IMO both.

I think it was just Sherlock being juvenile (hard to believe, I know), it's the sort of thing a 12 year old would say.

Gatiss more or less 'invented' this Mycroft for this show, i.e. he's much more a 'presence' in the series than the Mycroft of the canon.  Being openly gay himself, I don't think Mark would have any qualms whatsoever about portraying his Mycroft as a gay man; however, I think the audience can take the 'queen' joke however they want to - either as something Sherlock and John know about Mycroft or because they are just being silly and juvenile. 

What's that amusing saying?  "It's not gay - it's British"

Sorry - who is Stephen Fry?

Seen him before, but where?
Cheshire Cat can't be. LOL

Ivy wrote:

Do you think he's asexual as well? If not, straight or gay?

JOHN: Here to see the Queen?
(At that moment Mycroft walks in from the next room.)
SHERLOCK: Oh, apparently yes.


Do you think it's just a joke because it was the perfect answer to John's question or was it a hint that he is gay.
Or did he just say it because Mycrofts job seems like that he's the head of state, you know authority reasons.

Don't know & nor shall we ever find out. His private life isn't really part of the plot & probably never will be.

He is the epitome of the British Gentleman & so to some he may appear that way.
In all adaptations he has always been portrayed this way & rightly so I believe.

Defintely meant as a joke but with clear sexual innuendo/ double entendre.

hypergreenfrog wrote:

It's an interesting question...
I doubt he is a man of overwhelming passion, considering he has the same attitude towards emotions as Sherlock. But I do believe he has some sexual experience, otherwise he wouldn't taunt Sherlock by stating that "sex alarms" him. This is not meant as a discredit to the character, but I could see him as someone who pays for high-class escorts when it suits him, rather than bother with all the difficulties of keeping a proper relationship or marriage. After all, difficult personality aside, his job alone would make it highly challenging for him to have a normal private life.

I don't think the "Queen" was remark was meant as a hint towards his sexuality at all. Sherlock and John were being extremely childish, and I took it as a joke along the lines of "Mycroft, who sees himself as the true King of England", if anything. Just a bit of fun.

I wouldn't say that we will definitely never find out about his private life, but probably only as a passing remark about his wife, kids, a past divorce, something like that - a bit like Lestrade or Mrs. Hudson.
Nothing too personal, of course.
After all, "Ein Gentleman genießt und schweigt." 
(I am not translating this, I would only ruin it)

I've never thought about this "here comes the queen" comment before, but someone asked me me about it recently.

He seems to have had sex, but when I think about it, this escort thing comes to my mind, too. That way he wouldn't have to bother with a relationship, which would be for sure difficult in his position.

I read a fan fic once where Mycroft was one of Irene's clients. 

Ivy wrote:

I have to admit, that Mark plays him so utterly fascinating, you want to see him loose control. This aloofness is very sexy.

I love his little cameo in Hounds. He doesn't say anything, he just looks at his phone and makes a face like "Christ, not again."