Queen Elizabeth’s peaceful six-decade reign has not only made her a political rock star, but a fashion icon as well. Still dressing impeccably – coordinating her handbags and heels with her outfits – she appears not to have wavered an inch from her royal fashion rules over the years. However, her much beloved Launer London handbags serve more of a purpose than you might think. Rarely spotted without one at official events, even at home in Buckingham Palace, she also uses them to sneakily send signals to her staff. 5 times Queen Elizabeth broke her own royal protocol Here are five ways the queen uses her handbags and accessories for another purpose. Placing her handbag on the dinner table View this post on Instagram The Queen, accompanied The Duke of Cambridge, this morning visited the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Porton Down, and formally opened the new Energetics Analysis Centre. The Energetics Analysis Centre is a state-of-the-art building from which hundreds of scientists conduct research and analysis to protect the UK against terrorist and criminal threats relating to explosives. The Queen and The Duke viewed a demonstration of a Forensic Explosives Investigation and met staff employed in Counter Terrorism and Security, as well as Dstl staff and members of the military involved in identifying the nerve agent and subsequent clear up of the Novichok incident of 2018. In recognition of their work The Duke presented the Firmin Sword of Peace to representatives of Headquarters South West (The regional Army command headquarters of the south west of England.) Her Majesty and His Royal Highness also spoke to scientists providing vital support to the UK response of the COVID-19 pandemic, working in analytic research areas and deploying microbiologists to NHS hospitals to increase testing capacities. A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily) on Oct 15, 2020 at 4:54am PDT According to The Telegraph, there are telltale signs when the queen wants to leave or bring an event to a close. If she wants to end dinner in five minutes’ time, all she has to do is pop her bag on the table. Draping her handbag over her left arm and switching it View this post on Instagram Her Majesty showing how to wear pink with effortless chic with her black patent Traviata.. . . . . . . . . . . #hermajesty #thequeen #regalstyle #style #chic #luxury #traditional #handmade #crafted #british #tophandlebag #launer #london #england #newyork #bahrain #saudiarabia #qatar #washington #beverlyhills britishmade #california #florida #singapore #perth #regal #royalwarrant #seasonless A post shared by Launer London (@launerlondonofficial) on May 31, 2020 at 10:06am PDT The queen has a habit of draping her handbag over her left arm, so when she switches it, it’s a clear sign that she’s bored and wants to move along, according to royal historian Hugo Vickers. This gesture is a discreet directive that she would like the staff to help end the conversation. As Vickers explained to People magazine: “It would be very worrying if you were talking to the queen and saw the handbag move from one hand to the other.” However, he adds that royal staff always attempt to do the deed in a nice way, and accommodate the person in question by directing him or her to another guest. How frugal is Queen Elizabeth? The millionaire royal who wears US$10 nail polish Putting her handbag on the floor View this post on Instagram A post shared by Launer London (@launerlondonofficial) on Jun 13, 2020 at 4:41am PDT This gesture is a bit more personal and direct if the queen shifts her bag to the floor instead of the table. The Telegraph notes that such a move supposedly signals that she is not enjoying the conversation and wants to be rescued by her lady-in-waiting. Twisting her wedding ring View this post on Instagram Queen Elizabeth II's engagement ring Her Majesty's ring — which features a three-carat, round-cut, diamond center stone and 10 smaller ones set in platinum — was created all thanks to the sacrifice of Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg. When it came time for him to propose to his then-girlfriend Elizabeth, in 1946, Philip's financial situation was not ideal, especially considering he was dating the heir to the British throne. So, his mom stepped in to help. Alice offered to let Philip use the diamonds in the tiara she was given on her wedding day to create the band for his beloved. Prince Philip accepted his mother's generous gift and worked with jewelers Philip Antrobus Ltd. to create the piece. On July 10, 1947, Elizabeth and Philip announced their engagement to the public, and the ring made its debut. Today, although Her Majesty is often seen in her signature white gloves, she has been spotted wearing the gem from time to time. According to Metro, her engagement ring is now likely to be worth around $257,000. But the story behind the gorgeous heirloom has a value that can never truly be measured. [ tags ] #royalty #houseofwindsor #windsor #britishroyals #tiara #royaljewels #royals #princess #elizabethii #sussex #cambridge #duchesscatherine #princewilliam #queenmary #royals #jewels #hermajesty #familiarealbritanica #necklace #crown #royalinfo #windsormountbatten #buckinghampalace #kesingtonpalace #edinburgh #duchessofcambridge #thecrown #queenelizabethiiuk A post shared by Ailin (@royaltyinform) on Sep 8, 2020 at 2:20pm PDT It seems that after a lifetime of public engagements, the queen has mastered the art of sending subtle signals to her team. If it’s not possible to put her bag on the ground, she twists her wedding ring. According to Hugo Vickers, she’ll do this to signal her aids to interrupt the conversation and assist with a graceful exit. Cleavage bags, no Chanel: how Princess Diana used fashion to project Expressing her political views Queen Elizabeth wore brooch from Obamas on the day Trump arrived in the UK https://t.co/hf3omLZ5Pa pic.twitter.com/4C8fgQLZwW — The Hill (@thehill) July 17, 2018 Royal guidelines dictate that the queen and her family must maintain a neutral stance on politics . However, the public has observed that there may be subtle clues hidden in Queen Elizabeth’s sartorial choices. According to Reader’s Digest , when she spoke at the annual State Opening of Parliament after the Brexit vote in 2017, the queen opted to wear a blue hat with yellow flowers arranged in a circular pattern, which resembled the European Union flag. Similarly, when Trump visited the UK for the first time in 2018, the queen wore a brooch given to her by former president Barack Obama , which royal fans interpreted as a “subtle dig and a swipe at the president.” Want more stories like this? Sign up here . Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter .