Royal Pageant master from Norfolk remembers late Queen's "great sense of humour"

It comes exactly one year since she passed away

Bruno Peek
Author: Tom ClabonPublished 8th Sep 2023

A man from Norfolk who's helped organise royal events for decades says he'll always remember our late Queen's "great sense of humour".

It comes exactly one year since she passed away, aged 96 years old, in Balmoral Castle, after reigning for over 70 years

"She looked up at me, with a big smile and said thank you"

Bruno Peek lives in Gorleston.

He last saw our late monarch after her Platinum Jubilee celebrations:

"She undertook the duty with great vigour. But I knew then when I escorted her back into Windsor Castle that it was going to be the last time I ever saw her.

"I never forget it because she looked up at me, with a big smile and said thank you.

"I always found she had a great sense of humour. I also found that she didn't mind if things went wrong - as long as you had done your best to make sure that it didn't - but as we all know, things go wrong.

"I will always remember her warmth, her friendliness and her absolute determination to undertake her duty, as head of state."

"That must have been the most dreadful burden to carry"

He told us what he thinks of King Charles: "I think the King is doing an excellent job. It must be so frustrating to be second in-line to the throne, knowing that one day it's dead men's shoes.

"The only way you're going to be King is when your mother died. That must have been the most dreadful burden to carry."

"She was very determined to do her duty, right to the end"

Former prime minister, and South West Norfolk MP Liz Truss has spoken about her final encounter with her, describing how the "upbeat" and frail but "mentally alert" monarch told her they would be "meeting again soon".

Queen Elizabeth II had welcomed Ms Truss to her home in Aberdeenshire on September 6 2022 to appoint her prime minister.

"She was very, very keen to reassure me that we'd be meeting again soon. It was very important to her," Ms Truss told GB News.

She added: "She was very determined to do her duty, right to the end."

Queen Elizabeth II died two days later, with Ms Truss describing the scene as she waited in Downing Street when confirmation came at about 4.30pm.

Ms Truss said she felt very sad, but her mind also turned to the practicalities of the days to come.

She recalled the King was "very, very resolute" when she spoke to him to express her condolences on the phone the day his mother died and his reign began.

What are the Royal Family doing to mark this?

It's understood they're be remembering this anniversary privately and quietly.

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