Queen Victoria on the phone to Lancaster Castle.
How exciting, to be able to cross something off your “bucket list”. I’m not one for world travel or high octane death defying persuits, so my bucket list is really rather mundane. Still, that doesn’t make it altogether easy. For example, one of the items that’s been on my life’s to do list since I was very small is to one day meet The Queen. She and I both exist on this planet so as long as we both lived there was a chance, however small, that our paths would one day cross.
Well, it finally happened. Last Friday Her Majesty came up to Lancaster for a whistle stop visit to the castle and luckily I happened to be one of the lucky folk who were invited to attend a reception for her within the castle grounds. Myself and all manner of interesting dignitaries were lined up in the A-Wing of the former prison and I was one of the first people to be introduced to Her Majesty when she arrived at about 11-ish. It was unreal seeing her standing there, a woman who up until then I’d only ever seen on television, stamps and coins. The actual Queen of England, right in front of me!
I told her that it was a great honour to finally get to meet her, and I also told her I was a cartoonist and I’d drawn a picture of Queen Victoria that week in tribute to the fact she was visiting Lancaster. She smiled slightly and nodded, said it was “interesting” in the way one does when one is Queen and has to talk to a million people every year. Then she moved on down the line, occasionally stopping to ask someone what they did and so forth.
I couldn’t stop from staring at her as she went along, it was so very unreal. I’ve actually met and spoken to The Queen. I just wish I could have recorded the moment for posterity, mainly so I could remember in greater detail what happened because frankly it’s all a little hazy with shock and awe.
I do remember that she was wearing a light blue wedding hat, diamond/silver ear studs, a pale wool coat with blue buttons that went down to her knees, a broach, a pearl necklace, sturdy black shoes with stocky heels, a sturdy handbag, also black, and black gloves.
I just wanted to follow her around, get the chance to talk to her some more. But of course, it was not to be. She had a packed schedule and places to be, so she unveiled a plaque and went on her merry way.
Next life goal to accomplish then…be the featured artist of the month in Computer Arts magazine.
Jack Knight Graphics 