The Queen was an amazing person and the most impressive lady I’ve ever known.
I think she’s the greatest monarch we’ve ever had – the ultimate monarch – and I feel lucky to have had a very special relationship with her.
She carried her country in a manner that was unmatched, that the whole world loved, and she did it for so many years in such style.
The last time I spoke to her was on the telephone, maybe two weeks ago. She was in good form both then and the last time I saw her a few weeks ago.
The walking issue had started to interrupt her gait. But she was in good spirits and good form in every respect.
I did not get the impression it would be the last time I would see her at all.
I was actually supposed to be seeing her very soon – in two or three days. I found out about her passing on television when I saw the flag over Buckingham Palace had gone down – before it was actually mentioned on TV.
I just thought ‘it must be a mistake’ and then it turned out not to be. I was emotional. I still am. It’s very sad. But she died in her favourite home in her favourite country. It’s what she would have preferred.
She was still very together, apart from having discomfort in her walking she was as co-ordinated and bright and sharp as ever. She was a very proud lady, particularly of her country. And she loved Balmoral and Scotland.
I was fortunate enough to be there with Her Majesty more than once.
And she just loved it all, the river, the grouse area, shooting and so forth. Balmoral is a wonderful place.
I knew she had been unwell, but I was very impressed when I saw her with the new Prime Minister looking so well. She was obviously together there in that respect so I think sadly her Majesty had to go, but she went softly and kindly I suppose in a way.
She didn’t suffer it seemed as much as she could have done in years further on. We first met because of the Princess Royal, who is still a wonderful friend and a great enthusiast of driving and cars.
And of course I’ve done a lot of shooting with Her Majesty, as well as the Princess Royal, who I am an enormous admirer of also.
My favourite memories of the Queen are just how nice she was as an individual, how nice she was as a friend.
I’m very proud to be able to say that and it was a real privilege for me to be able to spend as much time as I had with Her Majesty.
She very kindly came to my 80th birthday at the Royal Automobile Club in London, which I think was a big surprise to everybody. I haven’t heard anybody say a word against the Queen whether it be either shooting parties she had, the gamekeepers she had.
All these people had the greatest respect and admiration for Her Majesty.
I just can’t believe she’s gone and I don’t think there will ever be anybody ever as complete as the Queen was. She was just wonderful.
I think the whole world will miss her. She was the model for everyone. I don’t think anybody in the world was more admired than Her Majesty. Everybody saw the Queen as somebody very special.
I’m going to miss her and the fact she’s no longer with us.
She was excellent company and had a great sense of humour and was just a very nice lady. As long as I’m allowed to be in attendance at the funeral I’ll be there. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
Charles has had an excellent example from Her Majesty’s life and they are a close family and I’m sure wisdom will have been very largely passed on by the Queen.
He’s waited a long time because Her Majesty has been a very healthy lady and he has been doing his duties very well for a great many years.
So he’s very experienced and I’m sure he’ll be a very good monarch. He is a child of his mother.
This weekend, the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror celebrate the life of Her Majesty the Queen with a commemorative special filled with all the key moments from Britain’s longest reigning monarch. Be sure to pick up your copy of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror to get both pullouts.
