Rock star Phil Collins had an awkward moment with Queen Elizabeth II when he whistled the theme tune from movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind in front of the monarch.

The incident occurred after the 73-year-old musician had just finished speaking with the Queen.

Queen Elizabeth heard Collins whistling and asked him, "What was that?" leaving Collins speechless.

Radio presenter Terry Wogan, who was standing next to Collins, stepped in and jokingly said, "He was calling ET, ma’am".

The incident has been revealed in best-selling author Craig Brown’s new book ‘A Voyage Around The Queen’, set to be released on August 29.

Wogan later admitted that he regretted his remark almost immediately, but the Queen simply acknowledged it with a brief "Ah" and moved on to other guests.

Afterwards, Collins reportedly asked Wogan, "Why did I do that?" Wogan attributed the unusual behaviour to what he called "The Royal Effect," explaining it as: “You say the first thing that comes into your head, and you carry the memory of your foolishness with you to the grave”.

Brown, whose last book revealed stories about the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, recalls that the incident is not unique, writing that many who met Elizabeth found themselves behaving unusually or saying things they later wished they hadn’t.

Even such famous figures as the Beatles have recounted their own moments of nervousness or awkwardness in the Queen’s presence.

The legendary group famously struggled to find words during their MBE ceremony, with John Lennon admitting his mind went blank in front of Her Majesty.

Other notable incidents include the comic novelist Kingsley Amis, who was so terrified of an unintentional mishap during a lunch with the Queen that he went on a strict non-bean-and-onion diet days before the event.

Similarly, Lady Annabel Birley and her husband Mark, who founded legendary London nightclub ‘Annabel’s’, experienced their own awkward moment.

“Lost for something to say, Lady Annabel thought of dogs. ‘Ma’am, we have a very small dachshund called Noodle who we love and who is very spoilt and sleeps every night in our bed,’ she said. The Queen then turned to Mark, who went blank and repeated, ‘Ma’am, we have a very small dachshund called Noodle who is very spoilt and sleeps every night in our bed’”, Craig recounted.

“The Queen ‘simply nodded and smiled’”.

 

Story by: Maria Letícia Gomes