King’s Cross Station: HM The Queen
![King's Cross Station: HM The Queen (17 Dec 2009) [PHOTO: Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images]](http://madhattery.royalroundup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2009-1217-britain-elizabeth.jpg "King's Cross Station: HM The Queen (17 Dec 2009) [PHOTO: Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images]")
Who’s this cute little lady in the Hermès scarf jumping on the train at King’s Cross, you ask?
![King's Cross Station: HM The Queen (17 Dec 2009) [PHOTO: Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images]](http://madhattery.royalroundup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2009-1217-britain-elizabeth2.jpg "King's Cross Station: HM The Queen (17 Dec 2009) [PHOTO: Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images]")
Why, it’s Elizabeth Windsor, of course, heading to Sandringham to get ready for the big family Christmas next week!
(…or she might be heading to Hogwarts, depending on the platform she chose. I mean, if any Muggle could make it through the wall at Platform 9 3/4, it would surely be the Queen of England!)
Public transport…wow, that’s surprising. I thought for sure she took her royal train or the heli to Sandringham, but not public transport. Is this unusual?!?
It almost looks like she’s knitting in the second picture. What sweet pictures. Thanks Ella!
You’re welcome, Kiri Anne! They were too adorable not to post — I was so glad she chose to cover her royal crown up with something so we could include her over here!
Annie, I’m not sure if it’s a regular thing for HM to take a public train to Sandringham, though I know she’s done it for other engagements. The article on her train journey at the Mail Online does say that she paid for her ticket (and even suggests that she might have taken advantage of a senior discount!)
According to the Times (of London) she has done this regularly for the past few years, but BP allowed pictures to be taken this year. I wonder if that’s why she looks a little put out.
She uses public transport quite a lot now, much more than the royal train. Apparently she doesn’t like helicopters. Looks like she’s on platform 11, so only 1 and a quarter away from the Hogwarts Express (trivia alert – the platforms they show in the films aren’t 9 and 10 in the real station, because JKR was actually thinking of the layout of Euston Station – about a mile away – when she wrote the first book. Platforms 9 & 10 at Kings Cross are tucked away up the back of the station and aren’t very grand.)
Can you imagine the Queen in a photobooth getting the pictures for her senior citizen railcard?!?!
What a photo, the number two is fabulous, like my grand-mother.
What is not to love about this? I love the whole scenario.
Spot on, it is indeed just fabulous isn’t it. I think we are all thinking that the Queen actually is our Granny on her way to visit us for Christmas!
Never mind the hattery in this post; I love the fact that she is being green (taking after Charles, hmm?) and is taking public transit like the rest of us would, even if it is first class. It’s great to see HM out and about like any commoner. As stated above, she does look like our Grandma coming for Christmas dinner.
I can’t wait for the annual walk at Sandringham! Probably my favourite royal event of each year (except a royal wedding!).
Hmm. I wonder where Philip is? Maybe she decided to leave him behind this year.
But all in all, I love this picture, especially more since she is doing what other folks have been doing for years. Anyone know how long the trip to Sandringham takes?
Dear Chesney, Prince Philip departed several days prior to Lilibet’s journey per The Mail online article. I look forward to watching this site for the Sandringham photos. As a new Madhattery follower, I’m unsure of what it is exactly. Can anybody fill me in? Cheers in advance.
Absolutely, lise! Nearly all of the senior members of the British royal family gather for Christmas every year at Sandringham, and on Christmas morning, they all walk together to church at St. Mary Magdalen, which is nearby. It’s a public event where photographers are allowed to take photos of the family and members of the public often queue to see HM and the family as well.
Here’s a link to all of the entries on the blog tagged “Christmas,” which should include all of last year’s Christmas photos. The royal ladies who hatted about in the “walkabout” at church last year were The Queen, The Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne, Zara Phillips, Autumn Phillips, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and The Countess of Wessex. Definitely our biggest annual hat event of the winter season!
According to reports HM opened and read Christmas correspondence during the trip. How fabulously “normal” is that!!
Bring on the pictures from St. Mary Magdalen… because other than that it figures to be a long few winter weeks without much in the way of views of HM and family. ={
Does anyone know what the other Royal families do at Christmas? Like the Danes, of the Swedes?