According to former royal editor Clive Goodman, the Queen was SO upset at police officers "scoffing" nuts left out at Buckingham Palace that she marked the bowls to see if any had been eaten, a jury heard today.
“The Queen is furious about police stealing bowls of nuts and nibbles left out for her"
In fact, she was so "narked" about officers dipping into her Bombay mix, cashew nuts and almonds that she sent them a memo ordering them to "keep their sticky fingers out".
Wowzer. We had no idea someone could get so attached to savoury snacks!
Prince William and Prince Harry's grandmother's annoyance was revealed at the Old Bailey trial into alleged phone hacking, where it was revealed that former royal editor Clive Goodman sent details of the royal rumpus in an email to editor Andy Coulson in March 2005.
He wrote: “The Queen is furious about police stealing bowls of nuts and nibbles left out for her in the apartments in the BP Queen’s corridor.
“She has a very savoury tooth and staff leave out cashews, Bombay mix, almonds, etc.
“Prob is that police on patrol eat the lot."
“Queen is so narked she started marking the bowls to see when the levels dipped.”
“Memo now gone around to all Palace cops telling them to keep their sticky fingers out.”
It's just… it's just bonkers.
Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC explained to the jury that Queen Elizabeth II was “upset” about the behaviour of the officers, according to Goodman’s email.
“They were all being scoffed by police. That irritated Her Majesty apparently”
“Apparently they were helping themselves to nuts.
“They were all being scoffed by police. That irritated Her Majesty apparently.”
Unsurprisingly, the jurors (and those seated in the public gallery) broke down into fits of giggles, before they were sternly reprimanded by Mr Justice Saunders, who quipped: "These are unproven allegations."
Obviously the trial isn't focused entirely on the Queen's missing snacks; the email was read out as part of the prosecution’s evidence against Goodman and Coulson, both of whom are accused of corrupting a Royal protection officer by paying him for copies of the internal Palace phone directories.
The trial continues but, in the meantime, steer clear of the Bombay mix next time you're partying at the palace. One will not be amused.