Queen Elizabeth II almost SHOT by her own guardsman when he found her strolling palace gardens at 3am

The Queen was once found strolling palace gardens at 3am by a guardsman, who told her: “Bloody hell, Your Majesty. I nearly shot you”, it has been claimed. 

According to an account of the astonishing encounter, Her Majesty quipped in response: “That’s quite all right.

“Next time I’ll ring through beforehand so you don’t have to shoot me.”

The Queen is a fan of late night walks and, when she struggles to sleep, will walk around the palace grounds wearing a winter coat.

© MirrorA guardsman apparently came across The Monarch in the small hours and asked her: “Who’s that?” before he realised it was the Head of State.

It is thought that the encounter, reported in The Times, happened at the Monarch’s official London residence Buckingham Palace . 

It is also believed that it happened several years ago and that the 90-year-old Queen is now unlikely to be found on similar expeditions.

In 2013 Prince Andrew was mistaken for an intruder and confronted by armed police as he walked in the Buckingham Palace garden.

Police said no weapons were drawn but issued an apology to the prince.

Managing Editor of Majesty Magazine Joe Little said about the tale of The Queen and guardsman: “What a great story.

“While wanting to take it with a pinch of salt, if Prince Andrew’s identity can be challenged by a policeman in the same garden in broad daylight then there’s no reason to think that something similar couldn’t happen to his mother in the dead of night.”

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Credits: GettyThe Queen spends the working week at Buckingham Palace which has been the subject of several security breaches in recent years.

In August 2016 police a 22-year-old man was arrested just after 4am after climbing over a security fence and being spotted by officers monitoring CCTV.

And in May 2016 Denis Hennessy, 41, climbed over barbed wire and roamed freely in the palace grounds for 10 minutes while The Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Andrew were in residence.

When he was found by officers he repeatedly asked them: “Is Ma’am in?”

In 2013 a man scaled the fence and was found after 10pm in one of the State Rooms. None of the royals were in residence at the time.

The Queen is usually at Buckingham Palace from Monday to Friday, with weekends and Easter spent at Windsor Castle.

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Credits: REUTERSShe enjoys summers in Balmoral and Christmas and New Year at Sandringham where she stays until after the anniversary of her father King George VI death on February 6.

Usually taking the train to and from Kings Lynn to get to her Norfolk retreat, this Christmas she broke with tradition and was taken by helicopter suffering from a “heavy cold”.

She has been recovering inside Sandringham House since, missing the Christmas Day church service for the first time in almost 30 years and the New Year service the following week.

Concerns were raised for her health, however aides said she was “up and about” and receiving her usual Red Boxes of Government papers.

On Tuesday The Queen received Page of the Chambers Ray Wheaton at Sandringham where she invested him with the Insignia of a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, a personal honour recognising services to the Monarch.