Queen’s private secretary Samantha Cohen shares surprising insights in new interview

Australian Samantha Cohen has given insight into life behind palace walls after 18 years working for the royal family.

Queen Elizabeth was a “gutsy” driver who enjoyed putting the pedal to the metal, leaving any passengers who dared get into a vehicle with her “white knuckled” according to an aide.

Samantha Cohen, an Australian woman who worked by Queen Elizabeth’s side for 18 years has revealed surprising details about the late monarch in a heartwarming new interview.

Originally from Brisbane, she started her royal career in the press office before becoming the communications secretary and then the Queen’s assistant private secretary.

Ms Cohen told the Sunday Times the Queen was an “incredible” employer.

Samantha Cohen (centre) with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Queen Elizabeth II. Picture: Getty Images

Her first encounter with Her Majesty was as a schoolgirl during her Silver Jubilee tour of Australia in 1977, however, she became one of the Queen’s most trusted confidantes.

She would travel wherever the monarch went, even at times relocating to Balmoral for summer or Sandringham for Christmas with her husband and three children.

Ms Cohen said the Queen was consummate host who loved entertaining - especially giving gifts, where she would take the time to personally hand-writing the gift tags.

The Cohens were given a private cottage on the estate to call home and the Head of State “loved families having a nice time and hearing what everyone was doing”.

Queen Elizabeth II and Samantha Cohen arrive at a statue unveiling in 2016. Picture: Getty Images

Samantha Cohen, originally from Brisbane, worked for The Firm for 18 years. Picture: Supplied

She described the Queen as the “antithesis of celebrity”, having “no ego” and being surprisingly “shy” despite being one of the most-recognised people in the world.

However, working for the royal family was also, at times, wildly glamorous.

Ms Cohen shared details of her favourite job, during which she accompanied the Queen on a day trip to Italy for lunch with then-president Giorgio Napolitano, during which she commented she had never done a day trip to Europe.

On the way home, they called into visit the Pope - and as they boarded the plane back to Great Britain, Her Majesty said: “Well, there you go, we did it.”

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Lady Diana Farnham (lady-in-waiting), Queen Elizabeth II, Samantha Cohen (Assistant Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II) and Prince William, then Duke of Cambridge, at an Anzac Day ceremony in 2015. picture: Getty Images

“[She] took [her role] very seriously and performed it to perfection,” Ms Cohen said.

Queen Elizabeth was at her happiest when she was off-duty, but she also enjoyed her tours of Australia “because there was less protocol” to contend with.

Ms Cohen, who was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 2016 for her personal service to the Queen, went to work for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018 - however, she left that role in October 2019, ending her 18-year career with The Firm.

However, she was invited to Sandringham for the now-infamous meeting in January 2020 in which Prince Harry discussed leaving his role as a senior working royal and moving overseas.

She has not commented publicly on what happened.

Since then, she has worked for former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and for the global chief executive of mining company Rio Tinto.

Originally published as Queen’s private secretary Samantha Cohen shares surprising insights in new interview