The Queen Makes a Surprise Visit to a Hospice And Shows Her Funny Side When the Phone Rings

Queen Elizabeth II surprised the Thames Hospice in Maidenhead on July 15, Friday, for a visit, despite her mobility issues. 

The Queen and The Princess Royal

The Queen used her husband's walking stick during the visit. She was accompanied by her only daughter, Princess Anne.

The Queen and The Princess Royal graced the opening of the new state-of-the-art facility of Thames Hospice, which has been providing compassionate in-patient and community hospice are to the local community in Windsor and Maidenhead for over 35 years.

Credit: Thames Hospice instagram

Credit: Thames Hospice instagram

According to The Royal Family's post: "The new facility will enable the hospice to are for twice as many patients, supporting them and their loved ones in a relaxing, friendly and welcoming environment".

Credit: The Royal Family instagram

Thames Hospice expressed its gratitude to The Queen for her presence. "We were thrilled to welcome Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by The Princess Royal, to officially open our new Hospice".

The Queen was all smile during a Hospice visit Credit: Getty Images

According to its social media post, Queen Elizabeth II first opened Thames Hospice on November 9, 1987, and the visit on July 15 marked Her Majesty's fourth visit, which also marked the community's 35th year.

During the visit, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne took met the staff, volunteers, supporters, and patients. Her Majesty also unveiled a commemorative plaque to celebrate the opening of its newest facility.

The Queen has distributed loads of her public duties to working members of The Royal Family due to her mobility issues. However, she continues to perform part of her royal life by receiving dignitaries and guests at her sitting room in Windsor Castle.

Kirsty O'Connor/AFP/Getty Images

The Queen chatted with staff at Thames Hospice Kirsty O'Connor/AFP/Getty Images

The hospice provides palliative and end-of-life care and support to people across East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire. Its services are free for those who need care. The Queen's visit, however, was not listed as an official engagement.

But the moment of fun came when Her Majesty was introduced to Graham White and his wife Pat, who has stage 4 cancer and is receiving respite care at the center. 

The Queen chatted Mr. and Mrs. White. Kirsty O'Connor/AFP/Getty Images

Mr. Graham's phone rang. And Her Majesty, who is known for her great sense of humor, showed her funny side by commenting: "Typical, a phone goes off immediately." 

Everyone's laughing, and Graham White sheepishly turned off his phone and said it was his son ringing.

Pat White chatted with the Queen and described the encounter as "very emotional", adding: "This is a memory that I will treasure." She also joked about her husband's phone ringing: "I could have killed him. People think the Queen is all stiff upper lip but she has a sense of humor."

The Queen chatted Mr. and Mrs. White. Kirsty O'Connor/AFP/Getty Images

White said: "I turned my wife's phone off and I could have sworn mine was off - that was a bit embarrassing."

"The Queen said the building is beautiful and she showed a keen interest in the different treatments for cancer and hoped the new building would help support all the cancer patients here."

Mrs. White and her husband served in the Army, with Mr. White, a former Warrant Officer Class 1, working as a functions manager at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst when the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex were training to be officers.

For her surprise visit to Thames Hospice, the Queen wore a blue dress with floral print, her favorite black bag, pearl earrings, and three-tiered pearl necklace.