The Queen

About

The Queen was released in October 2010 as the B-side to Shame, drawn from the In and Out of Consciousness sessions. Written by Robbie Williams with Kelvin Andrews and Danny Spencer, and produced by Trevor Horn, the song represents one of Williams’s trademark tongue-in-cheek commentaries on British culture. He confirmed in a blog post that the lyric refers directly to Queen Elizabeth II.

Musically, The Queen is brisk and playful, combining strummed acoustic guitars with light brass and a swinging rhythm that recalls Williams’s earlier humorous pop style. Horn’s production keeps the arrangement crisp and uncluttered, allowing the vocal delivery to carry the song’s satirical energy. The track’s buoyant melody and conversational tone contrast with the more reflective mood of the accompanying A-side.

Lyrically, the song imagines a cheeky, fictional encounter between the singer and the monarch, filled with self-deprecating wit and irreverent asides. Lines such as “Lizzie Wizzy, can I be your bloke?” and “Seven pheasants in the boot for the Queen” reflect Williams’s comic sensibility and his fondness for twisting English idioms into playful rhymes. While the lyric is overtly comedic, it also nods affectionately to Britain’s class and celebrity traditions.

“It’s a bit of fun really, me having a chat with Her Majesty in my head. I always liked that side of British pop — slightly naughty but never unkind.”Robbie Williams

Although not performed live or widely promoted, The Queen was praised by fans for its humour and nostalgic tone, recalling the mischievous wit of Williams’s early singles. Its inclusion as a B-side reaffirmed his flair for character-driven pop and his willingness to mix satire with affection in exploring national identity.