Two roaring lionesses came close to upstaging the queen as she unveiled a new lion enclosure at London Zoo.
The big cats appeared to be having an argument over food as HRH unveiled a plaque at the Land of the Lions exhibit, which will home four endangered Asiatic Lions.
The Queen, who was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, listened to speeches from Zoological Society of London (ZSL) president Sir John Beddington and director Ralph Armond while lions prowled just meters away.
Professor David Field, zoological director at ZSL, told the Mirror that the argument which interrupted the opening ceremony was between five-year-old twins Heidi and Indi.
“The Queen kept taking a look at what the lions were doing behind them – especially when the lions were growling.
“And that’s the beauty of it, because you’re so intimate and so close with the lions you just don’t quite know how close they are to you,” he said.
“They certainly took a little check to see what was happening.”
Another zoo keeper agreed: “Heidi is notoriously vocal. She likes to assert her authority. It’s quite a dramatic sound if you’re not used to it”
