Archbishop of Canterbury on ‘extremely fun’ Queen who likes to ‘tease and be teased’

Tuesday, June 5, 2012
10:28 AM

The Archbishop of Canterbury has given his view of the Queen in private.

Dr Rowan Williams, will give the thanksgiving sermon at today’s service at St Paul’s today, is expected to pay tribute to the Queen.

The senior cleric, who is set to stand down from his post in December, hailed Queen Elizabeth’s “real personality”.

Speaking on their one-to-one meetings, the Archbishop said: “I found in the Queen someone who can be friendly, who can be informal, who can be extremely funny in private - and not everybody appreciates just how funny she can be - who is quite prepared to tease and to be teased, and who, while retaining her dignity always, doesn’t stand on her dignity in a conversation.”

The service is a religious acknowledgement of the life of the Queen who has reigned for 60 years and is head of the Church of England.

Crowds began congregating in The Mall from early morning in anticipation of a glittering carriage procession including the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.