My memories of HM The Queen

CHRISTOPHER MANN MVO (1958-1966)

The nation was saddened by the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II on 8th September. We invited our own ‘royal correspondent’ to share his personal memories of a much-loved monarch.

AS I pen these lines, some of my colleagues at the College of Arms in London (home of the royal heralds who, under the direction of the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, are intimately involved in the organisation of major state occasions) are still recovering from the rigours of the Queen’s state funeral, which was a great spectacle. In reply to my letter congratulating the Earl Marshal on its success, the Duke wrote “I think we have gone some way to regain our national pride.”

It has been my privilege to attend the State Opening of Parliament on several occasions and garden parties at Buckingham Palace, where the Queen always greeted countless people. I have also enjoyed very many more informal encounters with the Queen during more than forty years. Here are a few of my stories of meeting a remarkable woman with a perfect complexion, beautiful blue eyes and a winning smile, who had an amazing wit and captivating laugh.

Christopher Mann left King James’s as Captain of Siddon and an Associate of the London College of Music to study modern history at King’s College London. A fortuitous meeting with one of the ‘great and the good’ propelled him into a career as a hugely successful fund raiser. His organisational skills also earned him the respect and encouragement of the Royal Family. He is a Freeman of the City of London and in the New Year Honours of 2021 Her late Majesty The Queen appointed him a Member of the Royal Victorian Order for services to the Royal Household.

Back in 1978, I organised an evening reception at Cumberland Lodge (a former royal residence in the heart of Windsor Great Park), transfused into an educational foundation through the wisdom of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother. It was for kind friends, whose generosity has sustained the foundation’s work and the Queen Mother was the guest of honour. Other guests were bidden before Her Majesty’s arrival. A City banker and his wife got completely lost in the maze of private roads in the park and their chauffeur telephoned the Lodge on the car’s phone (no mobiles in those days) seeking help. I rushed to rescue his employer only to find the rather haughty wife speaking through the car window to a lady in a headscarf walking her dogs. She concluded her directions with the words ‘you will find my mother there.’ The car sped off and the Queen and I exchanged salutations and a laugh.

Twenty years later, Cumberland Lodge celebrated its golden jubilee. Again I organised the celebratory reception which was attended by the Queen and Princess Margaret. Having planted a tree towards the end of their visit, the Queen indicated to me that she must leave to fulfil another engagement. Her Majesty and the Princess were doing a carshare and the Queen asked me to inform Princess Margaret that the sisters should leave. The Princess instructed me to inform the Queen that she was still planting her tree: The Queen’s response was ‘that’s my sister for you’ and we both had a good chuckle.

My Hertfordshire home is close to St Paul’s Walden Bury where the Queen Mother was born, spent much of her childhood and to which she always returned throughout her long life. Her Majesty was baptised in nearby All Saints’ Church and, following the Queen Mother’s death, it was decided to erect a memorial in the churchyard. It was dedicated in 2005 and the Queen was pleased to be present. It was my honour to accompany her throughout her visit and she insisted on meeting the three hundred guests – all generous donors to the memorial – and the Queen con-

Cumberland Lodge, June 2007: catching up with The Queen gratulated me for remembering their names!

For several years, there was an annual drinks party at the Goring Hotel in London, to remember the Queen Mother and raise funds for the Castle of Mey, her Scottish retreat. Members of the royal family always attended and the Queen joined the party sometimes. One year, I was chatting with Sir Geoffrey Shakerley, a celebrated photographer close to the royal family, on the terrace of the hotel, leading to the garden. Quite suddenly, a small gate opened and an elderly lady found herself on the lawn with no one to greet her. She was the Queen. Geoffrey and I rushed to her side and we all laughed as she teasingly remarked ‘I thought I had come on the wrong day’!

On the eve of the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (now the Prince and Princess ofWales) my friend Lady Elizabeth Anson (a cousin of the Queen) hosted a glamorous evening at a London hotel for the entire royal family and visiting royalty overseas. I was involved in the arrangements and was invited to attend. I found myself offering a bow to most of the guests because they were either Majesties or Royal Highnesses!

The Queen mislaid her spectacles and I led a search party before presenting them to their owner. The Queen was hugely grateful and I venture to suggest that, had she been anyone else, she would have given me a peck on the cheek! Later in the evening, we exchanged a mutual grimace as one of Her Majesty’s cousins helped himself to a more than generous helping of chocolate mousse.

Finally, a memory linked to the School. My friend Lady Elizabeth invited many of her friends and clients, including myself, to a glittering evening at St James’s Palace to mark the fiftieth anniversary of her party planning business. The Queen had long been her number one client and attended, again with most members of the royal family. I found myself talking to Raine, Countess Spencer (who as Countess of Dartmouth, had opened the ’new buildings’ in May 1963; she subsequently married Earl Spencer, father of Diana, Princess ofWales). Raine introduced me to a fellow guest, as she had done in the past, as ‘this young man is from Huddersfield; he went to my family’s school, King James’s in Almondbury.’ Suddenly Raine paused her monologue and descended into a deep curtsey. I looked to my right and there was the Queen. Her Majesty had a brief word with us and rather quickly carried on her way. I don’t think that the Queen and Raine were best buddies!

I dare to hope that Old Almondburians may have enjoyed reading these few cherished anecdotes. n