One of Northern Ireland's royal superfans has described the late Queen as “wonderful, lovely, friendly, hardworking and inwardly and outwardly beautiful” in a heartfelt tribute.
Canon Derek Kerr, a Church of Ireland rector based in Randalstown, has also recalled being a "cheeky wee chap" by breaking with royal protocol during his brief encounters with the monarch.
Ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee last June, Derek put his hundreds of items of regal memorabilia, collected by him over the years, on display as a part of a charity exhibition.
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Royal enthusiast Derek, who is rector of Drummaul, Duneane and Ballyscullion, has been collecting all things regal for the past 30 years and has gathered up around 500 items, the oldest being a jug and some crockery dating back to Queen Victoria’s days.
"We all knew that the Queen wasn't going to live forever. There will always be that incredible last photo of her taken two days before she died, standing in the Drawing Room at Balmoral and waiting to meet her new Prime Minister," he told Belfast Live.
"She was 96 so it's not tragic but it's OK to be sad. I think the Queen would be the first to say 'wise up' when there's so much other tragedy going on in the world right now."
Derek added: "She was our wonderful, lovely, friendly, hardworking inwardly and outwardly beautiful Queen. I have found myself welling up constantly as I listen to the many news reports and find it strange to hear references made to the King.
"We sang the new national anthem at church on Sunday and that felt strange too but we'll get used to it. I think King Charles will do a very good job but he has his own ideas and at the end of the day, he has to be his own man."
As well as collecting memorabilia, Derek, 57, has done an average of 10 ‘Royal Talks’ a year and takes every opportunity he can to attend special events.
His first was the Queen Mother’s 100 th birthday in 2000, when he positioned himself between Clarence House and Buckingham Palace.
Two years later, Derek was a guest at a Garden Party in Loughry College in Cookstown to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee when he met the late monarch for the first time.
On this occasion he says he "naughtily broke the rules" when he "circumnavigated three bodyguards to walk up to the Queen, take her hand, bow and thank her for coming".
"It was lovely and thankfully I managed to live to tell the tale!" he added.
Derek was also in Windsor for the Queen's 80 th birthday in April 2006.
"I was standing holding a gift and she came over and took it from me. So on both occasions, this cheeky wee chap from Dungannon couldn't behave himself or keep his gob shut but it worked in his favour!" he added.
Derek believes the Queen's greatest moment was her special TV address during Covid pandemic.
"The older generation will remember her work during the Second World War but this was the big issue for our generation. It was one of those times when people were frightened and didn't know what was going on and the Queen did what any leader does, she comforted us."
To mark the 60 th anniversary of the Queen’s reign in 2012, Derek hosted his royal exhibition at Drummaul Parish Church, with proceeds going to parish funds and the NSPCC.
Three years later, Derek again hosted an exhibition to celebrate Her Majesty becoming the UK’s longest reigning monarch. This raised £1,300 for Tabiro School in Uganda which Drummaul, Duneane and Ballyscullion had built through Fields of Life.
His latest exhibition last May to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee raised funds for the parish, with 10% of monies donated going to the Salvation Army in memory of the late Aurelia Kelly, who tragically died in a Co Antrim car crash late last year.
After the exhibition, Derek headed to London to enjoy Trooping the Colour as part of the events for the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
He is now planning to fly to London again next weekend in time for the Queen's state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19.
"We hope to make it in time to join the queue for Her Majesty’s lying-in-state at Westminster Hall but we're already hearing that there could be a 30-hour wait," he explained.
"We'll go and have a look to see if it's worth lining up but if not we'll walk through Green Park, look at the flowers outside Buckingham Palace, pay our respects there and take it all in before getting our spot for Monday morning's funeral.
"Whatever happens at least we can say we were there for the Queen's funeral."
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