Queen's brutal one-word response to William's wild 21st birthday party

01 September 2023 , 12:31

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There was one party decoration that failed to get the seal of approval from Her Majesty (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

A Royal Family party planner has revealed the Queen's brutal one-word response to Prince William's wild 21st birthday party.

The huge do had an 'out of Africa' theme and was held at Windsor Castle in 2003. Costumes and celebrity guests were invited while musicians were flown in from Botswana to celebrate the big day.

But there was one party decoration that failed to get the seal of approval from the late monarch. Johnny Roxburgh, 73, who planned the bash said she was left less than impressed by a vodka luge in the shape of an elephant's head.

He said: "I've done parties that have costs tens of millions of pounds,' he explained on Channel 5's Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which airs tonight. One minute we're in Shanghai, the next we're in Paris or in Russia. I did dinner with Putin. That was kind of extraordinary."

Ahead of the party, the Queen appeared while someone was pouring vodka into the elephant's head. Johnny added: "And she looked at me and said, "What is that?". And I said, "Ma'am, it's a vodka luge". I could have said it was it was a tin of Brasso, because she just looked at me confused and said "hmmm"."

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He went on to reveal how he would often plan parties for Her Majesty but did not escape her keen eye for detail. Speaking of one dinner for 600 people at Balmoral, he said: "The Queen was always asking for photographs to be sent to her so she could see what we were building in the grounds of her castle."

For William's birthday bash, he said he was 'wonderful to work with' and 'charming beyond belief'. He continued: "We created an African jungle at Windsor Castle with full-size elephants made from palm husk, table centres that would shame a Lion King headdress, a giant ice vodka luge in the shape of an elephant’s head (which The Queen loved).

"I realised then that our future king is a very cool young man." The 300 guests, including friends, families and stars like Rowan Atkinson, were asked to don their best fancy dress for the evening.

Hannah Kane