SEEING THE QUEEN

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1927, Page 4

SEEING THE QUEEN

PRETTY PALACE INCIDENT. (London “Daily .Mai.’’) When tho King and Queen were driving out of Buckingham Palace ono afternoon in June the Queen stopped the car at the gate and beckoned to a, little girl who was curtseying and waving a big bunch of

The. crowd which had gathered outside the gates saw the footman jump down and open the door of the royal car. They saw the child walk up to I lie car and the Queen put her hand out and help her in. The excitement, of the crowd grew when they saw the Queen accept the child’s roses and the King raise his hat and shake her hand. The pretty incident ended with the child leaving the car and curtseying in the gateway and the royal car moving off with the Queen holding the. girl's roses in the air. THAPHNE’S OWN STORY. Nobody in the crowd realised that the incident was a definite appointment, which the child had made and her Majesty had confirmed by telephone. 'l he little girl was Thaphne Messina, aged 7. the daughter of the late Mr R. ,]. Messina anil of Mrs Messina, of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, who has been staying with her mother in England for a month. How Thaphne canio to meet the Queen is best told by herself. She said to a “Daily Mail” reporter last night: “I have always longed to see the Queen, !localise T think she looks a real queen in her pictures. And Buckingham Palace is the most wonderful thing to see in London. I have stood in a crowd to see the Queen, hut I could not see her properly, so 1 thought perhaps if I wrote to her she would let me stand in a good place and get a good view of her. “We are going home to South Africa on Thursday, so while mummy was packing on Sunday night i said I would write to a real Queen, but after trying a long time I sent this letter.’’ And Thaphne shyly passed a copy of the letter she had sent to her Majesty. I read: “My dear Queen.- 1 am from South Africa. I am 7b years old, and I am sailing again for South jMhc'V on Thursday. tl* 9 ?3rd. Perhaps your Highness would bo .gracious enough

to let me knots’ when I may wipe and stand at the- gates of the palace and see you pass through the gates for n drive, and then I shall carry some roses by which your Highness will recognise mo. With best wishes and prayers for your Highness, 1 am one of your little people.—'Thaphne Messina.” “This morning,” added Thaphne, “I got this message irom Buckingham Palace, addressed to me: “The Queen is leaving the palace at 2,45 to-day. Come to the palace gates and T will tell the inspector to look out for you and give you a good place.” “Now isn't that wonderful 1” added Thaphne. “Of course, it wasn’t sent by the Queen herself: 1 suppose .t came from her secretary. “1 put on my lace frock, and we bought the roses, and mummy and T drove to the palace in a taxicab. The inspector recognised us and stood us inside the gates. INSIDE THE CAR.

“When 1 saw the Queen coming in her car l cried, ‘Here she is mummy ami I waved mv roses. I didn’t think the Queen would stop, but she did and beckoned to me. 1 ran to the car and her Royal Majesty drew me inside and said ‘How nice of you to write to me. “So 1 handed the Queen my roses and said, “Will your Majesty accept these roses with my hit e. “The Queen did. and I was so pleased. Then her Majesty admired ,vv fur coat., and the King raised his hat and said. ‘How nice and kind of you to bring those roses for the

Queen.’ “Oh, it was so exciting. Ihe Queen said, ‘I will write to you in South i.yfriea. T will get your address from the South African Bank.' “But I arn so sorry the Duke and Duchess of York were not here. I did want to see them so much.” Thaphne has seven dolls, each " r which is named alter a. member of the .-Rusal Family. She took the “Daily Mail” reporter into her room and pointed to a huge doll perched on the pillow of her bed. “Queen Mary,” she said quietly.