In the 1500s, Queen Elizabeth I of England was known for her sharp wit and love of practical jokes. One day, she invited a group of ambassadors from Spain to visit her palace.
As the ambassadors were waiting in the reception room, they noticed a statue of a woman holding a sunshade. To their surprise, the statue suddenly came to life and started moving around the room, much to their shock and amazement.
Unknown to the Spanish ambassadors, the “statue” was actually one of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies-in-waiting, who had dressed up in costume to play a prank on them.
The lady-in-waiting had been instructed by the Queen to stand perfectly still for several minutes before leaping into action, much to the amusement of their guests. The Spanish ambassadors were so stunned by the trick that they couldn’t stop talking about it for weeks afterwards.
The story of Queen Elizabeth’s living statue became a popular legend of her reign and is often cited as an example of her sense of humour and love of practical jokes.
