In 2001, British tabloid The Sun published one of the most delightfully bizarre royal stories ever to grace its pages: Queen Elizabeth II allegedly kept a rubber duck wearing an inflatable crown in her private bathroom at Buckingham Palace. The story emerged when an unidentified decorator, while repainting the Queen's bathroom, reportedly glanced down at the tub and made an unexpected discovery.

"I nearly fell off my ladder when I saw the yellow rubber duck with an inflatable crown on its head," the decorator claimed. Amused palace servants supposedly dubbed the toy the "air to the throne" — a punny nod to the heir apparent.

The Royal Response (Or Lack Thereof)

When pressed for comment, Buckingham Palace took the high road with their trademark discretion: "We never comment on personal items in royal apartments." This non-denial denial only fueled speculation. Was the Queen truly a rubber duck enthusiast, or was this tabloid creativity at its finest?

The uncertainty didn't stop the British public from embracing the story. Rubber duck sales in the United Kingdom reportedly surged by 80% following the publication, as loyal subjects apparently rushed to share bath time solidarity with their monarch.

A Story That Outlasted the Queen

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, 2022, at age 96, after a remarkable 70-year reign. Whether or not she actually kept a crowned rubber duck in her tub remains one of those charming mysteries that will likely never be definitively solved. The palace never confirmed it, but they never denied it either.

What we do know is that the story has lived on far beyond its 2001 origins. Today, you can purchase Queen Elizabeth II rubber ducks from numerous retailers — complete with crowns, royal regalia, and commemorative designs. These novelty items serve as quirky tributes to Britain's longest-reigning monarch, though they're meant for your bathtub, not hers.

Why This Story Endures

The rubber duck tale resonates because it humanizes royalty. Here's why people loved it:

Relatable luxury: Even monarchs apparently enjoy simple pleasures like bath toys
Gentle humor: The "air to the throne" pun is genuinely clever
Harmless intrigue: It's gossipy without being scandalous
Imaginative detail: An inflatable crown is oddly specific and whimsical

Was the story true? We may never know. But in the grand tradition of royal lore, sometimes the best stories are the ones that make us smile whether they're fact or fiction. And if there's one thing the late Queen mastered during her seven decades on the throne, it was maintaining just enough mystery to keep the world guessing.

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