title: What a Thing to Say to the Queen: A collection of royal anecdotes from the House of Windsor
author: Thomas Blaikie
description: <DIV><P>"... little, light-hearted anthology"</P></DIV>
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # The Uncommon Reader
  
  
  ALAN BENNETT
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # THE UNCOMMON READER
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Table of Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Title Page](The_Uncommon_Reader_split_000.html#filepos514)  
  
  
  At Windsor it was the Evening  
  
  
  About the Author  
  
  
  [By the Same Author](The_Uncommon_Reader_split_002.html#filepos181169)  
  
  
  [Copyright](The_Uncommon_Reader_split_003.html#filepos183274)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  AT WINDSOR it was the evening of the state banquet and as the president of
  France took his place beside Her Majesty, the royal family formed up behind
  and the procession slowly moved off and through into the Waterloo Chamber.
  
  
  ‘Now that I have you to myself,’ said the Queen, smiling to left and right as
  they glided through the glittering throng, ‘I’ve been longing to ask you about
  the writer Jean Genet.’
  
  
  ‘Ah,’ said the president. ‘Oui.’
  
  
  The ‘Marseillaise’ and the national anthem made for a pause in the
  proceedings, but