LONDON: Britain’s 90-year-old monarch has made a rare apparent gaffe, being caught on film characterizing Chinese officials as “very rude” in their dealings with British counterparts over a state visit that drummed up billions in Chinese investment.
Queen Elizabeth II made the unguarded comments on Tuesday while talking to a senior police officer at a rain-soaked garden party on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
Her comments, aired on Wednesday, came just hours after Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday also inadvertently public remarks, referring to Afghanistan and Nigeria as “most corrupt.”
With uncharacteristic bluntness — rarely if ever heard in public — the queen said the Chinese had not dealt properly with Barbara Woodward, the British envoy to China.
“They were very rude to the ambassador,” Elizabeth said.
The comments were recorded by an official cameraman and distributed to broadcasters under a pool arrangement allowing them to use the material, which surfaced on-air Wednesday.
Dressed in a pink coat and hat with white gloves, the queen could be heard during a garden party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday making unguarded comments about a Chinese state visit last year. But Britain and China at the time hailed Xi’s visit as a high watermark in Sino-British relations.
Queen Elizabeth II made the unguarded comments on Tuesday while talking to a senior police officer at a rain-soaked garden party on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
Her comments, aired on Wednesday, came just hours after Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday also inadvertently public remarks, referring to Afghanistan and Nigeria as “most corrupt.”
With uncharacteristic bluntness — rarely if ever heard in public — the queen said the Chinese had not dealt properly with Barbara Woodward, the British envoy to China.
“They were very rude to the ambassador,” Elizabeth said.
The comments were recorded by an official cameraman and distributed to broadcasters under a pool arrangement allowing them to use the material, which surfaced on-air Wednesday.
Dressed in a pink coat and hat with white gloves, the queen could be heard during a garden party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday making unguarded comments about a Chinese state visit last year. But Britain and China at the time hailed Xi’s visit as a high watermark in Sino-British relations.
