You don’t need to be a knight in shining armor or the next royal heir to meet Queen Elizabeth. If you want to see Queen Elizabeth, the first thing you should know is that she is not generally available. You can’t just approach her and ask for an autograph or a selfie like you might with other celebrities. This doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to meet her; it just means there are certain steps one must take to make this happen.
A one-to-one meeting with the Queen is referred to as an “Audience” [Source]. It is noted that “Audiences are a key element of The Queen’s day to day work, and enable her to give time and focus to key individuals.”
Most of The Queen’s audiences are members of the diplomatic community, either from within her country, countries regarded as allies, or from other countries across the globe.
Since she is the head of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II is a political leader in her own stature and tends to influence the political trajectory in the UK. Because she is a politician, it is easy for other fellow politicians to visit her and engage in conservations. Also, family members of prominent politicians can visit the Highness without any hustles and carry out a tour of the kingdom.
But Queen Elizabeth also entertains audiences from individuals in other professions or works of life. It is noted that “Her Majesty also welcomes political, religious and military leaders, and people who have won prestigious cultural prizes.”
It was explained that “In addition to her regular diplomatic and political audiences, The Queen also meets individuals who have made extraordinary achievements in their fields, particularly if they are taking up a Royal appointment or receiving a prize which is given in her name.”
An audience is usually carried out privately between the visiting parties and Her Majesty. It is not recorded or written on a transcript. “By meeting people privately, or ‘granting an Audience,’ The Queen acknowledges the importance of certain individuals and their work, and creates an opportunity to learn more about them and to give them a memorable Royal experience.”
But do ‘common’ people meet The Queen? The answer to this question is ‘yes,’ and various ways are proposed to meet her. It was deemed hard to request an Audience with Her Majesty if a person is a ‘common’ citizen. The easiest way to meet Queen Elizabeth would be to check her itinerary, and one should go to the listed functions and “get there early and be nice” [Source]. It is noted that “She will sometimes talk to the non-official guests (i.e., spectators), time and safety permitting.”
Another way of meeting Queen Elizabeth “would be to do a lot of charity work, as she hosts a garden every year for hundreds of charity workers. Children doing things for charity are probably even more likely to be invited!”
Some argued that a person wishing to meet The Queen could encounter her at a horse race or church. She usually chats with locals outside when she goes to a local church. The Queen also frequently attends horse racing at Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby, and people attending can see her.
Others cited that “There is little or no way to meet the Queen. For most things, you will meet what I call a lower royal, say, Charles or family. The queen does not carry out many investitures. P William mainly carries this out. Other protocols are in place for meeting the Queen, but these remain secret”.
It is not easy to meet Queen Elizabeth. One may have a better chance by attending the listed functions, but there are no guarantees that she will attend or be present at any of these events. She has been known to cancel plans last minute for reasons unknown.
