Former Scarborough dignitaries remember the Queen's visit
Tributes are continuing to be paid on the Yorkshire Coast after the death of the Queen Elizabeth II
Former dignitaries on the Yorkshire Coast are remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II today
The monarch visited Scarborough in 2010 to open the Open Air Theatre.
Tom Fox was the leader of the Borough Council at the time and said: "I think we've all got heartfelt feelings and thoughts and indeed some very fond memories born during the reign of the Queen whether we met her personally or we picked it up through commentary. She was just a remarkable, remarkable lady.
"She was a constant steadfast, judgeful person and as our monarch, we all came to love her for the service done with so much humility for the nation. A very special, special person.
"I was given the job to take her from her seat on the platform infront of the stage to take her to meet the Freeman of the borough to introduce him to her. We had a short walk together and I remember her smiling face and she just asked me the question: "How did you manage to fill this theatre with so many people?" I replied: "We told them you were coming ma'am" and she just smiled and chuckled. It was very, very easy to be with her.
"I think how she engaged with communities and how her personality and her love of fun never changed. I think in later life it was reflected through how she took part in the opening of the Olympic Games with James Bond and more recently with Paddington Bear. She was just a fun lady."
Councillor Bill Chatt was Mayor of the Borough of Scarborough at the time in 2010. He said: "It was a very special day for Scarborough. I as the Borough Mayor was going to meet Her Majesty who was going to open that theatre. I remember I was stood there with my wife and I was expecting an 84-year-old lady to get out of the car. The Queen was surprisingly fit, jumping out of the car like an 18-year-old and I thought 'I hope I'm half as fit as that when I'm her age.'
"She's an absolutely lovely lady. She came straight across and I was introduced to her. You're told the protocol when you first meet the Queen you call her 'Your Majesty' and afterwards you then refer to her as 'ma'am' as in jam. She was so easy to get on with, she put me at ease and made me feel relaxed. I had worried about it for days, I was going to meet the Queen, I'm a little lad from the Barrowcliff estate and here I am, all of a sudden I'm going to meet Her Majesty the Queen.
"She really was a professional. We went forward and sat down infront of the stage. The Queen then turned to me 'Mr. Mayor is this a new venture?' I was just going to respond and then Tony Pierce came onto the stage and Tony's a very loud guy and I thought there's no way I'm going to shout at the Queen. I'm definitely not doing that. I sat there, waited for Tony to finish, answered the Queen it was a remodel of a 1930s job and she was very content with that. Prince Philip was sat on one side and the Queen was sat on the other.
"The Queen got up, she unveiled the plaque and then we walked back to the car and as we walked back, Prince Philip stopped and Prince Philip and the Queen seemed to be so connected because she stopped straight away as soon as he did. He turned around and said to the Queen 'look at all them swallows diving in the lake with all this crowd and noise.' She went 'very nice isn't it?'
"We got to the car, she went to get in but she stopped, turned around, came back to me and she said 'it's your last day today isn't Mr. Mayor?' I said 'it is ma'am, yes.' She said 'was it a good last day?' and I said 'look ma'am, when I was Deputy Mayor I managed to get a Spitfire to fly across the South Bay. I was challenged when I was Mayor how could I possibly beat that? I think I did really well today.' She went 'you did', turned around, got into the car and drove off. Absolutely spectacular.
"I'll never forget it and my wife will never forget it. I remember she was working at a care home somewhere and the mother of the owner said to her 'Michelle, when you go down can you wear these gloves? Because you have to wear gloves when you meet the Queen as a lady to shake her hands.' She did and the lady was ever so proud that she's kept those gloves. She's never washed them."