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On 21st November my sisters Bethan and Ruth and I went with my Mum to Buckingham Palace where she was to get an MBE from HRH Prince Charles for all her fostering work with Merton.
We went up to London in a hired Mercedes and when we arrived at the Palace gates the policemen told the chauffeur to open the bonnet and boot of the car so they could check it; we then had to show our passports and tickets to prove we were the right people. The car then drove across the courtyard and dropped us off at the doors of the State Apartments.
We went into this very grand entrance hall with lots of people in uniforms, and we were told where we had to go; Mum had to go into a special room for recipients of awards, and Bethan, Ruth and I made our way up the grand staircase. There were lots of steps and it was quite steep so I was a bit slow. When we got to the top we walked along this lovely corridor to the ballroom where the ceremony was to be held.
In the balcony at the back was the orchestra of the Scots Guards who played lots of nice music all the way through the morning. We were shown to our seats, and then we had quite a wait; an Equerry came to tell us what would be happening.
Five Beefeaters came in and arranged themselves on the dais, and at 11:00 HRH Prince Charles came in escorted by two Gurkha officers, and we all stood to sing the National Anthem.
The ceremony began: there were two men knighted with the sword at the beginning, and lots of people got different medals. We had a programme, so we knew when it would be Mum’s turn; at last we saw her waiting for her name to be called, and she went forward and curtsied to His Royal Highness, who put her award on her, spoke to her, then shook her hand when she had to leave, curtseying again. Then she came round and sat in the ballroom, apart from us, with her medal in its box. At 12:25 the band played the National Anthem again and we all stood up as Prince Charles left.
Then we were able to find Mum and see her MBE award in its box. We went down the grand staircase and out into the courtyard to line up for the official photographs. While we were waiting the Beefeaters and the Gurkhas came out into the courtyard and Bethan took my photo with them – I felt very grand.
After the photographs we all came home in the Mercedes. I had a lovely day and was very proud of my Mum and so pleased she took me with her.
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