Queen of England and Prince Snub Simon?

Piers Morgan, who you may know best as one of the judges on America’s Got Talent, has a book coming out and, in it, he describes and encounter that he and American Idol judge, Simon Cowell, had a couple years ago with the Queen of England and her husband, Prince Philip.

According to Monsters and Critics, in 2007 at a Royal Variety Performance, the 82-year-old monarch was introduced to Simon but, judging from the look on her face, she did not recognize him. 

In the book, titled God Bless America: Misadventures of a Big Mouth Brit, Morgan writes: "Simon Cowell arrived at 6.30pm looking unusually twitchy. ‘Have you ever actually met the Queen?’ I asked. ‘Erm – no.’ ‘Nervous?’ ‘No, of course not.’ ‘What if she doesn’t recognise you?’ ‘Piers, don’t be ridiculous.’

"Later, when the Queen and Prince Philip reached us in the line-up, it was quite clear that neither had a clue who Cowell was. The Queen shook his hand with a bemused half-smile on her face and moved swiftly on to me with an expression of familiar relief.

"’Hello again, Your Majesty,’ I said. It was, after all, the fourth time we’ve met."

Ouch!  It is a very big deal to meet the Queen in England so, for a man with an ego like Simon’s, it must have been very humbling to be unrecognizable.  To add insult to injury, Britain’s Got Talent winner, Paul Potts, was also lined up to meet the British Royals and Prince Philip knew enough to ask some questions.  Morgan writes: "’You’re judges, is that right?’ asked Prince Philip. ‘Yes, sir,’ I replied. ‘So,’ he chuckled, looking back at Cowell before pointing to Paul Potts, ‘you sponge off him then?’

Morgan continues: "An hour later I was sitting in Cowell’s sumptuous private jet heading back from Liverpool, where the show had been held, to London with our fellow judge, Amanda Holden. ‘Perfect night,’ I said. ‘The Queen didn’t know you, and Philip called you a sponger.’  Cowell ignored my jibe, leaving a giggling Amanda to observe: ‘That would be the same Queen and Prince Philip who are getting the slow train home?’"

That experience must have left Simon speechless.  Still, it couldn’t have been too humbling – this was a couple years ago and he seems as full-of-himself and self-assured as ever!

image: Newscom