A Date With The Queen
A CBS News producer in Washington forwarded us the e-mail below, from a friend, Derya Samadi, who found herself unexpectedly face-to-face with royalty. What’s it like to meet The Queen? Read on. – Ed.
I design and arrange the flower displays and work in the gardens at the British Ambassador's Residence. As part of my duties, I decorated and arranged flowers for the Residence for Queen Elizabeth's Royal Visit to the States. She was here in DC Monday and Tuesday.
My good friend, Tria Giovan, came down from New York to assist me in making the arrangements. We created close to 50 arrangements and displays, working intensely from Friday through the weekend, Monday and Tuesday.
On Tuesday, at around noon, I was asked if I could be available "in my finery" to meet with the the Queen at Blair House. I didn't have any "finery" and would not be able to change before the meeting. I expressed my concern at meeting the Queen in red corduroys (with dirty knees!) and a flowered blouse. I was assured that what I was wearing was fine. There wasn't much I could do about it at that point anyway.
About 20 other Embassy staff were also asked to Blair House. We rode down in a van, went through security, and headed in to a room where we were offered water, juice and tea. I still didn't know what to expect and thought that perhaps she would come into our room and simply be introduced to us as a group. However, a man announced that we would be led individually into an adjoining room where the Equerry (I never knew what one was until yesterday) would announce our name and we would proceed forward to meet the Queen and the Duke. We were told that we could bow or curtsy if that was our custom but that was not expected or required. She would say a few words and hand us a gift and when she extended her hand that was the signal that our face time with Her Majesty was over.
At this point, I got really nervous. A private audience with the Queen?! What would she say? What would I say? What if I said something stupid? Whose life was I leading? I wished that my clothes were at least clean.
The Equerry asked me how to pronounce my name and rehearsed it three times. Then he announced me and correctly pronounced my name. I thanked him and floated forward to the Queen and the Duke who were standing at a table...
(AP Photo/Rodney Lamkey, Pool)
My good friend, Tria Giovan, came down from New York to assist me in making the arrangements. We created close to 50 arrangements and displays, working intensely from Friday through the weekend, Monday and Tuesday.
On Tuesday, at around noon, I was asked if I could be available "in my finery" to meet with the the Queen at Blair House. I didn't have any "finery" and would not be able to change before the meeting. I expressed my concern at meeting the Queen in red corduroys (with dirty knees!) and a flowered blouse. I was assured that what I was wearing was fine. There wasn't much I could do about it at that point anyway.
About 20 other Embassy staff were also asked to Blair House. We rode down in a van, went through security, and headed in to a room where we were offered water, juice and tea. I still didn't know what to expect and thought that perhaps she would come into our room and simply be introduced to us as a group. However, a man announced that we would be led individually into an adjoining room where the Equerry (I never knew what one was until yesterday) would announce our name and we would proceed forward to meet the Queen and the Duke. We were told that we could bow or curtsy if that was our custom but that was not expected or required. She would say a few words and hand us a gift and when she extended her hand that was the signal that our face time with Her Majesty was over.
At this point, I got really nervous. A private audience with the Queen?! What would she say? What would I say? What if I said something stupid? Whose life was I leading? I wished that my clothes were at least clean.
The Equerry asked me how to pronounce my name and rehearsed it three times. Then he announced me and correctly pronounced my name. I thanked him and floated forward to the Queen and the Duke who were standing at a table...
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