Paul O'Grady's secret friendship with the late Queen has been revealed for the first time in a new book by his friend and producer Malcolm Prince. The comedian and television presenter, who died in March 2023, had a series of private encounters with the monarch, often enjoying tea together at the home of Lady Elizabeth Anson, the Queen's cousin.
According to Prince's book, 'Paul O'Grady – Not The Same Without You', the friendship began when O'Grady visited Lady Anson and unexpectedly found the Queen already there. The Queen thanked him for his loyal friendship to her cousin during her illness. O'Grady kept the relationship quiet, rarely mentioning it on air, as he doubted people would believe him.
Labour peer Michael Cashman, a close friend of O'Grady, said the Queen appreciated his down-to-earth nature. 'Paul was not impressed by wealth or privilege. He loved truth and honesty, and I think that is why the Queen found him so interesting,' Cashman said.
O'Grady's royal connections extended to Queen Camilla, who appeared on his show 'For the Love of Dogs'. He also had regular lunches with her at Fortnum & Mason. In 2015, he encouraged the Queen to adopt a corgi during the opening of dog kennels at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, but she declined.
Despite his royal friendships, O'Grady's final years were marked by disappointment at BBC Radio 2. His show was cut from over 40 episodes a year to just 26, and a press release announcing comedian Rob Beckett as a replacement to 'save Sundays' angered him. Prince wrote that O'Grady felt disrespected, and the situation may have contributed to his declining health.
