He’s seen the Queen more than 150 times becoming such a familiar face she knows him by name. Colin Edwards, who believes he must be the most ardent royalist in Wales, has followed Her Majesty and the royals around the country for more than 60 years.
On one occasion when the Queen spotted him in the crowd again she came over and joked: “I think you’re following me.” Now aged 81 the former civil servant from Ruthin regrets he is not mobile enough to camp out for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London so will be watching on television instead.
The last time Colin saw and spoke to the Queen was in 2018 when she visited Chester, To mark the jubilee he is holding an exhibition of some of his unique royal photographs at a church near his home in Ruthin.
“I first saw the Queen in 1961 and started photographing her with a cheap film camera. In all the years of meeting her she has shown an incredible memory for people she meets and is always relaxed and puts people at ease," he said.
“I saw her so many times I became a familiar face and she would speak to me and remember me. The last time I saw and spoke to her was in 2018 which I now realise was poignant as it was the last time I’ll see her.
“She came to Ruthin and I got there early. She spoke to three or four people in the crowd and then came over to me. She said 'hello, how nice to see you' and asked me how I was feeling.
“I was deeply moved that she remembered I had been ill. I had been in hospital and wrote to her and received a reply from her private secretary. I was familiar on her walkabouts but I was incredibly moved that she had remembered.”
Colin is such a keen admirer that he organised his life and job as a local government officer so he could attend as many royal occasions as he could. Over the years he has met every senior royal and camped out for Prince Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1981, Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 and Prince William’s wedding as well as waiting for hours to be early enough to greet royals personally.
His memories and photographs follow the Queen from a young woman through all the trials and triumphs faced by the royals and changing times.
His interest in the Royal family started at the age of 12 when his father bought a television to watch the Queen’s coronation. As an adult he then went on to photograph her and the royals through every milestone.
The amatuer photographer said one of his treasured moments was when the Queen Mother went to his exhibition of royal photographs near Sandringham in 2000.
“She spent around 45 minutes with me and she was chatting and reminiscing about different places I had photographed her."
Colin believes Her Majesty became more approachable after Diana’s death and said he admires how she navigated the family dramas of recent years.
“The Queen means so much. She is inspiring as a devoted and dedicated head of state who has never put a foot wrong. She has remained outside politics and carried out her duties diligently.
“I admire her for being so stoical. She has coped with personal adversity in a truly magnificent way.”
The Windsors showed their appreciation to the super fan with letters over the years. One letter from the Queen’s Deputy Private Secretary Kenneth Scott in April 1992 says: “No royal visit would be complete without a selection of splendid Edwards photographs and the Queen was delighted to see you in Chester and to receive those lovely photographs of Wakefield.”
Remembering some of the times he has seen the Queen on public occasions, from Cornwall to Caithness, Colin said among his favourite times were in London.
“I went with a friend to see her on her Golden Wedding anniversary in 1997. We stood outside Westminster Abbey and talked to her and took photos. Then we moved further up the road to see her. When she spotted us her face lit up and she said: “Oh, you’re here now.”
“We then followed the Queen to Whitehall where she was walking to a reception with Tony Blair. When she saw us she burst out laughing and said: “You are following me aren’t you?”
Colin believes that as a member of the public he has been able to get some more personal royal shots than the press and says following the Queen has been part of his life.
“People of my age have grown up with the Queen. She’s been a familiar figure throughout our lives. I feel so honoured and privileged to have met her so many times and spoken to her.
“I don’t like the word “fan” I would describe myself as a royal follower and supporter. I would just like to thank Her Majesty for all she has done. There will never be another monarch like her.”
*An exhibition of Colin’s photographs of the queen runs at the Parish Rooms at St Peter’s Church, Ruthin, from June 7 to 18. The exhibition will be opened by town mayor, Councillor Menna Jones and will raise money for St Peter’s Church and St Kentigern’s Hospice in St Asaph. Colin’s book - A Personal Portrait of The Royal Family - was published by Cardiff publisher Candy Jar Books in 2014.
