Chris has a marvellous voice, which is why he’s one of the voices behind the audio version of ‘Our DEEP News’. We’ve cheekily borrowed a segment from the latest edition at Chris’ suggestion as it really makes for a wonderful diary. Listen to Chris describe his long-held ambition to talk to the Queen. Did he make it? Listen here to find out.
I was very sad that the Queen has passed away.
Over the years, without her knowing, I kept popping up in her life, and my one ambition was to actually speak to this wonderful lady. This I eventually achieved in the 1980s.
During the early sixties I attended primary school in old Windsor. This was adjacent to Windsor Great Park where the Long walk is located. It was featured in her recent funeral. Each year the Queen would be driven down the Long Walk in the state car to pick up the Queen Mother who lived in Windsor Great Park, and that’s in a house where Prince Andrew and Fergie now live.
They would be going to Ladies Day at the Royal Ascot races. The whole school walked up to Windsor Great Park in a great big crocodile, and we stood alongside the Long Walk to greet her passing by. She would always get her driver to slow down, and accompanied by a glorious smile, she would give her famous Royal wave to all us eager children.
In 1969 I joined the Army as a junior musician in Her Majesty’s Lifeguards Band, and was stationed at the Guards depot in Pirbright, Surrey. In 1970 the Queen and Prince Phillip paid a visit to the Junior Musicians wing and spoke to various members of the band. Unfortunately not to me personally, but I was close enough to heat her conversations with the other more senior band members. So, close but no cigar!
When I joined the main Lifeguards Band in London in 1972, I was frequently part of royal occasions, regularly being part of the State Trumpeters Team, playing at such occasions as the opening of Parliament, the Festival of Remembrance, Princess Anne’s wedding and many more that the Queen attended. The Lifeguards Band is one of the two bands that you’ll see on horses during the Trooping of the Colour ceremony each year, and I was privileged to be there as she rode close by surveying her troops.
So, numerous times of being in close proximity, but still not having spoken personally to the Queen. However this was about to change.
In the early 1980s the Queen and Prince Phillip carried out a visit to Maidstone Crown Courts in Kent. By now I had left the Army and I was a policeman in the Kent police and a member of the Kent Police Band. Due to my fanfare experiences I was chosen to head up a two man fanfare team to herald the Queens arrival. Well, we cheekily used one of the fanfares that I had learnt and used when I was in the State Fanfare Team.
As the Queen and Prince Phillip approached the Crown Court, we blew our fanfare to the best of our ability. Instead of just walking by, the Queen stopped while Prince Phillip went on ahead. The Queen then spoke to us and thanked us for heralding her arrival in such a splendid and uplifting way.
So, my ambition was finally achieved, of Speaking to the Queen! Sad to say that this was the last time our paths crossed, but I have many happy memories of the wonderful and glorious lady that has been part of my life for over sixty years.
