Former Brumby, Wallabies captain Stephen Moore recalls meetings with Queen Elizabeth II

Former Brumby and Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore was lucky enough to do just that in his second meeting with the Queen during the Rugby World Cup in 2015 in England.

Still pinching himself years later, Moore recalled it was days after knocking England out of the tournament.

He was accompanied by some Wallabies teammates and then-coach Michael Cheika.

"It was a bit surreal, actually," he said.

"We only got told about it on the day. We drove down the highway from Bath and straight through the front gates of Buckingham Palace, underneath the arches and then into the back.

"Players would always go sightseeing on the weeks we played Tests in London and Buckingham Palace was no doubt on the list, but to go through the front gates, it was so bizarre."

At the reception, the captains and coaches lined up to greet the Queen.

Moore was so impressed with how personable and relaxed Her Majesty was, displaying her renowned sense of humour after England's World Cup exit.

"She said something along the lines of, 'Well at least in the Commonwealth we've still got a couple of countries left in the tournament'. We ended up playing New Zealand in the final so I think she had a bet each-way there," Moore joked.

"It was amazing. She had a story for everyone.

"I just have so much admiration for the volume of people she would have had interactions with across such a long time.

"We can all learn a lot about leadership from someone like her. I think she's one of the great leaders in history."

Moore's first time meeting the Queen was in 2008 at Windsor Castle.

During that audience with the Queen he witnessed an embarrassing - albeit hilarious - exchange between a teammate and Her Majesty.

Before meeting the royal, Moore and the Wallabies squad were given instructions on the correct protocol for interaction with the Queen, although winger Drew Mitchell tested the boundaries of the rule book.

"We were at Windsor Castle and Drew Mitchell might have asked her what she likes to drink," Moore recalled.

"They had a bit of a chat about that and I think it was a gin that was her drink of choice. So we had a good laugh.

"When you met them, it always felt very relaxed and normal. People forget they're people as well."

Moore said the Queen and royal family's love of rugby was evident in his meetings with them, and that legacy continues through her grandchildren William and Harry, with whom the hooker has also spent time with on multiple occasions, including the 2015 World Cup.

The retired rugby star was awarded Queen's Birthday Honours in 2019 for his service to rugby union and charity through his work with the Invictus Games, which Prince Harry founded in 2014.

Moore played a large role in bringing the Games to Sydney in 2018.

"Rugby is a big sport in England. Prince Harry is a patron of English rugby and William is a patron of Welsh rugby. Often after we played Test matches in those places, those guys would come in and say g'day, have a beer and just have a chat with some of the players," Moore said.

"You always felt very welcomed and very comfortable with them.

"The Queen had time for everyone and did it with so much consistency and class - that will be my long-standing memory.

"They clearly were very fond of their relations with Australia and that certainly came through in interactions that I had with her."

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