Dame Shirley Bassey feared she’d be thrown ‘in the Tower’ after royal blunder with Queen

Dame Shirley Bassey previously revealed that she had an awkward run-in with Queen Elizabeth II when they met backstage at a concert in 1999. The 86-year-old icon had performed alongside Sir Tom Jones and Bonnie Tyler in Cardiff to mark the opening of the Welsh Assembly.

The Goldfinger hitmaker revealed that she had been speaking to the Queen in the line-up before the monarch was left unamused by Shirley’s attempt at making small talk.

She detailed: “I spoke to her in the line-up after a concert. As the Queen left, I said, ‘I think we are opening the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff together soon, Ma’am’.

“And Her Majesty turned back to me quickly and said ‘Yes, I think WE are’ as in the royal ‘we’.

“I thought I’d go to the Tower.”

Shirley made the revelation during a BBC Christmas special in her honour ahead of her 80th birthday in 2016.

The Grammy Hall of Fame inductee performed in front of the Queen on several occasions, including the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002, the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and Her Majesty’s 90th birthday at Windsor Castle in 2016.

Following the Queen’s death in September 2022, Shirley said she would miss the monarch “deeply”.

She shared in a statement: “There is a reason why Her Majesty The Queen was admired not just at home but across the world. Through triumph and adversity, her devotion to our country has spanned eras of unprecedented change.

“In all that time, she remained steadfast, dignified, inspirational. Her courage was mighty, her example iconic. She was an unstoppable force.”

It comes as Shirley’s incredible 70-year career will be honoured in Shirley Bassey at the BBC: Volume Two on Saturday night.

The episode will air a selection of performances from the archives. They will include pop favourites, film themes and songs from a selection of programmes she appeared on over the years – including her own hugely popular TV show that ran throughout the 1970s.

Amongst the tracks featured are My Way, The Way We Were, Copacabana and her rendition of The Beatles’ Hey Jude.

Last week, Shirley was made a Companion of Honour in the New Year Honours list.

After hearing the news Dame Shirley said her heart was “full of emotion” and she was “truly humbled”.

Shirley Bassey at the BBC: Volume 2 airs Saturday at 8.30pm on BBC Two.