The Queen and Katherine Jenkins
The delectable Katherine Jenkins, the Welsh mezzo-soprano opera singer, has just published her autobiography Time To Say Hello.
In the book she describes her involvement with the Royal Family. Here are a few passages from it :
Thanks to my career, I have had more than my fair share of right Royal days.
The first time I met the Duke of Edinburgh he said: “Oh, yes, I think I’ve seen you singing at the rugby.”
Then, as I smiled nervously, he added: “How are your vocal cords?”
“Oh, fine, thank you,” I said breathlessly.
“No boils or warts on them yet?”
I was absolutely horrified and said: “I hope not.”
“Jolly good,” the Duke said, sauntering away.
The first time I went to Buckingham Palace was on St David’s Day.
When I arrived, my eyes as big as saucers, I was directed to the cloakrooms and told: “When you are ready, please come back upstairs and we will tell you where to go.” [...]
Suddenly aware that time was passing, I went back upstairs. “I’m Katherine Jenkins,” I said to the nearest official. His eyebrows shot up.
“We are going to have to rush,” he said, a note of panic in his voice.
“You are the last to arrive and the Queen is literally about to walk into the room.”
Somewhat flushed and out of breath, I joined everybody else in the line-up just in time. I was next to the opera singer Bryn Terfel.
When the Queen entered, I heard her ask him: “Did you enjoy the opening of the New Millennium Centre in Wales?”
“Very much, Ma’am,” Bryn replied. “Did you?”
“I thought it was lovely,” the Queen answered, “but it did go on a bit. My train was waiting for me for over an hour.”
I have become involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and, on their 50th anniversary, I was invited to lunch with the Queen and the Duke.
The eight guests were getting to know each other when the corgis came padding into the room. I love dogs, so I just fell on to the floor and was playing and rolling around with them when the Queen walked in, giving me a close-up view of her feet.
“Oh, my God!” I said, scrambling up, covered in confusion. She just smiled gently and said: “Hello Katherine, how are you?”
“Very excited to be here,” I burbled, “and I love your dogs.”
“Are they pure bred?” the lady next to me asked.
“Well, actually, no,” the Queen said.
“They’re a cross between a corgi and dachshund. I call them the Dawgis.”
When we had finished the three courses of lunch, a plate with some gauze on top of it and a glass bowl full of water were placed in front of me. I was so embarrassed: I hadn’t a clue what they were for.
A waiter came round with a choice of grapes or peaches, so I chose a peach and just sat there holding it.
The Queen had sensed my panic. With an expression in her eyes that said, “Watch me”, she very discreetly showed me what to do: wash the fruit in the bowl, then dry it with the gauze. Bless her.
As I gratefully copied her, I couldn’t help thinking, surely the fruit has already been washed?
I met the Duchess of Cornwall at the 2007 Classical Brit Awards. She was absolutely delightful and asked me if I spoke Welsh, which I do.
“My husband speaks a little Welsh,” she added, obviously proud of Charles, “and I’m always very impressed when he sings the Welsh national anthem in Welsh. I’d love to learn the words of that.”
“Well,” I said, “if you ever need some lessons I will gladly teach you.”
‘I might need some singing lessons before that,’ she laughed.
Time To Say Hello by Katherine Jenkins is published by Orion on January 28 at £18.99 in the UK.
More extracts can be found in The Mail on Sunday
How lovely! I love to read these kinds of personal experiences with the Queen. I would like to recommend the video Elizabeth for anyone who hasn’t seen it. It’s been around for a long while but is so worth it. I found it in the local library a long time ago but bought my own copy on Amazon. It follows the Queen for a year and is quite intimate . It gives a different impression of the Queen than what one might get from watching Helen Mirren. I’m looking forward to the newest year in the life of the Queen video whenever it comes out in the US.
By Claudia on January 14th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Claudia, the five episodes of Monarchy (formerly called, A Year With The Queen) is due to air on ABC on the 18th (Friday). It’s well worth watching.
By John on January 14th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
This is the first time that I ever read that the Queen’s Corgis are not purebred but are part Dachsund! I am really surprised. I also did not know that Charles could sing the entire Welsh National Anthem in Welsh. That is a very difficult language to master. King George V had a Welsh language master work for ages with Prince Edward (called David by his parents), who was about to be named Prince of Wales, so that he could speak some Welsh at the Investiture Service in Wales, and all the Prince (who would later become King Edward VIII and then Duke of WIndsor) could manage was “All Wales is a Song of the Sea.”
