Photographers snapped several photos of the Queen during her meeting with George Tupov V, the King of Tonga. The pictures reveal a large bruise on the side of the Queen’s neck, which the Palace does not explain but rather brushes aside.

“She’s got a slight bruise. She’s just knocked it. It’s nothing to worry about.”

You’ve got to hand it to the folks running the press office at Buck House. They (and Her Maj especially) know how to keep a stiff upper lip. The Queen could be carrying her head in her hand, and her spokesman would simply say, “She’s just knocked it. It’s nothing to worry about. It just came off…”