The Queen ‘made you feel like you were the most special person in the room’, says her former Press Secretary
15 September 2022, 16:04
Former Press Secretary to the Queen shares memories
Ailsa Anderson, former Press Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II spoke of her “beaming smile” and “incredible capacity for making people feel at ease”.
The former Press Secretary to the Queen has paid tribute to Her Majesty, remembering her “warmth”.
Ailsa Anderson, who served her from 2001 to 2013 said: “It's pretty frightening meeting the Queen for the first time, but she made you feel that you were the most special person in the room.”
Shelagh Fogarty said: “Your mind and heart must be awash with memories this week”, to which Ms Anderson responded: “I have to say when the announcement was made, I burst into tears.”
She added: “However long she reigned, however old she was, however frail she was, it was still a huge shock.”
The former royal aide shared that her own mother died earlier this year, and said the news of the Queen’s passing “almost brought that raw grief back again”.
Ms Anderson added: “I think it’s going to take people a long time to actually process this…I think it will be the weeks and months ahead where people will really start to ponder and see what does this mean for us.”
She shared how throughout Her Majesty’s 70-year reign “she found something interesting and amusing or fascinating about every visit”, describing it as “one of the most remarkable things that the Queen did”.
The former Royal Press Secretary praised her “service and duty” in going through the red boxes, holding audiences, conducting investitures and visits.
“You see the tiaras but actually the Queen was more comfortable with a headscarf and a pair of wellies.
“Somebody said something really interesting about Balmoral- when she used to go to Scotland she would leave the crown on the gate posts and suddenly become a country woman.”
“Metaphorically”, Shelagh put in.
“Metaphorically, absolutely!” Ms Anderson affirmed as they laughed.
