Christchurch Girl At Windsor Castle

Press, Volume C, Issue 29402, 3 January 1961, Page 2

Christchurch Girl At Windsor Castle

n ls */ u dith Hayman, a daughter of Mr and Mrs n. H. Hayman, of St Albans, attended chapel recently in the grounds of Windsor Castle with the Queen and Princess Anne, and was invited to the ™ tmas bah of the Royal Household Social Club, XS indsor Castle.

Miss Hay (uan. who completed lor nursing training at Christchurch Hospital four years ago, is working as a private nurse in England. She made friends with an English nurse. Miss Sheila Hickman, whose father is a farmer on tile Windsor estate. On a recent Sunday spent with her friend at Windsor they attending the morning service at the chapel in the grounds “It was a beautiful ehapel in the grounds, small, with a good choir.” she wrote in a letter to her parents. "Sheila s It-year-old brother is in it The Queen and Princess Anne were present. They sat in a special pew in the sanctuary; we couldn’t sec them except when they knelt down. “After the service I could have touched the Queen and listened to her conversation with the chaplain. She is beautiful—-

photographs do not do her credit. She had a full pinky coat and a green hat I don’t know what else. I was quite overcome Anne is taller than her mother, and plump. They got into their car and the Queen drove off. All of it was most informal and very exciting." Hooaehold Ball With her friend. Miss Hayman attended the grand Christmas ball of the Royal Household Social Club, Windsor. “The ball was held in the Waterloo Chamber.” she writes. All the portraits had been taken down in case of damage and had been replaced by modem murals for the ball, and a stage had been erected for the band. The supper had been laid out in St George’s Hall, and they went in to look at.it before the ball. “The spread was marvellous.” she said. ’There were enormous turkeys, hogs' heads beautifully dressed, enormous pieces of beef, pheasants with their bodies dressed and their multi-coloured wings, heads and tails put on again for decoration." The Royal Family arrived at 9 30—with the exception of Prince Philip, who had taken the children to Devon. The Queen, the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones attended, after dining in their private apartments. “The seats were put in a semicircle round the stare for the

cabaret—the centre front seats for Royalty.” she said. “Sheila and I were lucky enough to sit in front on one of the kneelers borrowed from the chapel, so we had a wonderful view. The Queen ■wore a gown of cream brocade studded with sapphires, and wore a sapnhire necklace and a verv neat diamond tiara. The Queen Mother had chosen a pink lace frock with a diamond and pearl necklace. Princess Margaret wore an off-the-shoulder dress with a large pink floral pattern. “Antony Armstrong-Jones sat on one side of the Queen and on the other was Lord Freyberg. Governor of the castle. "The cabaret included wellknown television stars, compered

by Peter Brough, a ventriloquist The stars were Paddy Roberts, a pianist who accompanies himself at humorous songs, Russ Conway, a pianist the Beverly Sisters, who sing in close harmony, and Al Read, a comedian. “Members of the Royal Family appeared to enjoy themselves immensely, especially the Queen Mother. We had a little community singing of a few modern songs with Russ Conway, and the Royal Family joined in with ail the words.” After the cabaret was over, and the Royal Family had met the artists, they joined in the dancing and mingled with the guests until about midnight. “Words can’t describe how thrilling the whole evening was,” writes Miss Hayman. “It was just so wonderful to be dancing round the floor in such close proximity to them.”