, that he tried straight away to engage in conversation with the monarch. But, as he later recalled in an appearance on the Graham Norton show, his haste landed him in hot water with his royal host.
"She said, pointing to my left, 'No, you speak that way first and I'll speak this way and then I'll come back to you'," he told Norton. Fortunately, the mood was not soured and, after waiting patiently, Hamilton got his chance to converse with The Queen. "She is a sweet woman and we talked about how she spends her weekends, houses and music," he said.
Hamilton was at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix when news of Her Majesty's death was made public. The race weekend went ahead as scheduled, but all drivers, team bosses, staff and F1 chiefs took part in a minute's silence ahead of practice the following day, and also paid tribute to The Queen before the race on the Sunday.
Hamilton naturally took part in those gestures, and led the tributes from the F1 world. He said in a statement: "How do you find the words to describe the loss of Her Majesty The Queen? She was truly an iconic leader, an inspiration and a reassuring presence for most, if not all, of our lives.
"Since the sad news, I've been reflecting on her incredible life. She was a symbol of hope for so many and she served her country with dignity, dedication and kindness. She was truly like no other and I'm grateful to have lived during her time. Her legacy will be long-lasting and her passing deeply felt.
"I had the incredible honour of being able to spend time with her. It is something I'll never forget. We talked about our shared love of dogs and she was incredibly generous with her time. I know the whole nation and many others around the world will be mourning her loss and my thoughts and prayers are with her family and all those close to her, who have lost a loved one. Rest in Peace."
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