QUEEN MOTHER & PRINCE CHARLES AT SANDRINGHAM 2001

When I first decided to write my Days Out blog, I said I would only write about happy events & not record the sad things in life, but I have made an exception with this post, as this holiday was timed to go to the Sandringham Flower Show & take pictures of the Queen Mother & Prince Charles for my Mum to see on my return, who was in hospital. She sadly passed away a few days after seeing these photos. So this post is dedicated to my Mum, who was true loyalist & follower of the Royal Family. She only saw them on TV & in books & magazines. On the other hand I have seen most of the Royal Family. I especially remember seeing Diana, who gave me & a few chaps from work who went out to see Charles & Diana's car pass by our works, a lovely smile & wave. That brief moment in time will stay with me for ever.
So this story is a happy one, full of twists & turns & a bit of intrigue ! 
Come to think about it, I should have posted this story last week when it was Mothering Sunday in honour of all mothers.

I first start with the happy news I received in the first week of this holiday while in Hertfordshire, visiting many historic houses, castles & gardens (I will write about these another day). It was on the Sunday while I was visiting Waddesdon Manor, that I received the great news via the mobile phone from my nephew, Paul, that his wife, my niece, Joanne had just given birth to a baby boy, naming him Thomas. It had been a great day at Waddesdon, the sun had shone & there was a new member to the family, I could not wait to see him !

Now on to my great day out at Sandringham.

The Intrigue. 
Events start when I drove down the private road to the B & B farmhouse I was staying at in Hunstanton. There were two police cars in the car park ? This set the brain working overtime, had I arrived at an major incident or a crime scene ? 
No, after getting the low-down from my hosts, there were four policemen staying at the B & B, who were assigned to protect the Royal Family, I did not meet them all, but with those I did, we had some interesting chats & a good laugh. Especially when I found out that they were from the armed division. So I naturally asked were their weapons were & I was told safely double locked in a box in the boot of the car.

Now to the Big Day. 
It was a glorious day, the sun was shining & it promised to be great day & it was.
I was told to go early by one of the policemen, as soon as the gates were open, I glade I did, as I managed to park the car right next to the entrance.
After going round the Flower Show & taking a few pictures of the House, (one included one of the armed policemen on duty), I got into a good spot for the arrival of the Queen Mother & Prince Charles by carriage. Not many people had gone right up to the House where I took these photos.  I was the only person at this spot when the Queen Mum gave me this pleasing smile.

I then headed down the hill to arena, to be confronted by thousands & thousands of people around the arena waiting for the Royal Party to arrive. All those people were not there when I went up to the House ? How was I going to get any more photos of the Royals ? 

I slowly made my way through the crowds, until I got to this spot, right in front of the presentations. I thought I have done really well to get to this great position. It was not until afterwards when the crowds had diminished, that I found I was in the Press enclosure ! No wonder it was a great position for the photos.

I could not understand at the time, that when Prince Charles first walk towards this spot he gave a bit of a snarl towards this direction. I soon found out afterwards that it was for the press reporters, as they were giving him a bit of a rough time in the newspapers. He also stood with his back to them for most of presentations. But I did get a couple of decent photos. 

The Queen Mum then went off in her buggy around the displays, meeting the floral prize winners.

It was around 4 o'clock by this time & the light was just right to get these pictures. Great !

Mum & Dad had their photo took by me, stood at this spot in 1986. 

Although it was a lovely warm day back in 1986, there was a lot of grey cloud around which stops this photo being a great photo. If I can master Photoshop I may be able to transfer Mum & Dad to the 2001 photo. Mum wanted to be photographed on this spot as the Queen had been photographed from the same spot in spring time, which featured in the guide book. 
It was now time to go back to the B & B, a Great Day had by all !  
Mum was very happy & pleased to see these photos, remarking how well the Queen Mother looked & so was I that Mum had got to see them.