The monarch's personal representative in the county has shared memories of intimate moments away from the cameras that show the Queen’s “generosity, kindness and lovely sense of humour”.
Lady Dannatt, MBE, has been Lord-Lieutenant for Norfolk for the past four years.
It is a position the 68-year-old, who lives in Keswick with husband, General the Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, says she has been privileged to have, saying Her Majesty "quite simply broke the mould" during her remarkable seven decade reign.
Together they met the Queen on many occasions, both formal and in more intimate surroundings.
“I first met her during the time Richard was serving in the Army and there were many meetings over the years. I have been very privileged in that respect,” she said.
One occasion, while attending a British Army event in Belfast when the Queen’s generosity saved a special family celebration, is a particularly treasured memory.
“Richard happened to mention to Her Majesty that we would be flying straight back after the lunch and parade because it was our daughter’s 18th birthday party,” she recalled.
“But heading back to the airport we were messaged to say that there had been a problem with the helicopter and we wouldn’t be able to get back to London that evening, which was a bit of a disaster.”
News of the potentially spoiled birthday reached the Queen who stepped in to offer the couple a lift.
“There was a call on behalf of Her Majesty to say she had heard about our plane and knew how important it was that we got back to London and that she invited us to join her on her flight,” she said.
“She was wonderful. She said you sit there Philippa and you sit there Richard and we are all going to have tea.
“Then she said I do hope you don’t mind but we are not going straight to London we have to divert to Balmoral first to drop off Prince Andrew.
“But she said don’t worry we will get you there in time to have dinner with your daughter, which was just amazing.
“And after we got off the plane we thanked her and she said ‘do wish your daughter a very happy birthday’.”
“It is a very special memory. Eating cucumber sandwiches on board her plane with her ladies in waiting and staff. It was absolutely wonderful and it just sums up her generosity, kindness and lovely sense of humour too.”
Lady Dannatt said the Queen had an incredible ability to put people at ease and a very down to earth manner.
“She always wanted to know about very practical things. I remember her telling me about her grandchildren and mentioning Zara Phillips’s eldest daughter was ‘quite a handful’, she said. It was always fun, always interesting, to be in her company.”
Her sense of humour was also on display at Lady Dannatt’s last meeting during an event to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee at Sandringham in February.
“It was a very small reception for about 12 or 14 people representing local charities and foundations of which she was extremely fond,” she said.
“I escorted her around and introduced her and I knew at the end we were going to have to do a cake cutting.
“A very splendid cake had been made but I was a little bit concerned because I noticed it was upside down so she wouldn't be able to read the writing on it.
“So I said to Her Majesty I’m very sorry the cake is upside down but that is the way they do it because of the press being able to read the writing and she said ‘oh that’s absolutely fine, they’re all much more important than I am’ and everyone just roared with laughter. It was a lovely, lovely moment.”
Sandringham was a haven and held special affection for the Queen, she added.
“It was a one place where due to the loyalty and discretion of the local people she could go, not unnoticed, but unremarked on,” she said.
“It was the closest I think she ever came to living a normal existence and that was very special to her. The villagers, the local people were remarkably protective of her and fond of her and Prince Philip and that made it a very special place for her.”
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