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Hasan Minhaj
Hey, it's Hasan Minhaj here from the Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know podcast. Among other things. And I hate the smell of rotting food almost as much as I hate wasting it in the first place. Thankfully, now I have mill. Mill is a food recycler that is odorless, guiltless and completely effortless. See, I've always wanted to reduce my food waste. It is one of the easiest ways for an individual to make a big impact on the environment, but I just cannot stand the mess of a compost bin in the kitchen. But with mill, all you do is drop in your scraps and you let it go. It works quickly and quietly, turning your food, even small bones, into nutrient rich grounds. Now I take out the trash way less, yet my kitchen smells way better and I don't have to feel guilty when my zucchini gets moldy. Plus it looks cool. Yeah, this trash can alternative is so fly. People keep asking me where I got the giant Alexa. It's chic and savvy, but you have to live with mill to really get it. Good thing you can try it risk free for 90 days right now and get $75 off with code HMDK visit mill.com HMDK that is mill.com HMDK I'm
Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin and this is a little happier There is really no point to this little story other than it makes me happy. And I hope it will make you happy too. Around the time of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, one of her longtime protection officers, Richard Griffin, was asked by reporters for examples of her wit and her charm, and he told this story whenever the Queen was visiting Balmoral, the British royal family's historic estate in Scotland, she often enjoyed going for a picnic and a walk. Often just her and her protection officer. One day during a walk after a picnic, the Queen and her officer encountered two American hikers on the path. They stopped to say hello to the pair and immediately realized that the tourists didn't recognize the Queen. They all struck up a conversation and One of the hikers asked the Queen where she lived. She answered, I live in London, but I've got a holiday home just the other side of the hills. He asked how long she'd been coming up, and she replied, oh, I've been coming up here ever since I was a little girl.
So over 80 years.
So of course you can guess what the tourist asks next. He says, if you've been coming up here for 80 years, you must have met the Queen. And without breaking a beat, the Queen said, well, I haven't, but Dick here meets her regularly. So the tourist turns to the officer to ask, what's she like? Now, this officer, Richard Griffin, had known the Queen a very long time.
Progressive Insurance Announcer
So.
Gretchen Rubin
So he knew he could have some fun with the answer. He replied, oh, she can be very cantankerous at times, but she's got a lovely sense of humor. In a flash, the tourist moved to stand next to the officer, handed his camera to the Queen, and asked, can you take a picture of the two of us? She did, and then they swapped places, and Richard Griffin took a picture of the tourist with the Queen. After they left, the Queen said to him, I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he shows those photographs to friends in America and hopefully someone tells him who I am. I laugh whenever I think of those hikers coming back home and someone telling them the name of the very nice woman in the photo. If you'd like to watch this interview for yourself, I'll post a link in the show Notes. I'm Gretchen Rubin, and I hope this makes your week a little happier.
Craig Robinson
Hi, Gretchen. Craig Robinson and my little sister Michelle here we host a new podcast called imo. Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson. We know you're the queen of giving advice, so we wanted to get a few tips from you.
Progressive Insurance Announcer
You know, Gretchen, a lot of our listeners are going through some major life changes. What advice do you have for folks who are trying to stay grounded in the midst of major life transitions?
Gretchen Rubin
Craig and Michelle, I am so happy to be talking to you. Here are a few questions that might help us gain perspective. So. So consider questions like this. What activities take up my time but are not particularly useful or stimulating for me? Do I spend a lot of time on something that's important to someone else but is not very important to me? If I could magically change one habit in my life, what would I choose?
And here's a question.
Would I like to have more time in solitude, restorative solitude, or would I like to have more time with friends. You know, just thinking about questions like this can help us start to figure out how we might make our lives happier. With greater self knowledge, we're better able to make hard decisions that reflect ourselves, our own nature, our own interests, our own values. In my own case, I have found that the more my life reflects my nature, the happier I get and the more grounded I feel when I'm going through a period of major change or transition. For more great advice, search for IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson. Wherever your get podcast, you can listen to Issa Rae on letting go of certain friendships, Keke Palmer on why disappointment is actually the key to career success, Seth and Lauren Rogan on caring for aging parents and so many more.
Date: March 16, 2026
Host: Gretchen Rubin
In this “A Little Happier” installment, Gretchen Rubin shares a delightful anecdote about Queen Elizabeth II’s wit and her ability to turn an unassuming encounter with American tourists into a charming and humorous story. The episode’s core theme is the joy found in unexpected moments of connection, humor, and humility—even among icons like Queen Elizabeth.
“Around the time of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, one of her longtime protection officers, Richard Griffin, was asked by reporters for examples of her wit and her charm, and he told this story.”
— Gretchen Rubin (01:45)
“I live in London, but I've got a holiday home just the other side of the hills... I've been coming up here ever since I was a little girl. So over 80 years.”
— Queen Elizabeth II (as retold by Gretchen Rubin, 02:23–02:49)
“Well, I haven't, but Dick here meets her regularly.”
— Queen Elizabeth II (via Gretchen Rubin, 02:51)
“Oh, she can be very cantankerous at times, but she's got a lovely sense of humor.”
— Richard Griffin (03:14)
“I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he shows those photographs to friends in America and hopefully someone tells him who I am.”
— Queen Elizabeth II (via Gretchen Rubin, 03:38)
“I laugh whenever I think of those hikers coming back home and someone telling them the name of the very nice woman in the photo… I hope this makes your week a little happier.”
— Gretchen Rubin (03:44, 03:58)
“With greater self-knowledge, we're better able to make hard decisions that reflect ourselves, our own nature, our own interests, our own values. In my own case, I have found that the more my life reflects my nature, the happier I get and the more grounded I feel...”
— Gretchen Rubin (05:06–05:34)
Gretchen Rubin’s narration is warm, lighthearted, and gently humorous, matching the whimsical spirit of the story she shares. Throughout, she encourages reflection and joy in life’s simple, surprising, and serendipitous moments. The episode offers a dose of delight, both through the Queen’s unexpected playfulness and through practical, introspective questions for listeners.
This episode invites listeners to savor small, happy stories and to find happiness in recognizing and aligning with their own nature—even during times of transition. Gretchen Rubin’s charming delivery and insightful questions make for an uplifting, memorable “Little Happier.”