Ricky Gervais Defends Queen Elizabeth II After Nazi Salute Controversy With His Own ‘Tiny Hitler’ Photo

On Saturday morning, an old home movie surfaced of Queen Elizabeth II performing a Nazi salute as a 6-year-old. The Queen joined in a group salute after being spurred on by her Uncle Edward. The footage reveals the political leanings of the Royal family at the time. The year was 1933, which was when Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany after a brutal campaign. This year also birthed the Gestapo, who ordered the burning of books and cleansing of “unGerman” ideas. The worst of the Nazi atrocities arrived years later, but there were already hints of the evil to come.

Ricky Gervais took to Twitter to defend his Queen, although people already realize she was too young to know better. It must be noted, however, that Gervais once attempted to tell a Hitler joke at the Golden Globes. He planned to enter the ceremony dressed as Adolf and ask “Too much?” The Hollywood Foreign Press Association shut down the joke before it happened.

Gervais started his flurry of tweets Twitter by pointing out the Queen’s age as a factor and tying it to his own youthful glow.

Gervais then posted a photo of his 7-year-old self looking like “a tiny Hitler.”

Then the jokes started in earnest with Gervais skating the line.

Gervais goofed about what good his support for the Queen might do. A future knighthood, perhaps? He also told an odd Michael Jackson joke.

Remember, this was before Michael Jackson’s Thriller had all those awful implications. pic.twitter.com/EXXVgAiwQv

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) July 18, 2015

(via Hollywood Reporter & Business Insider)