With the recent announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, people across the world are taking some time to reflect on the former monarch’s legacy. That legacy includes influence on arts and culture, and whether it’s James Bond or Paddington Bear, Queen Elizabeth II had some memorable and entertaining moments on screen and behind the scenes of TV series and movies.
One of those moments came when Queen Elizabeth II was on a trip to the Game of Thrones set while in Belfast in 2014. The monarch and her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, were shown around some of the fantasy series‘ sets and invited to inspect multiple props. Then, after conversations with the Game of Thrones cast, Queen Elizabeth II was asked whether she’d like to take a seat on the Iron Throne of Westeros.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the monarch politely declined, choosing instead to enjoy the throne made of 1000 swords from a safe distance. However, what may come as a surprise is the reason why Queen Elizabeth II chose to decline the invitation to sit on the throne.
The reason why was actually due to an antiquated rule which states that a monarch cannot sit on a throne of another country or state beside their own. This law was designed to preserve the notion that a country’s throne was exclusively to be sat on by their reigning monarch, so as to not interfere with the hierarchy of power. In fact, it could actually be considered a symbol of aggression for a monarch to sit on the throne of another country.
Check out the clip of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Westeros below:
Clearly, the Queen’s politeness and caution meant that she was unwilling to break convention, even in relation to the fictional world of Westeros. Or, maybe the Iron Throne just didn’t look particularly comfortable.
Either way, Queen Elizabeth II’s trip to the Game of Thrones set, and the sight of her next to the Iron Throne, serves as a timely reminder of her wide-ranging legacy.