Queen Elizabeth's aides worried that her laidback photoshoot would 'bring down the monarchy'

As head of the Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth typically sets a restrained tone for her family members, but a recent picture has shown a different side to the Monarch.

Inspired by her close friend and dresser Angela Kelly, the Queen went for a laid-back approach in a photoshoot aides reportedly believed would “bring the monarchy down”.

In the photo published by Hello!, the Queen was seen wearing a white long-sleeved dress, paired with strings of pearls, one of her many brooches and black court heels. Notably, in the picture, the Queen struck a remarkably casual pose as she slid her hands into her pockets and smiled for the camera.

Kelly, who detailed the story behind the picture in her memoir The Other Side of the Coin, the Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe, explained that it was the Queen’s “secret wish” to be snapped more candidly.

Kelly explained that she had asked the Queen to pose with her hands in her pockets for a picture, recalling, “The Queen looked at me in amazement as I asked whether she knew the potential implications of the photographs. She didn't take long to answer: yes, she would do it and, yes, she was sure.”

The royal stylist also described how the Queen took charge from photographer Barry Jeffery as she interrupted him and told him “this is how we’re going to do it”. She continued, “And we were off. Her Majesty took her position in front of the lens and started striking a series of poses, slipping her hands in and out of her pockets and placing them onto her hips, mimicking the stances of a professional model.”

Despite the delightful picture, apparently the Royal Collection (who was working with Kelly at the time) was not impressed. Kelly explained, “Their opinion was that these more candid photographs would bring the monarchy down and therefore they were not suitable for the public eye. Why they thought that, I have no idea.”

Queen Elizabeth isn't the only royal to be condemned for putting her hands in her pockets, as Meghan Markle was previously judged by etiquette experts for doing the exact same thing last October. Over the course of her royal tour with Prince Harry, she was pictured putting her hands into one of her signature trench dresses in New Zealand during a fun visit to meet some of New Zealand's leading film, cosutme and sculpture designers.

One etiquette expert at the time claimed that the move was "unprofessional" and "bad casual", though the affair appeared to be a more relaxed one.

Kelly, who is one of the Queen’s closest friends, revealed other significant moments between the pair behind the scenes; from detailing an April Fool’s prank she once played on the Queen on tour through to the royal giving her a surprise elocution lesson.