London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

Platinum Jubilee: People who met the Queen talk of their memories

Platinum Jubilee: People who met the Queen talk of their memories

Millions of people will celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this weekend, but for a few it will have a personal touch.

Celebrations are under way as Jubilee fever is in full swing.

The Queen has thanked the public for organising events and said "many happy memories" would be made.

As the nation celebrates the monarch's 70-year reign, some people in the South have shared their memories of special meetings with the Queen.


Harry Dymond


Harry Dymond lives near Southampton, in Hampshire, and has seen the Queen twice in his life.

Harry Dymond said he was happy to see the nation celebrating the Queen's 70-year reign


He was just 13 years old when he was chosen as a St John's Ambulance cadet to attend and help out at the Queen's coronation.

"I was so pleased and honoured to think that I would be at the coronation and could possibly see the Queen. I had no thought at that time, of course, that I might ever see her again," he said.

But 62 years later, he met the Queen as he received an MBE for his services to St John's Ambulance and the community.

"For that very little time you are with her, you feel like you are the only person in the world," Mr Dymond said.

"She's got a marvellous ability just to make you so relaxed and able to talk to her freely and simply."


Tina Nicholls


It was when Tina Nicholls was asked to volunteer at Buckingham Palace during a hot summer day that she met the Queen.

Ms Nicholls said her meeting with the Queen was "very special"


Originally from East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Ms Nicholls travelled to London for the event.

"I went up on the day, quite nervous, not sure what to expect," she said.

But while she was there with other volunteers, she was told she was going to meet the Queen.

"She came down the line and she spoke to each of us in turn. We had a short chat and then she moved on," Ms Nicholls said.

"It was the most wonderful and surreal moment of my life. I do cherish that one, it's very special to me. She is a special woman."


Steve Block


Steve Block now lives in Reading, Berkshire.

But he was head of music at a secondary school in Stourbridge, near Dudley, when he met the Queen in 1994.

Steve Block met the Queen in 1994


The composer was asked to write a piece for the opening of the visitor centre at Dudley Town Hall.

But it was just before the event he found out that the Queen was going to open the visitor centre.

"On the day I was standing on a podium in front of a hundred primary school children who were going to sing and the Queen was sitting just behind me," he said.

Mr Block performed his piece and met the Queen afterwards.

"She asked me about the choir... it was very brief but it was memorable. I shall never forget it," he added.


John Herbert


John Herbert, from Poole, was 23 years old when he served in the armed forces in 1963.

It was then that he met the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

John Herbert was serving in the armed forces in the Shetland Islands when he met the Queen


"At the time I was very young and very tense," he said.

Mr Herbert remembers being very nervous for the event and said he referred to the Duke of Edinburgh as "your majesty" by accident.

"I'm afraid I got completely mixed up because I was so nervous," Mr Herbert said.

But he added: "I was very impressed to meet the Queen."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×