The queen, who took part in the discussion at Windsor Castle, was also told about a meteorite that landed on British soil last Sunday, the first to be found in Britain in 30 years.
A family found a 300g fragment of the meteorite, which survived its fiery passage through the Earth’s atmosphere and landed on their alley in the small town of Cotswold, Winchcombe.
Prof. Smith, a professor of earth sciences and chief curator of meteorites at the Museum of Natural History, told the monarch it was a “heaven-sent opportunity” for research and described how the pieces were cleaned by the museum.
“I’m glad he didn’t hit anyone,” she said.
The discussion was hosted by scientist and space broadcaster Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock on Wednesday, just days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a series of harmful statements about the royal family in their Oprah Winfrey interview.
He came when the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh continued his recovery from heart surgery at King Edward VII Hospital in London, where he was hospitalized for the first time on 16 February.
Dr. Aderin-Pocock asked the Queen about her meeting with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin at Buckingham Palace in 1961, shortly after her historic space mission.
“How was he?” she asked. “Russian,” came the royal reply to many laughs.
The queen continued: “She did not speak English. But no, no, it was fascinating. “
Dr. Aderin-Pocock said it must have been terrifying to be the first man in space, not really knowing what was going to happen.