Queen Elizabeth II was famous for her unwavering commitment to royal duty, tradition, and protocol. Throughout her long reign, she was rarely seen putting a foot wrong when it came to the expectations placed upon a British monarch. However, behind that famously composed public image was a more playful side, and the Queen was not always opposed to bending an informal rule when she felt like it.

One of the clearest examples came during former US President Barack Obama’s state visit to the United Kingdom in 2016. Michelle Obama later recalled how nervous she had been about following every detail of royal etiquette. She was determined not to make a mistake, especially when meeting the Queen, and had been constantly reminding herself not to trip, touch the wrong person, or behave inappropriately.

Yet Queen Elizabeth quickly put her at ease. Rather than expecting Michelle to follow every rigid convention, the monarch reportedly told her to relax and simply get into the car and sit wherever she wanted. Her attitude demonstrated that, despite being one of the world’s most respected figures, she could also recognize when royal protocol was unnecessarily complicated.

There was, however, one informal rule that royal women generally followed very carefully: they were not supposed to groom or adjust their appearance in public. Members of the royal family are expected to appear perfectly presented whenever they attend an official engagement. Their hair, makeup, and clothing are normally prepared beforehand, and they are rarely seen making obvious beauty adjustments once they are in front of the public.

Queen Elizabeth II, however, occasionally ignored this convention.

During her reign, she was photographed on three notable occasions applying or touching up her lipstick in public. Rather than appearing concerned about being seen doing so, the Queen seemed perfectly comfortable with the practical act of refreshing her makeup.

One memorable example took place in 2014, when she attended the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Cameras captured the monarch touching up her lipstick during the event, offering an unusually informal glimpse of the woman behind the royal persona.

But this was not the first time the Queen had been caught doing it. Nearly three decades earlier, in 1985, she was photographed applying her distinctive pink lipstick while watching the Windsor Horse Show from the Royal Box. The moment was particularly striking because members of the public usually associated the Queen with a carefully controlled and highly polished appearance.

These incidents also challenge the common assumption that the monarch relied heavily on a team of professional makeup artists and hairdressers every time she appeared in public. According to her longtime dresser Angela Kelly, the Queen was actually much more independent when it came to her beauty routine.

In her book, The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe, Kelly explained that the Queen generally did her own makeup. There was one important exception: the annual Christmas Day broadcast.

Kelly revealed that this televised address was the only occasion during the year when the Queen did not apply her own makeup. Because the Christmas message was an especially important and widely watched royal tradition, a professional makeup artist was brought in to prepare her for the broadcast.

The revelation provided an interesting insight into Elizabeth II’s personality. Although she was surrounded by staff and had access to the finest services available, she apparently preferred to handle much of her own makeup herself. Her occasional public lipstick touch-ups therefore seemed less surprising.

The Queen’s relaxed approach to some aspects of etiquette did not mean that she ignored royal standards altogether. In fact, she remained one of the strongest defenders of royal protocol throughout her reign. She understood the importance of tradition and presentation, but she also knew when certain unwritten rules could be treated more casually.

Her attitude toward younger members of the royal family reflected this balance. The Princess of Wales, Catherine, has often been praised for her careful adherence to royal etiquette and her polished appearance during official engagements. Her approach has been influenced by the guidance she received while becoming a working member of the royal family.

Catherine is understood to have developed a particularly warm relationship with Queen Elizabeth during the early years of her marriage to Prince William. Their relationship reportedly became especially meaningful as Catherine adjusted to the responsibilities and expectations that came with joining the monarchy.

According to royal writer Russell Myers in William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, the Queen met privately with Catherine at Buckingham Palace before William and Catherine’s wedding in 2011. The meeting was not simply about discussing the details of the upcoming ceremony or explaining every aspect of royal life.

Instead, the Queen reportedly used the occasion to reassure the young bride-to-be. During a relaxed tea involving sandwiches and other light refreshments, Elizabeth was said to have focused less on ceremonial details and more on offering Catherine encouragement as she prepared to take on her future role.

This demonstrated another side of the late monarch’s character. While Elizabeth was known for preserving centuries-old traditions, she could also understand that royal life involved enormous pressure, particularly for someone entering the institution from outside it.

Her willingness to reassure Catherine contrasts nicely with the image of an extremely formal monarch. Behind the ceremonial robes, official engagements, and strict expectations was a woman capable of humor, practicality, and the occasional act of harmless rebellion.

Her public lipstick moments may seem insignificant compared with the major events of her reign, but they offered rare glimpses into her personality. They showed that Queen Elizabeth II was not simply a figure who followed every rule without question. Instead, she understood which traditions mattered and which small conventions could occasionally be ignored.

That may be one reason these seemingly ordinary photographs have remained memorable. Seeing the Queen casually applying lipstick in public was unexpected precisely because she was usually so controlled and composed. The contrast between her highly formal role and this everyday gesture made the moments particularly charming.

Ultimately, Queen Elizabeth’s relationship with royal protocol was more nuanced than it first appeared. She devoted her life to duty and respected the traditions that defined the monarchy, but she was not afraid to bend an informal rule when circumstances allowed.

Whether reassuring Michelle Obama to forget about complicated protocol, applying lipstick during a public event, or personally doing her own makeup, Elizabeth occasionally showed that the world’s longest-serving monarch could also be remarkably down-to-earth.

Those small acts of independence added a human quality to an otherwise highly ceremonial public image. They reminded royal observers that behind the crown was an individual who, despite carrying extraordinary responsibilities, still appreciated the freedom to do things her own way from time to time.