The ‘Interesting Thing’ About Marilyn Monroe Queen Elizabeth Noticed The Moment They Met
An icon meeting an icon—that’s what happened in 1956 when Marilyn Monroe got the oppportunity to meet Queen Elizabeth II. Although they only talked for a few minutes, the Hollywood icon made quite an impression on the late monarch. Ahead, what the queen immediately noticed about Monroe when they met and their chat about being “neighbors.”
Queen Elizabeth noticed Marilyn Monroe’s lipstick was gone
On Oct. 29. 1956, Monroe was among the stars invited to attend the Royal Command Performance at the Empire Theatre, in London, England, and meet Queen Elizabeth.
According to author Michelle Morgan, who wrote about the evening in her book, When Marilyn Met the Queen, Monroe had become fascinated with the queen while staying in Englefield Green, located only four miles from Windsor Castle. She was so captivated she dreamed of someday having tea at Buckingham Palace with the queen.
When Monroe’s dream of meeting Queen Elizabeth came true—well, sort of—she stood “nervously waiting her turn” in a long receiving line of other actors. Finally, when the two met, the queen noticed Monroe’s lipstick, or lack thereof, as they spoke. “She had licked all of her lipstick off,” Morgan said (via Marie Claire).
“When you see the footage, you see the queen coming up the line,” the author said. “Marilyn is licking her lipstick off because she’s nervous. And the queen picked up on that. I thought that was an interesting thing for the queen to notice.”
As for what they talked about, Queen Elizabeth and Monroe discussed living in neighboring towns. The Seven Year Itch star even mentioned her “love” of going for bike rides in Windsor Great Park with her then-husband Arthur Miller.
Monroe’s gold gown broke the dress code for meeting Queen Elizabeth
The Hollywood icon didn’t follow the rules about what to wear. Even though “a memo went round to everybody” about the dress code telling guests, “You must wear something conservative. You must think about the neckline,” it “went straight over Marilyn’s head.”
“She already had an idea of what she wanted,” Morgan said, noting Monroe tasked a “theatrical dressmaker” to create a “very, very low cut” gold lamé gown.
“It caused quite a sensation,” the author went on. “She was criticized by various people who were there, including Joan Crawford, who didn’t like Marilyn very much anyway.”
It didn’t bother the queen
If Queen Elizabeth felt “starstruck” at the sight of Monroe and her clothing choice she didn’t let on. “At the end of the day, the queen didn’t seem to mind. And that’s who she [Monroe] was there to see.”
“She knew who Marilyn was, she was very aware of her,” the author said. “She knew the kind of gowns that she wore, and I think she was maybe just as starstruck.”
But “shocked” by Monroe? Probably not. “I don’t think she was shockable in the least,” Morgan added. “I don’t think anything shocked the queen.”
After their meeting, the queen reportedly became “fascinated” by Monroe and “watched every one of her movies.”
