GLASGOW, Scotland – After just one day of competition, a new sport has emerged at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow: snapping selfies with the Queen.
Australian hockey players Jayde Taylor and Brooke Peris took the early lead with an immaculately-timed shot of the British monarch.
#sheevensmiled, Taylor tweeted after the royal run-in, along with the bold claim, #bestphotobombever.
The original tweet has inspired a number of copycat attempts, some more successful than others.
British hurdler Andy Turner posted his effort with the admission, “That’s as good as it gets, some big bloke told me to jog on so thought it was time I moved.”
Selfie pedants have already pointed out the original shot wasn’t a true photobomb, the term given to a shot spoiled — or enhanced — by someone who’s not supposed to be there.
The Queen clearly was, with both women admitting they timed the shot, knowing Her Royal Highness was moving into view.
“Brooke and I planned it so that when she came out the door she would be behind us. And then she came out and smiled at the camera,” Taylor told Australian media.
“We were in the right spot at the right time.”
At the time of writing, the photo had been tweeted 11,000 times and had appeared on the front page of the British newspaper “The Times.”
Long before that, Taylor was doing victory laps on social media, tweeting U.S. talk show host Ellen DeGeneres to boast, “I think our selfie tops yours!”
It was a reference to DeGeneres’ record-breaking selfie at the Academy Awards earlier this year.
That image, featuring a rare cluster of beaming celebrities, has been retweeted an incredible 3.4 million times.