By Gigi on January 14th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Thanks so much John! I am enough of a fan-atic that I would buy it sight unseen!
By Claudia on January 14th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Very important testimony was given by Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, at the inquest. Among other things, he says that he believes that is was not possible for Charles or any other member of the Royal Family to be involved in a scheme to murder Princess Diana. He also says that letters from the Duke of Edinburgh to Princess Diana were not nasty or mean, but bantering, in the Duke’s undiplomatic style of speech. I find Burrell to be the most credible, and even if he did write a book, I find his testimony about Princess Diana to be believable. He certainly knew as much or more about Princess Diana as anyone else. He also testified that Princess Diana was fond of Charles right to the time of her death. Further, he says that the Princess had no intention of becoming engaged to or married to Dodi and when she died was still very much in love with Mr. Khan. That also rings true to me. I am sure all this testimony from Burrell was difficult for Mr. Al Fayed, the grieving Father who dreamed of a marriage for his son with Princess Diana, to hear, but who knew Prinecss Diana better than Paul Burrell, her trusted confidential employee? If Paul Burrell is telling the truth, as seems quite likely, there’s an end on it.
By Gigi on January 14th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Gigi, I’ve never doubted for one second that these slurs on members of the Royal Family were false. It’s been obvious since the French inquiry found that almost nonexistent security at the Ritz, and dishonesty by Henri Paul, led to the deaths.
Frankly, the behaviour of some of the players in this case has been atrocious. Deflecting the evidence to conceal the truth should be subject to prosecution. Alas, I doubt we will see that now.
Let’s hope Diana can finally rest in peace with the truth out in the open at last.
By John on January 14th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
John, I think that is exactly it…”with the truth out in the open”… I also find Paul’s comments to be believable. It does help to hear them to put this matter to rest. If there was a true sense of a conspiracy, I suspect his would be the loudest voice we’d hear on this. The fact that he is not singing this tune, does mean something to me.
By Cate on January 14th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
John, I hate to quibble with you but the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) does not have Monarchy (A Year With The Queen) on their prime time schedule for Friday, January 18th. The broadcast date is still to be determined. Unfortunately, for those of us on this side of the pond, ABC has decided to condense the entire BBC series into a 2 hour documentary hosted by television journalist, Barbara Walters. Ms. Walters just returned from Great Britain where she taped lead-ins for the documentary at Bucknigham Palace, the Tower of London, etc. Unless BBC America broadcasts the entire series as it was shown in Great Britain, the 2 hours from ABC will be a tease leaving us wanting for more.
By Arthur on January 15th, 2008 at 12:09 am
I wonder if Princess Diana perhaps “took up” with Dodi in part to take media pressure off Hasnat Khan, so that some distance and a perceived new relationship would allow him to continue his work.
By Evelyn on January 15th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Well, that leaves me out because I cannot abide Barbara Walters at any price, so I assure you I will not be watching it. Thanks for the heads up, Arthur.
By Gigi on January 15th, 2008 at 12:29 am
I also believe Paul Burrell, and I know that The Duke of Edinburgh did not write nasty letters to Diana. Simone Simmons just don’t like Prince Philip and use Diana’s relationship with him to get back at him. Which is dumb. I will watch the Monarchy doc and I heard Barabra Walters say on The View that it will be a 2hour show. I don’t understand why they are doing that but hopefully Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work will come out on DVD so you can buy the series like the Windsor Castle series.
By Claudius on January 15th, 2008 at 2:06 am
Claudius, the complete BBC series Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work will be available on DVD beginning February 25th. You can advance order the DVD on Amazon.com.uk for $29.99 which includes shipping to the US.
By Arthur on January 15th, 2008 at 5:10 am
That sounds an excellent buy, Arthur. I can see why ABC doesn’t want to run to five long episodes — they think the audience will turn off after the first American-set one.
By John on January 15th, 2008 at 10:47 am
In my opinion, this series would be the one and only reason for me to watch ABC! However, I shall order the series–thanks so much for the information, Arthur.
By Gigi on January 15th, 2008 at 4:49 pm