How a simple British woman has been working as a stunt double for Queen Elizabeth II for 30 years and why she does not receive a salary for this

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

It seems that the face of this woman does not even resemble the Queen of Great Britain, but it is she who has been considered the official understudy of Elizabeth II for 30 years. Ella Slack and the reigning queen have a very similar physique, with only two inches of height apart. Ella Slack happily replaced the queen for more than three decades, believing that she got the job of her dreams. It was pure chance that changed her whole life.

Fluke

It all began in the late 1980s, when Ella Slack was with the BBC's television studio, which regularly reported on all of the Queen's events. It is known that many events require very careful preparation, and sometimes rehearsals, although the audience often thinks that the ideal picture develops by itself.

As preparations were underway for the ceremony at the Cenotaph, a monument to soldiers who died during the Second World War, a message came from Buckingham Palace from the Queen herself. Elizabeth II wrote that the last time a similar ceremony took place, the sun hit her right in the eyes.

The producer in charge of the event then decided to consult with Ella Slack about a possible fix for the problem. In fact, during the rehearsals of the ceremony, someone from the BBC staff chose a place where the queen could stand as comfortably as possible. But the sun never got into his eyes. The whole problem was growth: all the TV people were tall enough. Then Ella Slack offered her services and played the role of the queen during the rehearsal. Her height was almost the same as that of the queen. At that time, everything went so well that Ella Slack's services were constantly used.

30 years as a queen

In fact, Ella Slack cannot be called a royal double at all. Their faces do not have a shadow of similarity, however, a similar physique and height made it possible to invite a stunt double for rehearsals of important events. When Ella Slack did her hair like that of Elizabeth II and put on suits and hats that looked like the queen's outfits, they could be confused from afar.

During all this time, Ella played the role of queen more than 50 times at rehearsals of significant events. There were a lot of them and the woman prepared for each very carefully. She chose hairstyles and costumes to achieve the maximum resemblance to Elizabeth II. She rode in a royal carriage and car, got into a boat to reach the Tower of London.

But the most important event, in the preparation of which she took part, was the state opening of the Parliament. This event is held every year in the House of Lords in May, and the Queen's attendance includes an oration from the throne. True, she never had a chance to sit on the royal throne in the House of Lords instead of Elizabeth II. By the current strict rule, she could only stand next to him. But when traveling in a carriage or car, she could wave her hand, as the queen usually does when greeting her subjects.

Pride and altruism

Ella Slack is sure to watch then all the events in the preparation of which she took part, and is proud that in every event there is a particle of her work. Millions of people all over the world are watching what is happening on TV, and for Ella it means the value of what she has done personally.

The woman is now retired and does not live in London, but on the Isle of Man, from which you can get to England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales at the same time. Therefore, she always promptly responded to the offer to play the role of a backup, arriving at the appointed place with English punctuality.

It is worth noting that for all 30 years of her activity as a royal stunt double, Ella Slack has never taken payment. She has been voiced a fee for participating in the preparation of events more than once, but she believes that she already got the job of her dreams. In the representation of Ella Slack, she is given a great honor, so she fulfills her duties with great pleasure and awareness of her duty to the crown.

Ella Slack cannot be called a double of Elizabeth II, but some leaders of countries, as you know, used the services of people with the maximum similarity in appearance to themselves. But how far can the "role" of the ruler's double go, and where does the copy then go if the original dies? This is the question that gives rise to many conspiracy theories.