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Lord Taylor of Holbeach offers memories of Queen Elizabeth II




‘Full of charm and good humour’ is how a man who worked closely with The Queen has described the monarch after her death.

Lord John Taylor of Holbeach got to know Queen Elizabeth II while acting as the Captain of the Honourable Corps of the Gentleman at Arms - a ceremonial bodyguard for the monarch at state occasions.

He is among scores of people across the area who have paid tribute to the Queen in the days after her death at Balmoral at the age of 96.

Queen Elizabeth II detonating an unexploded dummy bomb during her visit to the bombing range RAF Holbeach in Lincolnshire, in February 2008. Photo: PA/ROTA
Queen Elizabeth II detonating an unexploded dummy bomb during her visit to the bombing range RAF Holbeach in Lincolnshire, in February 2008. Photo: PA/ROTA

Lord Taylor said: “She was the linchpin of our constitution.

“What might surprise people is the ease she had. Her conversation was never stiff and starchy but full of charm and good humour.

“She was really mischievous.”

The Corps of the Gentlemen at Arms was founded in 1509 by Henry VIII, but the main role now is to attend the monarch at state occasions, including meeting foreign heads of state.

Lord Taylor had the position as Captain as part of his appointment as Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords for five years.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Lord Taylor of Holbeach

He added: “She encouraged everyone to play their part and I was honoured to have the opportunity to do so.

“She could look extraordinarily forbidding. But it was because I think that she separated herself as a person from the duty which she bore.

“She made people feel at ease. Anyone would feel nervous and tense but she could sit you down and offer you a cup of tea.

“I will miss Her Majesty but I am looking forward to the reign of King Charles III.”

Veterans champion Harold Payne said The Queen was a ‘marvellous woman’.

The Queen had made a special point of speaking to the Second World War veterans Mr Payne had taken to Bayeux Cemetery during a memorial about 20 years ago.

He said: “She was a wonderful lady who respected what the veterans did.

“The Government of the day walked past them but she came across and spoke to them for five to 10 minutes.”

At a later ceremony, Prince William, now the Prince of Wales, spent time with Mr Payne and his veterans.

Mr Payne, of the Anglia Motel, said: “He was just like his grandmother.”



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