The royals may sit at the top of society’s food chain, but every now and then they step down from their thrones and out of their glamorous clothes in order to blend in with the locals. Sometimes, it’s because they wanted to know what the people really thought of them. Other times, they just wanted to let their hair down and have some fun! Here are five shocking instances when the royals shed their titles to go undercover.

1. King Abdullah II of Jordan

Wanting to hear an honest opinion of his kingdom’s duty-free zone, King Abdullah II of Jordan pretended to be a journalist, something his father, the previous king had done as well. In 1999, tAbdullah II headed to Zarqa with an accomplice donning a shaggy white beard, a white robe and a red headdress. His snooping around would have gone a lot more smoothly if he wasn’t forced to reveal his identity when the TV’s crew began asking for licenses. To this day, King Adbullah II still continues his practice of hiding his royal status to visit hospitals, border crossing and public services.

2. King Charles II

After King Charles II lost to Oliver Comwell’s army and had a £1,000 bounty placed on his head, he decided to escape the grueling fate awaiting him by fleeing to France. Charles was over six feet tall, had a dark complexion with a distinct voice and manner which made it easy for him to stand out. So,with the help of brothers Richard and George Pendrel, Charles disguised himself as a manservant to a woman named Jane Lane and used her permit to travel to Bristol, England. From there, he evaded capture several times until he made it safely to France.

3. Princess Elizabeth

When Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allied Forces, it was a monumental moment that resulted in the biggest celebration England has ever seen. Everyone was out and about dancing and having a good time—even Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. The pair were accompanied by sixteen other members of the royal family—Princess Elizabeth disguised wore her Auxiliary Territorial Service uniform while her sister made zero effort to hide her royal status. And much to the family’s surprise, the sisters even joined a conga line at the famous Ritz Hotel.

4. King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary

King Matthias Corvinus was a very popular ruler who treated his people with a level of fairness and respect that was unheard of during his time. One account mentions his secret visit to a Turkish camp while dressed as a food seller. The next day, he sent the Turkish general a message detailing everything he saw there,including what the camp looked like and the food that was there. The general packed up and fled right back to Turkey, having been completely shaken up by the fact that the king just walked straight into his camp.

5. Roman Emperor Nero

Emperor Nero was the complete opposite that King Matthias Corvinus embodied. He was a ruthless tyrant who wasted no time persecuting those who opposed him. Nero became emperor when he was only a teenager, so you could imagine how immature he was. He would put on a wig or cap, then roam around the city with his friends, harassing and beating up random people who resisted him, even throwing them into sewers. At one point, he almost lost his eyes to a man of the Senate who nearly beat him to death after Nero mistreated his wife.