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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Jonathan Geddes

'It was like having a chat with a neighbour' - Lanarkshire locals tell of their encounters with the Queen

Few people could claim to have a weekly chat with the Queen - but for several years one Rutherglen man did just that.

The former Rutherglen MP Tommy McAvoy served as Comptroller of the Household and as Treasurer of the Household during his time in the House of Commons, duties that required to meet Her Majesty regularly to update her on parliamentary business.

He told Lanarkshire Live : "I always found her very sharp and knowledgeable politically. Gordon Brown once said that she was more aware than he was about what was going on in Parliament and I found that too, she was very clued up.

"I remember there was one week when we'd made a mess of something in the Commons, I can't recall the exact details of what.

"I'd not mentioned it to the Queen, and at the end of my update she just said 'that's very good Mr McAvoy, but do you have any more information on...' and described exactly what we'd made a mess of. She had a real attention to detail."

However Lord McAvoy, who entered the House of Lords in 2011, also stressed that the Queen was a welcoming presence as well.

Lord McAvoy regularly met the Queen (Rutherglen Reformer)

"I certainly had apprehension about meeting her when I started the role, but she put me at ease right away. She was very welcoming to me."

Numerous other Rutherglen and Cambuslang locals have shared their memories of meeting the Queen as well, and many have stressed how at ease she made them feel when speaking to her.

In 2011 Cathkin woman Pat Bolton received an OBE from the monarch in recognition of her years of work with Victim Support Scotland and other good causes.

The honour came decades after Pat had watched Queen arrive on Rutherglen Main Street in 1953.

She told Lanarkshire Live: "I only met her once, but she was very charming and she had a lovely smile.

"She asked me about my nomination (for the OBE) and I told her I'd met Princess Anne on several occasions, as she is the president of Victim Support Scotland.

"It felt like she was very interested in what you were saying, and it might sound funny to say but there was no airs and graces about her, you were just talking away to her.

Pat Bolton was presented with an OBE in 2011 (RGR)

"I remember when she visited Rutherglen in 1953 as well. There was such an excitement around Rutherglen that day."

The friendly nature of the monarch stood out to Isabel Banks as well.

In 2018 the Cambuslang woman was awarded an MBE for her sterling work with the Lightburn Elderly Association Project (LEAP), which saw her meet the Queen.

She said: "The Queen talked to you like she was having a chat with a neighbour. She was very friendly and down-to-earth and asked about working with LEAP.

"After she awarded me the MBE, she told me to keep doing what I was doing for as long as possible!"

The Rutherglen actor Scott Kyle described a trip to Holyrood House for one of the monarch's garden parties as a highlight of his career.

He reminisced: "Attending the Queen's garden party was one of those pinch myself moments in my life.

"I remember the day the invitation came in the post and I asked my wife Karen to open the letter. I always ask Karen to open anything like a Bafta invite etc as she has been my biggest supporter over the years and she has the best reactions to these type of things.

"When the royal family arrived in the garden the crowds swarmed towards them.

"The Queen and the family took the time to mingle with us, and speak to us all and although we never got with chance to chat to the Queen we did have her welcome us and say hello as she passed through the crowds.

"These are memories that Karen and I will treasure forever and we feel truly blessed to have came face to face with the Queen."

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And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Why not head to our page and give us a like and share.

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