This is the one (and only) non-royal allowed to call the Queen by her first name

This doesn't really surprise us.

So, as we all know, there are many rules when it comes to being a member of the royal family. However, there would also be loads of rules for us 'common folk' if we ever came face to face with royalty. The rules are strictest for people meeting The Queen, which makes sense in fairness. You have to curtsy, refer to her appropriately (Your Majesty will suffice), and avoid being overly familiar. Everyone that isn't an immediate member of the royal family has to refer to the monarch by her official title. That includes politicians, heads of state, and even royalty from other countries. There was, historically, one exception to this rule. Nelson Mandela famously called the monarch 'Elizabeth' whenever they were together. Royal Commentator, Richard Fitzwilliams, recently revealed that there was one person who called the Queen by her first name. Speaking to Express, he said: "Mandela was." "He called her Elizabeth and his affection for her was warmly reciprocated." "Her state visit to South Africa in 1995 when he was President was one of the highlights of her reign." Nelson Mandela and Elizabeth II had a famously unusual friendship, with the South African leader regularly ignoring royal custom. In her book, Mandela's former assistant revealed some intimate insight into the famous friendship. She wrote: "On a visit to Britain, I was struck by the warm friendship between Madiba and the Queen." "I think he was one of the very few people who called her by her first name and she seemed to be amused by it." And WILDLY, Nelson allegedly once said to the Queen: "Oh, Elizabeth, you’ve lost weight." Can you imagine?