Immediately after the death of the 99-year-old husband of the reigning Queen of Great Britain, a photo of a guardsman in a traditional uniform and a smiling Elizabeth nearby spread around the network. As follows from the description of the photograph, it was a prince in disguise who decided to play a prank on the queen in this way. We checked whether this was really the case.

The photograph, which went viral in the first hours and days after the sad news, testified that even in his old age the prince still had a sense of humor. Signature read: “Prince Philip played a prank on the Queen by dressing up as a guardsman and standing guard in one of the palace galleries. The camera caught the Queen's reaction when she realized that the guard greeting her was Prince Philip. Of course, she recognized him, but she didn’t show it, trying to hide her smile behind her hat!”

The photo spread not only social networks, but also by news sites in Russia and abroad.

In fact, this photo is quite old. It was taken in April 2003 by Chris Young of the Associated Press at Windsor Castle at the review of the Grenadier Guards regiment, of which Philip had been commander since 1975. Here is the standard uniform of the guards for many centuries, and Philip wore it more than once:

The Grenadiers, in red uniforms and tall black bearskin caps, are indeed one of the five regiments guarding Buckingham Palace. The shape of the connections differs only in minor details such as buttons or badges.

What then made the queen laugh, you ask? Elizabeth II really had a reason to burst out laughing. When Philip was already preparing to accompany his wife to the viewing, bees from nowhere suddenly intervened in the action. They caused a stir among the guests and guards, and even stung one retired military man on the forehead. To restore order, the royal beekeeper had to be called. It was one of those rare moments when simple emotions overcome formal etiquette. “I was lucky,” speaks Young, recalling an event 18 years ago. “I realized that this is a manifestation of human feelings. She giggled like a little girl and he laughed too.”

Thus, although the photo of the British royal couple is genuine, it is accompanied by an incorrect description - there was no prank involved. Moreover, this is not the first wave of popularity this "draw".