I have a question about the queen.

[fflo]

Why does she carry a purse?   

It's not just "What do you need a purse for when you're ceremonially reviewing the guard?"  It's also "You can be the Queen of England and still have no one to bear the burden of your wallet, comb and keys?"  Moreover, "You can be the Queen of England and still not have sufficient pockets?"  Plus "Oh wait what does the Queen of England need a wallet for?"

Probably the right question is "Is this a fashion thing?"

Yes, you're probably thinking she has a can of mace and a pearl-handled pistol in her bag for this particular occasion, but that's not my point.

I'm also, upon reflection, a bit befuddled that she'd wear uncomfortable shoes, as the Queen of England, and somewhat agéd, but that's almost surely a fashion thing.  The white gloves too.  Just lady luggage--- it's too weird.  She has the power.  She could change expectations.

"What's in her purse?" is a whole other line of wondering.  Probably nothing.  I vote nothing.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The Queen settled on a style for herself in the 1950s- and the basics have changed very little since.

I believe the gloves are to protect her from touching skin in the event of her having to shake hands.

[fflo.livejournal.com]

Consistency. I can get behind that, I reckon.

Maybe handbags were an important accessory back then? Just seems superfluous, when you're the Queen.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

My mother- same generation as the Queen- insisted on taking her handbag everywhere- and in the early stages of dementia would get quite panicky if she thought she'd left it behind.

[fflo.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of a (female) friend who taught me a "what to make sure you have as you leave the apartment you're in" list she'd picked up from some tough fellow NYers: dick, wallet, keys, drugs. We'd use the list, but "dick" just meant your self (so one items instantly check-off-able, like "make a list" is on a list), and for me "drugs" would be whatever specify thing I might need to get through the coming hours.

BTW, see below for a great link from pink_halen on the Queen's purse.

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

My dad told us the WW II army version of that. "Testicles, spectacles, wallet, and watch."

[fflo.livejournal.com]

How 'bout that. I wonder whether the queens' (other kind of queens) expression was derived from that.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

I say, a hankie, cigarettes and keys to the Land Rover.

[fflo.livejournal.com]

I love it. But turns out (see below) the answer's been documented, along with a hilarious purse communication code the Queen uses.

A Handbag

[pink-halen.livejournal.com]

Queen Elizabeth II Purse Signals - Inside Queen Elizabeth's Purse

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/news/a21089/inside-queen-elizabeths-purse/

RE: A Handbag

[fflo.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, pink_halen! What a fun set of revelations. Especially the codes, like safe words, the Queen has with the purse movements.

Maybe having it in the crook of her left arm when she's wearing a hat and walking means "One more barging in front by this jerk and someone please come over on a polo pony and whack him."

[yshaloo]

according to Eddie Izzard, she's got a brick in there.

[fflo.livejournal.com]

Ha!

I love Eddie Izzard. The first time I saw him doing stand-up, on a TV in a motel room while my partner was trying to sleep, I couldn't stop laughing too loudly. I even fell off the end of the bed onto the floor laughing.

Probably a good bit of it, I'm embarrassed to admit, was the hilarity (to me) (to Americans?) of people cursing in a proper-ish British accent.

[gothikarose710.livejournal.com]

Probably feels it complements her outfit.